Cravings! Did you say Organic American Cheese?

When I was pregnant, my cravings were incredible. I wanted it all: bitter, sour, sweet, salty and I wanted it now! I did my best, however, to adhere to my food beliefs as much as I could.

My food decree started during my days at University of California, Santa Cruz. The courses and on-campus meals guilted me into eating mainly organic and vegetarian (eventually becoming vegan) to where tofu, broccoli, and rice milk ice cream were my major food groups. I was only "saved" from this meal planning by an acupuncturist who "prescribed" me to eat red meat as a cure to stop my lightheadedness in tae kwon doe class. Since then, I revere animals and the environment (I mean really, 4 years of being around vegans and a degree in Environmental Studies from UCSC will grind that info into your soul!) yet my body does better when I eat meat and dairy (sorry PETA!). I do my best, however, to be selective about the companies I am supporting, their practices, and try to buy organic and cage-free as much as I can knowing that my dollar speaks for itself. And when I became pregnant, I held to my food decree as much as creatively possible because it was no longer just a political statement and health choice for me, but for my unborn baby who would be the recipient of any food pesticides or hormones.

But my unstoppable hunger and cravings led me to add 40 pounds to my slender build during my pregnancy. And for me, a 5'3" athlete and body-conscious gal, that 40 pounds felt like 1,000, making me achy and incredibly uncomfortable. Yet the aches weren't enough to squelch my desires for the large quantities of different flavored foods. My husband would cook and I would mechanically shove the food into my mouth. I ate and ate and ate until I could eat just a teeny bit more. After awhile of eating the same organic food over and over, I soon needed something new to satisfy these cravings. The only way I was able to adhere to my "organic" quest AND satisfy these bizarre hormone-induced desires simultaneously was with Safeway's agreement to carry more organic foods, including Horizon's Organic American Cheese.

Leave it to Horizon to come out with an organic American Cheese. I mean, really, what semi eco-conscious, comfort-food loving, pregnant gal was on their marketing staff the day they voted on Organic American cheese? Well, that oil-based, dye-infused, overly-packaged Organic American Cheese found my soft spot. In fact, I must have downed over 10 giant packages of this cheese during my gestational time (that along with organic hot dogs, organic dark chocolate, organic yerba mate, organic ketchup, organic ice cream, organic pickles, and all organic fruits).

Now it seems somewhat gross to devour that much American cheese, but at that time, that's what I needed. And I was beyond stoked that someone out there was feeling the same way I did, making the dream of Organic American cheese a reality. Kudos, Horizon, for making an organic line of comfort food for hungry, hormonal preggos.