Did you sin at night, Desdemona?

This is a question I could, and even should, have asked myself every time I went to sleep on that side of the hemisphere on the island of Nantucket.

Nope, I was never known for a wild obsession with healthy eating. Balanced eating - sure. Everything changed after the very first COUPLE OF WEEKS in the States. America, America, what are you doing? And what it does, or rather what this country produces, is so many delicious things, unknown to us Russians, that you don't even notice how your body starts going crazy from all these tastings of American products.

We need to start from the basics, so to speak. It's not that I hadn't been to large supermarkets at all, don't get me wrong. It's all about what you can find in them.

Rapid heartbeat, palms start to sweat, and the right eye starts twitching quietly. No, these are not the sensations before a first job interview, and not even the feelings I experienced before an interview at the embassy. This is exactly how I used to sneak up to my favorite antidepressant on the island where I worked in the summer - Stop and Shop. Two words, one supermarket, just me and American goodies. (and a shopping cart in my hands, of course)

BUT I'm not in a hurry to talk about those very tempting chocolates, or about that WIDEST assortment of ice cream (although no, I will say that you simply must try Ben & Jerry's ice cream).

PS: I'll clarify - the Phish food flavor is my favorite :))))

Or how about roasting those very marshmallows over a campfire? And snacking on it with a legendary Hershey's chocolate bar. Yumm!

So, what was I talking about? Ah, yes, the goal of my narrative is not at all to recommend products in supermarkets (you will find that out yourself upon arrival in the States at the first grocery store you come across). I want to tell you how, in my subsequent trips, I tried to avoid all this abundance.

I don't deny it, it was difficult.. The fact is that healthy eating in America, and let's be honest, in Russia, is not something everyone can afford. Well, for example, if I wanted to cook myself dinner, a full dinner, the costs were no less than 15 dollars (I want to note that the setting is the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, where I spent three summers on the Work and Travel program).

Since the picture on the right looked like my (and my friend's) "weekend" breakfast. It's an expensive business.. but it's worth it. The cutest, atmospheric place called "Island kitchen" is just a big concentration of care and love, which is so lacking far from home. But, of course, you can't eat like that every day.

Photo on the left - independent attempts at a quick and healthy breakfast. Of course, oatmeal, sir, and lots and lots of cinnamon (I mean A LOT, we are in America after all ;). They really love it there. Surely, I'm not the only one who noticed.)

Let's return to the topic of "price-quality" of products. For comparison, something like "dry rations" or semi-finished products cost me 4-5 dollars. A significant difference, right?

Right. But, now for a second, it should be noted:

a) the time spent on cooking while having several jobs was quite significant

b) pizza, sandwiches, ready-made fried chicken, and crackers after a while began to manifest themselves brightly in the wrong places.

So, all those stories you've heard from your Work and Travel friends are true.

Bringing back extra kilograms from America as a bonus along with good impressions from the trip is very possible.

The second and third time I arrived on the island, I cooled down a bit towards my antidepressant - the supermarket, and no longer rushed to it headlong after a hard day's work. I found a way out in very convenient and accessible ready-to-eat food delivery apps. There are a lot of them in America. Just as many as there are types of ice cream. (oops)

But still, I won't hide the fact that it was my bitter experience in the first year of getting to know America that pushed me to find the answer to the question - how to afford fast, healthy, and affordable food. And I discovered a multitude of offers for ready-to-eat food delivery, or rather, meal kits and ingredients. All ready-to-eat food delivery services have phone apps where you can choose your meals for the week. It saved time, it saved money first and foremost, and it helped me calm my urges to head towards the sweets and "junk" aisle in American supermarkets. As options for the future, I can list companies for food delivery services like Hello Fresh, Black Aiprin, Green chef, and many others. They will all gladly provide you with a trial kit when you sign up for a subscription or register with their service. You cook yourself from the ingredients delivered to your home. The menu is thought out for the week and detailed down to the smallest detail. The cooking process is easy and takes a maximum of 30 minutes (mostly 15 min). Salads, poultry, tacos - you will find something just for yourself and create your own menu. Oh, yes, a subscription to such services costs from 50 dollars a week (the menu is calculated for two). For me, as a resident of Nantucket island, such an option was ideal (prices in supermarkets there are quite impressive).

In a word, let's not give in to impulsive food purchases in America, and even more so, let's not skimp on our health. Of course, the work schedule has a strong influence. Sometimes you don't want to think about food at all. It'll do, that very supermarket will help out. (oh, I got the shivers again at the memory.. the ice cream there is just too delicious). And by the way, keep in mind that no employer will scold you for stepping away to drink some water or have a snack (or everyone surely has small breaks during their shift for such purposes).

Stay Hydrated!! Get yourself a coffee cup or a water bottle (all kinds of water bottles and coffee mugs). There are just so many of them in America, all kinds of designs and brands. Believe me, at the end of the Work and Travel season, you will thank yourself for a reasonable attitude towards American temptations ;).