Limited Choices - 10 Foods or Fewer

   By ChefErin  Jan 08, 2009
71

Gourmet Magazine recently published an interesting statistic: "one out of five Americans lives on a diet of ten foods or fewer. Among the most common choices? French fries, fried chicken, chocolate chip cookies and Kraft macaroni and cheese."

Ten foods or fewer. Wow. I just don’t think I could do it. Almost every meal I cook involves a recipe that I’ve never tried before. I realize this may make me something of a culinary daredevil, but I was stunned by the thought of such limitation.

I fully embrace the idea of comfort foods - food you’ve liked forever; a recipe you know by heart, something easy to put on the table when you have to have dinner ready in an hour. I have my share of fall-backs tucked into the recesses of my brain, but to cook or eat only those foods week after week would drive me batty.

Still, the idea got me thinking. If I could only have ten foods, what would they be? First, I thought about exotic items, food I save for special occasions like caviar or lobster. If you are going to be limited, at least indulge, right? Then I thought about comfort foods like chili or mashed potatoes and gravy. Who could live without them?

Finally I started a list, basic things that I could rotate through. This is what I’d pick: Steak, Pork Tenderloin, Salmon, Spinach, Arugula, Cheese (am I supposed to pick only one???) potatoes, chocolate, tomatoes and mushrooms. I could stick to this list only if herbs, spices and seasonings (including onions, shallots and garlic) were unlimited.

How about you?  Do you find yourself eating the same ten foods?  If you had to choose just ten, what would they be?

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tat1122 by tat1122 | Baltimore, MD
Jul 26, 2009

Jumbo Lump Crab Meat , Eggs , Steak, Angel Hair Pasta, Watermelon, Yogurt, Salad, Broccoli Florets, Baby Spinach AND CHOCOLATE!!!

Turtleks by Turtleks | Derby, KS
Jul 24, 2009

Pork , chicken, potatoes, corn, green beans, long cook rice, Chocolate, pasta, Canned pasta and canned tuna. These are the basics for many meals at my house.

jalah19 by jalah19 | lithonia, GA
Jul 20, 2009

what i want to eat changes all the time so for me to stick to 10 foods it would be very hard... i am from the west indies so i like alot of caribbean food, not really into salads or pork, but i think my diet is fairly healthy i consume vegetables but there not raw its always cooked. my 10 foods might be chicken, vegetables, tilapia, pasta, bananas, beef, pizza, subway sandwich, fried rice, curried anything i would love to add atleast 10 more but i can't......

wspr2008 by wspr2008 | Madison, OH
Jul 18, 2009

I couldn't live without chocolate or pasta.

wspr2008 by wspr2008 | Madison, OH
Jul 18, 2009

I couldn't live without chocolate or pasta.

kimprickett by kimprickett | Joplin, MO
Jul 10, 2009

My 10: Coffee, eggs, bacon, cheese, green beans, rice, steak, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes

ChefErin by ChefErin | SEATTLE, WA
Jul 08, 2009

Feedmepickles - Where are the pickles on your food list? :-) Erin

Feedmepickles by Feedmepickles | Buffalo, NY
Jul 08, 2009

I would be very hard pressed to limit my diet to just 10 foods, what I want to eat changes all the time. If I had to pick just 10 basics then it would have to be Chicken, pork, cheese, avocado, corn on the cob, potatos, grapes, cherries, eggs, pasta, tomatos, mushrooms, zucchini, hamburger, chili beans...oops that was 15, and I still want to add at least 10 more! I would also have to have access to herbs, onions, garlic, vinegar, and butter/oil for even 15 to work. I guess I really like variety!

roseblood87 by roseblood87 | Denison, TX
Jul 07, 2009

I would die if I could only eat ten foods for the rest of my life! My fiance and I both live by the saying "Variety is the spice of life," and especially with him being a culinary arts student and aspiring chef, that just wouldn't work. BUT, in a sad world with ten food choices, I would pick: manicotti, pepperoni pizza, sushi, tater tots, sweet and sour chicken, catfish, salmon, sweet rolls, chewy Chips Ahoy, and green olives. Yum! I need some veggies and fruit though, so maybe sub a few for plums, baby spinach salad, and bananas!

Lindaman22 by Lindaman22 | Woodbury, NY
Jul 07, 2009

I think I could do ten foods. Can sushi count as just one? I make my own sushi, and it's damn good, but a real sushi chef would probably fall on his own knife if he watched me... #2 would be NY pizza and #3 would be pasta for sure. Let's skip #4 for now, but #5 would have to be broccoli WITH Molly McButter. No Molly and broccoli is stricken from my list - and it does not count as #6 (which is clearly Red Mango yogurt!!!!!). Hmmmmm, #7 is tough, but I am going to combo it with #8 for egg whites and cheese. #9 are Otis spunkmeyer cookies hot out of the oven, #10 is Indian Tikka Masala, and back to #4.........wow......this is tough.......got it...........Cheese Doodles!!!!

ccane6012 by ccane6012 | Grandville, MI
Jul 05, 2009

Do they mean foods as in Mexican, Italian, Chinese??? If they did that would be easy but I know they mean specific foods so my would have to be blueberries, tomatoes, potatoes, radishes, cookies, bread (all types), diet coke, beef, chicken, and of course Doritoes!!!!!!!!!!

gardengirl10 by gardengirl10 | VIRGINIA BCH, VA
Jul 03, 2009

I agree, that is tough. Potatoes, chicken, tomatoes, pasta, cheese for the pasta), seafood, eggplant, green beans, cucumber and lettuce

mariq99 by mariq99 | Goodyear, AZ
Jul 01, 2009

Wow, a really tough one. It would have to be chicken, pasta, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, coffee, tomatoes, low carb tortillas and beef.

alika747 by alika747 | Aurora, IL
Jul 01, 2009

I think my ten foods would change depending on the rules here...would there be an impact on my physical being? if not, i would choose coke, bacon, chicken strips, frozen blended coffee drinks, chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream, saparo ichiban, black olives etc. you get the picture! if they would impact me, i would have to alter the list a bit!!

shebaaz by shebaaz | chino valley, AZ
Jul 01, 2009

shebaaz: Hi I'm new to your site. We eat really simple. some of my dinners are cooked with 4 to 5 ingredents to the meal. I am greatfull my husband is a simple eater. We eat very healthy meals. He loves his curry and me fish. and a lot of salad meals, hot an cold.