Given all the great food I’ve experienced over the years via my Lick the Plate column and radio show, I still get the occasional desire to go lowbrow with my indulgences; my guilty pleasures, so to speak.
These purchases are somewhat triggered by trips to Smart & Final, where the aisles are lined with many of these temptations. Every item I feature today was purchased there, except for the Chock full o’Nuts, which they discontinued; however, I was able to buy it on Amazon.
Since I’m on the topic, I’ll start with this decidedly old-school coffee brand, which dates back to 1932. I’ve begun a lighthearted effort to make it cool again, as it’s not particularly trendy. It really is good coffee, though, and I love the steel can design and its utilitarian functionality when empty.
Next up is Taco Bell Mild Sauce in a bottle. I only recently discovered this sauce is available in grocery stores, which will save me asking for 20 or so packets every time I go through the Taco Bell drive-thru, which is not much these days. Something about this sauce just works for me and I put it on just about everything…including my Jorge’s burritos, I know, I’m bad.
Hamburger Helper Stroganoff is another impulse buy, and one that, when enhanced with a generous scoop of sour cream, makes me very happy. It also provides a perfect segue into my next pick, Wonder Bread, which is ideal for buttering up and serving with stroganoff to mop up the creamy sauce. There are several other occasions during the year when Wonder Bread is not just a guilty pleasure, but an essential part of the meal.
It’s my go-to bread for the day after Thanksgiving sandwich as it forms perfectly around the turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, keeping everything tight and in order. Summer BLTs with Michigan tomatoes and Nueske’s bacon are another use, and for the same reason: keeping all those ingredients tight and from slipping out of the sandwich.
I can also pair Wonder Bread with my next two picks, as it works nicely with Jones Dairy Farm Braunschweiger — or liverwurst, as most of us know it — and American Cheese. I’ve recently rediscovered liverwurst in sliced form, and it’s perfect on Wonder Bread with a slice of American Cheese. They describe it on the package as “enjoy the smooth creamy taste of our family’s Old World recipe and the convenience of ready to use slices.”
Should also mention that a two-slice serving packs a whopping 170% of your daily vitamin A! And as for individually wrapped American Cheese, I always have some in my fridge, so I’m not feeling too guilty about that.
And then we have Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Italian Sausage Ravioli. I remember when the overstuffed version came out, it was cause for private celebration. This is something I keep in my cupboard, usually hidden behind my healthier pantry items, and in moments of marijuana fueled munchies when the taco shops are closed, I’m really glad it’s there.
And honestly, another one on this list that I’m feeling less and less ashamed about is Idahoan Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – yep, instant mashed potatoes. Talk about a quick, convenient and delicious side dish that can be doctored up with butter and a half a head of finely chopped broccoli and maybe some bacon if I’m feeling indulgent.
The frozen food section at Smart & Final overflows with guilty pleasures, so it was quite hard to narrow down. That said, I’m a sucker for having my fish sandwich craving satisfied by opening my freezer and pulling out a Van de Kamp’s Beer Battered whole fish fillet. Toast up a hamburger bun, add a slice of American Cheese and some tartar sauce, and it’s a decent interpretation of McDonald’s Filet O Fish.
And then we have Spam. I covered it expensively in a recent column on This Musubi Love, so it seems to have some newfound acceptance among the coastal elites who once shunned it. I’ve always been a fan, and the low-sodium variety is a versatile protein source in a pinch.
I’ll segue into the sweets with a way-back snack favorite, Doritos Cool Ranch flavor. I’ve recently rediscovered this snack of my youth, and it’s still a fun, savory, crunchy delight.
The sweet category includes three that take me back to my childhood again. Sugar cereal, as we called it, was not a regular thing in my house, so I remember going to college and having the freedom to buy Captain Crunch, and that was a big deal.
When I do indulge in cereal these days, it’s always Captain Crunch. Pop-Tarts could also fall into the once-forbidden breakfast category, but they’re a perfect anytime treat. My go-to is either frosted blueberry or raspberry, and of course, at Smart & Final, you can get them in a value pack of 12.
I’ll wrap this up in the ice cream section, which again, is bursting with options I love. I had to go with the old-school classic Nestle Vanilla Drumstick, covered in chocolate and nuts. It’s still a pleasure, guilty as it may be, to come home from a night out and have a box of these to devour.
So that’s a sampling of some of my indulgences. As always, my overall dietary mantra has been to eat healthy most of the time, but allow yourself treats and embrace the guilt!
