I'm not a big fan of eating meals out...it is expensive and generally high in calories, fat, salt and all of the other things that can be avoided when you cook at home.
Since I moved back, I have been doing most of the cooking. My brother works long days or nights and my day is pretty long as well.
When we get home (him at 6:30 in the morning or evening depending upon whether he is on a 12 hour day or night shift, and me at 8 or 9PM), neither one of us has much interest in putting together a dinner meal, let alone deciding what to make for lunch the next day.
What Mike did in the past, was spend most of one day of the weekend cooking everything he needed for the work week. I have carried on that tradition because it works well and it is kind of fun. I put on my favorite tie-dyed shirt, my purple apron, my pink, purple, black and red (I am such a fashion plate) pajama pants with the penguins on them and my big fuzzy multi-colored slippers and start cooking.
Today's fare included a massive potato salad (with red peppers because my brother bought a Costco bag of them and didn't want any of them to go to waste), a gigantic bowl of beef fajitas with fresh mushrooms, red peppers, onions and a tiny bit of sauteed garlic, country potatoes, again with fresh mushrooms, peppers, onion and to add some zest and protein, country style bacon bought from our local meat packing plant a bowl of steamed, glazed carrots and finally a large tuna salad.
I put fresh carrot slices, grapes and triscuits into baggies (no, not all in the same baggy, that would just be gross) and packaged up oatmeal and blueberries for the morning. I accomplished all of this in just under 5 hours and not once did I set off a smoke detector.
Now if neither Mike nor I have to go to the ER during the week for food poisoning, I will consider my cooking day a success.
So tell me, how do you handle meals and meal planning at your household?
15 comments:
Wow! You did all that in five hours! And didn't blind yourself with all those colours you were wearing?
Quite the feat... and it certainly makes sense. Good for you!
I admire anyone who has the discipline to do so much cooking on the weekend.
I read this entry after ordering a pizza and some wings.
We try to eat at home/make real meals; order out is too easy, expensive and not as healthy, I agree.
I'm vegetarian, and there just aren't many places in East Texas where I can go for a meal.
There are some things, like bread, that I look forward to baking. Mostly, though, cooking is just a means to an end; I like food, and that's is the only way to get it.
I do the same thing, Laurie! Today is my day to cook up a storm. It's so nice not to have to think about what I'm going to eat / make during the week.
I also have a healthy salad every night for dinner.
That's a good idea. Sometimes I make a big pot of brown rice with lentils. Then all week long I add some frozen vegetables and there's a cheap, healthy lunch. Of course, there are the times when the work cafeteria calls to me...
Dear Laurie,
Great idea! I do a wee bit of plan ahead...I too dislike eating out very often.
I seem to eat lots of soup!
Sherry
Laurie,
I like your way! Living with a traditional Italian man, I cook a meal every night. It's only the two of us now, so we have leftovers whenever I can manage to save enough.
I hate cooking dinner. I think, at our age, a piece of fruit, a slice of cheese, and a little popcorn should do for dinner. I'm serious. But I doubt the Italian would ever agree...
Mary
At my house, if it can't be nuked, it isn't cooked.
That advance meal preparation is a neat idea. I did it for a while when I lived alone (except for Muffin the dog) in a parsonage. The problem I had was that so many of my parishioners kept inviting me to their homes for meals that I began having to discard food that I had prepared in advance.
We try to get as many meals done on a Sunday to hold us for the week. Then we put what we are going to have at the end of the week in the freezer and cook what we plan for monday and tuesday on those days. After Tuesday we end up going out to eat. Boy! I say our intentions are great the follow thru needs works.
My life is not so hectic that I have to preplan meals. I do process the vegetables from my garden and berries from the wild.
I had a lady friend years ago that was single with four children. She had a very busy, professional, community and social life. She prepared meals and froze then on the weekend. She also ate off paper plates, "I know it is not ecologically sound but I do not have time to be washing a lot of dishes".
Needless to say she was a high energy person. What amazed me most was her getting up early Sunday morning and painting a room of the house while the children slept and then got them and herself to our church, of which she was the President. In the afternoon she would be off for a hike or bike ride.
And she still had time for me. . .
I used to be as disciplined as you, as far as preparing food ahead. Those days are long gone and I congratulate you on doing it. It has to be healthier than restaurant stuff.
I have eaten out so much lately I should weigh 300# before the winter is over.
When I was working full time, I cooked all day on Sunday for most of the week's meals. Fortunately, we didn't mind having roasted chicken for two meals. I always made soup for Wednesday.
Now I have the liberty to really cook during any week day so the menu is more varied and interesting.
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