List your top 5 grocery store items.

These days, a trip to the grocery is a short one. Whereas we did our weekly shop at Woolies before, nowadays, we do it online. We have since become Coles Plus members. For a monthly fee, we get most of our stuff delivered. We do still do a weekly top up at Woolies but this ain’t our main shop. What are our five staples? Read on to find out.

1. Toilet paper. During the pandemic, I remember toilet paper flying off the shelves. People were going Gaga as though this was a pot of gold. At Coles, they restocked twice a day. ‘You snooze, you lose’. There were even instances where the TP hunting got physical, innocent Woolies workers caught in the line of duty. Some say it was even worse than Asian cat fights over milk formula. 😾🥛

The madness has died down. Unlike before, there is no lockdown and the death toll has been kept in check. Once, I bought three 18 roll packs of Quilton for $20. DoorDash was having a big sale for their DashPass clients. I guess they were encouraging their shoppers to buy Aussie made. See also: The Shawshank Redemption.This was a good way of making the most of our subscription. We don’t usually order branded TP. This purchase lasted us a while.

We usually get the Coles brand TP, which is made from recycled materials. Nine bucks nets you eighteen rolls. One pack would be good for around ten days.

The late Kobe got sick of his teammates losing. He labelled them ‘soft like Charmin’ as part of a long rant. The latter is a famous TP brand in the US. Kobe was disillusioned since nobody was giving even sixty percent effort. The transition from champions to whipping boys was complete. At this point, due to his overly demanding nature, no one wanted to join forces with the Mamba. Hell, Nick Young and Jeremy Lin were his spear carriers. When he raved, his teammates simply took it as though he shot another brick.

The guy wasn’t even practicing any more. He was preserving his bite for the real deal. This was his last season. No doubt, he was a legend. This shows though that even superheroes need a toilet break. The Mamba may have passed away, but his legend continues.

2. Brown rice. Another staple, we go for the Sunrice 5 kilo bag. I didn’t always consume brown rice. Earlier, I went for jasmine rice. However, I was convinced that the former is better. It contains more nutrients and fibre than its white counterpart. You will feel the difference, particularly if you’re suffering from constipation.

Brown rice is also more filling, meaning you consume smaller portions than jasmine rice. Thus, it makes you ‘fuller for longer’.

Thing is, brown rice requires more effort. You need to soak it for some time before cooking. You must also put in the right amount of water so that it would be nice and fluffy. Otherwise, you’re left with ‘mashed potatoes’. Though it necessitates more time, once you serve it correctly, it would all be worthwhile.

Curiously, I haven’t made the switch to wholemeal pasta. I tried it before, but it didn’t catch on.

3. Wholemeal Bread. This one isn’t just a family staple but a constant across most Aussie homes. In general, bread knows no colour, race, or creed. The French are famous for their baguettes while drifters near the Taj Mahal masticate on it. Bread could be found in Turkish pide as well as in empanadas, with its Spanish origin. Even the Hellenics, and their pita, typify dough lovey-dovey.

White bread used to be our go-to. When I was doing a course in the city, I’d always opt for the brown bread. It was delicious, that ham, melted cheese, and tomato sandwich. Toasted to perfection with some salt and pepper. At $6.90, what more could you ask for?

Brown bread isn’t recommended if you’re suffering from diarrhoea. The fibre content would exacerbate your stomach issues. On most counts, it is still the better choice.

For the past few months, we haven’t been big consumers of wholemeal toast. Indeed, we would buy a loaf and it would expire. However, the humble toast has had a sort of renaissance. To paraphrase Spidey’s uncle, with more bread comes more responsibility. Thus, I bought a Breville sandwich maker, if that makes sense. I paid for it using the bonus JB gift card that I got with my new phone.

4. Yoghurt. I’ve always been a fan of the latter. Even overseas, I’d get one of those tubs. Frozen yoghurt is a healthier alternative to ice cream. Unlike the latter, which has a high sugar and fat content, yoghurt has probiotics, fibre, and many vitamins. It could also be mobilised as a sauce or addition to salads and fruits.

Thus, yoghurt is good for your gut. Being rich in fibre, it could help you move better and alleviate constipation. In terms of having a runny tummy, your mileage may vary. For some, this might worsen their accidents. For others, it could be one of a few foods that they could actually tolerate. If you’re lactose intolerant, this is probably best avoided. After all, it’s a dairy product.

Yoghurt presents another option to milk and cereals. Given, it’s more of a dessert. However, it isn’t liquid. Furthermore, you could try something different if you’re sick of crunching cereals.

5. Eggs. Each week, we buy a 12 pack of free range eggs. I must stress that the latter is better than their cage free counterparts. Eggs are very versatile. You can scramble or poach them. You could boil or half cook them. They could be used in soups or congee, or with bread. They could be consumed for brekkie, lunch, tea, or dinner. Eggs can be eaten plain or with onions or shallots. You could turn them into omelettes or use them in fried rice. You could even prepare an egg salad. They are high in protein.

Seeing the many benefits and uses of eggs is easy. Eggs have become so ubiquitous that they’ve been featured in movies, TV shows, literature, and kids’ classics. I remember streaming Daredevil on Netflix. In the show, Vincent D’Onofrio’s character only ever cooks omelettes. Meanwhile, they are also a constant on cooking shows and comps. Despite being multipurpose, they are the mortal enemy of high blood sufferers. Generally, they have to cut down their egg consumption or risk screaming on the operating table.

‘The Closer’

That’s my starting lineup. Five staples in our fridge. Five essentials to rule them all. It was tough picking between yoghurt and apples. These days, each breakfast, I try to eat yoghurt. After supper, apples are a must. I guess that makes apples the’ sixth man’. Here’s to a healthy and eventful 2024.