The Real World

So the weekend happened, and I was confronted with how to make a plant-based diet work long-term. I went to a special lunch on Sunday, and a buffet was offered. I was motivated to stick to my fruits and veggies, but this was a Down South comfort food kind of place.

So, what did I find?

• Green beans...cooked with bacon
• Red beans...cooked with a hambone
• Corn...swimming in butter
• Mashed potatoes...I'm not even going to guess how much butter was in them!
• Salad...iceberg lettuce, sparse tomatoes, and italian dressing
• Cranberry sauce from a can. I have no idea if this is "approved" food, but it was the only fruit I found!

So yes, there IS a way to eat fruits and veggies and still be unhealthy! I passed on the fried okra, by the way. The green beans weren't very good, so I didn't eat many of those, and I ended up hungry at a buffet. So I went back for more mashed potatoes, and added some dressing, too. I skipped out on the fried chicken and hot-water cornbread (a favorite around here: made with hot water and then fried), so I still came out better than if I were not worried about what I ate at all.

In the evening, our church had an ice cream float social. At first I resisted, then I thought about it a bit. I realized that while I would like to lose some weight, this is not a "weight-loss diet." This is a long-term commitment to a healthier way of eating. It can't be a strict, "you can never eat this," lifestyle, because I will never stick to a plan like that. So, I had a Dr Pepper float and didn't worry about it. I actually didn't finish it, and I think that is a step in and of itself. I definitely should NOT have eaten the float. Nor should anyone who's trying to be healthier, no matter their particular brand of diet.

So, Sunday was definitely a bust! I never ate any meat (unless is was hidden in the dressing, which wouldn't surprise me), but I don't think I had much that would qualify as whole food, plant-based. And that's that. In the real world, I can't eat a perfect plant-based diet at every meal. I did my best, ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full, and left it at that.

On Saturday, I made some delicious stuffed tomatoes. There was all kinds of good stuff stuffed inside, but the avacado made it! Mmm...mmm....good! And the boys loved it, too! I also made hummus, which was really yummy--and cheap, too!

Today I'm making roasted potatoes for lunch, and beans and rice for dinner. Spinach salad...and maybe I'll roast some peppers, too, to give us some good veggies.

What do you do when you're faced with food options that don't match your diet?