Avoiding the takeout monster
Hi friends 😀 How was your day? I’m so glad you’re enjoying the Focus On: Zumba post! Of course I’m a little biased since I teach, but I really love it so much 🙂
So I have a confession to make…
I smile, but
I’ve turned into a TAKEOUT MONSTER.
From Mexican,
to gluten-free pizza
(that was today’s lunch.. the same pizza and salad for the third time.. this week)
to Indian
to salads
It’s just getting a little out of hand.
#1. It’s a HUGE money waster. I don’t even want to think about how much we’ve spent on food this week since I haven’t been cooking for myself or the Pilot. {Think of the DESIGNER JEANS cloth diapers I could be buying instead!}
#2. While I’m an ordering ninja, I still like to make the food at home so I know exactly what goes into it.
To be real, it’s been REALLY hard for me to put meals together since the gluten-free bun was put in the proverbial oven. Everything makes me gag (even packing lunch), but once the food is prepared, I’m fine to eat it. Smoothies have been a godsend since all I have to do is throw everything in the Vitamix, and I’ll get protein, healthy fats, fruits and veggies in one fell swoop.
Like with any predicament, I tried to think of how I would give someone else advice in a similar situation:
-Find some healthy pre-packaged foods that are easy to combine as a meal. Trader Joe’s, Amy’s and Whole Paycheck have a ton of options.
Something that has worked really well has been gluten-free wraps with Sunshine burgers inside:
–Find things you can eat as they are, such as fresh organic fruit, Larabars, nuts, dried fruit and veggies. [This one I’ve actually been doing, so it’s been a great snack option]
-Soups, pre-made salads (like from Trader Joe’s), bean and grain dishes (like the quinoa confetti casserole from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan) that are easy to prepare are also good options
Things that WON’T work:
–Having the Pilot make all of my meals for me. I eat at least 5 times a day, and while he’s been absolutely amazing and has prepped salads and eggs for me, I can’t depend on him to cook every meal for me. He’s so busy it’s a wonder he’s been feeding himself this entire time.
So I thought I’d ask you guys for advice….
How can I avoid the takeout monster? What are some super fast meals I can put together to minimize gag time? Or should I just keep doing what I’ve been doing hoping that since the first trimester is over my cooking ninja skillz will soon be back?
See ya in the morning <3
xoxo
Gina
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I do think 1st trimester food weirdness play a huge part in it. You’ll come around! I got really creative the more pregnant I got because I was really trying to find healthy alternatives to the food I was craving!
This is just another way that your pregnancy is preparing you for parenthood!! Just going with the flow is the BEST thing you can do.
You’re going to cloth diaper your baby? Where can you buy them? Sounds interesting 🙂
we’d like to. you can buy the supplies online
We bought tons of cloth diapers and sworn not to hurt mother earth… but after baby Zac was born, we drove to the nearest store and got disposable ones just after an hour of using the cloth diapers… Apparently my friends weren’t kidding when they told me that baby eats and poops… A LOT!!!! I hope you will do better than us!!!
I started feeling better and actually wanted to cook again around 15 weeks…you’ll get your groove back very soon !
good to know- hopefully soon!
Do you EVER feel well enough to prepare stuff? Could you maybe do massive quantities of quinoa or something and just leave it in the fridge for snacking? If it weren’t so flippin’ hot in Tucson, I would tell you to throw some stuff in a crock pot when you’re feeling good and then just let it go.
Ugh. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon.
not really.. when i make food, i’m trying to fake that i feel ok to see if it helps
I went through the same thing during my first trimester. We were eating takeout several nights a week – just being in the kitchen made me sick, plus I was SO SO tired all the time. I felt so bad, not cooking for my family. (You think takeout for 2 is expensive…we had to do it for 6!). I didn’t even get over that first trimester hump until I was 15-16weeks along. I have advice bc I didn’t eat much the first tri, except takeout, haha! This is just temporary – You will return to your kitchen soon. 🙂
I think we all fall in this trap even if we dont have a GF bun in the oven, I know I get in a rut where I can’t stand the thought of cooking..other weeks I have a new idea for cooking every night! What I would do is this…try to power thru, and cook maybe 2-3 dishes on sunday nights and make it last you a few days for lunches/dinner. If you’re tummy issues let you. Something like your lasagna dish (can’t wait to try this btw!) or brown rice/quinoa bowls ( I often make a huge batch of brown rice and keep it in the fridge for one week) , Sweet potatoes are so easy to make and complete a meal. At whole foods I saw GF pizza crusts ( I think they were by Udi’s) , you could buy a few of those and make an easy pizza, the Pilot could chop up veggies for you.
This is just a phase I’m sure…You’ll be back to normal soon!
xoxo Kat
That Brushetta looks amazing. Where would I find that receipe?
http://fitnessista.com/2011/04/not-made-of-stone/
It’s always tough because obviously if it’s making you gag to cook, then that’s not good or appealing for you! I’m not against take-out (does that help? lol), but as long as you’re getting the goods from the take-out (like that huge salad), I don’t see why it would be a problem…just on the wallet! Hopefully you get over the gagging thing because nobody likes feeling sick, especially over stuff that never made you feel that way before!
well, I can’t help you. All my meals are too slow! I did want to ask where you got your glass cup thing w/ sippy cup top. That looks awesome! And I love that it’s glass not plastic (right?). Anyway, saw someone elses post about cloth diapers. A family friend has a business littleleafdiapers.com, I’m not getting referral fees (or anything awesome like that) but I know the girl and all the research she did for her diapers, and they look awesome. Same diaper fits baby to toddler, and I know I’m going to buy these when my turn comes around. So just sharing. But seriously, cup info please? thx
I just checked this site Anne, adorable cloth diapers…i am interested! Bummer you aren’t getting a referral fee:(
I just started working full-time, and our dinners have definitely been suffering. To combat ordering takeout every night I have been trying to stock up on some easy, “throw together” foods. I love the frozen Balsamic veggies from TJ’s tossed with pasta or rice. The microwave TJ’s rice and pilaf (w edamame already in the mix for added protein!) is a lifesaver, too. I’ve been freezing pizza dough and letting it thaw while I’m at work and relying on dishes that don’t require a lot of prep/chopping. If it wasn’t summer I’d probably rely on the crock pot, too… but no one like walking into a burning hot apartment after commuting. Good luck! I hope the nausea passes for you soon!
I thought this was only me! I can’t even microwave anything without getting sick,but when the same food is prepared and sitting in front of me it is totally fine. So strange!
congrats on ur little bun in the oven! i just had a baby in march and have been cloth diapering him, it’s totally awesome and worth it. we are using gro-via AI2s (hybrid diapers with cloth insert or disposable option). don’t let anyone discourage you or make you feel embarassed for deciding to use cloth. its great for the environment and not that difficult to do once you learn all the tricks. i recommend doing your research there are so many different options and brands to choose from. i was very nervous to use it because none of my friends ever did it and people thought i was crazy when i would mention it, but the newer cloth diapers are ingeniously designed and make it easy, not like when our parents had to use cloth diaper services, etc. if you want to cloth diaper, you can definitely do it!
UGH I’ve been the same way! It’s so tough but for me the trick is really having lots of different foods on hand to cook. If all I have in my fridge is carrots and lettuce, guess what? I’m probably not going to cook, and I’ll probably munch on those carrots while I wait for my dinner to arrive.
Tonight we’re picking up a grill and hitting up Trader Joes for a few items so hopefully the farmer’s market will shed some light on the issue. Spruce up the menu with something new (for us that’s grilling) and hopefully things will look up 🙂
The first trimester it’s just weird. You’ll get your groove back around 15 weeks or so, hopefully! I was the same way, and so were most of my friends. Just concentrate on ordering the healthiest food you can.
Samesies with the preparation-induced nausea and vomiting and I LOVED cooking for my hubby and me (often two meals–my Firefighter is a Pilot-type eater 🙂 before. Initially, I beat myself up a lot for not eating more of my previously-beloved veggies and survived mostly on bagels with cream cheese, yogurt, fruit and takeout (a lot like you!). Around 14 or 15 weeks I suddenly wanted salads again and added veggies as I craved them. It was my usually worry wort hubby who suggested that maybe my body and the baby were driving my food choices that made me relax and trust my body again. I’m 26 weeks now and cooking up a storm again, so don’t worry! I say ENJOY your takeout! This is phase is just a blip in the grand scheme. <3
I can’t speak from the pregnancy perspective, but I do know that when I’m upset, my appetite goes AWOL and the act of preparing food is unbearable, and that can go on for weeks. This is where kind friends step in, and invite you round to their place to be fed! You have a wonderfully supportive family, by all accounts – could they take pity on you and stock you up with a batch of stuff for your fridge and freezer on a sort of rota basis?! x
I agree, don’t sweat it if you can afford it for another few weeks. Maybe go halfway… a big pot of quinoa in the rice cooker to use to supplement take-out meals? A Mexican take-out meal from most places will feed me 2-3 meals, so with a side of quinoa, the cost per meal would probably be no big deal, especially since you buy good groceries anyway.
These are some good ideas for a lot of us with no time. I think you need to beg and plead with your good cooks in the family to make you and the Pilot some extra when they cook and you can eat it or freeze it. (If you feel guilty offer to pay for part of their grocery bill. Also, I know the pilot is a good cook too. He can grill up some salmon, chicken, veggies to last a few days. Then just toss a salad or nuke some brown rice, veggies, or pasta to go along with it.
I will echo what others said and note that it will pass as your pregnancy progresses. With all three of my pregnancies I spent so much money on restaurants when I was in my early stages. Wait until you get all nesty and cook for like 5 hours in a row to stock your freezer….
You probably just have to ride it out. Sounds like white people problems to me…
LOL. you’re right
First, I love that you want to do cloth!!! We’ve cloth diapered our 2 (hopefully soon to be 3 ;o)) children and it’s awesome. Let me know if you have an questions!
Next, I agree with others that you should cut your self some slack. Most likely, you’ll feel like yourself again soon. In the meantime, maybe try out some new raw recipes since you seem to do well with salad? Is it the actual prep work or the cooking of the food that is difficult?
I really think it just comes with the territory of early pregnancy. I found that I fell into the same trap. Also because although I was ravenous all the time, my own cooking kind of grossed me out (which is weird because I love to cook and we don’t generally dine out much). It got better around 13-15 weeks.
I feel exactly the same way about cooking. Nothing sounds good to me but if I get too hungry, I get sick. The husband has been cooking for me for supper each night and I’ve been eating out for lunch. Smoothies for breakfast.
I think the frozen dinner route would be better (cheaper) and you can have a variety of stuff on hand. I’m going to try making grain bowls tonight since I think I can handle the minimal prep involved.
Just rely on easy foods like gluten free wraps or bread with goat cheese and very simple salads- you will most likely feel better soon. I lived off of fat free milk (not so bad), french bread with butter (horrible), and grapefruit for my first trimester. My stomach felt horrible from all those white carbs, but that was all I felt like I could stomach. Now I think I was just being a wimp, so next time I’m going to try and (as your friend said) just eat the freaking vegetables.
One more tip for later- during the last month or so when the urge to “nest” hits you hard seriously FILL your freezer up with healthy, delicious casseroles so when the baby comes you won’t have to cook (or rely on others) to cook for you every single night. Seriously saved my butt as I had very few friends and family members living near me when Matti was born.
Do you love your Vitamix?? My basic blender is just about ready for retirement, and I’m beginning to search for a new one. I make a smoothie for breakfast every morning, and sometimes another in the afternoon.
Why are Vitamix blenders so much more expensive? Would you buy one again? I’m willing to invest, but I want to be sure it’s worth it. Love you blog, by the way!
i don’t just love my vitamix.. we have an intense, deep relationship. i can’t even go on long vacations without it!! yes, it’s totally worth the price tag. it was a gift from the company last year, but i would pay for it with my own money in a heartbeat
Ahh…the first trimester is SO hard. I have a hard time keeping up with meals now with two kiddos, but when I’m pregnant, the first trimester KILLS my creativity and motivation. Your ninja skillz will return. I promise. (Shoot, wait until NESTING time. Wooph!) Your take out looks AMAZINGLY healthier than anything any normal woman would choose while pregnant, so to be honest, don’t feel too bad. You’re doing fantastic!
First trimester food woes are the worst! I couldn’t ingest anything but v8 juice (I know, right…) and chocolate milk (even worse) for weeks. The sight/smell of real food sent me face first into a toilet. For me, it didn’t pass completely until about 15 weeks. But, by 10-12 weeks I had a little routine worked out that included a lot of Larabars and prepackaged soups. Good luck to you and finding your own workable foods 🙂
Also, yay for cloth!!! Have you done much research on what kinds you want to use? My son is 10 months and we’ve been cloth from the beginning, we love it! We have a mix of prefolds and covers (Thirsties) and pocket diapers (BumGenius, Thirsties Duo Diapers and Fuzzibunz).
GINAAAA omg cloth diapers… noooo way girl! Just you wait…. More power to you if you can get the hang of it, but there are more horror stories about them than regular ones. I have seen majorrr blow outs and blow ups and… oh my my my myyyyy. no bueno!
I’m a million posts behind, but cloth diapers! No way!
My mom had my brothers 10 and 12 years after me, and she did cloth diapers for the first one and the first few weeks of my youngest brother. It was awful. Smelly. Disgusting. The whole house smelled like pee ALL THE TIME.
I love the environment, but until they make biodegradable Huggies, I’m going to love Mother Earth in other ways than cloth diapers.
Cloth vs disposable. On the surface cloth may seem like an obvious winner from env perspective but you have to take into consideration and water and power needed to wash them. Some consumer group did a study and from env / carbon footprint perspective disposable won hands down and that not even taking the time and effort on the mommy side into perspective. just something to think about.
Hi! I was wondering what brand of tumbler is the one in the above pic that is spill proof? I am looking for something to take on the go that won’t spill….