Limited Choices - 10 Foods or Fewer

   By ChefErin  Jan 08, 2009
71

Gourmet Magazine recently published an interesting statistic: "one out of five Americans lives on a diet of ten foods or fewer. Among the most common choices? French fries, fried chicken, chocolate chip cookies and Kraft macaroni and cheese."

Ten foods or fewer. Wow. I just don’t think I could do it. Almost every meal I cook involves a recipe that I’ve never tried before. I realize this may make me something of a culinary daredevil, but I was stunned by the thought of such limitation.

I fully embrace the idea of comfort foods - food you’ve liked forever; a recipe you know by heart, something easy to put on the table when you have to have dinner ready in an hour. I have my share of fall-backs tucked into the recesses of my brain, but to cook or eat only those foods week after week would drive me batty.

Still, the idea got me thinking. If I could only have ten foods, what would they be? First, I thought about exotic items, food I save for special occasions like caviar or lobster. If you are going to be limited, at least indulge, right? Then I thought about comfort foods like chili or mashed potatoes and gravy. Who could live without them?

Finally I started a list, basic things that I could rotate through. This is what I’d pick: Steak, Pork Tenderloin, Salmon, Spinach, Arugula, Cheese (am I supposed to pick only one???) potatoes, chocolate, tomatoes and mushrooms. I could stick to this list only if herbs, spices and seasonings (including onions, shallots and garlic) were unlimited.

How about you?  Do you find yourself eating the same ten foods?  If you had to choose just ten, what would they be?

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Mirpipbon by Mirpipbon | Sugar Land, TX
Jan 27, 2009

10 Things I eat...tuna steak...Filet beef steak (very small), brussel sprouts, cheese, Bread, avodado, onion, Broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes. In addition lots of spices

divaofdanger by divaofdanger | HAWKS, MI
Jan 27, 2009

I also love to cook and happen to work where there is a deli and full kitchen, so I find myself trying new things all the time, I do however seem to follow a list that appeal to my kids pork, chicken, beef, turkey breast, and pasta's, potatoes in whatever form I want to surprise them with lol Salads are a big love with myself and daughter.

sterf45 by sterf45 | Port Orange, FL
Jan 26, 2009

I love to cook, and I try to rotate also. I do Beef, Pork, Chicken, Fish - and try to vary the types, recipes & side dishes each time. I do have the problem of loving potatoes too much, so I know they would definitely be in my top ten. After that & the meats, I'm not sure.

Kellie3065 by Kellie3065 | TRAPPE, PA
Jan 23, 2009

I could never limit myself to 10 foods or less. I cook frequently and it's never the same thing. I like to try new recipes from the different cooking magazines I receive and always send the winners to my friends to try. I figured it takes me less time to cook a meal than it would to order take out and have it delivered to my door OR picked up. Cooking my own meals also allows me to control what me and my family are eating.

meowmix by meowmix | peach bottom, PA
Jan 23, 2009

I like to eat out, but i usually order the same thing wherever I go--fajitas or steak.

LATeach by LATeach | Wheat Ridge, CO
Jan 22, 2009

I love to cook and work at creating healthy, tasty meals. I would say that we definitely have 10 essentials, but a lot of added interest foods. Can fruit count as just 1... OK - apples, oranges, limes, lemons, melons. Then chicken... raisins...cheeses...MILK...oatmeal... I can't do it - I haven't even gotten to vegetables yet. I love food!

katraycro by katraycro | Enfield, CT
Jan 22, 2009

I LOVE to cook and I`m always looking for new recipes. Tomatoes are my passion. I grow many different varieties and can and freeze them. I love pasta and my homemade sauce. Our weekly diet consists of fish, chicken and beef. I love mashed potatoes, grilled cheese sandwiches and chili. Favorite drink is seltzer with a splash of juice. My favorites herb would have to be dill( I also grow and freeze)

rockhound24 by rockhound24 | ELIZABETH, CO
Jan 21, 2009

I love to cook and try new foods, so this would be very hard. I know that I would have to have fish, veggies and fruit, and would probably throw some dishes in like Pad Thai and Gnocchi with browned butter and sage.

cchelle38 by cchelle38 | AUGUSTA, GA
Jan 20, 2009

I love to cook1!! Unfortunately i'm gone ~12 hours a day so I tend to do crockpot meals or I cook several meals on the weekend and then pack them out in Tupperware containers and freeze. This way when I or my husband get home we can take something out of the freezer if we don't have something already prepared. We tend to eat a lot of venison, fish and pork. We eat just about any vegetable and of course pasta and rice. We could never limit our diet to 10 foods. I try to prepare at least one meal a week from a new recipe to help with the variety.

lynnkendo by lynnkendo | Ventura, CA
Jan 19, 2009

I hate to cook!!!!! Always have and always will-sooooo I tend to make very simple meals, the simpler the better..... I do cook a lot of "hamburger meat" into different recipes, meals, etc. Use quite a lot of cheese (we love it)-pasta, tomato products (fresh & canned), tuna, pork chops, potatoes, love vegetables (fresh or frozen). Unfortunately my husband and I are overweight so I must be cooking the wrong stuff-LOLOLOL ...... Oh I forgot to say that we do eat at fast foods quite a bit, I know, I know, bad-bad-bad.....

daisy1 by daisy1 | Fort Wayne, IN
Jan 19, 2009

We eat a variety of healthy foods. We do like convience foods and try new ones often.

llnhartman by llnhartman | San Antonio, TX
Jan 17, 2009

I try to cook healthy and eat healty- I do eat a lot of soup and salad- oatmea, or fiber bars, nuts, v-8 juice, fish, chicken, turkey, steamed veggies. twice a month we eat steak or a hamburer. I enjoy a no fat latte, tea, and red or white wine. I agree I really can't say it is just 10 foods

TRUGIRL by TRUGIRL | RIDGELAND, MS
Jan 16, 2009

I TRY TO COOK DIFFERENT FOODS EVERY WEEK. WITH MY WORK HOURS DURING THE WEEK I TRY TO COOK FOODS THAT DONT TAKE TOO LONG OR ALOT OF INGREDIENTS TO MAKE. THAT BEING SAID THERE IS NO WAY THAT I COULD NARROW IT DOWN TO JUST 10 THINGS. I LOVE TO EXPERIMENT WITH FOOD AND DIFFERENT IDEAS. I TRY TO EAT HEALTHY AND FEED MY KIDS HEALTHY FOODS BUT ON A BUDGET. I AM ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS THOUGH IS ANYONE HAS ANY!!

virginiamother by virginiamother | Glade Hill, VA
Jan 15, 2009

We eat some of the same things, but we eat alot of different items. There are 8 in my house sometimes 10. We have a couple of picky eaters. I'm not a picky eater, I just don't eat certain things. I love vegetables, just about any kind. So my ten would be, chicken, steak, potatoes, rice, greens, peas, carrots, corn, green beans, orange sherbert. I think I could live with that. The only reason I put steak is because every now and then I crave red meat. I didn't do cheese or milk because I am lactose intolerant.

am_i_lost by am_i_lost | Centralia, IL
Jan 15, 2009

We tend to eat a lot of the same things but my husband is brave enough to tell me to "experiment and to try new receipes". Which I do and mostly have all been good. I'm the picky eater so I do try to add new things for the rest of the family that they will enjoy even if I know that it is something that I won't like. Ten foods: beef, pork, chicken, potatoes, corn, pasta, green beans, cheese, bread and chocolate.