Maybe you can cut her off at the pass by starting a new family tradition of going to the farmer's market every weekend this spring/summer and picking out a few well-chosen fresh ingredients for your lunch or dinner. Then work together as a family to prepare that healthy meal.

Rather than get annoyed, you should ask yourself "what is the need she is trying to satisfy by this behavior" and then see if you can find a way to help her meet that need in a more productive manner.

OP - question before I answer- how active are you in meal preparation / shopping?

OP, it sounds like a situation where your wife has a constant lingering frustration over the family food situation and then goes on a splurge, where she wants to "fix" it. I don't exactly do what you're describing, but I kinda feel that way sometimes - like I read something about diet and health and get these visions of overhauling the family diet.

It might be more sustainable, if as some other posters have suggested, you get together on the meal planning more and support each other on integrating one or two extra fresh/healthy foods per week.

I also agree with with what someone else said about trying to eat up the perishable foods first.

Just like in a weight loss diet, they say the only way to make it last is to make small changes that you can stick with over time. Also, important to have social support for the changes - and that part would come from the two of you being more engaged together in the process.

Best wishes to you and your wife on figuring out the family food plan together!

Anonymous wrote:You do the shopping from now on. Problem solved.

As a well-intentioned shopper, I relate to the spouse in this story. I find myself buying ingredients for recipes I never get around to cooking. It's part guilt (oh, I really should be doing something with quinoa, everyone else is) and it's part just optistism (I'm sure I can make that tomorrow night) and it's part just wishing I were that kind of mom (you know the one who tomorrow really will get off DCUMs in order to make her child a wholesome meal of quinoa.)

Whatever. Who cares what is fueling the source? Do you think you don't have these foibles/flaws too?

Focus on each person's strengths. If you're the more disciplined shopper, take it over. Maybe she's the more disciplined cleaner, and she can take over dishes? Or maybe she's the more creative parent who can plan outings for the weekends. Are you telling us you want to divorce over this? I'd really redirect, refocus on each person's strengths, and let it go.

You do the shopping from now on. Problem solved.

I am the DW and am in charge of the food, because I would never let DH loose in the grocery store. This is what I do...I meal plan each week. I come up with three different meals for the week (Between leftovers and weekend dinners out, this works for me.), and I write everything down that I will need for the week on my grocery list. When I go to the store, I only buy what is on the list. This saves me time and money because I am not buying extra stuff. Also, since I am only buying groceries that I need, nothing goes bad. At the end of the week, if I have some extra veggies that I didn't use, I will make a quiche or frittata. Then I do it all over again the following week. This works great for me.

Anonymous wrote:how is buying the more expensive perishable thing "healthier" it may be fresher but buying canned goods can be as healthy as the marketed organic bullshit craze we have been programmed into believing.

Do you suffer from immense guilt because you aren't able to buy organic? Because holy hell; you come on every post it seems to knock fresh food or home cooked food. We get it. You like your canned food and takeout.