Assisted Procrastination

I have a dilemma, but first I have to make a confession. No – I’m not “Out Of Toilet Paper,” but I have become “One Of Those People.” I’ve been one for about 6 months now and, I have to say, I think it’s been a change for the better. I’ve always been very fond of food and mindful of what I put into my body, but I’ve taken it to a new level. I’ve sworn off bizarre, unidentifiable chemicals including high fructose corn syrup, MSG, and anything partially hydrogenated (this one mostly for it’s inability to commit to either being hydrogenated or not). I’ve also been doing yoga at least weekly, joined a local CSA, and all but stopped shopping the middle aisles of the grocery store. I’ve learned the value and the better taste of organics (the eggs are great – so full of character!). DH has always wanted a ranch/farm and I think this may be the slow coming together of what we both want. (Let’s not get too carried away – I still oppose having anything to do with cattle.)

In an attempt to avoid being dubbed the judgmental, self-righteous food freak, I try to keep this all to myself. I’ve gotten pretty good at knowing what I should and should not be eating even when labels aren’t available. (When in doubt, stick with the veggies, be leery of the sauces, and never drink the major-brand sodas.)

For a while, I gave myself a pass to use up all the old “stuff” in the pantry. In the beginning, it was pretty easy – these were the things I’d been eating all my life. Then it became more difficult. As I’d eat, all I could think about were the possible effects and the unknowns of what I was eating. So I stopped eating them. I hunted for “approved” and acceptable products to replace the old ones.

Now for my dilemma. I still have a corner of the pantry with a stash of “prohibited” products and there’s a food drive going on at work. I’ve been torn about tossing the canned goods (how wasteful!) vs. donating them to a food bank (2nd class nutrition?). If it doesn’t meet my standards and I don’t want anyone to have to eat food that could be so potentially bad, but I also understand that  some people would be grateful for the offering. It’s an ethical debate for me. If someone who can afford the choice willingly chooses one of my “prohibited” products, I don’t begrudge the decision. To be forced to eat such things out of necessity or desperation is deplorable.

So what’s the solution here? I could really use the pantry space and the cleared conscience. Can just leave them on the side of the road and hope someone else will find them a good home – Maybe the ASPCA?