What was my impression? I LOVED THIS PLACE!
Have you ever been?
For the health nut like myself, it was paradise! "Clean Eats" on EVERY AISLE! Simply amazing! Local farmers goods, freshest fruits and veggies, pre-cooked foods like edamame, lentils, chicken sausage made with no "junk" and minimal processing, Ezekiel breads, high protein/high fiber bread, high protein cereals...and the list goes on and on!
Can you feel the excitement?! Oh yea, it was THAT cool!
AND I bought things to create naan pizzas with broccoli, bell peppers and chicken sausage-it was DELICIOUS!! I made the same creation for our boys but subbed the naan bread for whole wheat burger buns! They LOVED them, even with the broccoli on top!
Ok, so if I was so impressed why the post title, right??
The closest location was about 40 minutes from our house. For the every now and then trip, no big deal. BUT for us, who would enjoy these foods daily and shop for them weekly, IT STINKS! Right?
I mean, we live in a nice community! We love our neighborhood and surrounding areas obviously, we want to raise our children here.
So why as we were driving to one of the three, Trader Joes Houston locations, did we feel neglected?!
Maybe that's not the right word but seriously? As we reached about 2 miles to our destination, we passed at least five, drive thru restaurants called My Fit Foods(which I've tried and its fabulous!), TruMeal to go(lhealth food on the go), and a few others that stated "health food" on their sign! These places were PACKED! And guys, there were more than five of these style restaurants, there were too many on each block to keep count!!!
We had a great time none the less and we headed back home!
As we get closer to home, it's easy to see that we're getting close....
What is it, you ask?
Oh it's Jack In the Box, McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and that list goes on and on....and on!
Any "health" food restaurants?
Not really. I mean don't get me wrong, we absolutely have the power to make healthy choices at each restaurant and there are chains that carry healthy portions and options BUT to have so many varieties of foods that we can feel GOOD about eating when not prepared at home because we all know cooking at home is always the HEALTHIEST!
What's your point, Move It Momma?
Well I think it's the wrong message. Healthy living is about quality of life, the foods we eat and the calories we burn right? Now I'm not bashing these stores, I'm praising them for offering SO many healthy foods to their communities, I'm simply jealous. Yes companies will open and bring a certain store/restaurants where it will generate the most revenue but if we're trying to create a healthier America, then why can't those options be available to all of us? I know that some products carried at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and chains like them, are not available at our local grocery stores. *Now you know I will be asking our local store if they have carried/will carry a few options in the future because its my PASSION to get people living healthier in my community and throughout the world, but still...let me whine and complain just once!
Maybe I'll just create my own version of these stores in my hometown!?? Hmmm....I might be onto something 'eh?
Ugh, I'm spinning my wheels because you and I both know I'll be driving those 40 miles quite frequently because I choose to be healthy and give my family the best whole foods as often as possible. But while I'm driving there every few weeks, you better believe I'll be asking myself, WHY CAN'T WE HAVE STORES AND RESTAURANTS LIKE THESE?!
And I might even shed a small tear, or two! Ha!!
Today's Workout: 3 mile interval run that kicked butt!! Love when they're like that, don't you?
It was an awesome day! We picked up our race packets for Color In Motion 5K(race day tomorrow)which probably is more fun than competitive but we're excited for my son to run his second 5K(his fifth race, total) and my 25th!
Hard to believe that I ran my first 5K in 2006 soon after my first son was born. I wasn't a runner. I loved exercise but wanted to try something different to get the baby weight off! I ran that first race slow and each mile felt like eternity BUT I crossed the finish line and look how far I've come...
Since that first race I've completed a Duathlon, half marathon, 2 10K's and 24 5K's and several 5 mile races!
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! Go for your dreams and never allow yourself to live life saying, you wish you could!
GO OUT THERE AND GET IT!!!
Do you have yummy HEALTHY markets near you?
4 comments:
I just started shopping at our Trader Joes about 3 weeks ago. It's about 45 min away too. Luckly I'm close by every sunday so I can stop in and pick up what I need.
It is very frustrating not having healthier food places closer to us. I totally understand what are saying.
Congrats on your 5K!! I love it when the kids join in!!
I live in a small town. I completely get what you are saying. I sent my husband 45 mins the other night just to get cauliflower. Our local grocery store doesn't carry it?l
I was excited when Trader Joe's came to our town (about 20 min from me), but I'm going to be a detractor and say I don't see the crazy love appeal? I know lots of people really love it, maybe I am just lucky to have a good local grocery chain. There are some things I prefer at TJ's - there is one kind of yogurt I love, their extra firm tofu is more firm than any others, cornichons that I can't find anywhere else, and their natural peanut butter is awesome. But otherwise it seems like a lot of pre-package, processed foods (although seemingly healthier processed foods). Our grocery store carries all the alternative milks (hemp, coconut, rice, almond, etc), ezekiel bread, and most of the other stuff TJ's has - so again, maybe I am just really, really lucky that our grocery has a health market section that carries all this and most chains don't?
I wish we had healthy drive-thrus here. So not fair. And I would love to go to a Trader Joes atleast once in my life!!
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