Cure for Malnutrition

After one week of eating nothing but starch and dairy, I decided to get some fruits & veggies.  It's an amazing thing, actually, how rarely food here in France comes with automatic portions of produce.  The €1 sandwich that I get during lunch each day is just a baguette sliced open with Emmental cheese and chunks of butter.  I could choose ham and butter, but usually stay away from random meat products.  This One Euro wonder-of-a-sandwich-shop is kind to my wallet, and the cheese/butter/bread are of high quality.  However, it does not make for much of a nutritious diet.  For breakfast I have frosted flakes and room-temp almost-whole milk.  (Some of you may know that this is my favourite way milk is served).  For dinner, in a rush and to save money, I usually go for the pre-made grocery store ravioli topped with olive oil, and more cheese.  The reason for the lack of produce is multi-fold.  First, when going out to eat, you rarely get a salad or veggie dish as a side order.  It's rare to even have simple salads as a meal, and when you do, they usually are a dish of leafy-greens and no other actual vegetables.  Sometimes you end up with just a plate of fennel.  Next, the grocery store that is closest to me is horrific.  It's wonderful in some ways; it's like a 2-story Wal-Mart-esque mega store.  It also happens to be in the heart of the commercial center of this 4 Million-person city, right on top of the main commuter train station.  That said, navigation in and around the grocery store is, usually, less than pleasant.  Here, when you get produce in the store, you have to get them in a baggie, stand in "line" for the scale, & weigh and price the produce yourself before proceeding to the register.  Of course, we're in France, so lines don't actually form, and the thousands of other produce-getters are trying to grab some food on their way to the train station to make in in time for dîner.   I took about one look at that folly and went and bought more yogurt.

So yesterday, I heard about the Farmer's Market taking place each Sunday morning along the river.  This provides two much needed things.  1) Something to do on Sundays (everything is closed, usually).  2) Cheap and easy Produce!   I was able to get tons of goodies that are less exciting:  broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, clementines, pears, etc.  I also was tempted and persuaded to buy a €1 triangle of brie.  (Next time you're in Safeway/Stop & Shop, check out how much an equivalent would cost at home!)  To go with the brie, I got some fresh artisan bread.  I passed on the whole freshly-dead geese, but hey, there's always a next time.

After a great afternoon of resting, eating veggies & fruits, going to a half-price movie (thanks to my roommate who works at the cinema), and a lovely stroll around the 2ème Arrondissement, I'm feeling much better than yesterday.  I feel like I can approach this the first week of class with more spring in my step.  Here are some pictures of what I ate, and what I saw while getting the goods.

I hope you all had a great weekend!  Bonne Nuit!

1st croissant of the trip!

Look at these fresh veggies for the taking!

And some dead birds that I did not take

A snowy but beautiful Lyon; the Saône River, the Basilica

Balls of bread? Don't mind if I do!

Something new:  lunch, with veggies!