[shifuimam]

...I went to heat up a frozen dinner, and this is what I found when I opened the box:



I think maybe something's wrong with my freezer.

[Shaddim]

You eat frozen dinners? Ewww...

[Aquataris]

Was the wrapper maybe punctured a little?

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

You eat frozen dinners? Ewww...

I'm too lazy to cook most of the time. Usually I have waffles or cereal, but this had been in my freezer for awhile, so I thought I'd eat it. Or not.

Originally Posted by Aquataris 

Was the wrapper maybe punctured a little?

Didn't look like it. Stuff gets covered in ice in my freezer all the time. I think the seal's messed up.

[JoshuaZ]

Maybe you should invest in one of those cook books for college students. Or tined food. Or just buy some fresh salads from the store.

Scratch that. Find a good partner who knows how to cook. (Or learn how to cook to ATTRACT a partner!)

[RAILhead]

Did someone say seal?

[macforray]

Originally Posted by Aquataris 

Was the wrapper maybe punctured a little?

Yes, more likely the package seal was broken rather that your freezer. If you buy and freeze any meat, fish or poultry into smaller portion sizes, you should invest in one of those vacuum sealer machines. That will improve freezer shelf life. Even then, be aware that freezing is not forever. Certain foods have a recommended freezer life.

[JoshuaZ]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

Did someone say seal?

Hmmm.... didn't he kiss a rose on a grave? AKA the theme to a bad batman movie?

[macforray]

Also, if you get a lot of ice build up in your freezer, either: 1) you do not have a frost free freezer, or 2) you do have a frost free freezer and it is broken, or 3) either 1 or 2 and your freezer has a bad seal around the door. The bad seal can be caused by a little ice buildup and progressively get worse over time. You should defrost, clean and sanitize both you frig and freezer every few months. Check the seal after you have defrosted and restarted the freezer to check for ice buildup.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ 

Maybe you should invest in one of those cook books for college students. Or tined food. Or just buy some fresh salads from the store.

Scratch that. Find a good partner who knows how to cook. (Or learn how to cook to ATTRACT a partner!)

I'm not even in college anymore. I really am just too unmotivated to cook anything. I commute 40 miles each way to work every day, so by the time I get home I'm too tired to make anything. Hence the waffles and cereal.

I buy bagged salad, but it goes bad before I finish it, so I don't like wasting the money. Life is hard, I know.

I'm pretty sure either I need to clean around where my freezer seals, or I overfill my freezer too much and the temperature gets screwed up. I was amused, at any rate.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

You eat frozen dinners? Ewww...

You know many of them have pretty good ingredients and the whole tv dinner/frozen dinner has come a long way. I myself like the healthy choice. Sometimes it a lot easier popping something into the micro for 3 minutes then going through the whole ordeal of cooking especially if my kids turn their nose up at what I cook

[Shaddim]

With the exception of Chick-fil-a, I don't eat any fast food or pre-made frozen dinners.

[RAILhead]

So what, are we supposed to kiss your feet or something?

/in one of those moods

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

You eat frozen dinners? Ewww...

Nothing wrong with that, if you do it once in a while.

I try to cook most of the time, but there are days where I've been so busy all I want to do is stick a Healthy Choice meal in the microwave and eat.

[Kevin]

Cork Sniffers...

[Shaddim]

But, look at the bright side, with all those preservatives, your corpse will look good long after you're dead.

[besson3c]

*adds threads about freezer burn to my list of thread topics that result in people arguing about stuff*

[IceEnclosure]

must be nice to have the time to cook for yourself EVERY night. OR to have someone COOK FOR YOU EVERY night.

Who doesn't eat frozen meals from time to time? Oh, Shaddim doesn't.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

But, look at the bright side, with all those preservatives, your corpse will look good long after you're dead.

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

must be nice to have the time to cook for yourself EVERY night. OR to have someone COOK FOR YOU EVERY night.

Who doesn't eat frozen meals from time to time? Oh, Shaddim doesn't.

No kidding, Shaddim. Don't you think you're being a little self-righteous about your avoidance of frozen dinners? It's just food, okay? And if you're a vegan or organic only or whatever, that's great for you, but quit passing judgment on those of us who do not have the time for home-cooked meals every night.

I also eat strawberries without washing them first. I've been ingesting pesticides since I can remember, and I have yet to grow a second head.

[BlueSky]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

I also eat strawberries without washing them first. I've been ingesting pesticides since I can remember, and I have yet to grow a second head.

I used to be casual about eating produce without washing it until I considered there may be Mexican poop on it. Or some guy in the market picks his nose and then pokes the strawberries.

[sek929]

Who cares? Eating a few mexican boogers from time to time just makes your immune system stronger.

[Dakarʒ]

Mexican boogers are spicy.

[besson3c]

And taste great with some guac...

[besson3c]

I'm liking the fact that every thread in the lounge ends up being about poop, pee, vomit, or boogers (in the case of this thread). We need some more threads about farts though.

[pooka]

Guys.... I used to work in a grocery store. I often stocked produce.

I'd wash that ****. Nuff' said.

[shifuimam]

Haven't you read the article on Slate about how Americans need to consume more poo?

Not literally, but we're so obsessed with cleanliness in our society now that people generally have much weaker immune systems than they used to. It's good for you to eat crap on your fruit and veggies once in awhile - it makes your body stronger in the long run.

[besson3c]

Do you eat poo shifuimam?

[shifuimam]

Does your wife know you have a scat obsession, besson?

Seriously.

<edit>
I made a rhyme. This amuses me greatly.
</edit>

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Does your wife know you have a scat obsession, besson?

Seriously.

<edit>
I made a rhyme. This amuses me greatly.
</edit>

Yup! She knows about all of my obsessions...

Do you like scat singing, shifuimam?

[RAILhead]

That's why I like to chew on rats.

[Aquataris]

From freezer burn to poo eating witch hunt in only 29 posts. Amazing.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

That's why I like to chew on rats.

Lots of people eat hot dogs too.

[RAILhead]

I like to eat the outside "skin" of the hot dog first, kind of like eating the top layer of a peanut butter cup first.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

I like to eat the outside "skin" of the hot dog first, kind of like eating the top layer of a peanut butter cup first.

Maybe hot dog skins and peanut butter cup skins are made from the same stuff you enjoy so much?

[Aquataris]

Originally Posted by RAILhead 

I like to eat the outside "skin" of the hot dog first, kind of like eating the top layer of a peanut butter cup first.

That reminds me of Cartman eating the skin off all the chicken on South Park and breaking the toilet.

[sek929]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Haven't you read the article on Slate about how Americans need to consume more poo?

Not literally, but we're so obsessed with cleanliness in our society now that people generally have much weaker immune systems than they used to. It's good for you to eat crap on your fruit and veggies once in awhile - it makes your body stronger in the long run.

Sterilization only makes you weakened to infection.

I work in fairly filthy conditions and I'm always tearing my skin on something. I never get infections in cuts and they heal within a day or two.

[Aquataris]

There is a reason we made it so long without wetnaps and sterilization, afterall.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

must be nice to have the time to cook for yourself EVERY night. OR to have someone COOK FOR YOU EVERY night.

Who doesn't eat frozen meals from time to time? Oh, Shaddim doesn't.

Nope. I sure don't. I still eat some frozen foods, frozen veggies at times, but not whole pre-cooked meals. The ingredients scared me away from them.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by Aquataris 

That reminds me of Cartman eating the skin off all the chicken on South Park and breaking the toilet.

[nerd] Joey Tribiani did the same thing in a Friends episode (not the toilet part). [/nerd]

[paul w]

Even when I was a bachelor I never ate pre-made frozen meals. I honestly can't ever remember having one I actually thought tasted good.

What I did? Once a week I'd make a big pot of something - soup, stew, chili, pasta sauce, etc. I'd eat that for the rest fo the week, with the odd meal out, or superquick 5 minute stir-fry or salad type venture.

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

No kidding, Shaddim. Don't you think you're being a little self-righteous about your avoidance of frozen dinners? It's just food, okay? And if you're a vegan or organic only or whatever, that's great for you, but quit passing judgment on those of us who do not have the time for home-cooked meals every night.

I also eat strawberries without washing them first. I've been ingesting pesticides since I can remember, and I have yet to grow a second head.

Vegan? Me? Hardly. I probably eat too much red meat and I do love fish and poultry. However, I try and stay as close to pure organic as I can, but I don't go nuts about it. Long ago I simply decided to take a stand regarding what I eat, in the process I lost ~40lbs without changing how much I ate and my cholesterol dropped drastically.

Besides, it takes only 15 minutes to throw a steak on the grill and steam some broccoli. If you have a small space and can't get a full-size grill, those Foreman grills are great too.

BTW, always wash your produce, farm workers do piss and **** on it when they're upset.

[ghporter]

I ALWAYS wash produce. After having lived in the third world for a few years, it becomes second nature. For example, I could get really great veggies in Honduras, but I was absolutely sure they had been fertilized with dung or dung-based concoctions, so I had Palmolive Antibacterial Dish Soap at hand and thoroughly washed every item before I put it away. Not that I'm squeamish, (anymore anyway), but there's no telling what else lived in that dung. Nice and washed, veggies stay fresher for longer in the fridge, too.

As for frozen dinners, an occasional, highly processed meal isn't going to hurt almost anyone. But I've worked with, or gone to school with, people who lived on frozen and packaged foods exclusively-it wasn't pretty. Processing tends to make food taste not as good, and it removes a lot of nutrients, no matter how carefully the food has been handled. And if the packaging is at all compromised, that stuff goes OUT as far as I'm concerned. Having had shigella, (like salmonella but more "profound"), I take NO chances with food contamination.

[Oisín]

I ALWAYS wash produce. After having lived in the third world for a few years, it becomes second nature. For example, I could get really great veggies in Honduras, but I was absolutely sure they had been fertilized with dung or dung-based concoctions, so I had Palmolive Antibacterial Dish Soap at hand and thoroughly washed every item before I put it away.

If you ask me, that does a lot more damage than good.

I never wash produce except to get rid of actual earth (fresh potatoes, mmmmm), and I rarely get ill (and never sick). Most the people I know that obsessively wash everything they eat and generally avoid any kind of bacteria or dirtiness in any way they can, tend to be almost constantly ill. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I doubt it. Resistance can be used as a weapon, too.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Long ago I simply decided to take a stand regarding what I eat, in the process I lost ~40lbs without changing how much I ate and my cholesterol dropped drastically.

I weigh 105 and my cholesterol is amazingly good (just had it checked this past spring). I think I'm doing fine, thankyouverymuch. Just don't act so judgmental, all right? It's not YOUR choice what someone else eats, and it's a little rude to make it sound like they're stupid or less than you because they eat processed food.

Besides, it takes only 15 minutes to throw a steak on the grill and steam some broccoli. If you have a small space and can't get a full-size grill, those Foreman grills are great too.

I have a Foreman. I rarely buy raw meat because it goes bad before I can finish it. Same goes for fresh fruits and vegetables. I buy flash-frozen veggies and fruits in bags at Aldi because they last indefinitely and still provide nutrients.

Cooking may take little time, but cleanup is required, and again - when I'm exhausted after working all day and driving for an hour, I'm not interested in making dinner and then having clean up after it.

BTW, always wash your produce, farm workers do piss and **** on it when they're upset.

And I'm betting that all that farmer goodness is one reason why I rarely get sick. Bacteria strengthens your immune system, which has already been mentioned. Just sayin'.

[RAILhead]

Just so you know, I'm on your side, shifuimam.

[invisibleX]

It isn't hard to do some light cooking. It really isn't. Depending on what you cook you probably won't have much cleanup either. Heck, screw healthy at least you'll be eating something vaguely tasty.

Even if you're extremely lazy there are many good partly pre-made foods, zatarains (sp?) has a number of good rice mixes etc. Toss in various kinds of meat/veggies and bingo you got a quick simple meal.

Same with fresh/frozen veggies/meat. There is a lot of stuff you can buy that'll last a decent amount of time (anything leafy ain't gonna last, broccoli/carrots/potatoes will).

Bottom line is: Are you too lazy to eat delicious food?

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by invisibleX 

Bottom line is: Are you too lazy to eat delicious food?

Yes. Putting a couple waffles in the toaster is faster than anything else. Besides cold cereal.

I sometimes make Rice-a-roni. I freakin' hate Zataran's stuff. The only real rice dishes I like are rice pilaf from a box and Japanese white rice with furikake on it. All that requires cleanup.

You grossly underestimate just how lazy I am after work. I sometimes make real food on the weekends, and I eat real food at my office's cafeteria every day. So I'm covered on the nutrition side of things. Mostly.

[invisibleX]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

Yes. Putting a couple waffles in the toaster is faster than anything else. Besides cold cereal.

I sometimes make Rice-a-roni. I freakin' hate Zataran's stuff. The only real rice dishes I like are rice pilaf from a box and Japanese white rice with furikake on it. All that requires cleanup.

You grossly underestimate just how lazy I am after work. I sometimes make real food on the weekends, and I eat real food at my office's cafeteria every day. So I'm covered on the nutrition side of things. Mostly.

Lazy people like you make lazy people like me look bad. My laziness is a distant second to yours.

Waffles are food. Dog food is also technically food. Frankly the dog food is nutritionally superior for most brands than the waffles and the stuff in the can probably tastes better. I don't know maybe I was just cursed with a love of good food. Yeah I'll eat crap now and then but for me the satisfaction of a good home cooked meal (and I clean as I work, the rest goes in the washer) is worth the effort.

Rice has very little cleanup (wash pot) ditto on pasta (wash pot). It literally take no effort to do this. I assume you have a dishwasher? If not cleaning a pot, pan, plate and fork isn't going to take more than 10 minutes.

Honestly I don't really care. I'd love everyone to have the satisfaction of good food; the too-lazy-to-try attitude really dries up my sympathy though.

But that isn't what this thread is about. This thread is about a very frosty frozen dinner. I see some carrots.. possibly potatoes.. something that at some point in time may have been broccoli. What is that in the far right of the tray?

[Shaddim]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

I weigh 105 and my cholesterol is amazingly good (just had it checked this past spring). I think I'm doing fine, thankyouverymuch. Just don't act so judgmental, all right? It's not YOUR choice what someone else eats, and it's a little rude to make it sound like they're stupid or less than you because they eat processed food.

I have a Foreman. I rarely buy raw meat because it goes bad before I can finish it. Same goes for fresh fruits and vegetables. I buy flash-frozen veggies and fruits in bags at Aldi because they last indefinitely and still provide nutrients.

Cooking may take little time, but cleanup is required, and again - when I'm exhausted after working all day and driving for an hour, I'm not interested in making dinner and then having clean up after it.

And I'm betting that all that farmer goodness is one reason why I rarely get sick. Bacteria strengthens your immune system, which has already been mentioned. Just sayin'.

Seems that something about your diet bothers you if you're so defensive about it. When I was young I thought I was invincible too, I ate all kinds of rubbish and had fast food 4-5 times a week. When I reached 30 it started to show and my weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure started getting out of hand, I changed my diet and all those things fell back into line. Sure, I still have a weakness for hotdogs when I go to a ball park, and I can barely pass a Chick-fil-A without stopping, but I regulate that kind of thing.

FWIW, I do wash produce and avoid contamination and I haven't even had a cold in years. So, I doubt my lack of scat is slowing me down. Seems to me that your youth is protecting you from many problems, but that won't always be the case.

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by Shaddim 

Seems that something about your diet bothers you if you're so defensive about it.

*Sigh*

Dude, all I'm doing is calling you out on being a jerk to those of us who don't have the time to cook food every night. QUIT BEING A JERK, PLEASE.

This hearkens back to a thread several months ago where one user was openly mocking and juging those who were able to use credit cards and stay out of debt. Similarly, there are those who do not eat organic food and do not have a fresh-made meal every night, yet still remain healthy.

Please quit behaving in a judgmental manner towards those who eat differently than you. It's mean, rude, and unnecessary.

On the OP:

It was turkey pomodoro with pasta, asaparagus, and carrots. Before it turned into a giant block of ice, that is.