Food inspiration, or what's for supper?
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So I'm getting weird thoughts of cooking up stuff, and then maybe freezing it?
Before I retired I routinely made double batches of freezeable foods or food components. That way I didn’t have to cook every day. Freeze meatloaf, meatballs, sauces, some casseroles in labeled baggies. Most can defrost overnight or at worst in the microwave. It cuts down on excuses for bad eating because you’re tired or don’t have food in the house.
Think of it as your own personal premeasured frozen meals.3 -
Love it, PAV. Makes meal prep so easy (9 times out of 10)4
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Once you’ve frozen up some stuff, consider making up weekly menu so you can defrost as needed. I’ve got cooked chicken, roasts, stews, soups, cooked ground meat, shrimp, parts of leftover restaurant meals, breads - all precooked and packed. Of course we have a huge upright freezer fondly called the Jumbotron.
Yes it’s work! And sometimes plans change. This works well for me when hubby wants a high calorie meal. Or when son comes for lunch the days he’s working from his home. Those days I can get something less deadly ☠️ out of the freezer for myself.3 -
What's in your Jumbotron!?!?!
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I very rarely plan meals for more than a day ahead except holidays where I plan for weeks ahead…whenever I freeze leftovers I forget what I froze and then they get tossed eventually….I try to not have leftovers…but I do have a very well stocked pantry and freezer….in another lifetime I must have been a food hoarder or a thrifty housewife….I could probably feed over 100 people and still have some food left!1
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A little of everything! Convenience frozen meals, berries I picked, couple boxes of Christmas cookies, breads, ground meat, sausages. The rest is mostly things from cooking extra meals at once like enchiladas, crepes, lasagna, casseroles, soups - all in labeled portions and dated.What's in your Jumbotron!?!?!
Like Connie, I could probably go a long time without visiting a grocery except for fresh produce and fruits. I do plan, so I keep things in rotation. If lived alone it would be much less work but no point depriving the family or eating things I know are outside my calorie allotment. So it’s his and her foods.
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You're only just now thinking about batch cooking and freezing? And you're how many years into your weight management programme?
Sheesh. Men....
Batch cooking and freezing is a life saver. I always have frozen individual portions of dahl, lentil bake, cottage pie, homemade soup, falafel and veggie curry in the freezer - I make litres at a time of each of those things and always freeze at least six portions of each batch. That way, I always have something high in protein and fibre and low in fat and calories to pull out and heat through. Just add a chopped rainbow salad or a wholemeal pitta (also ever-present in my freezer) and you're good to go.3 -
Nah... I quite often made/make a "pot" and then the "pot" morphs as time goes on.... you know the classic: spaghetti sauce that becomes chili that becomes....
The problem with dad in the mix is that I have continuous low level whining if things are not different and "tasty" and during the "dinner time" time frame. And I also probably end up less active outside for "exercise"; even though I actually end up as more active during the day when visiting there.
So when I've been at home this past little while I've tended towards even more simple than normal, and as a result haven't really cooked anything other than yogurt, instant noodles, and microwaved veggies!
Which has sort of led to me actually thinking that I would LIKE to maybe cook two or three things and have them ready to go!3 -
Yup, cooking for yourself is much easier. For years I cranked out two or three varieties of food for each meal. Son and hubby wanted spicy or foodie creative meals. They like Mexican or Italian or adventurous meals. Mom in her last years wanted boiled to death, bland German food with a preference for mushy due to dental issues. I would throw up my hands in exhaustion after work and eat whatever was left of either/both meals. Really, I didn’t care what I ate as long as no one was complaining at the table. Making a third special meal was beyond my endurance then.
Son moved to his own place years ago, mom passed away but hubby still has his preferences. Luckily he’s a darn good cook. He even measures and calculates calories for me. However often I get my prepackaged meal from the freezer to stay within limits.
The other issue is timing. I eat breakfast and lunch with hubby not necessarily at times I’d prefer. Sometimes a few cups of coffee would take me to lunch. But it’s a compromise to marriage. Dinner we’ve gone to separate times and meals. He’s ravenous by 4:30pm even if lunch was noon. I just can’t do that!
Maybe you can cook up some dad meals and separate PAV meals. Freeze them for those times when you know the whining will drive you nuts. Or get dad cooking?3 -
Wish he would (cook).... would be adding to engaging self care which would be good. At least he has FINALLY decided her likes the under table cycle thingy I "made" him get. When I said that it was time to return my failed experiment to Costco... he started using it And... surprise... he is feeling stronger and better!
Campbell clam chowder soup?!?!?! with some of that fake crab Yoolie bought (that wasn't quite as tasty as normal on it's own so I tried to bury it in something) and a whole bunch of sliced thin and pre-nuked fresh carrots and some fresh onion sprinkled on top once warmed up. Was actually good. Even better with... sriracha!
(a few too many calories for satiety as the base soup is coming in at very high calories per volume courtesy of Campbells but a good combo). 2 -
For many years my husband worked from 5:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m…..six days a week and often a lot more….we almost alway had dinner by 5:00 p.m. and then chauffeured our kids to activities….he still gets up early and we have dinner early…our dinner is finished and kitchen ready for daughter to start their dinner by 6…3
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My husband is also used to early hours and early eating. Up at 5 am usually. I try to hide under the covers til at least 5:30 but then I smell the coffee brewing. 😴
PAV, what does dad eat when you’re not there? Can he be taught to microwave meals? That’s where the freezer meals might help out. Being the caregiver changes the whole parent-child relationship. You become the parent who has to make decisions for an ornery child!
After our long experience with my mom, we have both decided to do assisted living rather than have son try to deal with our crankiness.2 -
I am with PAV... I need to start cooking and freezing meals. The problem for me is my freezer is not big at all and I live in an apartment so I don't have a place for another freezer. Right now it is FULL. I do have some chili up there that I need to eat (I try not to have red meat more then once a week so I always forget about it). But it is mostly grocery store frozen meals, fish, chicken, and veggies. Maybe I need to do a pantry/freezer clean out? Focus on eating from them as much as possible. Most likely will after next week as my meal plan is about done already. Then the 18th (or the weekend after) I want to treat myself because it's my birthday (big 4-0) so gonna order in Indian food most likely. Maybe Thai.
Sorry for the ramble. Lack of sleep and being ill does that to my brain.4 -
PAV try Progesso lite clam chowder - 210 calories for the whole can. Can be easily fixed up with added veggies, hot sauce and fake or real crab. The Progresso lite soups are all pretty good.3
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Being the caregiver changes the whole parent-child relationship. You become the parent who has to make decisions for an ornery child!
After our long experience with my mom, we have both decided to do assisted living rather than have son try to deal with our crankiness.
Taking care of my mom left me with the same thought. Maybe I'll just remember how challenging it was and will decide to let go of my independence without a worry and just become a wonderful kind patient old lady (lol....not likely
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[quote="Athijade;c-46592793"... The problem for me is my freezer is not big at all and I live in an apartment so I don't have a place for another freezer...[/quote]
I was in the same spot - but in prep for post surgery meals I bought a small used freezer and temporarily stuck it in an inconvenient "sticks out like a sore thumb" kind of place. Now I will not give it up. It is ssoooooo convenient. To heck with aesthetics.
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Frozen grocery store dinners take a lot of space.
Frozen grocery store dinners without the cardboard packaging and with the nutritional info cut out and placed in the same freezer bag take less space!
Frozen grocery store dinners without any packaging at all take even less space but should be eaten a bit faster as they have less protection against freezer burn
Of course, if you look at you frozen dinners and really put likes with likes into big freezer bags you really question why you paid so much for this quantity of food and feel the need to add some veggies.... but that's a different program 4 -
We had both of Johns parents and my mom for many years along with a teen and a toddler!….after johns parents passed we still had my mom for a long time until she had to go into a nursing home…most of the time it was ok….if we were not home, there was always a grandparent there to listen to stories, fix after school snacks, and kiss boo boos…John and I have never lived without some member of the family with us!….our daughter has never left home and her husband and kids are with us….it seems normal to all of us!….I want to stay in my home as long as I can but someday I might have to go to a nursing home….for now all is fine!3
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As a childfree couple, we'll have little choice other than to be independent as long as we can, and then cart ourselves off to a care facility. If we're lucky enough to live that long....I quite like the idea of going out in a blaze of glory, shouting 'Wow, what a ride!'
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I do not plan on going anywhere for a very long time!…my favorite quote is Helen Keller….” Life is an adventure, or nothing at all “…. and God knows my life has been an adventure!….1
