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Certain experts would have us believe that only from-scratch and all natural will do. Caught up in their web of persuasion, I once took every word as gospel - went cold-turkey on the cans and boxes. Reality hit one night when there was no time for the real thing. And there they were - all those pretty jars and bottles, calling to me. "Highly trained professionals were responsible for our contents, use us, that's why we are here." It was a case of instant (pun intended) deprograming. A return to my comfort zone, the best meal I'd cooked in weeks. It was a close call, I'd been seriously considering an attempt to whip up a batch of mayonnaise.

I'm not saying we shouldn't keep an open mind. Every now and then a perfectly reasonable set of instructions will be hidden between the mile-long lists of exotica. It's the overall mind set we must guard against. Cut up a chicken? My money is better spent paying butchers for a job well done than giving it to doctors to stitch up the wounds I would most certainly inflict upon myself.

Should anyone criticize you for dependency on frozen or canned vegetables for instance, know that they are processed immediately after harvest. Fresh produce loses nutrients in transit, therefore, unless you grew or picked it yourself, you are doing the right thing by "cheating."

Watch for further defense tactics and new developments as they become available.