Responsible consumerism

My friend Lauren recently brought to my attention that I never wrote a follow-up report on the goods that I purchased on a whim a few weeks ago. And really, what good is mentioning them if I don’t also provide some sort of useful commentary? (Oh let’s not answer that question—it challenges the whole foundation upon which this blog is built.) In case you, like Lauren, had any lingering curiosities about the wares available at Target these days, I beg you read on!

Thin is the New Happy – An entertaining read that had me nodding my head empathetically with every turn of the page. Will my copy of the book occupy a special place on the shelf for years to come? No—it’ll probably eventually end up in a donation bin or on the shelf at Half Price Books. It might not be an instant classic, but it’s definitely interesting poolside fare (think lighthearted and fun, not bitter and brooding) for anyone who’s ever dealt with body image issues.

Sabra Spinach and Artichoke Hummus – This was underwhelming in a just-like-regular-hummus kind of way. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not as special as, say, the Roasted Red Pepper variety.

Oikos Organic Chocolate Greek Yogurt – My hope was that this would be tasty enough to replace my after dinner ice cream sandwiches, and truth be told, it actually plays the dessert role quite convincingly. It’s creamy, not super thick, and surprisingly chocolate-y. However, it also possesses an impressive tang characteristic of Greek yogurts that didn’t offend my desensitized dieter’s taste buds, but completely repulsed my normal-paletted fiancé. (However, he did enjoy repeating the yogurt’s vaguely naughty slogan every time I ate it.)  Also, it’s expensive. Like, over $1.25 per serving expensive. The cheapo in me is not prepared to pay that much for something not as good as comparably priced Weight Watchers ice cream sandwiches. The cheapo is, however, open to replicating the concept in my own kitchen, because when you get right down to it, all the stuff really is is plain fat-free Greek yogurt and a tablespoon of chocolate syrup.