Junk Food Confessions
Let’s be honest. We all have our vices and hidden underneath or behind our pantry shelves somewhere probably lies a half eaten box of Little Debbie chocolate cupcakes. It could possibly be our box of stress-relief after a long days work or when you need to quietly sneak your kid some sugar contraband just so that they can leave you alone to write your blog post. Either way, I know nearly all home cooks are guilty, at some point, of eating outside their “local, seasonal, organic and sustainable” repertoire. Why? because sometimes we all need our junk food fix and I would never judge anyone based on their box of Twinkies.
This thought came to mind again when Todd showed me a funny comic strip about a gardener dad and his kids. The images showed a proud dad and family surrounding their newly built organic garden planter. It had all the signs of a family committed to living a healthier, greener and natural way of living and eating. And then the caption is from the Father who proudly boasts about their accomplishment and decides to take the family to celebrate at “Burger King!”.
I laughed out loud. Really loud. Why? Because after a long days work on the garden, all I want is a greasy burger too, at In-n-Out. Add me a side of animal fries (extra crispy please) and neopolitan shake and I’m fueled up to plant another ten rows of organic vegetable seedlings.
The truth is, we all have our little junk food secrets that some of us would never publicly admit. Why? probably because many of us here are committed to fresh eating, home cooked meals, sustainable agriculture, ya-da, ya-da and more ya-da. Yes, it’s fabulous that we all are focused to a better food system and more sustainable food culture. But I’m not judging anyone and would never think less of an organic farmer who snuck a snickers bar (or two) on occasion.
Gordough’s doughnut eating fest with friends in Austin, TX. Instagram @DianeCu
So I wanted to be the first to list out some of my vices. I try my best to be a conscious citizen in this food world, thus our garden collection of almost 40 fruit trees and 10 vegetable plots. But dang-it, sometimes I just want a bag of potato chips. Sour cream and onion flavor, please.
I’m opening up to you all here, so please don’t think less of me. And let me know your confessions? I’ll love you more for it.
I’ll list my top 5 junk food vices, starting with favorite first:
Confession #1. Potato Chips. Potato Chips and more Potato Chips. I have a love affair with anything crunchy, salty and potato-y. I affectionately call them “my chippies” or “my crunchies” and when others reach for an afternoon espresso, I reach for my favorite bag of kettle cooked chips.
And when I have a headache, a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips will cure me faster than a bottle of Advil. How sad is that?
Confession #2: French fries. And I’m not talking about any fancy shoestring or “frites”. I’m talking about those thick, greasy, salty wedges of potato fries that you get from those little local burger joints. When I get a chance to sneak-in my drive thru moments, you can find me placing an order of large french fries with extra ketchup. Oh, and malt vinegar mixed in with the ketchup too! Pretty please!
Confession #3: One doughnut. I don’t have much of a sugary sweet tooth, but when I feel like a bad girl, I scream out for a simple glazed doughnut or a handful of doughnut holes. That’s it, that’s all I need and when I want one, I want it NOW.
Confession #4: In-n-Out hamburger, animal-style fries and a Neapolitan shake. I don’t care if the lettuce isn’t locally sourced. I don’t care if the potatoes aren’t sustainable. I don’t care to know the farmer who brought in the tomatoes. This occasional meal warms my soul, fuels my spirit and makes me duper happy.
Confession #5: Almond Joy candy bars. Gosh, I haven’t had one of these in years, but I still remember the days when one of these made me so satisfied when I needed to sneak in some guilty sugar pleasure. The combination of sweet coconut, coating of cheap chocolate and that surprise bite of almonds in the middle is the bomb!
Now, it’s your turn.
-diane
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French fries, seasoned, salty, and with the skin on. Homemade cookies and brownies (bite sized finger food, no need for forks!) Popcorn. And Doritos…no matter how big the bag is, it is always a single-serve bag. Yum!
The bag of cheetos I eat once a year in my car so no one knows. The small batch cookie dough without egg that my sister and I used to make to eat raw. The fruit gummies (granted, they are organic) but they are basically just jelly beans masquerading as a healthy snack, that I sometimes give my child when I really should be cutting up fresh strawberries or apples to give him. Oh, and Reese’s Peanut Butter cups – try it with a smore instead of a chocolate bar – delicious!
Haha thank you for mentioning Cheetos and eating in the car. That’s what I do when I order a chocolate frosted donut from Dunkin Donuts. It’s like it never happened!
Herr’s Sour Cream & Onion Potato Chips are SO GOOD. They are my favorite and I gorge myself every time I’m in the states that sell them. Ruffles S&O are a far, far second to Herr’s. Sour Punch Straws. They are incredibly bad for you, zero nutritional value…but they taste so good and chewy and sour and sweet and omg I need some now.
Also gushers, white chocolate covered pretzels (Flipz!), Coke, and Snickers Ice Cream Bars…
I would like to hang out with all of you! I’ll bring Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cement Ice Cream from Culver’s, Hagan Das Swiss Almond Vanilla Ice Cream, and Baskin Robbins Praline’s and Cream Ice Cream.
Coke. Coke. Coke. Sour cream potato chips. Cheetos. Cheez-its. Chinese peanut sauce on noodles. Snickers. Reeses peanut butter cups. Homemade chocolate pudding. Onion rings. And the list goes on….
Salt and Vinegar Kettle Cooked chips and dark chocolate — my ultimate guilty pleasures.
I have no shame in admitting this … a chocolate-dipped vanilla cone at Dairy Queen. Pure heaven!
In-N-Out animal style everything is one of my favorite junk food indulgences…and that american cheese all melty with bits of griddle onion is a serious sirens song. Also, there’s a place in Reno called Super Burrito (2 locations, 1 in Sparks, 1 just west of the airport, FYI 😉 and they have a Chile Relleno burrito that kills me. It’s so awful/good and is exactly what it sounds like — a whole chile relleno stuffed into a bean and cheese burrito. I have been known to stow one in my carry-on for my husband whenever I fly home and the dudes in security check always ask “Burrito?” with a knowing smile. I am also nuts for this coconut yeast donut from Doughboys (also in Reno). It’s probably great that I don’t live there anymore or I’d be lost in a bermuda-triangle of too-easy-to-access-junk-food-vices.
Cindy- I grew up and lived in Reno, Sparks and Carson City! Will make a stop by Super Burrito the next time I’m in town. -d
Absolutely! I can’t escape my craving for crispy and salty chips and crispy fries – they can be fat or skinny, but they better be crispy! Then there’s pizza and the occasional sweet – dark chocolate, plain, or with nuts (Almond Joy), or coconut (Mounds), See’s or Trader Joe’s, any will do 🙂
1) McDonald’s french fries. No other brand will do. They are the absolute best.
2) Swiss cheese. I cannot keep it in the fridge. I love when it gets a little warm.
3) Almost any crunchy/sweet deep-fried chicken like Orange or Sesame Chicken. Cannot stop eating it.
4) Phish food Ben & Jerrys.
5) Lays plain potato chips. Love that thin crispy crunch.
We could be junk food twins!! Although I don’t have an In-and-Out up here in Seattle- will Dick’s burgers do instead? 🙂
Five guys fries with a light sprinkle of Cajun powder, Hawaiian Maui Onion or Sweet Barbecue kettle chips, milk chocolate with nuts, coffee ice cream, and lastly, but somehow with the biggest craving power, a chocolate topped chocolate cake donut. I need to go find me a little somthing sweet.
Wow brand gluten-free cookies. I can eat an entire bag in one sitting!
oh my gosh. you nailed it. i am always ashamed of some of my ridiculously awful secret cravings.
#1 Kraft Macaroni & cheese. with the bright orange powder imitation cheese substance. it’s awful. i know it is, but i love it anyhow.
#2 Tito’s Taco. It’s questionable what kind and quality of meat they use. I acknowledge the fact that the tacos aren’t good. I just like them.
#3 Ramen. There’s enough fat in that bowl of deliciousness to permanently harden my arteries. I still can’t stay away.
#4 Pizza. Not the good kind of gourmet pizza. Domino’s or Shakey’s style. Awful cardboard crust, weird tomato sauce, sad excuse for “cheese” products. Some days I just have to have it.
#5 Costco Polish dog. I should move this up to number 1. you really don’t know what kind of parts are in a hotdog but i just love them. I love it topped with sauerkraut, onions and mustard. All gooey and meaty. Darn it. I’m hungry. I need to go and get one now. Bye.
Dark chocolate! I eat some every day, am completely addicted. And salt and vinegar potato chips! Love those but they are dangerous because I can’t stop until the bag is empty. French fries too but I am quite picky and they have to be really good so I don’t eat too much of those luckily (since really good ones are not that easy to find).
French fries and almond joy are my nemesis! Kudos for keeping it so real here 🙂