Higher Food Standards

Its been a while...

I now have time to think about all the things I did while I was on maternity leave. Although short in time, it was long in hours.
One of the greatest things that maternity leave did for me was the abundant amount of time I had to watch t.v as I was nursing. Trying to still learn something for the first little bit I watched all the movies we had in our house...some three or four times. How else are you going to keep awake at UN-godly hours of the day and night? Then at the advice of my dear hubby who was being supportive during the whole process I turned to HULU.com the coolest website! You can watch any show as many episodes as they have!!! Some had a few, others had whole seasons! Well I got really into a show called "Kitchen Nightmares" its with Chef Gordon Ramsey. He goes from restaurant to restaurant trying to help them out. He tastes the food then shows whats going on in the kitchen and advices the owners as to what to do, how to run their business what to clean, etc.

I can now appreciate food at a higher level. Honestly!

I grew up a Russian Jew. Meaning=we LOVE FOOD! Everything we do is with food. We are happy with food, we are sad with food, we are mad with food, etc.
I am also by nature (or my mom's side of the family gene pool) am not picky about food. I will eat almost anything and like it. I really do mean anything from expensive restaurant Steak to cheap fast food (in my previous life I loved McDonald's!). Yet, now I have a higher standard for food quality! I still love hot dogs, but its a matter of how long they have been around and when the expiration date is! I no longer look at food loving and think that one day we will eat it! NO, we won't!!! If its in the fridge longer than three, okay four days...its garbage. I now have higher standards of what goes into the freezer...because lets face it ladies and gentlemen if you put Challah in the freezer and you take it out a week or more later it will taste like its been frozen. Instead of saving time shopping for fresh food, I save time and money in not having old food and too much food in the fridge and freezer. Yes, I know its easier to make something for the whole week, but how much harder is it to cook twice in the week then it is to cook once and throw food out? Yes I must admit it takes more time to think of a menu and think of what we would like to eat and what is on sale for the week but in the end the reward is fresh good food that will be eaten in three or four days tops!
I can now see the shelves of my fridge because its not overwhelmed with mounds of food that will eventually get tossed out because too much was made and then not eaten in time. Or we got sick of eating it so we left it and I made even more food, and then that goes in the fridge and of course doesn't all get eaten.
So, my solution (at least for now) is to plan in advance, shop once a week for fresh fruits and vegetables and once a week for poultry and eat what we buy...or toss it out. Since I can't stand to throw food out, we eat what we buy!

Oh, and did I mention that cuts down on going out for food. Yes, because you think to yourself..."if I go out then the food that is already made and waiting to be eaten in the fridge will be thrown out". Also, after watching Kitchen nightmares and the standards of kitchen cleanliness that most restaurants seem to have...I DON'T WANT TO GO OUT! I have higher standards for picking my nose then most restaurants have for their kitchens!

My conclusion: yes it takes longer to be organized and on top of your kitchen, but its very worth it in the long run. Like everything else, once you get used to it and in the swing of things, it will take much shorter time.

Its a total coincidence that I was thinking of this post at 4am and when I was reading blogs I found that ProfK had posted the coolest food link for her viewers! I've attached the link and I highly recommend it!

LOVE IT!

Hat tip to ProfK THANK YOU!