# Do you routinely buy food that you know you won't eat/like? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2007, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820 "2007-09-11T19:29:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/21 "2007-09-12T03:39:50Z")
Bagged salad and fruits…I buy them because I know they’re healthier for me and I should be eating them, but I end up throwing more of them out than I eat. I’ve finally decided to stick to canned fruit (in light syrup, of course). ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/22 "2007-09-12T04:38:03Z")
I just threw out four bananas earlier tonight! I just did the banana bread thing last week. Didn’t feel like making it again, so into the garbage they went. Be gone, lest the fruit flies invade! My main problem is with tomatoes. They look all juicy and red in the supermarket, but I get too lazy to chop them up into a salad or anything. They also don’t seem to last very long before going bad. Stupid tomatoes. Bagels have been giving me fits recently. They’ve been going moldy abnormally fast. ETA: The smoothie thing reminded me: when your bananas are ripe, cut them into pieces and freeze along with some strawberries. When you’re ready to use them, throw 1 frozen banana and about 5 strawberries into a blender with a cup of vanilla yogurt, a bit of honey, and some milk to thin it out. Delicious yogurt smoothie, great for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/23 "2007-09-12T04:51:34Z")
> [@](#): > > Thing is, I don’t like cold jam and jelly on my toast, but you have to refrigerate the stuff. I don’t think so…my mom kept jelly in the cupboard and it never ever went bad. I think there’s too much sugar in it. I agree with nearly all these: fresh vegetable, fruit, salad. Salad just has an extrardinarily short shelf life before it starts getting “suspicious”. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/24 "2007-09-12T05:02:38Z")
My grandparents always kept jam in the cupboard–and peanut butter in the fridge. It always seemed back-asswards to me, but nobody died from it. I always buy veggies and ultimately chuck them. Same for yogurt. Actually, I buy lots of food I never get around to eating. Unfortunately, when I buy chicken I always get around to eating that. I hate chicken. I hate the fact that it has no flavor. I hate the way it’s always tough because of the way my husband cooks it. Did I mention it’s lack of flavor? It ruins every meal it’s in. I always secretly rejoice in the winter months when it gets too expensive to buy for regular meals here (Well, it’s more expensive than it is during prime grilling months). ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/25 "2007-09-12T05:02:39Z")
[You might be right](http://www.chowhound.com/topics/348668). Now that you mention it, my mom didn’t refrigerate jam either. Or mustard or ketchup or soy sauce, etc. I can clear out half my fridge! And have toast! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/26 "2007-09-12T05:38:53Z")
I don’t much myself, but I have lived with two women who constantly bought fresh fruit and veggies, only to have me toss them when they started walking around on their own tiny little fuzzy green legs. 😃 I think it was a guilt thing- they knew these things were good for you, so they bought them. But the guilt wasn’t strong enough to actually eat them. I have to admit I _used to_ buy and then not eat bannanas also. If I find a good cheese on super-sale in the huge two pounder size, more often then not I have to toss the last bits. I \*think \*I am still saving money, though, not sure. 😕 I do sometimes deliberately buy cheap canned goods that will make good “survival food”, only to toss them after a couple-three years. But that’s on purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/27 "2007-09-12T15:56:06Z")
Bananas and grapes. We never eat them fast enough before they go bad, and we always end up throwing some away. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/28 "2007-09-12T16:28:10Z")
Sour cream. I love sour cream, but I can never seem to use it more than once before it goes bad. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/29 "2007-09-12T16:31:37Z")
You people are nuts. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/30 "2007-09-12T16:31:47Z")
Add me to the list of people who toss out bananas and yogurt. I love them, but only when I don’t have them available. When they are plentiful in my kitchen I am actually a little repulsed by them. When I have none around I feel like I have to have them right that moment. I don’t understand why that is, but I feel better knowing I am not the only one who does this. ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/31 "2007-09-12T16:45:43Z")
I’m a sucker for a sale so there are usually a sad variety of food items that I keep moving to the back of the pantry until the expiration dates. If I buy a bunch of bananas, I’ll eat one banana and throw the blackened squishy remainder of the bunch away. It’s just the way I do things. sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/32 "2007-09-12T16:56:36Z")
Since you asked, no I don’t do that. Sure, sometimes I buy too many spring onions, or the tomatoes go bad before I get a chance to use them. But not routinely. I pretty much plan out my meal schedule on Sunday, do my shopping, and then stick to it. I know about what I’m going to eat for fruits and vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/33 "2007-09-12T22:14:19Z")
Grapes for me too. I buy a bag when they’re on sale and then they sit in my fridge and I don’t eat them. And it’s not that I don’t like grapes. I do. I just never eat them when I buy them and I don’t know why. But I’ve started to smarten up. Instead of buying the whole packaged bag of them, I only take half the bag. And then don’t eat them. So now I’m only tossing out half the grapes I used to. It’s a big money saver. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/34 "2007-09-12T23:46:54Z")
Milk. I buy it in case some recipe might call for it, or I might want a bowl of cereal. But most of the time it goes down the sink, unopened. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2007, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/35 "2007-09-12T23:54:16Z")
[QUOTE=Plynck] Milk. I buy it in case some recipe might call for it, or I might want a bowl of cereal. But most of the time it goes down the sink, unopened. [/QUOTE] They make these little “juice boxes” of ultraPastuerized milk that stays “fresh” for a looooooong time. I am somewhat lactose intolerant, so I hardly drink milk, but I do like a bit in Creme of Tomato soup, etc. ---
**Author:** ![I\_mOnlySleeping](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/76d3ee/32.png) [@I\_mOnlySleeping](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_mOnlySleeping)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/36 "2007-09-13T05:38:50Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Grapes for me too. I buy a bag when they’re on sale and then they sit in my fridge and I don’t eat them. And it’s not that I don’t like grapes. I do. I just never eat them when I buy them and I don’t know why. But I’ve started to smarten up. Instead of buying the whole packaged bag of them, I only take half the bag. And then don’t eat them. So now I’m only tossing out half the grapes I used to. It’s a big money saver. [/QUOTE] I put half the bag of grapes into the freezer in a ziploc bag. My kids love to snack on frozen grapes, and you don’t have to worry about them going bad. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/37 "2007-09-13T06:02:01Z")
I don’t usually buy things that I won’t eat, but sometimes I will eat things that are bad. For example, I might think ‘Man, I want something terrible… or, as the French would say, “Une thing tres terrible”.’ Then I go to the nearest McDonald’s and buy 3 double cheeseburgers and a large fries. And then, as I’m eating the aforementioned crap I will think ‘Oh this is so bad… but it’s so good.’ I guess I’m just a really screwed up person. [QUOTE=Throatwarbler Mangrove] “Self, some of those fancy coffee drinks sure sound tasty, with them fancy unpronounceable names and all, and what the heck, it’s only $3, I’m feeling flush today, so why not?” [/QUOTE] When I want something that is both fancy and coffee related I just throw some of that instant hot chocolate mix into the coffee and BOOM! Instant choco-coffee. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/38 "2007-09-13T06:23:34Z")
[QUOTE=Regallag\_The\_Axe] I don’t usually buy things that I won’t eat, but sometimes I will eat things that are bad. For example, I might think ‘Man, I want something terrible… or, as the French would say, “Une thing tres terrible”.’ Then I go to the nearest McDonald’s and buy 3 double cheeseburgers and a large fries. And then, as I’m eating the aforementioned crap I will think ‘Oh this is so bad… but it’s so good.’ I guess I’m just a really screwed up person. . [/QUOTE] Well, not to bust your bubble of self-loathing 😛 but an \*occassional \*binge of McD’s food isn’t really bad for you. Note the word \*occassional \*. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/39 "2007-09-13T06:34:07Z")
[QUOTE=ivylass] Eggs. I loathe them. I truly believe if I was starving to death on a deserted island and someone dropped a plate of scrambled eggs in my lap, I’d go eat sand. However, Ivylad and Ivygirl like them, so I just make sure I steer clear of the kitchen while they’re cooking omelets. Plus eggs are ingredients in cakes and pies and stuff, so I can’t completely eliminate them from my life. [/QUOTE] Wow, I consider eggs one of the single greatest foods on earth! They are unquestionably the most versatile and useful. I can think of very few things you can do to an egg or that eggs do to other things that aren’t completely delicious. Just to name a few big favorites: Fried eggs and toast hardboiled egg sandwich, especially on olive bread Quiche custard creme brulee deviled eggs lemon curd popovers / Yorkshire pudding pickled eggs French toast and many more! About the only thing I find utterly revolting in the list of egg preparations is meringue, which is unbelievably gross and has ruined many a perfectly fine lemon pie. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2007, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820/40 "2007-09-13T08:54:35Z")
I take home leftovers and never eat them. My roommates in college got a free dinner 2-3 times a week because they knew I’d never eat what was left anyway. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-routinely-buy-food-that-you-know-you-wont-eat-like/418820.md?page=3)