I’m a mood dependent eater. A lot of what I eat each every meal time: breakfast, merienda, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, everyday really depends on the general mood I have. Am I happy and want something sunshiney to brighten up my morning like slices of sweet pineapple? Do I feel manly and want some MEAT (insert Flintstone club waving and Tarzan chest thumping here), a huge slab of steak with some buttery mash and veg? Am I feeling blue and want something rich, creamy and salty like a bowl of al dente, cheesy carbonara? I do plan our menu, but go off-tangent a number of times because of my mood swings.
But now that I am going through this detox program and I desperately want to be healthier, I cannot afford to be the fickle-minded, mood dependent eater any more 
Proper pantry planning is key, as advised by my doctor as well as some other healthy eaters I look up to. And, more importantly, the plan must be strictly followed to the best of my abilities, or else all the effort in pantry planning would be a waste.
Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!
Unfortunately, our pantry was already filled with THESE prior to my doctor’s visit: lots of my favorite eats and treats from the Philippines, lovingly sent by family and friends and lugged through airport to airport by The Husband.
Processed meatsss
More processed meat and sweets
Chinatown treats…this I think I can eat…in a few days time.
And so apart from the challenge of planning, which is tough enough, I also have the opportunity to practice restraint. A lot of the items have untouchable, kindly-avoid-me-or-eat-incredibly-less-of-me-for-the-next-3-months ingredients like wheat, MSG and sugar.
And utmost restraint I am practicing 
I just think of the end goal in mind plus the stuff I CAN eat and I feel quite stable and fine. You know what’s surprising? No mood swings! I just seem to go according to plan each day 
Yey!
So what happens to all our Philippine eats and treats if I can’t eat them? It just means more eats and treats for The Husband. He is more than willing to eat my share of the loot. Hehehe! If a couple of them still survive after 3-months, then I think I’d be able to sink my teeth into them soon (Actually looking forward to the 19th, as I can dip my fingers into a bottle of Connie’s Kitchen Gourmet Tuyo and Spanish sardines soon!)
We will meet again soon!
But for now, it is all about smart pantry planning!
Delirious about delicious,
Didi
P.S. I actually just came from a pantry filling trip and picked up veggies, fruits and other allowed food items I can eat Hoorah!
