Food Cravings of a Different Sort

My food cravings can be very expensive, once I drove 54 miles for crabs. If I do not satisfy these food cravings, I can't stop thinking about them. It doesn't matter what time of day or night but I try to get enough for a few days.

One example is Dungeness crabs, those very large crabs. I had to have $25 worth every day. Once I couldn't wait to get home, so I ate most on the road. This is difficult to believe but I have no control.

My phone contacts include all area stores that sell seafood, particular what I am craving at the time. Once, I thought maybe my food cravings were related to an imbalance or deficit that my body needed but all my blood tests are normal.

Another very expensive food craving was lobster and it started at Red Lobster. I bought a lobster dinner ($27) and a steamed lobster ($30) and so began a new food craving. For about 2 weeks, I had to have lobster every 3 days.

People stared at me in the grocery store when I spent $55 on steamed lobsters; one person asked if I was having a lobster party. I answered yes knowing they were only for me. This food craving lasted only 2 weeks because of the expense.

Of course, I don't share these foods, I can't afford to buy the same for my family, and they get hamburgers. They fully understand my food cravings so they seldom ask for any.

After I eat these foods for 2-3 weeks, I rarely repeat the intense craving, I move on to the next. Once I had a craving for jumbo shrimp, steamed, and seasoned with Old Bay.

Then there were the snow crabs about 3 years ago. I ate so many; I haven't been able to eat them anymore. I also have not had a Dungeness crab since last year's severe food craving.

When I was diagnosed with diabetes 7 years ago, I went through a denial phase and ate sweet stuff such as Samplers chocolates by the box, sweet potato pies, and cake. Of course, I don't do that any longer.

My previous food cravings include, boiled and salted peanuts in the shell, juicy fruit gum, shrimp and broccoli stir fry (the restaurant staff knew me personally), steamed broccoli with butter, salads with ranch dressing, mangos (2-3 large ones a day), watermelon and corn on the cob (had to be on the cob!) This is only a partial list!

While visiting my sister, I became addicted to frozen vanilla yogurt and could not stop eating it all day. I have not had any since October 2007. The other day, I thought I still wanted frozen yogurt but it's still in my freezer.

These food cravings rarely happen at the same time, I guess that's good because of the cost. My recent cravings were for pork skins, oh not just any kind; it had to be Curley Qs. The grocery store switched brands 2 weeks ago and I have searched for them in all stores on my route home.

These cravings drive my family nuts, they must also check several stores or they lack patience with the stopping and waiting while I search the stores. I cannot find this particular brand of pork skins so I had to give up that craving for now, gas is just too expensive.

I do not use food cravings to soothe emotional stress; I just cannot figure it out. Since the cravings vary, I have ruled out deficiencies such as magnesium or potassium.

At this time, I am on a much cheaper craving. It is sugar free Stride gum that lasts forever, and that's the truth. I must admit that sometimes I go to sleep and wake up chewing the same piece!

I asked the grocer to purchase Stride gum so I can make only one trip to the store, no such luck yet. I put my request in the suggestion box, but for now, I have to go to a convenience store.

I am only 10 pounds over the recommended weight for my height. I have had food cravings for years, but now I try not to crave very expensive foods, I have bills to pay!