Pit Stop Grocery Shopping
This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through links on my site, I may earn a commission at no cost to you. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.
This morning I drove over to Braum’s and engaged in what I call “pit stop” grocery shopping.
There’s a Braum’s very close by. Once there, I bought soy milk, eggs, cheese, grapes and strawberries. For either hot or cold cereal, I like to slice strawberries on top. I try to only buy things that won’t be overwhelming to carry from the parking lot to my apartment.
And it’s “pit stop” shopping because I just need a handful of things and don’t want to place a whole Walmart delivery order.
When I order from Walmart delivery, I like to have a longer list of things to buy. And then I order some food items from Amazon.
I like easy to fix meals because I’m cooking for one. And those of you who live alone know that preparing a meal for one is a little challenging sometimes.
From Amazon this week I got a delivery of individual packs of popcorn, which I like to have when I’m watching TV at night. I order individual packs of dried fruit with nuts to snack on.
If I don’t order individual packs of food, or make it individual myself, food tends to go stale. It’s that “only one person eating” problem again.
How I Store Strawberries:
Lately I’ve been taking strawberries straight out of the container and putting them into a glass container with a lid. The strawberries seem to last longer.
I read somewhere that you should put them in a glass jar with a lid. But I figure the glass container is just as good as a jar to store them in.
I eat a lot of eggs. If I sit here and work and look up and it’s close to 6 p.m., I know I will have to scrap whatever I was planning to fix for supper. And resort to scrambled eggs and toast.
So scrambled eggs it often is. I can sit on my rollator and scramble a couple of eggs in a skillet. Then I take a couple of pieces of raisin bread out of my freezer and toast them in my countertop convection oven.
Kendra hates eggs. But it is a good source or protein and it’s fast to cook. Sometimes I’ll add turkey bacon.
How I Store Turkey Bacon:
I keep bacon in my freezer wrapped in aluminum foil. Three pieces of turkey bacon wrapped in foil. Then when I want to cook it, I just reach in the freezer and get one.
If I think of eating a little ahead of time, I’ll lay the three slices still in the foil on the kitchen counter. If I don’t remember, I’ll run warm water over the foil with the bacon in it.
Sometimes I’ll get take-out pizza. There’s a pizza place called “Hideaway” around the corner. They have a delicious pizza with sausage, pepperoni, and lots of veggies.
I bring it home and wrap each piece individually in foil and freeze it. It’s a quick lunch to put one piece of pizza in the countertop oven. Lunch in 10 minutes.
So my meals consist of those things. I make smoothies quite a bit and that’s lunch. Or trail mix and fruit, etc.
Suppertime Meals:
Maybe you call it dinner. It’s always been “supper” to me.
At suppertime, I sometimes have a vegetable plate meal. A potato, beans, and maybe a salad. Shoot, that’s what I forgot to get at Braum’s this morning: salad.
I’ll order frozen shrimp from Walmart and add veggies. For some reason, nearly every time I try to order frozen fish of any variety from Walmart, it says out of stock.
If I’ve eaten lunch, I might just have grapes with cheese and crackers for supper.
Suppertime meals are the hardest. Because I tend to work on something until I’m beyond hungry. And just about beyond the thinking stage. Do you do that?
I’ve really gotten a lot of use out of the freezer I purchased last year. My refrigerator freezer has too many vents I was told not to cover with food. But with the freezer, I’ve got plenty of room.
My Latest Amazon Order:
The food above was in my last Amazon order. I like individual packets because I can eat them before they get stale.
I haven’t tried those Tuna Creations yet. But I thought that would be a good source of protein with crackers or made into a sandwich.
My main problem is that I work or get busy and forget to eat. Then when I do think to eat I’m already half starved.
You know, I had not planned to write about food, but here we are.
The Vet Sees Ivy:
The vet is on her way over. I wanted her to check Ivy out. There’s probably nothing wrong with her, but I just want to be sure. I’ll finish this post once she’s gone and we’ve chatted.
The vet has come and gone. She weighed Ivy and she’d gained a pound. She now weighs 20 pounds.
The vet said she should weigh 13-14 pounds. Heavens, she weighed 14 pounds before she was a year old! Ivy is heavy, but she’s also a big tall cat.
She told me to take a cup of food and put it into a separate container and feed her only that one cup a day. I’m to scoop a little out at a time.
I just hate to think she’s hungry! And I won’t be able to feed her more than the 1 cup a day. She eats half diet food and half other types of dried cat food.
Well, it’s as though Ivy knew what the vet told me. She kept after me to give her more food. I can’t sit here and get much done with Ivy at my chair pawing at me and meowing.
Plus the vet said don’t feed her when she paws you or let’s you know she’s hungry. She has you trained, she said. Only feed her when she’s leaving you alone.
Well, that’s easy for her to say!
The Weather:
I’m so surprised at the mild weather we’re having. I can sit on the patio and not feel hot. Now I’m worried we won’t have a real summer until November!
Steve and his girlfriend got back from his Alaskan cruise. And brought COVID with them. I told Lisa when he left: “You watch. He’ll come back with COVID.”
Those cruise ships are notorious hot beds for viruses.
{This post has affiliate links}
Don’t 2 animals play some usually? I have never had more than just one cat at a time, but we have had lots of dogs. I know she did not like your other kitty much…but wondering if you could find a rescue kitty she might like and thus get her to be more active?
I love the pic of Ivy on her back with toy on her chest. I sometimes think vets are overly strict on some things. I would set a realistic goal of Ivy losing just a few pounds. At least at first. And I wouldn’t cut back her food all at once. I would start it gradually, a little at a time. Easier on her and you. I too struggle with cooking for one. I tend to grab something out way too often. But sounds like you have a lot of good ideas.
You can store your crackers in the fridge, stops them going stale. We always have packets in the fridge and they stay fresh for a very long time.
I’d never heard of this. Thank you!
Poor Steve and his girlfriend. The last cruise we went on, I came home with Covid and my husband did not. And poor Ivy. Dieting is going to be hard on both of you. Ands that’s an awful lot of weight she has to lose! Maybe she’ll be happy with lots of extra pets and snuggles and maybe a new toy.
She no longer seems to want to play with her toys for some reason. I’m not going to make her go hungry though.
I couldn’t watch my kitties be hungry either. My cat is 20lbs. as well. She’s 17 years old now.
We 2 do a lot of the mentioned ideas for food too. We also have allergies and diabetes to deal with. It is very hard to have nutritious food and fit all the boxes!! I am trying to make a bit extra in some things that freeze well, and at least some meals only need to warm it up. I do better some days than others at standing and making stuff…sometimes just have to do something quick and easy. Prepared foods we can have are almost nil.
I’m glad, really, that I only have to fix food for one person. It has its downsides, but still seems easier.
My mom has been on her own (widowed) for 25 years and has always cooked for just herself this entire time. She makes very nutritious meals and eats the leftovers for several days. In the winter when she makes homemade soup or beef stew, she just freezes the leftovers into individual portions and puts them in the freezer. She eats a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, all organic. She doesn’t snack.
I agree with the vet that Ivy is way too overweight. 20 lbs is a LOT for a cat, especially a female. Even my Monkey who was such a tall, long cat that the vet called him a “freight train” (lol) weighed a healthy 15 lbs.
I’m thinking Ivy is obese because she only eats dry food (it lacks in all the needed nutrition cats need, and it has zero water content – which cats especially need since they’re not big water drinkers) and probably too many treats. If you could find a good canned food she liked, she’d probably be healthier with eating mostly that, and just a teeny bit of dry food.
I’ve considered this. She used to eat canned food and then one day she just wouldn’t eat it anymore. I’ve cut the treats down to nearly nothing. Not allowing people who come in to give her any.
I am learning how important food choices are as I age, and I like to hear from other singles on how to eat nutritiously. Recently had lab work showing several vitamin/mineral deficiencies all due to my laziness in the kitchen. If you suspect you’re not eating a healthy diet, get checked for iron deficiency anemia (I don’t eat much red meat) – Also magnesium & B12 deficiencies are common if you have GERD and take Prilosec & antacids. I just began the supplement regime, so hope my energy level improves. A good doctor who listens is a true blessing as we age.
I see my doctor for my 6 month checkup in September and I’ll talk to her about this. Yes, I do get lazy about food too.
So much for you loving Ivy… she is obscenely fat, so you are putting her life in danger!!!
bobbie
You are very rude!!
very
Rude? Or honest?
Honest, I think. In my opinion, Ivy is too heavy and it could cut her life shorter than it could be.
My husband and I don’t like the same stuff to eat so it is very hard to cook for two. I like to eat healthy; he does not. I take those tuna packets for my lunch, very handy and you can usually find me getting a spoonful of peanut butter at night to tide me over too. My Baxter (cat) is 16 pounds and vet said he should weigh 12 but he likes his treats and I just can’t deny him those. He’s healthy otherwise. So I understand how you feel about Ivy. I enjoy her story!
I’ve been slowly cutting back her food. One problem is she just won’t move around much. She won’t usually play unless she’s lying on her back. It is a struggle. But I love this cat and will figure it out.
Ivy may not be moving much to play because of her weight. The extra weight puts a lot of stress on them. My vet wanted me to slim down my cat because she weighed too much. I did exactly what the vet said and the pounds came off! The cat @acted hungry” but she was getting enough each day calorie wise. Her activity and energy level improved as she lost weight and she started playing again. Good luck. You can do this! You don’t want Ivy to get diabetes!!!
I had a 20 lbs cat that lived 20 years who always thought he was starving. I also had a cat who was 20 lbs and developed diabetes in his old age. I felt terrible about that as it was related to his obesity. Ever since then I try to buy the higher protein lower carb pet food instead of the McDonald’s- like crap food. It’s so hard to hear them beg though. Ivy probably will need to create a new routine to distract herself from begging.
I feel guilty too. But you can’t literally pull the pounds off their body. All you can do is try to help them eat less.
Great article…cooking for one, I like to throw a chicken thigh or breast in the oven, some sliced red onions, season with olive oil, salt, pepper, italian herb mix, some chili flakes and let it bake. If I’m really ambitious, saute some mushrooms…Also salmon fillet with a salad..or a green veg.I try to stay away from carbs, really difficult…Chloe my not so little girl is always looking for food, she’s in the 15lb range. I made the mistake of having her try benito flakes, I get these on Amazon so everytime I pass her treat bowl she’s there waiting for a few flakes….my mistake but loves those treats……..cooking for one does have it challenges…
Yum, that sounds good! I’d cook a chicken breast, though, as I don’t like dark meat. Kendra eats a lot of salmon and salad. She must have inherited high cholesterol because she eats really well. Never heard of benito flakes.
Talking about food, the meals we like and make, is fun! You can learn a few things from the things people enjoy eating.
You mentioning that pit stop grocery/restaurant, was interesting. I’d love one of their shakes or maybe a malt. Burgers looked 😋 delicious.
Once in awhile those quickies are enjoyable.
Eggs are wonderful. Everyone is different re eggs. They are good for us though. Anytime, and anyway, for me, good eats!!!
I’d rather see Ivy happy than hungry. It would upset me too much. That’s my take it!!
Enjoyed 😉 this subject of food!!! Everyone must eat!!!
Thanks for sharing Brenda.
I could eat breakfast three times a day.
Cooking for one or in my case two is a challenge, I agree with you. Any recipe makes way too much food so you have to like leftovers or store them for a later date.
Eggs are a great meal any time of the day. I like to make roasted sweet potatoes either in the air fryer or roasted in the toaster oven to eat with my eggs.
Have a wonderful night Brenda. Enjoy your cooler weather.
I haven’t cooked that in a while. Baked sweet potatoes. But I love them. Thanks for the reminder.
I once had a 20+ lb Siamese cat. She lived to the ripe old age of 20. She outlived her normal-weight sister by six years. I don’t know how anyone can deny a pet food when they beg for it. As for my eating, I’ve been single most of my life. My meals were more like snacks. It’s harder to cook for one than for four. Recently I found videos on Youtube with recipes for singles, my favorite being “One Dish Kitchen.” There’s also videos for mini crock pot meals for one.
I thought I recognized One Dish Kitchen. She also has a blog…https://onedishkitchen.com/ I added it to Lovely Reads.
My cat weighed 20 pounds too. She was a big cat – tall and stout. I tried feeding her just 1 can a day, but she acted like she was hungry and that half a can wasn’t enough. Maybe she did train me, but the both of us were happier when I went back to 2 cans a day.
Ivy and I are already knocking heads over this. I finally got her full enough that she went to sleep behind my chair. I try to play with her, but she isn’t interested. Her hobbies are shredding paper and making sure I give her enough attention. She’s quite adept at this and lately she’s let me brush her fur. I agree with the vet, but whether it’s possible to do I don’t know.
I’m cooking for one also…. and I usually get busy in the afternoons and forget to “plan” for dinner. If I’ve planned, it means I’ve taken some meat out of the freezer. If it’s too late and I haven’t done that, or worked in my yard and just too tired to make anything, my “go to” is a can of tuna. I just open it, dump in a little mayonaise and if I have the energy, cut up a few pickles to put in, plus some celery. Then I just eat it. Sometimes I may have a few crackers with it. it’s so fast and easy. Also.. I get canned smoked oysters, and sometimes that’s my dinner! When I do cook a meal, there’s always enough for 2 more dinners so I love that.. or I’ll use some of the meat for a sandwich the next day for lunch. Your idea of smaller packets is good.. I’ll try that, as my things usually get stale before I use them! I do make my own almond flour pancakes, and freeze 2 to a baggie, so I can pull one out and nuke it for a minute and have something to eat. I do the same with muffins. Happy eating! Marilyn
I like your tuna idea. Tuna has protein and is filling. I eat a teaspoon of peanut butter sometimes before I go to bed. That usually keeps me from waking up during the night hungry.
Great post, Brenda. I’m cooking for one, as well. Like you I have a tendency to scramble a couple of eggs for supper very often. I get involved in a fun activity and completely forget to eat. Ugh!
Thank you for sharing your “cooking for one” ideas. I eat lots of sandwiches and salads this time of year. I don’t heat up the kitchen and it’s all very easy to throw together.
I hope you’re enjoying your Tuesday.
If I need to cook or reheat food, I use the countertop convection oven. It cooks faster and doesn’t heat up the kitchen.
That’s a very good idea, Brenda. Thank you so much!