Blame it on.... the microwave?

So let me set the stage here, if I may. The year is 1980-something. Sharon Borden has just remodeled her kitchen (no more avocado green for THIS modern gal!) and what is that we see? Why THAT, my dear friends, is the microwave!

I remember the first microwave accessory that came in to our home- a pot holder that hung from the microwave door that said, "Got more time for misbehavin' since I started microwavin'" (wasn't sure what that meant but was pretty confident it had to do with catching me in the act of naughty behavior).

That's right girls! We've been liberated from our kitchens! We can feed our families in just a FRACTION of the time and now we can have some serious fun! Quick! Everyone in front of the TV! We've got shows to watch!

And so began the era of microwaved hot dogs and Marquez bean burritos (check out the ingredients- I'll give you a dollar if you know what all that stuff is...).

Fast forward almost 20 years. I'm now a lovely new bride. But I'm no Betty Crocker. Not only have I not learned how to cook from my mom (but I'm mean with the microwave), but I'm also a liberated woman! I certainly don't cook for my lovely new husband! Noooo, we eat OUT! That's right, had it not been for Main Street Grill in Hamtramck, Michigan (image for the benefit of those of you not fortunate enough to have had a flashing neon sausage literally in your backyard) these lovely newlyweds might well have starved. My first experience in "food shame" was the night the waitress at our favorite restaurant said to us, "Don't you have a kitchen in your house?" No tip for you!!



But surely, with the addition of two baby Szalkies to feed, Mom and Dad would have mended the error of their ways and found good, nutritious ways to feed their little brood, right? Alas, it is not so.

Enter the era of Walmart. If you read my post yesterday, you will recall that I commented on the huge grocery chain who so willing takes my money. Well, not only do they take my money, they also employ my husband. That's right, this revolution is up against a Walmart store manager.

And for several years, I allowed aforementioned Walmart store manager to do all our grocery store shopping. It took me all that time to realize that my family didn't see a fresh vegetable unless maybe we tripped over it if it fell out of those little spray bins on the outskirts of the store (an area we didn't frequent). Cooking dinner involved pulling some processed, sodium laden delicacy from the freezer and.... voila! We have dinner, folks!

So finally Mom stepped in. I still wasn't so sure about this whole "fresh cooking" thing. And quite frankly, time is at a premium at our house, as I'm sure it is at yours. Enter Dream Dinners. Let me just say, I LOVE Dream Dinners. Dream Dinners really did bring FOOD back to my family. For those of you who are not familiar, Dream Dinners is a commercial kitchen where you assemble all your meals for the month after their staff have done all the prep work for you. They have a new menu every month and, quite frankly, the food is GREAT. On average you'll spend about $3/serving for dinners. Not the cheapest option but you are putting REAL food on the table.

But how does Dream Dinners fit in to my thoughts on sustainable living and reconnecting with my food? Well, as much as I hate to admit it, it doesn't. I know for a fact that their chicken is packaged expressly for them by one of the huge poultry producers out there (more on that some other time). Yes, we eat real vegetables but they come frozen from whereabouts unknown. Am I prepared to break up with my BFF Dream Dinners? Not yet.

And so here we are, July 2010. I just picked up my dream dinners order today (sadly, I no longer even do the assembly but pay $15 each month to have them assemble for me). It's great to go down to my freezer every Sunday, pull a few meals, let them defrost in the fridge and always have something on hand for the week ahead. And I'm pleased that we're eating more wholesome meals as a family.

But now it's time to get serious. First, I'm going to contact the Dream Dinners corporate office and ask some questions about the food they sell- do THEY even know where it comes from? I'm not holding out even an inkling of hope that I'm going to get the answers I'd like but again, I'm not ready to break up with them just yet.

But there are new options on the horizon! I've got two specific things here in Indianapolis that I'm particularly excited about and will share those in the next couple days.

And to close for today...I just want to share what I'm up against. I was going to be late getting home from work today so dear hubby was on dinner duty. When I walked in the door, he was cutting open a TUBE of beef for his beloved Hamburger Helper. "What about a vegetable?" I asked innocently. Peas. From a can.