Shopping & The Whole Foods Fridge / Counter

It was grocery day today.  The funniest thing happened while I was in Whole Foods ... I'm starting to be recognized as a member of what seems to be a community of whole / real foods and environmentally conscious people.  First a woman approached me and said "I just have to tell you that I LOVE seeing someone else who doesn't use the plastic bags for their produce!" - at that point the only thing in my cart was produce and none of it was in bags.  I hadn't consciously done this ... actually I have to give Hubby credit here as he first introduced me to Whole Foods (the grocery not the diet) and I remember him telling me that you 'don't use plastic here unless you absolutely have to' ... of course he added on 'it's a crunchy granola organic hippie thing' for explanation.  So I just have never used bags there.  Interesting that it got me such a compliment and on a very busy Saturday afternoon to boot.

Next the check out girl did the same thing ... "Ma'am I just want to thank you for not using the produce bags. I wish more people would do that."  I was so surprised that this happened twice that I'm sure I gave her a look like she was crazy because I realized by my reaction that she thought she'd upset me.  I quickly explained that I was sorry but it was so weird because she was the second person to say that to me just in this trip and the first had been a customer.  She loved that and so chatted on about why it is so important and how she hopes people will realize how important fresh, real foods are for health but also the environmental perspectives before it is too late.  This was a young pierced, tattooed thing that I'm sure looked at me and thought about her mom and yet clearly she felt we were kindred spirits when it came to philosophy.

So ... um ... why is this so surprising to me?   Well, I'm no where near what anyone would consider to be the face of health or of any kind of alternative anything.  I am about 60 pounds overweight.  I am that chubby white lady who looks straight laced and conservative.  Not so much preppy as - okay fine I'll admit it ... I look like a f*ing kindergarten teacher.   Oh people have assumed I can cook - but that has more to do with my weight than anything else.  And though my cart definitely screamed a message I would have thought that it would be more like the fat lady or guy in the gym in brand new shoes and work out clothes screams "NEW YEARS RESOLUTION!"

I was still shaking my head about it as I put away my groceries and I realized ... if someone knew nothing else about me but saw my fridge and counters they would definitely label me as at least a health freak and maybe even a little of what Hubby deemed "crunchy granola hippie organic".   See what you think ...

Where there used to be a coffee machine and toaster is now always two baskets of fresh fruit / veggies, the juicer and my cookbooks. 

Other than the HyVee 1/2 caf coffee and some leftover condiments that Hubby uses
all traces of my old way of eating are gone. 

Note that I have one crisper full of kale, the other full of spinach  and if you look closely there are also green leafy veggies on the bottom and middle shelf.  The entire thing is fruit, veggies, eggs and whole / real dairy.  

I have to laugh at the fact that I now have to put notes on my fruit to claim it for a recipe so Hubby won't eat it!  Trust me ... before there were NEVER notes on anything saying 'for recipe'!  Hiding cookies & chips from each other, yes but fighting over fruit?   Um ... not so much.

One shelf on the door is now our "juice" bin always filled with carrots, beats and more.  It looks like a lot but it goes FAST!