In partnership withImperfect Foods

My Perfect Week: The Workout Enthusiast Who’s Working on Her Low-Waste Lifestyle

published Apr 22, 2021
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Credit: Camey Hess

Here at Kitchn, it’s not uncommon for us to regularly share pictures of the contents of our fridges with one another or maintain busy group chats about our latest and greatest farmer’s market finds. So, we decided to launch My Perfect Week, a short series of food diaries from Kitchn staffers detailing how, why, and what we like to eat in a given week. To make things a little more interesting, we partnered with Imperfect Foods, who sent each of our staffers a box full of sustainable, affordable groceries to see how simple changes could make for a healthier, happier week of eating.

Today, Camey (our director of brand partnerships) is sharing just how perfect her Perfect Week went with a box full of carefully curated produce, pantry staples, and exclusive treats delivered by Imperfect Foods. She just moved into a new apartment in New York and was an intentional food shopper and avid urban composter to begin with, so we were curious to find out how a personalized selection of Imperfect Foods would fit in with her healthy, mindful eating routine. Let’s take a look!

Monday

Every Sunday night I like to make sure I’m starting off on the best foot possible, so I always prep my coffee the night before. This week I got some lovely smelling whole-bean coffee from Imperfect Foods that I was SO excited to try. I grind them up and put them in my reusable coffee filter. The following morning it’s so soothing to have my coffee hot and ready for me before I do anything else. It’s like someone has my back before all the craziness of the week begins. Coffee grounds are so nutrient-dense, so to dispose of them I put them all in my compost pail. I’ve also recently been sprinkling them on my parlor palm soil…not sure if that’s good or bad, but my plant seems pretty happy!

Credit: Camey Hess

Tuesday

Is it just me or are Tuesdays worse than Mondays? My Mondays are usually filled with meetings so the day flies by and then Tuesday hits. And it drags. And drags. Every day, almost without fail, I hit an afternoon energy and hunger slump. So ahead of this week, I had a little “Camey’s Meal Prep Corner” moment and made some tahini-date bites using the dates from my Imperfect Foods delivery! Dates aren’t normally a huge part of my diet so I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by their versatility. These dates were the perfect afternoon pick-me-up 🙂

Credit: Camey Hess

Wednesday

HUMP DAY! I’m a workout enthusiast — BIG TIME. I like to mix up my routine with cycling, running, strength training, and at least one day of yoga (yes, I cannot touch my toes, what of it!), to keep my body strong and energized. Because of my active lifestyle, it’s SUPER important for me to stay hydrated so I make sure to have a reusable water bottle on me at all times. Adding a little lemon to my water really is such a lovely pick-me-up. I got a whole bag of super-fresh lemons in my Imperfect Foods delivery this week, so I pre-squeezed a bunch of juice into a Mason jar on Sunday night to add to my water whenever I need it. When I’m done juicing, I love adding the lemon peels to my countertop cleaner giving my cleaning routine a little pep in its step! I toss the rest into my compost pail.

Thursday

Maybe it’s the change in weather or the earlier sunrise that comes with spring, but I’ve been able to wake up early every day this week. With that earlier start today, I decided to make some chia pudding and set it aside while I worked out. The Imperfect Foods chia came in a great bulk bag (such a good value!) which was perfect for me and my pudding since it’s so easy to make a big batch for the next few days. I like to make my chia pudding with oat milk, vanilla, and a little splash of maple syrup, topped with blueberries and macerated strawberries. It’s a fantastic, light, but nutrient-dense meal to kick start my day. 

Credit: Camey Hess

Friday

At the end of the week, I have a full compost pail that very much needs emptying. I decided to head downtown to the Union Square farmers market to drop off my food scraps. I try to go every week, or every other week because I love shopping for the most local and freshest produce from the tri-state area — part of why I’m loving the products from Imperfect Foods so much.

Credit: Camey Hess

Imperfect Foods lets you easily create a personalized weekly delivery of affordable, mindfully sourced (and sometimes slightly imperfect) groceries. From seasonal, local produce to private label pantry staples, their selection makes it easy to eat more mindfully each week, and the convenience of delivery saves you from trekking to three different stores just to find everything you need.