Living The Lifestyle Monday 2/24/20

imastar2

This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!

Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.

Monday-imastar 2 (Derrick)
Tuesday- myallforjcbill (Bill)
Wednesday- Podkey (Bob)
Thursday-Jimb376mfp (Jim)
Friday-misterhub (Greg)

Topic: Food preparation:
If you do the food prep can you share how much time you spend approximately in time? Also can you share a little bit about your basic food preparation?
Lastly do you think it's well worth your time invested?

88olds

Food prep time? As little as possible. I don’t think most folks would be very satisfied eating like I do. At home I eat basically the same stuff 9 out of 10 days. I go out for lunch about 5 times per week rotating about 3 places with a couple of favorites at each place. I was well into this kind of thing when I read somewhere that people who eat the same stuff a lot tend to eat less. Works for me.

So right now the at home food prep is breakfast- regular oatmeal in the microwave. Lunch- a sandwich, sometimes egg beaters, sometimes whole eggs. Dinner- microwave the protein, 90% of the time chicken breast, sometimes a grilled pork chop. The chop is frequently a leftover that goes in the micro wave. Throw on a bag of salad. If I eat 3 meals at home in a day, and one of the meals is eggs, I might spend 30 minutes total for 3 meals.

Now that I’m thinking about it, it would be less time if I didn’t stop to weigh the portions and fiddle around with them.

DW. DW does most of the cooking which is usually a 1 time per week thing. Baked chicken breast, sometimes pork chops. She has also started making shredded chicken breast in the slow cooker. We usually hold out enough for 2 days and put everything else in the freezer. Next to the food scale the micro wave is the #2 weight loss tool here.

misterhub

I generally do food prep, and I set aside time on Sunday afternoon.

Yesterday, I made a big pot of my vegetarian chili, which I'll use in various ways throughout the week for lunch. Like today, I am going to serve the chili over a leftover baked potato for lunch.

I also prepped five days of overnight oats in quart jars. I made five different flavor combinations. I like them because they truly are grab & go.

I'll be making some pasta tonight to augment the chili during the week. I also usually have some sort of salad choice to add in as a grab & go lunch item.

Normally, when I food prep, I do not prep specific meals (except for the overnight oats). I prep components that can then be put together in different combinations throughout the week, providing me with flexibility and variety.

I highly recommend looking at a YouTube channel called Downshiftology. She has several good videos on component food prep.

gadgetgirlIL

I do a lot of cooking in bulk and freeze pre-portioned containers. I also eat pretty much the same thing every day during the week. I just don't have the desire to spend much time on cooking nor shopping.

I eat the same thing for breakfast every day. Been doing so for years and am not bored by it.

I'm a creature of habit.

Al_Howard

I do prep just before cooking. Yeah, I'm old fashioned.

podkey

A bit like Olds88. I usually keep it simple. I do like it when I get "fancy" with recipe foods. I learned to make simple stuff quickly using staples. Yup same veggie omelet for morning meal.

Jimb376mfp

I boil six eggs to have on hand for breakfasts. Peel two and nuke for 30 seconds. Minimum prep after noticing not eating what I had in refrigerator for too long to eat it safely.
WW Chili is my last meal prep before surgery 22 January.
I need to do more on meal planning and prep.

cakeman21k

When I was working I had to be very time conservative in terms of meal prep, so I fell in love with my crock pot. I could throw some stuff into it in the AM before I left and have a hot meal when I got home at night, and then be able to nuke leftovers for 1 or 2 more meals.
Now that I am retired I have found cooking to be more of a pleasure. I enjoy finding and trying new recipes that will use new ingredients in creative ways. Its not unusual for me to spend 2 - 3 hours a night making up something for DW and I to eat. My wife complains that I have ruined resturaunts for her because the meals I make at home are better (salmon in particular). Its something that I enjoy at this point in my life, and having an audience of 1 who is appreciative makes a lot of difference.