I have come to understand the value of preparing a menu the week before.
As I have mentioned before, we had tried an experiment of going less meat and more vegetable. The meals were actually all pretty good. The leftovers were pretty good too. But what we found (as we went along) is that the preparation time was so extensive (lots of chopping with the vegetable based meals) that over time, they tend to not get made.
And then menus are set aside. And then the shopping stops. And then there is very little to eat in the refrigerator. And then there is much going out, which cramps the ability to reduce debt.
So I have decided to end all that.
I am going forward with the selection of some of the meals for the week. The key is that they need to be simple and easy to prepare. Which, not surprisingly, seems to involve more meat (meat with marinade is easy to have ready to go).
I figure we will supplement with salads and easy to prepare vegetables. But the days of "We have nothing in the refrigerator" or "It takes too long to make" are about to end.
I am pretty sure the entrees will be delicious (and easy to make).
Get an Instant Pot electric pressure cooker....it cooks anything fast.
ReplyDeleteMany people only use their instant pots. I belong to 2 IP communities on fb. Lots of recipes. I would do all our cooking with the IP, but hubby said no.
ReplyDeleteHave fun!
some ladies prepare a week's worth of veg and store in ziplocks all on one day, measured out to the week's menu.
ReplyDeletesome also cook favorite dishes two or more at a time and freeze. then there is always something prepared no matter how hectic the day.
much easier.
we are a small family and i buy the carrots, for example, already shredded. more expensive but it gets the healthier cooking done.
also meat is $$$.
also your bowels will eventually thank you for the fibre increase with veg.
if they are not thanking you now, use beano for a few weeks until digestion adjusts. [why couldn't they call it something elegant, like 'legume aid' instead of beano!?].
Tewshooz, I have heard of these from some friends. I should probably look into one. Fast is turning into kind of a thing.
ReplyDeleteGood to know, Linda. Does it heat up the kitchen a lot? This is a concern here in summer.
ReplyDeleteThat is a thought Deborah. It seems like we do this right at the time of preparation. We used to freeze dishes more often as well - not really sure when that changed, but it seems to.
ReplyDeleteOverall my breakfasts and lunches are healthy (and largely the same every day): for breakfast oatmeal, yogurt, and protein powder (and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee) and for lunch spinach, apples, almonds, craisins, yogurt (lately) and an entree - typically a leftover.
Beano - it sounds terrible, but I am pretty sure the marketing guys are happy. Everyone knows it and knows what it does.
Doesn't heat the kitchen at all, TB. Do a little research, too. While I did opt for the Instant Pot, there are others on the market that claim to do as much, or more than it does, for less.
ReplyDeleteIt is possible that one of the other 'pressure cookers' (for that is basically what it is) will turn out to be a better purchase.
And while mine does not make yogurt (I wish it did!), there are models that do. :)
And I know what you mean about heat, living in a house where the only insulation is in the design of the building!
Thanks for the feedback Linda. I will indeed look into it.
ReplyDeleteYogurt would be nice. We go through a fair amount of that here.