Part rogue’s gallery, part dean’s list, this is a quick, condensed sketch of what I’ve eaten over the past twenty-eight years of my life – from the time that I was more or less responsible for feeding myself. Most of it isn’t pretty, but the story has a happy middle. Getting curious about the food I was putting into my body caused me to make small tweaks over time. The more I learned, the more my diet evolved. And it’s still changing – for the better.
1984-1989
(Oxford, OH-Cleveland, OH)
Cafeteria food (need any more be said?)
Cream cheese bagels
Cheese Fries
Cheese pizza
Ramen noodle soup
Pepperoni rolls
Chocolate milk shakes
1990-1994
(Cincinnati, OH-Oakland, CA-Boulder, CO)
Buttered popcorn (a full bag of Orville Redenbacher’s butter variety at one sitting)
Haagen-Das Chocolate Chocolate Chip ice cream (sometimes a pint in one sitting)
5-way chili or coney dogs from Skyline Chili
Double chocolate chip muffins (a daily morning thing)
Matzo ball soup
Peanut butter crackers
1995-1999
(Boulder, CO-Moscow, Russia-Santa Monica, CA)
Pot roast
Roast chicken
Progresso Lentil Soup
Baked salmon
Tuna- and egg-salad sandwiches
Hot dogs
Fish tacos
Khatchapuri (cheese bread)
2000-2004
(Cambridge, MA-Washington, DC-Baghdad, Iraq)
Jello Chocolate Pudding (one daily)
Gumbo
Krispy Kreme doughnuts
Fried clams
Pepperoni pizza
Brisket
Vanilla cake with frosting
Iceberg lettuce salads
2005-2009
(Washington, DC-Oklahoma; Vegetarian)
Whole wheat home-baked breads
Baked goods made with unrefined sugars
Vegetarian chili
Hummus
Veggie & bean soups and stews
Tofu
Salads with tuna (my daily lunch)
Cheese, yogurt, sour cream
2010-Present
(Oklahoma; Vegan)
Whole grain home-baked breads & baked goods (unrefined)
Green smoothies
Wheatgrass
Raw fruits, veggies and more raw fruits and veggies
Home made nut cheez
Overnight grains for breakfast
Brown rice, quinoa, hemp, chia
Spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, romaine
Tempeh
Tofu
Seitan
Wow- your diet changed so much in just 5 years. I love this list, it’s a pleasure to read. It would be funny if you posted a corresponding picture of yourself for each time period…haha. What horrible food do you miss the most?
I like the idea of a picture for each time period – also interested in how where you were affected what you were eating. Did being overseas have any impact on your diet – long term?
I love this timeline! Way to go for cutting out more and more crap throughout the years! Also helps me to know that you didn’t used to be “perfect” Hehe!
xoxo
This is kind of amazing. One thing that’s been a staple for me for years I got from one of my Dads: whole grain cereal with frozen blueberries and bananas. The only difference is trading dairy for almond milk.
Uh Oh… Except for meat, I think I’m stuck in your mid eighties diet more often than not. Moscow and Baghdad huh…? Is this going to turn into an international Bond Style adventure – or is that another blog you keep elsewhere? LOL
Total inspiration on this onre Ann – this is pretty awesome to see! Are you still successfully growing wheatgrass? I am slightly envious…I need to get my husband back on it!
Thanks, Shira! Yep, still going strong on the wheatgrass – have 2 flats going on it now to keep us well-supplied!
That’s so amazing! I’ve got to go and get some!!
Good for you!
Quite a change! Congratulations on having the energy and courage to make a big change.
Wow, thanks so much for this post. I can’t tell you how helpful it is to see this, very inspiring! It’s nice to know that healthy eaters weren’t always heathy eaters, & there’s always time to change & grow.
I love this idea, the breakdown is fun. Great job on going vegan strong for two years!! You LOOK great and I am sure you feel just as great!
Vegan strong! I like it!
What were you doing in Iraq? And Moscow, come to that? (Did you use the underground? I would love to see it, I believe it’s pretty spectactular.) 2005-2009 looks like my diet now.
Well…in Iraq I was the office manager for the Ministry of Interior (worked for the Coalition Provisional Authority). Russia…long story
– we’ll have to have a cup of tea sometime and share stories. The metro in Moscow is beautiful and incredibly efficient.
Wow, you’ve had some exciting times. I would love to hear about Russia over a cup of tea.
Wow such a big change and shift for the better. I love that you posted this, the evolution is just as important as getting where you are currently. Congrats on becoming so healthy! Motivational, for sure.
Thanks! I’d never really thought about it until I sat down to write the post – so kind of enlightening for me.
SKYLINE CHILI! Even if I’m eating healthy now, I always want to be eating vegetarian black bean burritos from skyline!
I didn’t know they had a veggie black bean burrito?! Must’ve come up with that way after I stopped eating there.
Wow!! I would love to hear about the changes you have experienced since changing your diet!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Oh Anne – I feel SO good now that I’m all plant-based! Energy level out the roof…just great. But you know all of that, don’t you ;-)?
Yes, I do feel a huge difference since I changed my diet to be plant-strong.
Every story is unique though and I love peoples stories
Love this post, so crazy to look back at some of the thing we loved back in the day, that we would not EVER eat today. I use to eat bean burritos from Taco Bell in my 20’s, do not think I have had one 20 years. I would rather eat hummus or tofu today.
I know, right? I forgot to put down Oreos and anything by Hostess ;-).
I could relate to your list. The progression was also gradual but steady. Thanks for putting this list out there. It gives us perspective not only about other people’s diets but also our own.
What an awesome read my friend! The steady progression into healthiness is amazing 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
This is such a great evolution and so similar to my progression. Moscow, Baghdad and Iraq? I’m so curious!
Great post
It was very interesting and instructive to look back and take stock. I’d like to see your evolution. Yes, I moved around quite a bit for a while there. Wonderful experiences, but now I’m quite happy to be settled.
What a great idea- to observe and recognize your own personal eating trends over time. I’m sure that was a really enlightening experience, and such a great example to those out there who may be doubting that they can make changes in their life to be healthier. So interesting, Annie!
And geez- you have lived so many places! I would love to see a timeline of places you lived and what you did there!
Sometimes it’s hard to remember all of the places I’ve lived ;-)! It feels good to be settled.
What an evolution aka revolution you went through, my friend!
Going from really bad & fried foods, snacks loaded with calories to becoming a real vegan & eating healthy foods & fruits!
Well done! I don’t think that many people can go through this fenomal change!! xxx
Thanks, Sophie! It was a slow evolution, but I like where I’m at, that’s for sure!
Love this idea – everyone should do a diet retrospective once in a while to either give themselves a kick up the butt or a pat on the back! I think it’s important to listen to how your needs change over time. Having said all that, I did indulge in some pizza last night so I do revert to my teenage days occasionally
Nothing wrong with that!!
Great idea to make a list like this. I’m going to try this and be thankful for the many blessings that have led me to the healthiest diet/lifestyle I’ve had so far!
Never a bad idea to take stock and reflect.
This is so interesting! It makes me think about what mine would look like. And what a funny coincidence, my last post was about why I shifted from a meat eating diet to what I currently eat!
It was a lot of fun writing the list – and interesting and kind of scary, too ;-)! Guess we were both in a reflective mood!
whoa. what a great exercise! It’s crazy to think back at what I ate during different phases/parts of my life and it’s so much fun to read some of yours!!
And there were so many things I left off – amazing, isn’t it? I mean, look at you with your raw adventures :-)!
Wow, you’ve lived in some pretty interesting places!
I love finding out about other peoples food/health adventures – it’s quite an evolution/organic journey no? Even in the past year my eating habits have changed even more so… I am totally in LOVE with the vegan lifestyle – it’s so nice to finally have something “click.”
Exactly! It feels right on so many levels.
What a transformation in such a short time. I’d imagined you being vegan for a lot longer. What was your turning point in giving up meat?
It’s something that kicked around in my head for years, but it took a certain chapter in the book, Fast Food Nation. Never ate another piece of meat.
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😀 reminds me of that history of dance video but with food. oh the food past is scary mine was the same! Im still evolving along lol I like this post its always nice to look back and see how things were and how much you have changed.
wow.. along with the food evolution i am looking at all the places you have lived:) also shows that change is overrated.. its easy to change and accept things that people imagine.
Exactly!! Change is possible!
So awesome! I love that you masterminded this post. Forward motion is a beautiful thing. My timeline would be pretty similar, only adding in two separate years of diet restrictions with colicky babies. And I am not a gumbo fan. Or historically consistent. Unless you count being consistent in my inconsistency? Anyhoo- when were you in Boulder and what were you doing? (I too was a Boulderite: 96-01)
My memory is like a sieve, but I was in Boulder in the early 90s. Loved it. Have you been back since you left?