We all know magazine headlines offer nothing but the truth. And this one’s no different. If you could see the fine print, it would read…
Deborah breaks down and confesses,”I’m addicted to hot chips!”
True story.
I’ve long been a lover-of-potatoes. Indeed, I blogged about THAT addiction several years ago (yay for consistency!). But lately my potato obsession has escalated—big time!—as I CANNOT GET ENOUGH HOT CHIPS.
I want them all of the time. Even if I didn’t need to lose about 40kg I realise they’re not something one should be eating several times a week.
When I was doing personal training sessions earlier this year (I had to stop for financial reasons!) I joked to my trainer about hot chips and so every session he lectured me on their evil ways. They were only an irregular habit at the time so I’m not sure if that somehow put them in my head, but now they’re firmly planted in there and I cannot move on.
The only time I don’t crave them is just after eating some… when I’m lolling around feeling overly full and revolting. Of course I can never remember that uncomfortable feeling when I next get the urge. I occasionally use frozen chips, but my favourites are from the fish and chip shop 5-10mins from my apartment. They’re gluten-free and fat and squishy. Just like hot chips should be.
My hot chip addiction has come and gone. Years ago when I went to fat camp we were asked to identify our most-favourite thing. (I had two. Hot chips—naturally; and the other was a combo of vaalia lemon creme yoghurt, meringues and tinned caramel.) Anyhoo, the aim of the session at fat camp was to change our thinking around unhealthy eating options. We were to imagine them covered in vomit, maggots or dog poo or similar. I’m not sure it worked but I did actually stay away from them for quite some time after I returned home. Of course I’d also lost a heap of weight and was being healthier anyway….
I’m determined to break this latest addiction. I don’t want to make a big deal of it in a ‘I should be dieting’ way, but can very much appreciate that an abundance of hot chips several times a week is not a good thing.
Any suggestions?
Is there a food or dish that you crave non-stop?
I’m linking up With Some Grace today.
Diet Schmiet 
Aerate hot chips. I don’t have them often, although the smell is always amazing. I talk myself out of them by reminding myself that often the smell is better than the reality- especially if they’re soggy. I crave toasted english muffins with fake cream cheese- that Kraft plastic cheese type. Even though it leaves a taste in my mouth that I hate.
I don’t actually have an air cooker Jo (I assume that’s what you mean.) I do make fake hot chips a bit (microwave chopped potato, spray them with fake oil and put them in the oven). I do like them probably as much but keep running out of potatoes!!!
I just re-read what I wrote…aerate? Seriously? I think it was supposed to be *I love* hot chips 😉
Oh, I thought you must have had an air-fryer!!!
When I get cravings it’s for savoury things including HOT CHIPS! I’m a seagull. I love hot chips. I ate a lot when I was pregant (5 x 9 months) with tomato sauce and salt. I prefer the big fat smooshy ones too.
I much prefer chips with gravy – but that’s not always possible of course – so often I just use (gluten-free) worcester sauce. And sour cream. Yummmm….
I gave up coffee almost a month ago, I’ve had one in that time and was bouncing off the walls. It doesn’t help that everyone is sharing their coffee art on Instagram but the truth is my sleep is really poor at the moment and it’s worse when I’m partaking in coffee on a daily basis.
Well don on the coffee front Raych! I continue to be ridiculously addicted to Vanilla Diet Coke as well, but I constantly have an upset stomach so I’m thinking it may be the culprit. (Also cos I drink WAY too much of it!)
For me it’s chocolate at the moment. I’m eating it up to three times a day and that was fine after I’d dropped all that weight and wanted to gain some of it back. But now I have gained it back I’m still eating the chocolate. Every so often I manage to cut it right back (to once a day) but the craving is still there.
I guess moderation is the thing Char. It’s something I’m not good at. I order a ridiculously large serving of chips each time. If I could have just a single serving I think it’d be okay. I think chocolate once a day is ok – particularly when you’re burning calories on your run each morning.
For me it’s Nutella and chocolate … in no particular order 🙂 It doesn’t help that I’m 39 weeks pregnant! Cravings much?! Everything in moderation is generally my motto.
Ah yes, sadly I’m not great with moderation. Gretchin Rubin (Happiness at Home etc) talks about moderators vs abstainers. I think I’m the latter as I struggle to cut back. So I cut things out completely (abstain) but then crave them and feel deprived. (And binge at the first opportunity!) #alas
Do you believe I’ve never tried Nutella? (Not actually sure if it’s gluten-free or not?!)
Oh! Haha, I blogged today about the fact I have eliminated potatoes from my life and feel sooooooo much better for it. But now I am battling choc chip cookies.
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit
No potatoes?! OMG I’d need therapy!!! As for the cookies, I made a batch for the first time in about 25yrs recently and worried I’d get addicted. I did make a couple more batches but then they didn’t taste as amazing as I’d hoped. (And quite frankly the cookie dough was the best bit. I needn’t have bothered cooking them!) If only someone made rolls of gluten-free chocolate chip cookie dough for me to partake in…. (Although, perhaps not!)
I do love hot chips but my craving is chocolate. The problem is that if there’s any in the house, I can’t stop at a little. You could try making your own?
Ah yes, I do make my own. Interestingly I can’t imagine frying anything in a vat of oil so I make ‘healthy’ versions at home but there’s always a time lag and sometimes I just want them THEN and THERE!
Though yes, I need to start having a plentiful supply of potatoes on hand so I don’t run out!
I wouldn’t say I am addicted to a hot chip but they do taste good.. favourite would be KFC chips… sadly I cannot live with out my avocado .. yes I know its good for me but not when I eat so much I am starting to look green.
I used to love KFC chicken – just the skin really… KFC was my hangover treatment back in the 1990s! It’s the thing I miss most about being diagnosed as coeliac 9 or so years ago. Even now the smell gets to me. *Sigh*
At least avocados have some redeeming qualities… (am feeding your addiction here!) 😉
I love chips too! I alternate and make baked sweet potato chips which are pretty bloody taste and then it’s practically a roast dinner, am I right?
Good call as sweet potato’s got a lower GI than normal potato. I wish I liked it or pumpkin. Perhaps I need to try to make the switch!
I’m an addict too, Deb. We need a support group. I’ve been addicted to those McCains Rosemary and Sea Salt ones. Oh my Lord! They are so good. I haven’t bought them the last two shopping trips though. Trying to be good. That is bad news you live so close to the fish and chip shop and they taste so good. Oh, I don’t know how you’re coping! Good luck!
Oh I haven’t tried the Rosemary & Sea salt ones. Wonder if they’re gluten-free…. (Hmmm… I probably shouldn’t wonder!)
I love a good hot chip, our local takeaway does the best hot chips…beautiful with some chicken salt….. mmmm now I want some…..
I know, they’re definitely something you crave!!!
I love potatoes too! Though have moved on to Sweet potatoes as they are lower on the GI index. Perhaps worth a try?
Yes, someone I know said they taught themselves to eat them by including a little with their normal potato (mashed or otherwise) and slowly increased the proportion until they were only eating sweet potato! Perhaps I should try that approach!
I went through a stage with hot chips – but it was when I was 18-19 years old so I could get away with it. Cheese is a weakness for me, so I just try to eat a little bit of a strong-flavoured mature cheese and leave it at that. I nearly went off cheese altogether when we lived in Canada and it was mostly all bright orange coloured. I pretty much only ate goats cheese or a decent blue cheese.
Meant to add that sadly cheese goes so well with wine, shame about that.
Fortunately cheese isn’t a biggie for me but I have some friends who cannot resist it!
I love hot chips too. And I find as the weather gets cooler it’s harder to stay away from them because they smell so good and they are such a yummy comfort food. I wish they were a health food, all I know Is the thicker the chip, the better they are for you. Now I want hot chips! Lol. X
Yes, the thicker the chip the less oil it soaks up…. Which is a good thing cos I like fat squidgy chips better than thin French fries…. So I can say I’m just being healthy!
I love hot chips! My kids go nuts for them, if I buy them as part of a meal it is the only part they will eat even if they usually like the rest of the foods. I had an epic diet coke addiction for sooo long. I tried to quit many times and couldn’t. I quit each pregnancy because I had super weird cravings and aversions during pregnancy. This last time round I think I was finally successful because I can drink it occasionally and not be a desperate addict the next day. I am now a coffee addict and I don’t even really like it, I hate the after taste and have to brush my teeth straight away. I only drink it once a day but I swear it gives me anxiety.
I’ve had an upset stomach (a lot more than usual) over the past month and I think it’s cos I’ve been drinking about a litre of diet coke every morning!
Sorry I totally can’t help you out here I love love love hot chips!!!! But of course my hips don’t love them hehe!!
Sadly my hips agree. And my stomach. And my thighs. Etc etc!
Hot chips are so very yummy but they actually sound better then they taste. Unfortunately we are across from a Take away shop so we are eating them once a week cause they are so convenient !!!
But my one all time biggest weakness is Chocolate, especially around that time of the month – wished I could stop eating it but I can’t 🙂
Chocolate seems to be a common theme! I go through stages and at the moment seem to be on a savoury food kick!
I think substitution works best for me – something like carrots & humus might still be too much food, but it’s surely overall healthier. Just breaks the cycle.
Yes… even substituting the bought version (complete with lots of oil) with my home made version (no oil) would probably be a good start!
Deb
I’m no help, either as I’ve never met a carb that I didn’t like and hot chips are right up there with my all time favourites. I’ve been somewhat spared from over-indulging because the chips over here are awful (more like strange, thin, tasteless fries than “real” chips) although a new American style diner has just opened in town and they are serving handcut, fresh, fat chips so I may have to start wearing elastic waisted pants again 🙂
What I really crave is what we called “potato cakes” in Adelaide. I think they are called other things interstate (potato scallops and potato fritters are two names I’ve heard used), but you get them at the Fish and Chip shop and it is a thick slice of potato, dipped in batter, deep fried and served with lashings of salt and vinegar. Bliss… I even dream about them. I also crave Cherry Ripes, Freddo Frogs, Jaffas, Caramello Koalas, Bertie Beetles, Fruit Tingles, Clinkers, Chicken Flavoured Twisties, BBQ Shapes, Samboy Salt and Vinegar Chips, Tiny Teddies and Iced Vovos.
Ah yes, I loved the potato scallop myself – not the orange/yellow mass produced ones – but the real fish & chip shop ones. Sadly since my coeliac diagnosis a decade ago they’re not an option for me.
LIke you, I have had other fetishes. I have entire blog posts in this one: Caramello Koalas 101 (mostly written for my o/seas readers). NOte that half the pictures are missing as a result of some glitch when I migrated my blogs.
A breakfast of Caramello Koalas and diet coke – you are a woman after my own heart!
I can imagine that the coeliac diagnosis put an end to a lot of wonderful treats. I think I’d find that a real challenge. While I get cravings for unobtainable goodies from home (yes, I’m looking at you Vili’s pies, Balfour’s Frog Cakes and Farmer’s Union Iced Coffee) at least I could still eat them if they magically appeared. The only things I can get here are tiny jars of Vegemite and occasionally Timtams, which are stocked by an English Shop in Stockholm and which cost an eyewatering price that I try to ignore.
In desperation, I’ve made homemade Timtams, Iced Vovos, Monte Carlos and Kingston biscuits, along with things like scones, crumpets, hot cross buns etc that aren’t sold here. Everything turned out really well, but you know, sometimes I just want to go to the shop and buy it.
Ah-ha! You’ve inspired me to write a ‘things I miss since my coeliac diagnosis’ post! 🙂
I’ve never met a hot chip I didn’t like! 😉 Actually, I lie. When takeaway shops started cleaning up their act (mainly their oil) – chips lost the taste we grew up with. What surprises me these days is babies seem to be born with an innate liking for hot chips. Well, that’s according to my 18-month-old!
Perhaps that’s a good thing?! My friend’s 3yr old loves them, but my niece (who’s now 18) could take them or leave them. She doesn’t eat potato much either and much prefers sweet potato. Hmph!