--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I asked Elsie how much food they needed…" description: "\"“I asked Elsie how much food they needed from outside the community. 'Flour and sugar,' she said, and then thought a bit. 'Sometimes we'll buy pretzels..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barbara-kingsolver-200_philosophy-of-life_i-asked-elsie-how-much-food-they-needed_2661439.png" --- # I asked Elsie how much food they needed from outside the… ![“I asked Elsie how much food they needed from outside the community. 'Flour and sugar,' she said, and then thought a bit. 'Sometimes we'll buy pretzels as a splurge.' It crossed my mind that the world's most efficient psychological evaluation would have just one question: Define splurge.” quote by Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barbara-kingsolver-200_philosophy-of-life_i-asked-elsie-how-much-food-they-needed_2661439.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barbara-kingsolver-200_philosophy-of-life_i-asked-elsie-how-much-food-they-needed_2661439.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a0/barbara-kingsolver-200_philosophy-of-life_i-asked-elsie-how-much-food-they-needed_2661439.png) > ““I asked Elsie how much food they needed from outside the community. 'Flour and sugar,' she said, and then thought a bit. 'Sometimes we'll buy pretzels as a splurge.' It crossed my mind that the world's most efficient psychological evaluation would have just one question: Define splurge. ”” [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A single question about indulgence reveals deeper values and motivations. **In simple terms:** Defining splurges shows what we truly value. Key Takeaway Ask about indulgence. Themes values psychology consumer behavior Mood curious analytical Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - budgeting - marketing - personal growth Key Concepts behavioral economics self‑reflection Questions to Reflect On - What does a splurge say about you? - How do small treats affect wellbeing? A Different Perspective People may resist simple answers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Philosophy of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-life/) ## Related quotes > [Our holiday food splurge was a small crate of tangerines, which we found ridiculously thrilling after an eight-month abstinence from citrus… Lily hugged each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/our-holiday-food-splurge-was-a-small-crate-of-tangerines-which-we/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [I love a good shoe, it's the only item I'll splurge on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-young/i-love-a-good-shoe-it-s-the-only-item-i-ll-splurge-on/) [Lola Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-young/) > [I consider my diet more of a life plan in general, and I have my days where I'll splurge, but I stay disciplined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claressa-shields/i-consider-my-diet-more-of-a-life-plan-in-general-and-i-have-my-days/) [Claressa Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claressa-shields/) > [I love having wine with my meals. And if I splurge, I'm going to splurge big, because if I deny my cravings, it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/i-love-having-wine-with-my-meals-and-if-i-splurge-i-m-going-to/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [I think you should splurge on good products for your face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-roberts/i-think-you-should-splurge-on-good-products-for-your-face/) [Ashley Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-roberts/) > [I'm a health-food junkie, so all of my food is a splurge, money-wise!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoe-lister-jones/i-m-a-health-food-junkie-so-all-of-my-food-is-a-splurge-money-wise/) [Zoe Lister-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoe-lister-jones/) > [The older I get, the harder it is to splurge without consequences. I love food. Chocolate and cheese and anything that's bad for me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-underwood/the-older-i-get-the-harder-it-is-to-splurge-without-consequences-i/) [Carrie Underwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-underwood/) > [I'm from Berkeley, so I don't really aspire to a lot of glitzy stuff. But things like having a home that I'm comfortable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-samberg/i-m-from-berkeley-so-i-don-t-really-aspire-to-a-lot-of-glitzy-stuff/) [Andy Samberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-samberg/) > [My favorite splurge is homemade chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream or a Sausage McMuffin with egg or scalloped potatoes or turkey yanked right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/my-favorite-splurge-is-homemade-chocolate-cake-and-vanilla-ice-cream/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [We never splurge on Diwali. How much can you spend on yourself? As it is, we do that throughout the year, so why not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-shroff/we-never-splurge-on-diwali-how-much-can-you-spend-on-yourself-as-it/) [Jackie Shroff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-shroff/) > [I live a fairly simple life, and that didn't change much after I sold TechCrunch in 2010. I didn't buy a new house or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arrington/i-live-a-fairly-simple-life-and-that-didn-t-change-much-after-i-sold/) [Michael Arrington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arrington/) > [A good cut of steak is always a go-to splurge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayesha-curry/a-good-cut-of-steak-is-always-a-go-to-splurge/) [Ayesha Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayesha-curry/) > [My splurge would be a pair of leather Christian Louboutin over-the-knee boots. They're sick! I would do a really stretchy skinny jean under a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-bailon/my-splurge-would-be-a-pair-of-leather-christian-louboutin-over-the/) [Adrienne Bailon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-bailon/) > [If you splurge, do it on an item that's fun, because you'll feel good whenever you put it on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lela-rose/if-you-splurge-do-it-on-an-item-that-s-fun-because-you-ll-feel-good/) [Lela Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lela-rose/) > [I eat as much as the next girl, but I work my butt of in the gym every morning! The key is moderation. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/i-eat-as-much-as-the-next-girl-but-i-work-my-butt-of-in-the-gym-every/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) ## More by Barbara Kingsolver > [“Jesus was a more reliable backer, evidently, less likely to drink himself unconscious or get liver cancer. No wonder people chose Him as their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/jesus-was-a-more-reliable-backer-evidently-less-likely-to-drink/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Now I'm starting to think he wasn't supposed to be my whole life, he was just this doorway to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/now-i-m-starting-to-think-he-wasn-t-supposed-to-be-my-whole-life-he/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Cooking is 80 percent confidence, a skill best acquired starting from when the apron strings wrap around you twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/cooking-is-80-percent-confidence-a-skill-best-acquired-starting-from/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“In Bobby Ogle's version of heaven everyone would wind up in one place, criminals and Muslims included.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/in-bobby-ogle-s-version-of-heaven-everyone-would-wind-up-in-one-place/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Weeds are job security for the gardener.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/weeds-are-job-security-for-the-gardener/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“It's what you do that makes your soul, not the other way around.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/it-s-what-you-do-that-makes-your-soul-not-the-other-way-around/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Lusa turned to Crys, her eyes shining. 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