Wasted Calories

I have tried eating a few things here that I wouldn't have at home. I feel like I can justify this because I do not think I am up to my fighting weight right now. So I have tried a few snacks. Some of these things I have eaten by accident because I didn't read the label carefully. The labels are in Chinese, and deciphering them is an additional step beyond putting on my reading glasses.

Here's a small list:

"Orion cakes" -- These taste like Yodels, but feel and look like miniature scooter pies.

"Haw rolls" == tart fruit roll ups that are made from Hawthorn, the berry not the author, I believe. They are supposed to have antioxidant properties. I need that here given the pollution and GIGANTIC nuclear power plant outside of town with four stacks.


"American almonds" -- These are "expensive" almonds that are only lightly salted instead of having MSG, sugar and other things added to them. Most nuts are a little interfered with here.

LABS brand (now that sounds appetizing, doesn't it?) drinkable yogurt - The label shows the yogurt going down your gullet into your intestine -- frankly how I was sure it was yogurt. I tried a sample in the store that they thrust at me, drank it mostly to be polite, and I liked it. I like the plain, and buy this regularly. At one point, I bought a strawberry one, but it is languishing in the fridge because I am afraid of it. I find food actually frightening sometimes. Even at home.

Cream Coke -- yikes. I thought it was Coca Cola. It was Coca Cola plus cream soda. A tad sweet.

BBQ flavored Bugles -- this was a tragic mistake. I got the blue pack and didn't look at it. (I thought Bugles were blue packaged?) I ate one and it tasted strange. I looked at the package more closely and it had a small picture of BBQ spare ribs on it. I admit I finished the package and regretted it. I looked at the Bugles in the store today and they have the following flavors: Chicken; Spicy Chicken; Fish: Sushi (different than Fish);"Tomato Meat"(god help us); and Vegetable and of course BBQ Beef, oh and regular Beef. I miss crunchy food, but am off Bugles now, perhaps forever.

The other day, I bought an ice cream bar, bit into it and the inside "ice cream" was quite purple, and tasted kind of malt-like. A bit of cognitive dissonance there. This was in the food court of the Lotus Market where people LOVE to stare at me eating, so I nonchalantly finished it. It wasn't great.

I am shocked at my focus on food, although I do eat pretty much daily, even back in the States.