Cleaning Out the Cupboards

That's at the top of my 'to do' list today.

My plan is to go thru every one of our interior storage areas in the RV and get rid of anything we haven't used in the past year. We also need to use up the remaining food in the cupboards and start fresh again after crossing the USA border next month.

The motivation for this big clean-up hit me at 5am, when I woke up and decided to toss out a bunch of unhealthy snacks.

It's both horrifying and embarrassing to see the amount of crappy pre-packaged food we have in our cupboards.

My fave salty snack is low fat Pringles but they're so expensive here in Canada that I've replaced them with low fat pretzels.  Problem is I'm also guilty of buying regular fat Pringles when they go on sale.

My Fella picks up peanuts/raisons/smarties from the bulk food section and makes his own trail mix, a fairly healthy snack.  But he also has different work treats like pudding and granola bars. Add in the numerous bags of chips we've been getting for free (from our pal, The Chip Guy) and you've got a million empty calories taking over our very limited RV shelf space.  

A healthy, balanced lifestyle is important to us since we both plan on living to 117. At least.  Yeah, we'll be really wrinkly... But healthy. 

We eat salad every day and, as a couple, we consume more veggies than anyone I know.  We only eat whole grain bread and pasta at home and although My Fella isn't eating fish yet, he has cut down on red meat.  I drink 4 litres of wine water every single day and unless the weather is crappy, I get at least an hour of exercise. That's on top of taking the mutts for 4 or 5 daily walks.  

But as someone who is constantly preaching about personal responsibility, I need to give myself a kick in the butt and lose these ten flabby pounds I packed on over the summer thru snacking.  Our salty snack party has come to an end.  Hear that sneaky salty snacks? Yer DONE!

Hence the big cupboard clean out and reorganization.

My Fella is on board with this project and took all of our unopened snacks into work this morning, making his co-workers very happy.  

And now we can start fresh.

Totally off topic, but only 24 more sleeps til we head south.  Watch your back Tillamook pepper jack, I'm coming to get you  :)

Oh, and before I forget - special note to the person who got to this blog yesterday by googling 'how to care for marijuana seedlings that have sprouted':  I have absolutely no idea how you got here by searching for that, since I know less about drugs than your average 9 year old.  Put down the weed and plant a tree or a pumpkin patch instead. 

Comments

[Jacq]

I collected Tillamook cheese... and butter... and sour cream... on this trip too. No pepper jack this year, but sure did last year. I thought customs might ask on the cheese issue, but they don't. We did have to surrender our cherries though. I non-violently protested by eating them at the border and throwing just the yucky ones away.

Maybe it's a good sign that you actually *have* junk food to declutter? It might mean that you don't just scarf through it constantly? Most bags of chips would last around me for all of a day - best not go there. :-(

[kelsi]

jjolie - "I non-violently protested by eating them at the border..." I nominate that for Phrase of the Year.
And totally off topic, but kudos to your ambitious son on the second job. Maybe he'll stick with it, maybe not - but at least he's not following the herd.

[Jacq]

Re the cherries, I think there should be some personal limit allowed - like obviously I wasn't going to be a sleazy cherry-drug dealer. I'm not mad though because they let me go over limit on the booze.
Thanks kelsi, he's not afraid of work for sure.
It's been rare that he's only held down one job, the trick is finding ones that are compatible in terms of interest, energy required & hours (more than 60 hours/week is too much long term). And to have at least one weekend night off to be with his friends. It's just been the last year that he's learned to live off the part-time one and save everything from the full-time one. I'm very proud of him for that.
It also shows that those dripping water on a rock/broken record brainwashing tactics work since he thinks it was his idea... :-)

[Terry]

I have some of the Tillamook Pepper Jack in the fridge. But I just opened a package of their Vintage Extra Sharp White Cheddar. This is now my favorite! 'hope I can find more away from the factory.

[kelsi]

Gypsy T - I read your recent blog post about visiting the Tillamook factory. I clearly remember having a major case of Blog Envy that day.
Let me know if you find the Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar in regular grocery stores in the States ... now I wanna try it too!