untanglingknots.com: Damn Jam

by Karla ° Saturday, December 2, 2006

I can’t say that pregnancy has ever defeated me into a quivering pile of drool and madness over unrelenting food cravings, except maybe for Rice Krispies, but even that craving is mild compared to my recent need for jam.

It all started innocently enough one morning as I was walking the streets of downtown Toronto and happened upon someone handing out free bagel samples. Free handouts from manufacturers trying to market a new product at busy pedestrian intersections is not uncommon, so it's not like I was accepting food from a toothy villainous crank trying to contaminate me with pastry sprinkled in suspicious grayish-white arsenic or rat poison cleverly hidden in a nitrogen sealed bagel bag, and besides, everyone else was grabbing the free handouts, so like the vulture that I am, I took one, horded it in my purse, and at the next street corner, took another one for good measure.

The bagels came with two tiny packets of Smuckers strawberry jam and at first I was bummed that they didn’t come with peanut butter instead because I am so not a jam kind of gal. It’s oozy and clumpy and wobbly and peanut butter is just so much better, or so I thought. Ever since the monumental event of spreading jam on that bagel and the resulting explosion of bliss in my mouth, I have not been able to stop thinking about jam.

For a couple of weeks I tried in vain to ignore the tiny voice in my head screaming for some jelly on my morning bagel and every time I did, those voices must have used my stubbornness to avoid the sugary mass of clumpy fruit to gain momentum and grow louder and stronger because the day finally came that I cracked and gave in to my craving.

Yesterday I could not withstand the intensity and desire any longer and went on a jam binge. I made a special strip to the grocery store for the sole purpose of purchasing jam, and managed to eat 3 bagels with pb&j throughout the day, and before bed last night, a piece of toast with, yup you guessed it, more pb&j.

Today, I plan to eat more. I’m weak, I know, especially since eating heaping piles of jam leaves little room to fit any of the other food groups in my stomach, but I swear I cannot control this overpowering need for jelly. I feel like I’ve spent my entire lifetime missing out on one of the universes best kept secrets and me and the jelly jars have a lot of catching up to do.

Labels: Pregnancy

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Comments:

I think you should eat what your body is craving. For whatever reason, your body is craving (and needing) that jam right now. You know there are wonderful sugar free jams too if that's really a concern! :)

Posted by Me : December 02, 2006

People hand out food samples on corners. Tasty food samples. When did this start happening and how can I convince these magical people to come to where I live..

Isn't there a song about this disease you have-"I like peanut butter. I like toast and jam.."

Posted by Anonymous : December 02, 2006

LOL! Yeah you could always get some all fruit, organic jam!! But if Jam is the worst thing you are eating,I think your good.
With my boy, I didn't crave sweets like I did with my girl, I craved saltier stuff, but I had to have my POP, which is so bad for you!

I think I will go have some pb&j, that sounds good1

Posted by Anonymous : December 02, 2006

MMMM pb&j on a bagel. Sounds good to me too. Have you tried plain cream cheese topped with rasperry jam on a bagel. That is delicious too.

My favorite spread on toast is marmalade. Mmmm it is so good. AC can't stand marmalade, he is a grape jelly&pb man.

Posted by Cuppa : December 02, 2006

I want free samples on the street! I might actually be inclined to walk around with that kind of stuff to look forward to!

In my 7th month prego w/TJ, all I could think about 24/7 was Mexican food. I craved it all the time, and, consequently, ate a LOT of it. Yeah, that's when I gained the most weight, ever!

Posted by Christi : December 02, 2006

Yes, if jam is the worst you are eating, then I think you are fine. It's fruit, after all! Just forget about the sugar part.

Agree with Cuppa that jam over cream cheese on a bagel is reeeallly good.

Posted by Gina : December 02, 2006

I would say jam is an acceptable craving to have! Can't be too horrible for your body! When I was pregnant with my younger boy I had cravings for donuts which is definantly not too acceptable! I gained 10 pounds between one of my appts and my doc said he thought it was probably just water weight but secretly I was thinking it was all those donuts I ate!! Luckily this pregnancy I've only had a small craving for salsa and that only lasted a few weeks! Glad you went out and got your jam though :-)

Posted by Amber : December 02, 2006

hahaha u gave in to the craveing lol I would've too! besides u have a good excuse!! hehe

Posted by Unknown : December 02, 2006

There are a lot worse things than jam :)

Good thing you aren't related to me or you'd be in jam overload ... ever since my mom retired all she does ALL day is make jars of jam and force feed them to us at every visit.

Posted by Sandra : December 03, 2006

East what you crave. It means your body needs the nutrients in it. I craved strawberries in the dead of winter with one of mine. Congrats on the little one!

Posted by Anonymous : December 03, 2006

Jam's not a bad craving. When I was pregnant for the first time, I craved McDonald's Fillet of fish sandwiches. I can't believe I actually ate that stuff! Incidentally, my son turned out okay, is healthy and does not like McDonalds.

Posted by Linda : December 03, 2006

What I am about to post will probably make you shutter with disgust.

I used to crave cheezewhiz, of all things. Now when I eat it my gag reflux kicks in and I could make myself sick in a milisecond.

Jam is yummie! Eat'er up!

Posted by Melanie : December 04, 2006

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