Can I go shopping yet?

It is Day 6 of my self-imposed no groceries, and I've decided I need to set the rules quickly, as I can sense my willpower slowly receding and being replaced by the urge to hit up a grocery store or a weekend farmer's market.

The Rules:

1. There shall be an initial two week ban on any food products entering the apartment.
2. Once the initial ban is lifted, all products purchased must be fresh/perishable (eg, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, eggs). Preferably organic or local.*
3. Items purchased must allow for progress to be made on at least two food articles currently inside the apartment - this can be two separate recipes, each helping to rid of one item, or one recipe that would use up two items.

*Ok, really this is just an excuse to seek out and troll farmer's markets and Haymarket while all the fall harvesting is happening. Because that is some tasty stuff.

We'll see how this works. Last night I was so proud of myself for baking up some crusted haddock from Target that I impulse bought last month, and adding some corn salsa from TJs that was sitting on my shelf. "This is awesome," I thought. "I'm going to be done in just a few weeks at this rate!" (I like to delude myself. It's an important part of surviving the PhD process).

My dinner, before. That red clearance tag might as well be a siren singing when I'm wandering the Target aisles.

My dinner, after. Honestly, the fish wasn't bad, I just need to find a better way to dress it up.

The problem is that, frankly, it wasn't as delicious as I imagined it would be when a starving me plucked it from the Target freezer, and now I have another 2 baked fish pieces sitting in my refrigerator for reheating.

I'm sorry to report the first collateral damage: I lost an avocado and all the grapefruit. I checked the avocado just a few days ago and it wasn't quite ripe - but apparently it turned the corner rather quickly. The grapefruit also seemed to go fast - probably should've kept them in the fridge. Live and learn! I'll have to choose my produce carefully when I let myself back into the grocery store to prevent such future tragedies.

Nothing's gone bad yet...

I'm sure that in a month I will be lamenting my (perceived) lack of food. However, right now, I feel I am in a race against time to eat anything that spoils easily. I feel a small thrill of triumph every time I finish something (so far: mango slices and chicken salad. Tasty, but nothing that has significantly made a dent in any of my food problem areas). I've been downing bananas as frequently as I can handle (WHY did I buy five of a fruit I don't even really like?!), but there are two remaining this morning, and they are starting show brown spots faster than I would expect. Ok, I have no expectations, since I haven't had bananas since high school, but it does seem to be fast. I actually love banana bread, which needs overripe bananas, but I don't think two is enough (unless someone has a recipe for one very small loaf - in which case, please share!).

So when does a banana actually go bad? Is the one on the left questionable yet? Also, the grapefruits in the background look accusatory - I haven't even opened the bag yet.

I can feel myself already starting to ponder the slightly empty fridge and feel the need to fill it. Which is absurd, since EVERY OTHER surface in my house is creaking under the weight of assortments of food products. I have several containers of pasta and a red sauce in the fridge and on my counter, so I may just make a large prep of that for the next two evenings, until I can get to the weekend and have a bit more time to plan meals and actually bake/cook them.

Snacks, however, haven't been a problem. They are close by as I watch television or work on my computer, and I've already finished two of the (mystically seemingly small) bags of jerky (one turkey, one organic beef).  After my run this evening, a few of the mini-ice cream cones disappeared (I blame the dog). I don't think finishing up the freezer desserts will be a trial. And maybe it will even let me remember what's behind them.

Also, after taking stock, I seem to have an overabundance of breakfast items. Eggs, sausages, turkey bacon, waffles, pancakes. Definitely planning a breakfast-for-dinner this weekend - great excuse to make my favorite bread, biscuits (Insert yearly rant about how no New England restaurants seem to feel the need to bake these - English muffins don't count, people!).

Refrigerator breakfast items. Not too bad - bacon and eggs can be used in a variety of great recipes. I still have pancake batter as well, though.

Annnd this is where it gets slightly absurd. Did I really need to purchase hash browns, waffles, AND chicken sausage in the same trip to the grocery store?

Today's plan: lots and lots of blackberries. They are delicious, but perilously close to the edge. They are the husband's favorite berry, so I'm not used to them being in the fridge more than 6 hours post-grocery store. Also, I'm actually going to try packing and bringing my lunch to lab in an attempt to use up food faster.

Still pondering the rules of the "no buying groceries" challenge I've set for myself. Husband suggested a "buy one if it will get rid of two," which sounds appealing but also could be easily manipulated by moi, especially whilst standing in the middle of lovely in-season produce or the baking supplies aisle. I can feel my willpower breaking down from here.