PrintGuily Pleasures and other Embarrassing Pantry Items
On the heels of top 10 things you'd never have in the kitchen.... what are some of the things you keep around, even though you're a little embarrassed by it?
Me?
1. Pasteurized processed cheese food slices. I prefer it on sandwiches to good cheese; I don't know why. I blame my mother for denying me in my youth.
2. Sugar-coated cereal. Golden Grahams is my favorite, Capt'n Crunch and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are close seconds.
3. Individual Jello cups, the kind with the fruit in them.
4. Instant lemonade mix. It's my roommate's, I swear! Never mind that I make cups of the stuff as well....
5. Lipton iced tea bags - this hangup, I suspect, is uniquely my own. I'm a tea snob, and I always feel a little dirty buying Lipton tea dust. It's like a wine snob buying Boone's Farm.
6. Seasoning salt. I resisted the stuff for years, but now I find it kind of useful on things like chicken breasts and french fries.
7. Canned cream of mushroom soup. Like the French's onions, it's really only used twice a year, for green bean casserole. Yet, for some reason, it's in the pantry year-round....
8. Instant mashed potatoes. Okay, I'm lazy. And it makes an acceptable side with a little sour cream and garlic powder.
9. Bisquick. I don't use it for biscuits or any other advertised usage, I use it for those trashy appetizers that just don't taste right without it.
10. Bush's chili starter. Please see: lazy. But it's also surprisingly good.
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53 Comments:
1. Real Nissin-brand ramen: So? Wanna make sumthin of it??
2. Honey Graham Crackers: I make the original Golden Grahams cereal with it ... crumble a whole package into a bowl, dowse with sugar, add good milk, and eat.
3. Cream of Mushroom Soup: I still put it on baked pork chops with canned green peas.
4. Fritos
5. Bugles
6. Jarred Pasta Sauces: Sometimes, I'm in a hurry ...
7. Ore-Ida Frozen Cubed Potatoes & Hash Browns: Sometimes, I'm in a hurry in the morning, too.
8. Canned Biscuits: They go good with the frozen taters when I'm in a hurry in the morning ...
9. Frozen Pepperoni-only Pizza: Ok, they're for my step-son, who hardly eats much else.
10. Uncle Ben's Microwavable Rice Pouches: Hey, those things are pretty darn good!
LunaPierCook at 5:48PM on 05/19/08
Egg beaters with yolk
Kraft Free cheddar cheese slices (fat free)
Laughing Cow cheese
Classico Mushroom & Olive Sauce (pretty damned good).
bessfour at 5:59PM on 05/19/08
ok here you go.
1. chef boy-ar-dee beef ravioli
2. Jello for when i'm on a diet (hahahahaha)
3. twizzlers, especially chocolate, or red, or black
4. self-rising flour (i HATE taking the chance my can of baking powder is a dud)
5. jarred marinara (sometimes just need something easy peasy).
6. canned veggies (see #5)
7. kitchen bouquet because sometimes i just want that beef stew browner
8. garlic powder
9. onion soup mix (for that sour cream dip)
10. potato chips (to go with the dip)
nightmoon at 6:03PM on 05/19/08
My guilty pleasures are bologna and hot dogs (they kind of could count as one, yeah?). And occasionally (very rarely, once every couple of years or so), I get an odd but persistent craving for SPAM or tinned ham. Yeah, I know, it's coming from the same person who doesn't buy tinned stocks, bottled salad dressings and jarred tomato sauces (for the most part, because a) I like the taste of homemade stuff better, b) it's really easy to make and c) - this is the funny part - I like to know what's in there). Life is full of mysteries!
brooke29 at 6:20PM on 05/19/08
Processed cheese - or any cheese flavoured snack food
Bottled salad dressings
Nutella
Classico pasta sauce
Bouillon cubes
Cream of mushroom soup in a tin
Splenda
Jello pudding cups
Frozen spring rolls
Of course I only eat these alone... They magically disappear when I have guests over!
PeanutButter at 6:42PM on 05/19/08
Food I feel guilty about in my pantry, but love...hmmm...
Newman's Own OO and Vinegar dressing...LOVE it.
Potato chips (only now and then though)
Microwave popcorn
Corned beef (I know!!!)
Instant pudding (so fast..and it has MILK! ;))
Corn syrup (It has a very few select uses)
Bertoli/DiGiornio fresh pastas (I am often to hurried for fresh or lazy for dry)
Cool question! Gotta answer the "never" list too!
sadiepix at 7:12PM on 05/19/08
Funny, I just started a blog about this very same topic! My current obsessi... er, I mean "guilty pleasure" is those microwaveable pizza roll snacks.
I usually have some sort of microwaveable snack/tv dinner, a sugary cereal, and ice cream. Sometimes when I am very bad I get a craving for boxed cake mix.
Vegetarianka at 7:17PM on 05/19/08
Craisins -- but only the Orange ones!
Newman's Own 100-Calorie Microwave Popcorn
Nutella
365 Organic Instant Oatmeal
Brownie at 7:36PM on 05/19/08
Oh...must correct on my post-
For the corned beef, I did not mean the brisket you would have in the reuben...I mean the canned kind from Brazil that has ZERO redeeming qualities! :)
sadiepix at 7:37PM on 05/19/08
I almost bought some "lite" string cheese today at trader joe's. If I had, that would be #1 on my list. As it it, I have some canned tomato soup. I'm a sucker for the sweet/savory thing. I have some Newman's olive oil, bought mostly because it was cheap, and I figured it would be decent for cooking and things like homemade mayo, where I actually don't want a strong olive oil flavor. Dried spaghetti O shaped pasta. Chicken base. Pre-cooked brown rice. Cottage cheese. Cheapo caviar. Can't think of anything else right now.
Nicholas H at 7:38PM on 05/19/08
MEAT FROM A CHAIN GROCERY STORE
tater tots
hot dogs
coffee creamer
twinkies
french fried potato sticks
java twix
rocky road ice cream
hot fudge
onepercent99 at 8:08PM on 05/19/08
boxes and boxes of edy's juice pops clog my freezer. i'm addicted to the lemonade and tangerine flavors, but grape is pretty good, too.
\
cybercita at 8:26PM on 05/19/08
At present, I only have one thing in my pantry that can be classified as a "guilty pleasure." Nutella.
I know that (most times) if I don't bring it in from the grocery store, it won't make its way into my mouth. Of course, this doesn't apply to baked goods because I know how to #&@^@ make them.
chiff0nade at 8:35PM on 05/19/08
I thought people were listing Nutella as an embarrassing pantry item! It totally made me go "WTF" because seriously...Nutella is not an embarrassing pantry item, it's a tub of spreadable divinity...
CoffeeMate creamer
frozen juice concentrate in the summer
Hershey's with almonds
Christina at 10:04PM on 05/19/08
the usual suspects:
cream of * soups
cheese slices (perfect for breakfast sandwiches)
lite/lowfat: sour cream, cream cheese, milk, cheese, etc
canned vegetables
more occasional indulgences:
chips and french onion dip
totino's pizza rolls and pizzas
cookie dough ice cream
twix
vodka sauce
joyyy at 10:13PM on 05/19/08
Guilty of having on hand at all times:
the plasticky cheese slices (hubby must-have)
coffeemate nondairy creamer, the powder stuff, for emergencies
Every now and then I must have:
Hillshire Farms Polska Kielbasa, boiled, then broiled, served with hot white rice and kimchi.
Spam, this is very infrequent, so much so that my husband doesn't even know about this craving. It goes into spam kimchi jigae or fried rice.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Peanut Butter Captain Crunch
Cheetos, crunchy, the entire big bag, by myself, with a full sugar soda (Coke, Pepsi, Mt Dew, or Orange Soda)
Manwich, original
Wonder Bread
wookie at 1:49AM on 05/20/08
Guilty pleasure - yes. Embarassed - no.
- Spam
- Vienna sausages
- Cup-O-Noodles, shrimp only -- even though I am somewhat of a ramen snob, this hits the spot sometimes
- always having a case of Myojo chukazanmai of all varieties in stock (we replenish weekly -- not a case each week, we just maintain the amount)
- Tamarind soda
- Kettle chips
OMG Sadiepix, that Brazilian corned beef is pretty tasty! I haven't had that in 10+ years...I'll have to pick some up this weekend.
Wookie, you've made me feel guilty for buying Spam kimchi jiggae at a restaurant. I can't make it...haven't tried either. :P
Cassaendra at 7:26AM on 05/20/08
Hello....my name is Mary....and I'm a dehydrated onion addict! I always have those around for those time when I'm lazy too...plus I use them as a natural 'thickener' in stews & soups - they soak up some extra liquid as they rehydrate. I also love them mixed into ground beef for burgers.
I too have a can or two of cream of something soup, the prewrapped cheese slices (my hubby loves them on his burgers). The only canned veggies I use are tomatoes, so I'm good there. I have been known to pick up Little Debbies or Keebler cookies....some treat like that too.
As for ice cream....nutella...etc...those aren't 'guilty' pleasures...they're necessary pleasures! lol ;-)
mepolo at 8:17AM on 05/20/08
It totally made me go "WTF" because seriously...Nutella is not an embarrassing pantry item...
@ Christina - it is if you eat it off a spoon.
I'll go stand in the corner now.
chiff0nade at 8:35AM on 05/20/08
@wookie: Oh wow-bestill my heart! Peanut Butter Captain Crunch. You have done it. I want some. NOW. Oh how I used to eat that stuff when I was little. My one (bad?) indulgence I wanted/could have when I was little. I never really wanted bad foods when I was little...I know, weirdo.
Anyhoo-here's my list:
Jarred Pasta Sauce-Classico (but only Marinara)
Canned Biscuits
Tortilla Chips and Salsa
Old Bay Seasoning
Newman's Own Lite Balsamic Vinegarette (it's good!)
Microwave Sweet n Salty Popcorn (sometimes-but the only kind I'll eat)
Cinnamon Sugar Mix (goes on too many things)
Ben n Jerry's Ice Cream (flavor varies)
Deli Sliced American Cheese
Deli Sliced Provolone
Block of Monterey Jack Cheese
Shredded Sharp Cheddar or Mexican Mix
Feta Cheese (yes, I have all these cheeses at once)
Hershey's Strawberry Milk Syrup
Ok, so I have a thing for cheese...
Butrflygirly at 9:21AM on 05/20/08
My parents just sent me 2 boxes of PB Cap'n Crunch...hehe
Nutella (I eat it off the spoon too!)
Peanut butter...the massive jars
Newman's Own Lite Dressings
Laughing Cow Cheese
Bisquik
Jello pudding mix
Croutons (i'm lazy!)
hershey's milk chocolate chips (i'd rather use chunks of good chocolate bars, but sometime's, they hit the spot)
machellebelle at 9:48AM on 05/20/08
PB Cap'n Crunch - the only cereal that leaves an oil pool on the milk's surface! :D (I favor original CC m'self.)
chiff0nade at 10:48AM on 05/20/08
Nutella (spread on a REAL crumpet it is to DIE for!!!)
those new Pringles (sun dried tomato flavor) that come in a bag
and, the real kicker- double stuff oreos with ice cold milk
sbelle at 11:19AM on 05/20/08
1. Tasti-Bite and other kinds of pre-made Indian food.
2. Instant oatmeal
3. Hot cocoa mix
4. Cheese slices (my husband eats them)
5. Morningstar Farms grillers and chik'n patties
6. Pre-blended spices
7. Amy's Organic frozen burritos
8. Of Tov chicken nuggets
9. Honey Bunches of Oats and Special K red berries
10. Imagine soup boxes
Stufsocker at 11:20AM on 05/20/08
Uh oh, it seems that I need to come clean about my love for Nutella, too! I guess I was trying to convince myself somehow that it's actually, maybe, possibly good for you, and there's nothing guilty about this particular pleasure. Sigh. I reckon pistachio ice cream should be on this list too then, yes?
@chiff - I haven't figured out a different way of eating Nutella other than off a spoon yet. I shall join you in that corner.
brooke29 at 12:00PM on 05/20/08
reese puff cereal
tostitos nacho cheese dip
pringles
http://www.dinnersforayear.blogspot.com
eatmyfood at 2:05PM on 05/20/08
What's the deal with all these husbands and their cheese slices?
Kerosena at 2:41PM on 05/20/08
Did any of you PB Cap'n Crunch lovers ever eat so much of the stuff as a kid that the roof of your mouth was left raw? Brings back Saturday morning cartoon memories...
Anyway,
Tater Tots
Newman's Own ranch (so good with raw veggies)
Jarred Indian cooking sauces
Lawry's seasoned salt
Byrd's Custard Powder (I don't care for the stuff, but the British born hubby likes it)
Melinda at 2:59PM on 05/20/08
@melinda ~ the missing skin off the roof of your mouth is NOT a deterrent for true Cap'n Crunch lovers
Morning Star Burgers
Salt & Black pepper Chips
Purchased Rugelach ( my DH brings them home, and sometimes I'm lazy)
caramel rice cake & pb & banana sandwiches
nutella
stickychewygooeyjen at 3:47PM on 05/20/08
I'm not sure that dates, dried apricots, dried black mission figs, raisins, craisins or trail mix are really "guilty pleasure" – except that I scarf them down like chips!
KarynMC at 4:00PM on 05/20/08
@onepercent99: Java Twix, eh? :) (BTW, my husband and I loved them - not sure if you've tried them yet).
As for me, I do have some canned corn (I make Chinese chicken & corn egg drop soup with canned corn), packaged Chinese pineapple cakes, and store-bought bread crumbs (I don't have a food processor or blender, so have never made my own), and a can of chicken noodle soup (my husband always wants soup if he gets sick and sometimes I don't have time to make it from scratch right when he wants it).
mrsbao at 5:01PM on 05/20/08
I love me some Nutella. It usually ends up as dessert for me - assuming I can actually get some before the other eats it!
@brooke29 - have you tried it on something like strawberries or oranges? I figure that the healthiness of the fruit and the Nutella cancel each other out. Right? ;)
jenilowrance at 5:10PM on 05/20/08
@jenilowrance - I love the way you're thinking!!!
brooke29 at 5:56PM on 05/20/08
Oh, I feel so much better now.
Cream of soups - three or four varieties, not just the mushroom.....
Gravy master - so I grew up with dark chicken gravy
Plastic american cheese
Kraft parmesan in the green can
Canned corn and beets
Bottled salad dressing
Boullion cubes - in more than one flavor
Chips and salsa
sjwoodin at 6:01PM on 05/20/08
Let's see. These are pretty embarrassing:
Buddig brand corned beef (put entire package between two pieces of white bread, smash down with hand until flat). Speaking of which:
Spongy white bread
Chef Boyardee Ravioli
Canned peas
Microwave burritos
Bouillon sludge in a jar
Easy-Cheese
Reddi-Whip
Geez. How is it that I'm still living and breathing?
BangieB at 6:07PM on 05/20/08
@chiff-- I dunno, it seems like every time someone walks into the room and finds me with a spoon of Nutella stuck in my mouth, they laugh and join me. As they should, right? ;)
Christina at 7:23PM on 05/20/08
1) Instant mashed potatoes (I use them when I make bread)
2) Instant jello pudding, French Vanilla (I use it in an ice cream recipe)
3) Kraft mac 'n cheese. This is ALWAYS in the pantry. I like it when I'm not feeling well, and when I'm not feeling well, I certainly don't want to trot off to the store to buy it.
4) Canned soups. Usually mushroom, tomato, and tomato rice. Of the three, I will eat the tomato rice, the other two are for particular recipes.
5) Some sort of chocolate bar and/or chocolate candy
6) mayo, mustard, ketchup, relish
7) garlic powder. I soooo prefer fresh garlic, and I usually have some on hand, but there are times when I've forgotten to check, the last bit of real garlic has sprouted, and I'm not about to run to the store again. So, garlic powder is always there.
8) Leftover Halloween candy.
9) Crisco
10) Some sort of frozen pre-made something that I bought on a whim while shopping hungry that I think I'll eat for lunch. Right now, it's blintzes.
7)
dbcurrie at 7:27PM on 05/20/08
Things I love, but no longer buy at the grocery store, for fear of grossing out my healthy husband:
deviled ham (on squishy white bread)
Vienna sausages
Franco-American spaghetti in a can (eaten directly from aforementioned can)
Boxed "deluxe" Kraft Mac N Cheese
Boxed potatoes au gratin
Salted peanuts in a glass of icy Coke
Looking at this list, I definitely owe my heart to my husband in more ways than one!
ricestein at 7:28PM on 05/20/08
Frito Lay Jalapeno Cheddar Cheese Dip
ReneeRobinson at 8:42PM on 05/20/08
Does anyone else put Nutella on pancakes? It's the best breakfast ever!
My nephew double spreads his toast with peanut butter and Nutella - he calls it Reese's Peanut Butter Toast, and it's mighty tasty! I also love toast with peanut butter and molasses...
PeanutButter at 9:45PM on 05/20/08
I think its kinda funny that allot of the same foods are in both the "I NEVER!" and "Embarrassing guilty pleasures" categories. Why cant the Bisquick, Cream of Whatever soups, processed cheese slices, blue box mac and cheese happily live in the same kitchen as organic produce, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, Fleur de Sel and free range, hormone free chicken?
hammondcheese at 10:00PM on 05/20/08
Marshmallow fluff (can you say fluffernuter!)
Ghirardelli Bittersweet chocolate chips (2am snack with a glass of milk)
Thick Valveeta Cheese Slices
Arcticsushi at 10:18PM on 05/20/08
@hammondcheese - Heh. They do in my household. It's an uneasy truce, but sometimes a girl needs Velveeta shells with her pasture raised chicken and organic produce.
jenilowrance at 10:39PM on 05/20/08
I go through phases when I crave instant ramen (Nong Shim) and awful frozen pizza that doesn't even taste like pizza (Zesty Four-Cheese Celeste Pizza for One). I also have a terrible (Diet) Coke habit, but I'm not particularly ashamed of these consumptions. Indeed, I wouldn't call them guilty pleasures, since I think the only people whose pleasures are truly guilty are pedophiles and their ilk.
piglet at 11:21PM on 05/20/08
cal me very strange pickled beets, artichokes hearts in matinade,Irish oatmeal, Thai kitchen rice noodle soups, the full line of knorrs boulion cubes ,chicken veggie, beef ,fish ,and tomato. (used in seasoning most everything i cook) short sweet brown rice a good basmati and my one commercial weakness frosted mini wheats
Kenzo at 11:21PM on 05/20/08
1. Stove-top
2. Chef Boy-r-dee mini raviolis
3. Spaghetti-Oh's
4. Scalloped/au gratin "potatoes in a box"
5. Macaroni & cheese (usually store brand, or if I'm trying to compensate, annie's)
6. Mrs. Paul's fish sticks
7. Velveeta (for semi-lazy homemade mac&cheese or rotel dip)
8. Hoffman's Coneys (a.k.a "white hots")
9. Bisquick (for quick cheese biscuits with dinner, or dumplings on top of stew)
10. Bottled "lite" Italian dressing (quick marinade for grilled meat or veg, toss with pasta+veg for salad)
I try not to eat this stuff often, but when I do it's instant happiness. I do, however, put my foot down on cream of * soups. I just can't do it. Even at Thanksgiving I make my own mushroom sauce for the green bean casserole. Something about the opaque ooze out of the can just weirds me out.
marianne215 at 11:32PM on 05/20/08
Let's see:
1. Edy's Vanilla Ice Cream Bites
2. Friendly Coffee Ice Cream
3. Barnum's Animal Cookies (not crackers)
4. Spray Butter
5. Boullion Cubes
6. Minute Rice
7. Splenda Packets taken from Coffee Shops
8. Smartfood Popcorn
9. Little Debbies Oatmeal Creme Pies
10. ReddiWhip
MeMeg at 11:38PM on 05/20/08
The cheese stands alone, Velveeta & Rotel Dip or salsa.
Lawry's taco / burrito / chile seasing mix
Stouffers Mac & cheese (and add extra cheddar)
Doritos nacho cheese chips
Also , my English husband insists on processed cheese placks on his sammy's.
stacemace at 12:44AM on 05/21/08
Cream of soups - I love them and I don't care what you say. Ha! Canned salmon and those cheap packages of Top Ramen; spicy chicken flavor particularly ;)
nevereverforever at 7:59AM on 05/21/08
Ok, so am I the only one that does not like Nutella? Ugh, that stuff...My mom always used to try to get me to eat it, I would never partake. I tried it once, but that was it.
@stickychewy: Amen! Missing skin on the roof of mouth never thwarted my desire for more PB Cap'n Crunch!! :) I just may have to buy some this weekend for old times sake.
Butrflygirly at 9:15AM on 05/21/08
Cheese, of any kind (the kids like the Kraft bagged moon and star shaped slices)
Smartfood popcorn (I used to eat it by the bag - not the single serving bag - in the college computer lab)
Frozen mini-burrito things (also known as calorie bombs, I've been known to eat the whole box at once - 4 servings? - but lately I've been good and just eaten a serving at a time)
Canned soup (mushroom, my favorite soup, and tomato, good with cubes of just-starting-to-melt sharp cheddar cheese floating in it)
SpaghettiO's (they're for the kids, honest!!)
akk328 at 1:16PM on 05/21/08
@ mrsbao....yup ...i hadda try the java twix when i sent you some....ashamed to admit tho i haven't tried the XO Sauce yet...lol
onepercent99 at 1:17PM on 05/21/08
1. Top Ramen noodles (chicken flavored, obvi)
2. Frozen broccoli
3. Progresso minestrone soup (my dad was always the one home when I was home sick from school as a child, which meant I got top ramen or Progresso minestrone.)
4. Near East rice pilaf (okay, this was also on my top ten NOT embarrassed of list, but I buy the flavored kind, too.)
5. Bisquick (lazy pancake days)
6. Garlic powder (I swear I don't know where it came from, it must've slipped in from my roommate's stuff the last time I moved!)
7. Crystal Light (the red flavor is just SO YUMMY!)
8. Amy's frozen burritos (for when I'm too lazy to make lunch for work)
9. No-boil lasagna noodles (I REALLY can't tell the difference.)
10. Miracle Whip. (That's right, I said it, you want a piece of me?)
embolini9 at 3:01PM on 05/21/08