How often do you guys cook?

diogomello12
diogomello12 Posts: 33 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I'm on a workout/weight gain plan for the past 2 months and I've been around 3000-3100 calories per day but it's exhausting having to cook or go to the supermarket everyday. How do you guys manage your food, how often do you guys cook and do your shopping? Thanks
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Replies

  • Dreamwa1ker
    Dreamwa1ker Posts: 196 Member
    We buy and prep almost everything on the weekend, and cook most of it on the weekend too with only cooking easier stuff during the week that's already at least cut up/prepped to cook. I also make big batches of anything that freezes well and freeze it because then on later weeks it's one less meal I have to make. I also do a lot of slow cooker meals. Here's a good example: I make a really big batch of slow cooker chinese beef & broccoli (there's a ton of recipes online for this), I just don't add the broccoli (I steam it separately). Then I put half of it in mason jars to freeze, eating the other half over the course of the week. On a later week, I can pull a couple jars out and all I have to do is steam some broccoli and make some brown rice and boom we've got dinner. We do this with a lot of things - tomato sauce, chili, soups, taco meat, etc. I do happen to have a big deep freeze so that helps...and remember to label and date everything!
  • xGreatWhiteNorthx
    xGreatWhiteNorthx Posts: 335 Member
    I do a lot of meal prep.

    Its just myself, fiance and my kid but when he grills, he will grill 5-6 steaks and 4-5 chicken breasts. Ill roast multiple trays of veggies and make a big bean salad, chop up a bunch of lettuce and raw veggies etc.
    Usually I only have to do much cooking once or twice per week.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I go to the store for mini shops, basically for produce, fish or eggs.

    I cook every day. I love to cook. Some meals, I have leftovers for, but fish doesn't reheat well so cook that one meal at a time.
  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,022 Member
    Meal prep my lunch and snacks every Sunday, and make dinner fresh in the evenings.
  • Keto_Vampire
    Keto_Vampire Posts: 1,670 Member
    edited July 2019
    I only cook once a day...nothing complicated, toss some chicken in the oven ~20 minutes; not into dressing the hell out of food or using elaborate cooking techniques/skills to make food look "pretty" (instagram/"food porn"...><...just not into prettying up food/fine if you're into that stuff, I just think it's a waste of time & serves no purpose for myself whatsoever).

    Yeah, running to the grocery store every 3 days or so is a bit annoying, but it is what it is...food quality/freshness over bulk + convenience + cost/savings. Nothing wrong with bulk purchasing & going with more frozen options, but I personally prefer (taste) more towards non-frozen options. I will go cycles eating frozen food then back to fresh (frozen gets a bit stale/repetitive taste wise after a certain period of time)
  • morganjw1
    morganjw1 Posts: 18 Member
    Almost daily. For me, meal prep is the key to losing weight and gaining strength. I meal prep on Sundays (grill chicken, cook brown rice) and then cook 4-5 nights during the week and use the left over veggies from dinner in the next days meal to supplement a lunch of chicken and brown rice. It's also nice that I have a great smoker and grill and absolutely love to cook and experiment.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I cook everyday, except maybe some weekends when we visit family. I do some meal prep ahead of time on weekends and freeze (mostly just meats, salads, veggies) but I cook dinners for my family so I am always in the kitchen. I grocery shop 1-2x per week.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    We shop once a week and plan to make 2 or 3 dinners depending on how many meals we think we will get out of each. Things that take a lot of time to prepare are made on the weekend and easy/quick meals are made during the week. Leftovers are eaten the other nights. I make my breakfast and lunch each day but those don't require any cooking.
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,353 Member
    I rarely cook. I use a meal delivery service and stock up on basics and "fill ins" every other week or so, depending on what's needed. My grocery trips are usually for things like yogurt and fruit for a morning smoothie, string cheese and meat for snacks, eggs and bread or tortillas to keep on hand....that kind of stuff. I've learned that I will go hungry or just order takeout rather than cook every single day, so I work around it.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I cook dinner every day. I plan my meals for the week and go to the grocery store at the beginning of the week, but I also usually have to make one or two quick stops during the week to get something I forgot. My lunch is almost always leftovers from the night before or from the freezer, as I also make big batches of stuff and freeze in the vacuum bags. I get my lunch ready for the next day as I clean the kitchen after dinner. Breakfast is usually something simple that I can whip up in 5 minutes before work like a protein pancake, fruit and yogurt or oatmeal.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    It's just my husband and me. I cook once a week and we live on that for about a week. If it's used up, there are stir fries, frittatas, eggs, "stuff in the freezer" and other things that are technically cooking but pretty low-maintenance. (I don't consider tossing potato sticks and carrot sticks in a Ziplock with a little oil and spices, then roasting them in the oven with some Gardein or Yves vegetable protein to be 'real' cooking, though it sort of is.)
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    Hot home cooked meals three times a day, except if I just have yogurt and fruit for breakfast. We prep fresh vegrtables and eat fresh fruit for snacks, or nuts. I'm retired, so that helps a lot. We shop two or three times weekly. It became a priority for me about 30 years ago, so I think I can say I'm used to it. Meals are rather simpler now than they used to be, as in fewer added extras, just basic spices and small amounts of oil on veg or salad. I try to vary the vegetables and protien parts of the meals.
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    I shop and cook lunches on Sunday (and sometimes I’ll cook an easy dinner side too, like roasted sweet potatoes). I assemble breakfasts (trail mix, no cooking required) on Sunday as well. I usually have something quick for dinner (veggie/turkey burger, chicken sausage on a bun, tuna salad sandwich, soup and grilled cheese, pasta, one of my prepped lunches if I made extra, plus a big salad). Desserts are peanut butter with something crunchy, salty, or sweet to dip in it (no cooking 😂). If I had to cook anything substantial after a day of work, I’d sooner die.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    edited July 2019
    I cook dinner every other day (enough for leftovers for the next night). I browned enough turkey taco meat on Tuesday for T/W/Th night. All I had to do on W/Th was steam a veggie, heat tortillas, and set out toppings for tacos. I'll probably grill enough chicken on Friday evening for Saturday. Then grill enough steak on Sunday for Monday. Then repeat.

    I cook breakfast every morning, but it's simple: scrambled eggs, precooked chicken sausages, toast or quick oats.

    The whole family packs lunches for work/school, but it's simple: sandwich or salad, veggies and dip, fruit, nuts, cheese.

    ETA: I do a BIG shopping day on Sunday and freeze some meat for later in the week. My husband usually has to swing by the store once to pick up a couple of items during the week.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    We cook daily and I stick to a healthy meal plan. Once a week we go to a huge fruit / vegetable market - half the price (or less) compared to supermarkets. It's winter here, so I make lots of soups - starting with proper beef bones - they cook by themselves for a few hours. Chicken and fish are big on our menu and both cook within minutes. Average cooking time 20 - 25 minutes, about as long as it takes to eat the food.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    I cook two to three times a week but I'm feeding one person. I also am very content with leftovers which is helpful. This week I made roasted mushrooms, roasted chicken, persian rice, pita twice (I make 4 pitas at a time and it doesn't take very long to make them), hummus (which I seriously need to start eating more of before it goes bad), and apple crumble. That can get me through 5 or 6 days of lunches and dinners.
    My breakfast typically consists of bagels or bialys (which I typically don't make myself) and I'll occasionally buy lunch.

    A very quick rundown of what I've eaten for regular meals this week
    Sunday: bought brunch, chicken for dinner (with pita and rice)
    Monday: bialy for breakfast, bought lunch, mushrooms and rice (and pita?) for dinner
    Tuesday: way too little for breakfast, pita and hummus for lunch (also way too little for lunch for me), and chicken rice, pita, and apple crumble for dinner/dessert
    Wednesday: apple crumble for bfast, fried plantains and pita for lunch, the last of the mushrooms, half of a pita, and rice for dinner (I baked a fresh batch of pita that day)
    Thursday (today): Bagel, cherries, and a canele for breakfast, two bialys, carrots and hummus for lunch, chicken hummus and pita for dinner

    There have also been some random snacks thrown in, typically hazelnuts, homemade chocolate hazelnut spread on rye, and/or cherries.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I cook everyday. I don't go to the grocery store everyday...that's where planning comes in. Plan your meals on the weekend and go shopping. It's easy.
  • maureenseel1984
    maureenseel1984 Posts: 395 Member
    Depends. A LOT less in the summer, since I'm usually eating more salads and cold stuff like sandwiches (what else do you do when it's 90 degrees with 80% humidity...*barf*).
    In the winter I'll do freezer meals so make large batches of things like spaghetti meat sauce or casseroles or soups/stews...then freeze some so I have hot meals all week.
  • kevinflemming1982
    kevinflemming1982 Posts: 158 Member
    edited July 2019
    I cook everyday, whether it's a homemade meal or something out of a packet (southern fried or whatever, if I fancy it). Found it's much easier to purchase the bulk of food once per month. That's the freezers full to the brim. Cupboards with plenty of various things, tins, sauces, etc. Then enough in the fridge for a couple of weeks, as most things I buy for it don't last long (salads and whatnot).

    Then it's just the odd trip to the shops, rather than doing it constantly. I have two convenience stores right near me, but they're overpriced so it's better and cheaper to do one larger shopping delivery than multiple trips to the shops. Also stops that thing of buying crap you don't need every time you head into the shop lol.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I cook everyday. I don't go to the grocery store everyday...that's where planning comes in. Plan your meals on the weekend and go shopping. It's easy.

    While I can totally get away with grocery shopping once a week, I think a lot of that is dependent on how big your refrigerator is, how much freezer space you have, and how many people you're cooking for. When I was living in Vienna for a year I couldn't have done that.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    I cook for myself, 2 meals per day usually, and for my wife, 2 or 3 separate meals per day usually. I'm retired, so it gives me something to do.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Gamliela wrote: »
    Hot home cooked meals three times a day, except if I just have yogurt and fruit for breakfast. We prep fresh vegrtables and eat fresh fruit for snacks, or nuts. I'm retired, so that helps a lot. We shop two or three times weekly. It became a priority for me about 30 years ago, so I think I can say I'm used to it. Meals are rather simpler now than they used to be, as in fewer added extras, just basic spices and small amounts of oil on veg or salad. I try to vary the vegetables and protien parts of the meals.

    It's the same for my household of two, although we are not retired, my husband is the main cook and he works from home. Cooking from scratch is just our routine. We shop on Sundays and rarely need fill in items unless it's something minor from the natural food store by our house like tofu or bok choy.

    Most days we eat hot home cooked breakfast, but there are many days it's something easier and cold or something I made the night before like fridge oats or blended chia pudding.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    edited July 2019
    maureenseel1984 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I cook everyday. I don't go to the grocery store everyday...that's where planning comes in. Plan your meals on the weekend and go shopping. It's easy.

    I do not have time for that...not at all. But...it's easy...for YOU...so...good for you.

    I would hate to have every nanosecond of my life filled to capacity. I feel sad for you. 😢

    Do you want a hug? I have time.
  • Nottaway1
    Nottaway1 Posts: 26 Member
    We cook/grill on Sunday and Wednesday.... 2 London Broils and 5-7 lbs of chicken. Lunch and dinner are 6-8oz each, just make a salad, sweet potato or green bean. Quick.... Breakfast is 6 eggs and oats.... I keep it very simple
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    Depends what you mean by "cook."

    I grill steaks, chops and fish as needed but I precook a lot of my food in bulk in advance which I reheat as leftovers in the micro or stovetop as needed until it's used up in a wk or 2.

    Things that I would precook include but are not limited to hard boiled eggs, corned beef or pot roast, whole chicken and a variety of soups.
  • rainingribbons
    rainingribbons Posts: 1,051 Member
    Most of my cooking is done on Sunday. I do most of my meal planning/grocery shopping Sunday morning, and then when I get home from that usually I'll cook/prep whatever we're doing for lunches for that week. Most dinners we do last for 2-3 nights depending (but there's also only two of us), so for dinners I'm usually cooking every other night.
  • kevinflemming1982
    kevinflemming1982 Posts: 158 Member
    sgt1372 wrote: »
    I precook a lot of my food in bulk in advance which I reheat as leftovers
    I do the same, most of the time. Although, I will cook something fresh as sometimes I don't fancy reheating yesterday's chilli or whatever. Rarely eat the same thing two days in-a-row, but have a couple of different meal types frozen in takeaway containers (I saved them from before when I was takeaway monster and run them through the dishwasher, reusing regularly).

    My little freezer always has between 6 and 9 tubs, ready to go.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,187 Member
    We go food shopping every two weeks; sometimes more often. I don't have a meal plan for the week, just whatever I feel like making.

    My husband cooks breakfast every day, and I cook lunch and dinner every day too, but my cooking is very simple. Mostly protein and veggies for dinner, and salads or frittatas for lunch. I don't do much meal pre; maybe chili and soups once a month.

    I don't like cooking but I don't like to eat out all the time either. We usually eat out two or three times a week.

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