Monday Munchies, Part 6

The frost has arrived!

The temperature was somewhere around freezing last night, yielding a carpet of diamonds this morning.

I don’t anticipate snow quite yet, but this frost reminds me that winter isn’t too far away. There’s also the fact that Peter and I went to a Home Depot yesterday and was bombarded by Christmas music and sales on artificial trees. Isn’t Halloween still three weeks away?

Anyway, on to today’s Monday Munchy. This post catalogs everything I ate over the course of last Saturday (two days ago), which is also the day we had our adventures in Amish country.

Breakfast, 7:30 am:

A mixture of Noosa and nonfat Greek yogurts, 1/2 sliced banana, frozen berry trio (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries), Barbara’s squares, chia seeds, with a spoonful peanut butter on the side. Enjoyed with a mug of hot green tea (part of my regimen to boost my immune system — stay tuned for more).

The weather’s turning cold enough that my smoothies and yogurt bowls are looking less appealing. Perhaps oatmeal and baked goods will make a comeback?

Snackies, 11 pm:

If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll know that we visited a family farm, where we chowed down on samples of dishes made with squash:

Squash chowder, spaghetti squash lasagna (definitely making this), squash pancake, and squash marshmallow fluff.

Lunch, 1 pm:

For the first time in years, we went to a buffet.

I’m not a fan of all-you-can-eat buffets, where it’s difficult to regulate how much you’re taking in and where the food quality is often lacking. Turns out I was right on both counts. We stumbled on this place around lunchtime, and let me tell you — when you’re in the middle of a sparsely populated area, your choices are somewhat limited. Still, everyone was super friendly and the company was good.

Iceberg lettuce with shredded cheese, diced ham, pasta, olives, egg, and some kind of sweet jam-like salad with marshmallows that I’m sure is quite popular around here and so I’m slightly ashamed to not know what it is. Broccoli cheese soup in the back. Side note: Why do all buffets have that perfectly cubed ham?

A whole lotta beige going on! Two kind of macaroni ‘n’ cheez, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, and a chicken nugget shaped like a Stegosaurus.

Two kind of chocolate cake, cherry cobbler, and something white and cake-like.

Vanilla soft-serve with chocolate sauce and nuts.

Overall, I ate most of the salad plate, half the “entree” plate, and a bite of each of the desserts.  I wasn’t crazy about any of the foods, and as a registered dietitian, I know the full-yet-unsatisfied feeling I had afterward was due to the high calorie density/low nutrient density nature of this lunch. Gimmie some veggies any time!

Unsurprisingly, I was not all that hungry for dinner.

Dinner, 7 pm:

We picked up a mincemeat pie at one of the Amish-run stores. The last time I tried mincemeat was when my sister D made it years ago, and Peter’s never tried it.

I sampled a few bites. Have any of you ever tried mincemeat? I was a little put off by the juxtaposition of beef and the sweet flavors of apple and raisin. Peter, however, loved it.

My real meal:

Sauteed apples ‘n’ onions a la Farmer Boy, with 1/2 Amish-made sausage and a pile of olive oil-rubbed kale. I felt much better after this meal.

As you can see from this Monday Munchy and the one before last, I sometimes eat quite differently on the weekends — and that’s okay. Subscribing to the Always/Sometimes way of eating means I’m open to trying anything, as long as I know what’s best for me and my health. I’ll document a weekday for the next Monday Munchy.

Have a great day, everyone!

Q: Do you eat differently on weekends vs. weekdays?

5 Comments

  1. “I know the full-yet-unsatisfied feeling I had afterward was due to the high calorie density/low nutrient density nature of this lunch.”
    Ah! I always noted this back when I was younger and ate at McDonald’s occasionally (it’s now been years since the last time). Huh! So we can sense the presence/absence of nutrients in our stomachs?

    1. Our bodies do need minimum amounts of certain nutrients to carry out biological processes, and there are theories out there suggesting that when we don’t get those nutrients, we “crave” them (manifested by craving certain foods). Still, as with many areas in nutrition, we don’t have definite proof … yet. Great question, William!

  2. I hate it when I end up in a place where there are just NO good food options! But it happens and you just have to make the best of it…which you definitely did!

  3. I have to say the ice cream sundae looks good!

    I went to a couple of great buffet places in Korea that were totally different from North American ones. The concept was healthy food and lots of veggies and everything was delicious (and nutritious). The prices were also reasonable considering the quality of the food.

    I’ve been hearing so much about rubbing kale, I think I’ll have to try it!

    1. Now THAT’s the kind of buffet place I want to go to! 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *