Running errands typically wears me out. Running a 5K is more appealing and refreshing to me than running to K-mart, Walmart, Costco, etc. However, I would rather have the things I need than go through life without shopping.

To combat my body's opposition to errand-running, I have developed a no-fail strategy for getting through those necessary trips to "The Store." My plan goes a little something like this: eat a meal or a large snack (or a small meal) before going shopping. That way, when I get home, I'm not in the foulest of foul moods, feeling weak and tired. You'd think I had just gone days without sleep, and lived on bread and water by the way I look after shopping. Those dark circles under my eyes? Symptom of allergies to fluorescent lighting and too many shelves. The really low heart rate? Symptom of mentally shutting out the lame music and my cart's squeaky wheel.

On Saturday, I had the great idea of eating a pre-shopping adventure protein bar. This bar had 30 grams of protein in it. Yes, 30 grams in one bar. I figured that should do the trick. Although most people would preserve this kind of bar for a post-workout snack, or post-marathon snack, it seemed logical to me that instead of cooking a whole meal, I would just eat 60% of my daily protein in the form of one bar.

On a side note, the bar only cost $0.01, which I hadn't known prior to purchasing it. I thought the cashier had made a mistake, but he assured me, with 2 thumbs up, that I was good. (Thanks, bro!) He explained that the store was phasing out certain items, and that's why it was so cheap. After driving away, I wondered why I didn't buy 20 bars for $0.20. That would have been 600 grams of protein for only $0.20! I love you, Holiday station!

It turns out, that bar was worth every penny, because it sat like a brick in my stomach- like a brick of solid protein. I got a slight headache as well. I felt much better after eating ham, spaghetti, and snap peas for supper after the shopping trip was done. My body knows how to digest real food. The moral of the story? Real food is the best food. The next time I want 30g of protein, I just need to actually cook something- or eat the leftover ham, spaghetti, and snap peas that are already in the fridge.