What foods do you "protect"?

[Genny]

So the big question is this, are there foods that you buy that you know only you will eat? Do you hide the treats from your family so that they don't disappear in the blink of an eye? Do you get ice-cream that you know no one else will eat?

Be honest...

[prasantrin]

Old Dutch b-b-q potato chips. I used to hide my O'Ryan's sour cream and onion chips, too, but they're not made anymore (at least not in Canada), so I just hide my OD b-b-q ones. I'm already thinking about how many bags/boxes to bring back with me after my trip to Canada this summer. You can bet I won't be sharing those with anyone!

[Luckylies]

I hide the last portion of many-step-to-cook foods like egplant parm or lasagna it drives me nuts to see that it's been zapped and eaten in front of the tv...and also I like to thing the last bite of anything I cook is mine (I lie to think so I'm also about to start hiding the bottled water from my boyfriend...it's too expensive to drink like it's the only water on earth...I dunno, it's treat water. anybody else feel that way or am I losing my mind?

[sparrowgrass]

I didn't buy them, but those fresh peas I picked yesterday. Took me more than an hour to pick (you should see my sunburn) and shell 3 cups of peas. I ate about half of them last night for dinner, and I am not sharing with anybody.

If I invite you to the house and serve fresh peas from the garden, you better be watching your wallet and/or your honor. I am after something.

[lesfen]

The man of the house hides Pop Tarts. I swear. He likes to eat them at 11 o'clock at night, in bed, and I have no idea where he's getting them. He must be buying them himself, because I refuse.

I head down to one of our local Amish communities from time to time and get a few puonds of their "roll butter". It is then rationed when I feel that the food is worthy. It's very salty, so I don't really like to use it on rolls and bread, but it's awesome on a roasted chicken or some freshly steamed veggies... but I'LL be the judge of that.

[ellencho]

I hide the last piece of pastry on a low shelf. Usually the last napoleon, last cannele, last slice of cake. The psychology of that is that people tend to look for things at eye-level first, so I make the eye-level of my hidden food a lot lower than eye-level for most people.

[emmapeel]

It would have to be something I spent hours making, like stacked enchiladas (with a complicated sauce.)

[Gifted Gourmet]

Interesting personal note: seems that the foods that take one longest to prepare are the ones we seek to keep hidden to be consumed, and enjoyed, by ourselves because we know about the amount of effort that went into their production ...

However, those poptarts are an exception, obviously!

[tryska]

i have to hide any sort of chocolate or candy from my roommate - if i don't she'll eat it all without my premission.

[peppyre]

I found the easiest solution to this problem...live alone.

The first guy that I ever lived with used to finish off my gin. I would buy a bottle of gin to have a nice G & t when I got home from work only to discover that the lush had polished off the entire bottle and was passed out in bed. Needless to say, that didn't last very long.

[Tess]

The only reason I have to hide the raw fish, squid salad, etc., is so that the guy I live with won't have to look at it-- he can't stand the stuff. Well, he doesn't really need to see the price tags on the sashimi either. I do sometimes feel bad about spending money on expensive food that only I will eat, but he'd be welcome to have some.

[godito]

We used to go to the Rheinbeck farmer's market every sunday to buy fresh goodies and some killer duck rillette. We would buy several half-pints, and I would buy one for myself, which I would hide for the rest of the week. Of course I don't live near Rheinbeck any more.... maybe I should find something else to hide

[annanstee]

Rainforest crisps

St Andre triple creme

Smoked oysters.

I don't have to hide my bottled water from my husband, as he won't drink water unless he's playing hockey. My four year old is another matter.

My husband hides chocolate and chocalate covered hobnobs from me all the time.

[SuzySushi]

My husband and I sometimes hide the good cheese from my stepson. He doesn't have a discriminating palate and eats cheese in huge quantities -- we'd rather he do that with Kraft than with $15.99/pound Manchego! (We put it in the vegetable bin... he never looks there!)

[bavila]

I'll hide hummus from my hubby as he'll inhale the entire amount before I get any. In a reverse scenario, I buy him butter pecan ice cream because I know I won't eat it.

And something I don't hide exactly, but I won't share with just anyone is pecans from Louisiana (which my dad acquires from a friend's tree then shells and cleans them himself before sending to me, the sweetheart). One must have some discriminating tastes to be deemed pecan-worthy.

[Rebel Rose]

I dunno, it's treat water. anybody else feel that way or am I losing my mind?

I hide my six-packs of sparkling water in my bedside table-cupboard.

We have a drinking water filter, but sometimes I like a little sparkling water mixed with juice, ice tea, or cranberry or black cherry concentrate. I always buy a six-pack for the boys, and a six for me, but they will chug all of them unless I hide my bottles.

We have a teener in the house and between him and Mr. Rebel Rose, they will polish off anything that is prepared, spreadable, rollable, or pretty much immediately edible. I even have to hide croutons. I actually buy liverwurst and sardines for quickie lunch snacks solely because I know they will still be there when I'm hungry.

[Zucchini Mama]

I hide my deep dark organic chocolate bars in the back of junk drawer. One evening, when I went out on a secret mission to buy one, the cashier said "That chocolate is like medicine." Oh ya. Special medicine for desperate housewives!

Zuke

[torakris]

M&M's

[lesfen]

Interesting personal note: seems that the foods that take one longest to prepare are the ones we seek to keep hidden to be consumed, and enjoyed, by ourselves because we know about the amount of effort that went into their production ... 

However, those poptarts are an exception, obviously!

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This topic prompted me to ask him why he hides Pop Tarts from me. His answer...

"Because you make fun of me."

I apologized and told him that I would no longer mock his naughty late-night sugar fix and that he could proudly display his Pop Tarts in the cupboard with the cereal.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

So the big question is this, are there foods that you buy that you know only you will eat? 

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I have to hide the good chocolate from Mr. FoodBabe and the FoodBambinos, because they don't care if it's Hershey's or 70% Valrhona. My chocolate fix is now a jar of Scharffen Berger sauce, that no one will touch because the flavor is too intense for them.

Also, if I have RedBull in the house, I have to hide it. I've taken to keeping it in my car or my knife box.

[Chris Amirault]

Interesting personal note: seems that the foods that take one longest to prepare are the ones we seek to keep hidden to be consumed, and enjoyed, by ourselves because we know about the amount of effort that went into their production ...  

However, those poptarts are an exception, obviously!

←

This topic prompted me to ask him why he hides Pop Tarts from me. His answer...

"Because you make fun of me."

I apologized and told him that I would no longer mock his naughty late-night sugar fix and that he could proudly display his Pop Tarts in the cupboard with the cereal.

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The eGullet Society: saving relationships torn asunder by food one snack at a time.....

[Poffertjes]

Is it rude that I always would buy ice cream, m&m's, and other things with nuts in them when I lived with a roommate who was allergic to them?

In my defense, she would have snarfed them behind my back if I hadn't.

She was also allergic to eggs, soy, and some really weird things. Odd how often I made things she was allergic to so she wouldn't snarf them without tasting what I loved so much!

[Andrew Fenton]

Anybody who's concerned about protecting their ice cream should walk, nay, run, nay... er, CLICK on this page selling the Ben and Jerry's Pint Lock. Guaranteed to keep your chubby hubby's paws off of your Chubby Hubby.

[petite tête de chou]

If I'm mowing the lawn and there's just a couple Bridgeport ales or Alaskan Summer Ales, those babies nestle under the vegetables in the bottom drawer until I'm ready for them. Beer is food, right?

[Badiane]

Anybody who's concerned about protecting their ice cream should walk, nay, run, nay... er, CLICK on this page selling the Ben and Jerry's Pint Lock.  Guaranteed to keep your chubby hubby's paws off of your Chubby Hubby.

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Of course all you need is a sharp knife to cut the bottom off the carton and snarf away! Any nefarious ice cream eater would be in that carton in a second!

Or maybe it's just me and my evil ice cream loving mind