Check out my progress on Overheard
Based on the fact that on multiple occasions I have confessed my love of people-watching, it should come as no surprise that I often eavesdrop “accidentally overhear” conversations—particularly at the grocery store. As a foodie and future nutritionist, I can’t help but be fascinated by others’ thoughts on food and cooking, subjects that are often discussed throughout the aisles of the grocery store.
Sometimes I’ll overhear a conversation that makes me have renewed hope in the future. For example, a few weeks ago, I accompanied Seth on a trip to SuperTarget so that he could do some grocery shopping. While he was off re-stocking essentials, I wandered off to the snack aisle, where I encountered a pair of adolescent boys. To my utmost surprise, they were reading the nutrition label on a drum of cheese puffs: “There are 160 Calories! And 90 of them are from fat!” They then proceeded to return the cheese puffs to the shelf and hurried off to another aisle. I was elated—yes elated. I beamed with the knowledge that perhaps the next generation of Americans is not destined to be as obese as their forebears.
Then there are other times when I realize how much misinformation exists in the world of nutrition. Today, for example, I was frolicking through the produce section at Harris Teeter, when I overheard a young man say to his mother, “You know, mushrooms have like no nutrients. They’re just for flavor.” I wanted to scream. I can see why people might make the assumption that mushrooms are devoid of nutrient content—they are white, thereby violating the rule that “more color is better’” when it comes to produce selection. However, the truth is, mushrooms are rich in selenium (vital to bone structure and heartbeat regulation), riboflavin, copper, and niacin, just to name a few. On the bright side, such misinformation in the field of nutrition grants me some job security for the future…
What’s the last conversation you overheard? Fellow eavesdroppers of the world, share your stories!
Now onto the grub.
For breakfast, I combined an assortment of fall flavors in a parfait. Pumpkin yogurt + Fiber One + apple + CranApple butter + pecans = autumnal bliss.
Once home from an afternoon of errands, I made myself Cobb-esque salad. Really, I was just looking for an excuse to eat hard-boiled eggs with hummus—it sounds like a strange combo, but I promise it’s delicious!
Dinner was another veggie plate featuring roasted broccoli. Is it weird to say that the roasted broccoli tasted like French fries?
Happy weekend, all!
Filed under: Meals
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
One time I overheard some people talking about urinating in an elevator.
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In other news, that parfait looks amazing
I can completely relate to the conversation eavesdropping – but am especially surprised when fellow Italians speak around me thinking that no one else understands. Since I also speak Italian, let’s just say it’s made for some interesting grocery line ‘incidents’. Ouch.
On a food note, your dinner veggies with beans look absolutely fabulous. I LOVE LOVE LOVE broccoli made in any way. Best veggie on earth in my opinion.
black beans mixed with salsa is awesome. Even more awesome when corn is thrown in the mix. I think a lot of roasted veggies taste almost fry like. I always “overhear” people. Especially at the food store and restaurants. I heard a crowd of women at brunch the other day trying to decide what was a healthy item on the menu…..
How is that CranApple Butter?
I saw it at TJ’s but told myself I needed to finish my pumpkin butter first!
I often “overhear” people talking about how they need protein so they HAVE to eat meat. Annoying!
I can’t wait to try the cranberry apple butter from Trader Joes! If it’s anything like their pumpkin butter, I’m in for a treat.
Oh how the grocery store can be such an exciting yet frustrating place! One thing that kills me is when people won’t buy peanut butter “because it has too much fat.” Yet they will throw a lot of processed and “diet” foods in their cart that contain artificial sweeteners or tons of sugar in place of the fat. Argh!
I also agree with Vegan in the Rough, it is frustrating to hear people say they “need” meat for protein — we don’t have a protein problem in this country!
But I most often overhear really embarrassing conversations that people should not be having in public or on the phone while in public, ha ha.
HA I eavesdrop, too! I work in a restaurant so I hear all sorts of crazy things on the regular.
Caroline, your meals always look so amazing I wish you could cook for ME!
I must admit, I am a people-watcher/eavesdropper too! I love seeing little kids at whole foods with their kid-sized shopping carts! its just adorable!
The last convo I heard was a guy at Safeway who walked past the ice cream and told his girlfriend, “Be proud, I just resisted the ice cream.” I wanted to jump in and tell him about healthier ice cream choices and so forth, but I resisted freaking him out with soy ice cream :p
ahh hard boiled eggs and hummus are SUCH a good combo! i think its really because of the creamyness of the yolk and the hummus haha
ugh the last convo that i overheard that REALLY pissed me off was when a runner was telling a guy that was trying to become a runner and was excited about finishing his first 5k that a “5k wasn’t that long” i wasl ike YOU SNOT.
I love the cheesepuff/boy story lol. I’m always finding myself impressed with guys’ knowledge of nutrition…. you would think most guys don’t care but a lot of them actually know more than you think!
And I loveeeeee roasted brocc
NO, it is absolutely NOT weird to say roasted broccoli tastes like french fries, as I think the same thing. I roast mine in a bit of olive oil and wah-lah, broccoli transformed.
Great minds think alike
Have a good Sunday, Caroline!
What?! That’s crazy. Mushroom is LOADED with nutrients. Wonder where that person got that crazy idea?
What really riles me up is women discussing calories though…I dunno, I have a different feel from you. If I found two teenage boys discussing calories and fat, the foodie in me would be sad. heh heh.
For some reason, I always overhear people at the farmer’s market talking about really far-flung international travel. Guess the patrons of this DC farmer’s market really do fulfill stereotypes of the typical farmer’s market goer…
haha. love this post. i am a sucker for peering into other people’s grocery carts!
Working in a grocery store, I hear all sorts of things I that makes me cringe when it comes to nutrition. But I refrain from butting in because they are customers, and they aren’t seeking nutritional knowledge from their cashier. That being said, when I see people come through my till, and have interesting healthy foods in their order, I will often ask them how they like to prepare it. They are more than happy to chat about it, why it’s good, and we each get some ideas from the conversation.