Breaking The Habit

We all have them, some are major, some minor, some profound, some influential, some we consciously create and some we’re not even conscious of. I’m talking habits, not the proverbial sack cloth clothing of monks but our everyday routines like brushing our teeth, which sock to put on first and what we like to eat, which obviously includes what fruit and veg we buy.

So I welcome my veg box delivery as a way of breaking my sometimes remote controlled veg selection when I go shopping, as there is always a lovely surprise waiting. It usually forces me to look at a new recipe in the process, as I am faced with having to think what the unexpected guest would go well with, or best way to cook. It can also get me thinking that if I’m changing maybe one ingredient, why not go one step and change something else.

Cabbage was never a big player in my preferred choice of ingredients, but with one arriving unannounced, I was cornered into ways of tackling it. I’m a steamer of veg as a rule, so went in search of options. I soon encountered not just baked cabbage but also stuffed baked cabbage! Of course it took some courage to break my habit of not cooking it, or should that be I took courage and tried something new. It was a success, with both vegetable and recipe now on the list of options for both shopping and meals. 

A Polish friend laughed when I sang of this new revelation, seems to be quite a staple with our Eastern European cousins, and brought about a wealth of recipes and family stories. I then realised my cabbage history was centred on making sure we got to my grandmother in time to stop it being boiled for anything up to an hour. Needless to say nine times out of ten we didn’t, and a form of pale green mush was served. I think this is why that particular vegetable has not been on my habitual shopping list and why I welcome a new habit of both buying and recipes, thanks to my veg box.

Thanks, Keith.

We’d love to hear about the ways in which your StreetBox has made you think differently about your meal choices, why not share your fav, unexpected recipes with us on social via the hashtag #MoreThanJustAVegBox