Why it's hard to lay off the processed food

I think I figured it.

When something comes in package, you know EXACTLY what it is going to taste like. Some companies hire chemical ENGINEERS for quality control of your food. So when you open that Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie it is going to taste EXACTLY like you think it will, and like you remember it tasting when your mom used to put them in your lunch box.

That's why I like fast food, too. A Frisco Burger pretty much always tastes the same way. It's all processed and frozen that way so it's never going to taste overly different.

When I have a food craving, I want that exact flavor in my mouth. I don't want something like it - a substitute or reinvention. Dave and I go through this a lot, because he is not a recipe follower, and he likes to improve or change things every time he makes them. I appreciate his cooking skills and his creativity, but for me, I like my favorites - it's called comfort food for a reason. There is a comfort in knowing exactly what something will taste and feel like.

And there is no variety in the stuff that comes in the box. Thus the appeal.