Hello!
Let me introduce my latest obsession.
For some reason, I have resisted opening this box of perfect mini mint ice cream mouthfuls for almost a month now. I don’t know why. It was an impulse Trader Joe’s purchase, which is pretty much the story of my life. Anyways, as we know, I am moving next weekend and on a steadfast quest to eat everything in my kitchen before the big day. I mean, nothing like dragging ice cream and frozen tofu slabs across town, right? I hate, hate, hate to waste food so I’m eatin’ up!
Why are these so good? Why why why why?
Serving size says two cookies but who in their right mind stops at two cookies? That’s really not possible. There’s a few things in life that we have to face.
1.) no one just eats two cookies.
2.) no one really eats only one tablespoon of peanut butter at a time.
I don’t care if you measure it out; I KNOW you secretly swipe your index finger into the jar before you put it away. Let’s be honest now.
Anyways, I ate three cookies but I could have eaten thirteen. I have a thing for ice cream sandwiches. They remind me of being fourteen years old and at camp. Mmmmm mmmmm delicious.
Dinner, on the other hand, wasn’t that interesting.
More soup.
I eat a lot of soup, methinks. And, get excited, because there’s more to come in the frozen section of the ELR house. Perhaps we will step away from coconut red lentil and move onward to turkey chili.
And now…the moment we have all been waiting for…..
Magic Bullet contest news!
The friendly Magic Bullet people contacted me today and told me they would pick four winners by the end of the week and let me know. Hopefully the winners will be posted by Friday!
Nora@LiveLifeEatRight
May 3, 2010 at 8:11 pmMINT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE. MUST FIND TRADER JOES. Sorry for all Caps…a little excited by this post haha
diana@mymarblerye
May 3, 2010 at 8:23 pmthose look yum. BTW I hate serving sizes for nut butters….it’s like telling me Santa isn’t real!
Laura @ Backstage Pass to Health & Happiness
May 3, 2010 at 8:27 pmAck I just posted a comment on your post from earlier – Milwaukee blogger meetup? Please please please? 🙂
It’s funny you mention the ice cream sandwich / camp memories. When I was at girl scout camp, they’d give us the cookie wafers (like the sandwich part of an ice cream sandwich) but not the ice cream. And they’d try to give us chocolate chips instead of chocolate bars for s’mores. Not quite the same stuff, folks!
Maria @ A Healthier Maria
May 3, 2010 at 8:27 pmooo those sandwiches look amazing. Are they actual cookies size? I could see those being VERY dangerous. You actually turned me on to coconut milk ice cream sandwiches & those are my own new obsession! I definitely ate 3 of them in a relatively short amount of time the other day when they were tasting particularly delicious.
Sarah @ foodformiles
May 3, 2010 at 8:28 pmYeah….nut butter jar usually says what, 14 servings? How do I sometimes run out in 4-5 days??
Claire
May 3, 2010 at 8:31 pmI completely agree about nut butters quantity..there is no way a tablespoon or two will make a real pb and j sandwich…
Those tj’s ice cream cookies look sooo good! yay, project cleanout
Cynthia (It All Changes)
May 3, 2010 at 8:41 pmThose ice cream look great. Good thing you would have to buy a second box to eat thirteen since the box only holds 12 🙂
Nut butter quantity makers lie. My jar definitely doesn’t hold 20 or so servings. Who are they kidding. They make me feel like a pig everytime I look at it after I finish a jar in under a week. But oink oink I love that stuff 🙂
Suzanne de Cornelia
May 3, 2010 at 8:49 pmThis week at (Monterey) Whole Foods–Mango/Apple Bars/Squares right by cash register…darn are these good. Tried one when went through over weekend and got 2 today. Also got carne asada/tuscan white beans/spanish rice for their $9.99 meal get 3 picks. Made 2 dinners of this with salsa/avocado/sour cream/olives added. Really good. It’s a conspiracy of these stores making all this cool stuff!!
I’ll try those from TJs–thx for the tip.
Courtney (Pancakes & Postcards)
May 3, 2010 at 8:50 pmThank you, Jenna, for telling it like it is. TWO COOKIES?! Never. One tbsp of nut butter gets you like, half a piece of toast. And what’s with the tiny single-serving treats in small bags/packages and then the wrapper says “servings per container: 3”? This has got to stop. And yes, the finger in the jar… always.
Tay
May 3, 2010 at 9:03 pmLOL…too true about the PB. Too true!! I even swipe my finger if I’m standing staring into the cupboard wondering what to eat.
Ilana
May 3, 2010 at 9:08 pmUm. What. Those look amazing. Wow, I’m so glad I never go to freezer sections of the market or I’d probably have this same problem!
Heather (Heather's Dish)
May 3, 2010 at 9:23 pmi’m impressed you stopped at 3…i would have moved onwards to finish the entire box! seriously though, ice cream sandwiches are the absolute best summer dessert. hands down. 🙂
Lisa (bakebikeblog)
May 3, 2010 at 9:25 pmI don’t think that I have ever had an icecream sandwich….strange huh!!!
kelsey@snackingsquirrel.com
May 3, 2010 at 10:10 pmwho hasent been obsessed with mint choc ice cream since a childhood. this is ur crackbox lol.. everyone needs their fix right?
Hillary [Nutrition Nut on the Run]
May 3, 2010 at 10:20 pmI can’t believe you had those in your freezer a whole MONTH w/o opening the box – that’s insane. Nothing like mint chocolate ice cream on a warm Spring evening : )
Amy
May 3, 2010 at 10:43 pmHey Jenna,
I’m curious because you wrote this in your FAQ’s section:
“If you start to eat slowly and really appreciate and taste your food, you won’t need massive amounts to satisfy you. Yes, it might be hard for awhile to get used to…but I am telling you right now: you CAN have dessert every night if you have (or teach yourself) the discipline. If you really don’t think you can only have 1 cookie, then maybe save Friday and Saturday nights as your dessert nights. On those nights, have 2 cookies. I like to have dessert everyday so I keep it small. I could soooooo easily just go right now and stuff my face into the tupperware where I just stashed the extra cookie I baked an hour ago. Oh my god, they would be so good. But then I wouldn’t have any for the rest of the week! And then my tummy would probably hurt and I would feel bloated and all that jazz. So I contain myself and choose small, but rich portions….enough to satisfy, but not enough to break the scale.”
But now it seems like you don’t subscribe to this type of thought anymore. What do you think – are you the type of person who can have a small amount of dessert, or is it harder for you to resist now? No judgment here – I’m just curious!
jenna
May 4, 2010 at 7:15 amSarah and Amy,
Sometimes its hard to see the whole story by just looking at my food online. Those sandwiches are actually the size of a quarter…it’s not like I ate three gigantic ice cream sandwiches! I still eat one piece of chocolate after every meal (sometimes even breakfast) and choose small portions. I eat dessert daily. So, the answer to your question is yes, I actually do still subscribe to this type of thought. Very much , actually!
Freya @ Brit Chick Runs
May 3, 2010 at 11:01 pmOh the PB finger swipe thing is soo true…I’m swiping over 3 x a day!
Camille
May 3, 2010 at 11:18 pmThose cookies look super! TJs is the best 🙂
Jil
May 3, 2010 at 11:23 pmHahaha I love the little list. Agreed. You just can’t eat one Tbsp of PB.
jennifer
May 4, 2010 at 1:40 amI’m missing ice cream sandwiches right now!
And I’m also in the ‘clean out the apartment of all food’ mode right now as I’m about to pack all my junk and move back across the Atlantic to Canada.
Too bad your going to France when I’m leaving the Netherlands! 🙁
I’m also a book lover, and the library here only has a small English section (so I really can’t wait to get to Canada for that), but it did force me to try books I would have otherwise not tried. So I guess it works out ok 😉 Looking forward to your next book post.
Lisa
May 4, 2010 at 2:12 amgo to la. and then go here : http://www.diddyriese.com/
Nicole
May 4, 2010 at 2:33 amCookies look amazing! Unfortunately I never feel like I can buy ice cream products at the NYC trader joe’s because the line takes 30 minutes to get through and then I still have to make it 50 blocks home, C’est la vie!
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
May 4, 2010 at 3:26 amI love all TJs frozen treats. They are so good!
Lauren
May 4, 2010 at 3:53 amI have seen these so many times and always pass on them. I don’t really know why I do because I LOVE ice cream sandwiches and I LOVE mint choc ice cream! Probably because I would eat the entire box at one time. I just don’t trust myself with these! 😉
Allie
May 4, 2010 at 4:03 amha- whenever i look at the serving # on a PB jar i am a combination of angry and amused. not me!
Erin (Travel, Eat, Repeat)
May 4, 2010 at 4:14 amThose TJ’s mint ice cream sandwiches are SO addictive! I love that the serving is more than one, too, so it feels like you get extra dessert. 😉
eatmovelove
May 4, 2010 at 4:49 amYou had me at Ice Cream.
And – to the comment by Amy – what??!! Seriously – get a life much?…it’s cookies – she and anyone else can eat more than one. It doesn’t mean she’s scarfing down a box of cookies every night….why do people read so much into other people’s comments?…I don’t get it…
Kristin (Cook, Bake and Nibble)
May 4, 2010 at 5:08 amWOW, those look amazing!
Really, who stops at 2? 3 is a way better number 🙂
xo
K
theemptynutjar
May 4, 2010 at 5:09 amJenna – you only ate 3….I propose a new rule also : shall never just eat 3…
I say eat the 13 …their only tiny, and serving sizes are “relative” 🙂
Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries
May 4, 2010 at 5:10 amI was SO close to buying those at Trader Joe’s last night but resisted the temptation! Next time I’m giving in!
Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman
May 4, 2010 at 5:24 amI can’t buy those because, really, who only eats three? 😉
runnerforever
May 4, 2010 at 5:27 am4 winners? Awesome!
Trader Joes is always coming out with the best products, I have a seriousl love hate relationship with there. I always buy more than I can eat haha.
OK Chick
May 4, 2010 at 5:28 amI wish OKC would get a Trader Joes. But right now, I’d settle for a Whole Foods. 🙁
Sarah
May 4, 2010 at 5:29 amJenna,
I am a long-time reader of your blog and have always been a big fan of your writing. I know there’s a fair bit of squabbling going on between commenters these days. (For example, Amy above made a comment that was politely stated but got told to “get a life.”) It must be really frustrating to have to moderate this kind of thing. Your life is totally different now than it was when you were living in Florida so that is bound to raise questions. I hope people can be nice about the questions they raise, but also feel it’s ok to ask about your change in food philosophy and eating style- it’s a food blog afterall!
I remember reading one of your posts a long time ago from back in Florida when you descrived a conversation you had with a teller at the grocery store about how you’d buy a bar of chocolate and have it last a week or two. I was always like, oh heck no, who can eat one tiny square a day!!!! Some people will relate to the old one tiny bite of chocolate a day you, and some people (like me!) will relate to the new who can stop at 2 cookies you. I don’t think either approach is right or wrong. People change and that’s ok. 🙂
Sarah
Katie@ Two Lives, One Lifestyle
May 4, 2010 at 5:40 amMINI ice cream sandwiches? Too small for just one! Wherever I live next, Trader Joes is going to be on my list of requirements. Enjoy finishing up this food at least!
Funky Lady
May 4, 2010 at 5:41 amLove those ice cream sammy’s!! I buy them every time I go to TJ’s. I buy the big ones too, for my hubbs.
Teri [a foodie stays fit]
May 4, 2010 at 5:47 amI REALLY need a TJ’s in my town!!! those look awesome!! and everything is better when it’s mini, even if you have you to eat more. 🙂
Lauren @ louisianagrown
May 4, 2010 at 5:53 amMint chocolate ice cream sandwiches? It would be a miracle if I could stop at 25.
Carolyn @ lovinlosing
May 4, 2010 at 5:55 amMy new favorite froyo place has mintchocolate flavor. Delish!
Ella
May 4, 2010 at 6:07 amMy husband is OBSESSED with those TJ’s ice cream sandwiches (ok, maybe I don’t mind the obsession since I can ride on its coattails…). And I am 100% with you on the stealth peanut butter jar swipes.
Rachel S
May 4, 2010 at 6:29 amOooh, I love those ice cream sandwiches! They are so yummy and fairly small so I would definitely consider 3 a more appropriate serving size as opposed to just 2!
C h a n d r a
May 4, 2010 at 6:34 amice cream sandwiches are zee best &&& yes totally nostalgic!! love it.
i also agree on the PB issue. it’s pretty much impossible Not To Lick. i have this thing where I also scrape around the inside sides before i put it away, you know, to “make to smooth”.
hope your tuesday is beautiful, Jenna! oh and btw, how are you liking Prep?
<3
MMiller
May 4, 2010 at 6:36 amI so wish Trader Joe’s would come to FL! I would drive an hour or two to go there! Anywhere from Tampa to Naples!
Hard to tell the real size of those Mini mint sandwiches! If they are really as small as I am thinking, I would probably eat the box! If they are true cookie size I could stop at a few!
And good luck with the move! Praying for great weather for you! Eat the frozen stuff and pack the canned stuff! Have a great week!
Beth @ DiningAndDishing
May 4, 2010 at 6:44 amAhh, I am so with you on the peanut butter thing!! I am completely unable to moderate how much nut butter I consume :).
Jessica @ The Process of Healing
May 4, 2010 at 6:48 amOh my. I can only say thank goodness there is no TJ’s closer than an hour and a half away from me.. because I could do some SERIOUS damage on those cookies. I like to take Nature’s Path “Thin Mint” cookies and put them in the freezer and eat them like that… oh my goodness. SO GOOD.
Kelly @ Healthy Living With Kelly
May 4, 2010 at 6:48 amWhy oh why do I not live closer to a TJ’s??
Sara
May 4, 2010 at 6:56 amToo cute! I discovered those tasty little treats from Trader Joe’s last year. I have to now just keep them out of the house; they are way too addicting!
Krystina
May 4, 2010 at 7:08 amI feel the same way about cookies. I have some Late July cookies that have a serving size of 2 – I eat 4. Also, not gonna lie, my favorite part of peanut butter is licking the remnants off the knife.
Annie@stronghealthyfit
May 4, 2010 at 7:10 amIce cream sandwiches rock. They remind me of childhood too 🙂
Katy ( The Balanced Foodie)
May 4, 2010 at 7:29 amMy name is Katy, and I can never eat just two cookies. Or just two Trader Joe’s peanut butter cups. Wow, I feel so much better getting that off my chest. 😉
Diana @ frontyardfoodie
May 4, 2010 at 7:35 amhaha, oh impulse buys. Gotta love them. Those DO look amazing and I know no one really does stop at two cookies so way to go on keeping it down to three!
Amy
May 4, 2010 at 7:43 amThanks for answering my question, Jenna! And don’t worry, I know those were mini sandwiches – but even if they weren’t I really wouldn’t care. I run marathons and long distance triathlons so I eat a ton myself (like 4000+ calories a day sometimes, im dead serious). I was truly curious as to whether you’d changed your views of food a bit, and not trying to be rude at all. I, for example, used to be the type that had dessert in the house so I could have a little each night. Well, a little turned into a lot, and now I don’t keep it in the house anymore (I do go out for dessert when I want it though). That works for me. I believe that everyone is different, so I wouldn’t tell anyone else to eat “my way”, you know? Anyway, this comment is turning into a novel so I’ll stop now!
Sandy
May 4, 2010 at 7:55 amI am a extra PB swiper too. I am so faithful about measuring my nut butter to record but somehow that extra swipe just seems legal.
Amanda @ Cakes and Ale
May 4, 2010 at 8:26 amYes! I too have met my match in those mint ice cream cookies. Why oh why is mint and chocolate such a devastating combination?! I cannot resist.
Oh, and to those who were commenting earlier, those cookies are tiny and clock in at 60 calories a piece. So, even with 3 cookies, you’re only looking at 180 calories, which is a totally reasonable dessert portion.
Jenna, I don’t think your philosophy has changed at all since you’ve moved to California… I’ve always appreciated your balance of healthfulness and also enjoying the good things in life (chocolate, wine, cheese, etc.!)
Lizz (Leading the Good Life)
May 4, 2010 at 8:46 amYum! We just found out they are opening a Trader Joe’s in Omaha!! Now I can try their frozen/perishable food – it used to be only what I could stash in my suitcase while on vacation!!
Claire
May 4, 2010 at 10:45 amI can’t keep anything in my house like cookies, cereal,etc. b/c I just can’t stop at one serving:-)cc
Staceyhttp://stacey-healthylife.blogspot.com/
May 4, 2010 at 5:34 pmThose little ice cream sandwiches are definitely dangerous.
beccah
July 14, 2011 at 10:06 amhmm…the rice dream ice cream sandwiches are too die for ^_^ you might like them although I remeber one being380 cals,but its good size and everything in moderation,right? 😉