Is "convenience" food a myth?

Lots of great, thoughtful, comments on my post yesterday. Thanks!

One comment that several people had in common is that cooking for yourself, eating whole foods, and avoiding pre-packaged convenience foods is hard and time consuming. It is. I don’t disagree with that one bit. When Jeff in on travel I don’t frequently cook. It’s usually Mac N Cheese, one of those meal in a bag things from the freezer section, fish sticks, that sort of thing. (But while I occasionally feel guilty about not getting them their veggies often enough, this week I was good about always having a side of broccoli or lima beans – their favorites.)

But then I wonder how much of that is perception fueled by marketing? I’m sure there are options that are just as, or almost, as easy as dumping a box of mac and cheese in boiling water.

(Of course, good ol’ Kraft Dinner isn’t easy enough, we’ve provided with EZ Mac for the ultimate in convenience food.)

( ideas )

Ideas? What’s as simple to make as Mac n Cheese or dinner in a bag (usually sautéed), yet a whole or mostly-whole food? Do you think that “convenience” food is a myth?

How do I love my husband?

Let me count the ways. :-D

He was puttering around on the laptop before dinner, and left it open when he went upstairs to change.

I saw this website up and he'd been browsing the men's section:

1750-1795 in Fashion (Wikipedia)

This is the same man who requested that I make his 15th century points red and yellow spirals, because they'd be more blingey that way. I guess he *is* the one who first suggested that we do 18th century.

AND he can fix cars and cut down trees. *smooches*

demode has a fabulous directory of extant women's clothing from 1600-1919. I've been browsing and drooling. Does anybody know of a similar list for men?