Family of Two. Suggestions?

arogers0541

Hello Everyone,

This is my first time posting in this community. I have been lurking for a while at different times. My wife and I have used MFP on and off and have had success with it in the past, however we never stick to it. We have decided finally to do this program together and keep each other accountable. We have no kids currently and have a pretty difficult work routine which makes for long days. Our hardest problem is setting aside time to cook in the afternoon as which often leads us to getting fast food often because it is "convenient". We know that from here on out we have to set aside the time to cook. I think our other large problem is we are both young and never really had anyone to show us how to cook (so this will be a learning curve for us as well). We are planning on going grocery shopping (researching) some healthy options for us. I have two questions for you:

Do you have any suggestions of "snacks" that work for you if you are in a time crunch or on the run? Any snack bars or shakes that work best? (Any suggestion is appreciated)

Also, are there any meals that are somewhat healthy and easy? We are not necessarily looking for 100% healthy meals. Right now our main focus is to just get in the habit of cooking and then we will focus more on what we are cooking. We figure that just about anything that we cook will be better for us than fast food. The problem is we often have too much left over and sometimes find ourselves wasting food because there is just two of us. Do you have any meals that you cook that is ideal for just two people?

Once again, thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to the lifestyle change that is about to take place in my family and sharing it with all of you.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

Prep meals ahead of time on the weekend, or whatever free day you have. You can also make use of a crock pot, where you can have a meal slowly cooking all day and is hot and ready to eat when you get home.

mistikal13

For me fruits, trail mix, granola bars, cheese, and veggies are easiest to grab when I'm running out the door. I usually keep a stash of peanut butter, whole grain crackers, and yogurt at work for those days when I forget to grab something. At least I know I won't starve!
As far as meals go, stir fries are really quick and simple and can easily be made for just two people at a time. Switch up the veggies and protein so you don't get too bored. Add a side of steamed rice and you're good to go. Grilled foods in the summertime are also super easy and you can just throw on enough for the two of you. Hope this helps a little, good luck on your journey

hanksmom79

Hi There!

I'm a family of one so I understand it sometimes feels like a waste to cook and know so much of it will go to waste. Lately, I've learned to freeze the leftover portions immediately instead of putting them in the fridge "just in case". This accomplishes the less waste purpose but also allows me to have a healthy lunch to grab if I don't have time to pack something else.

As for cooking, I'm a big crockpot fan. You can do an internet search for "easy crockpot recipes" and the options are endless. Chicken breasts & salsa = shredded chicken tacos, Pork tenderloin + diet coke= yummy pulled pork. You can even find several blogs where you can commit to 4 or so hours of cooking and come out with dozens of freezer meals to pull out and cook on demand.

Good Luck!!

Kr1sMar1e

Welcome to MFP and good luck on your journey!

As for snacks, fruit and vegetables are a great choices, but I also like trail mixes (esp. with low salt). Just don't eat too much (usually a fourth cup is good). Greek yogurt and granola is another good one.

I had to learn to how to cook, too, and really, once you get a few things under your belt, it's not that hard, not time consuming, either. One thing to try if you're busy is crock pot cooking. This is a good site: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/crock-pot-recipes.html I also like Cooking Light. Stir-fries are another easy, fast option. Finally, don't overlook baking. Once everything is prepped you just leave it in the oven, and you don't have to stand there and cook. Oh, and if you're looking for a fast, healthy high-protein oatmeal, I've got a great little recipe. Hit me up!

I'm a family of two as well (in my case, it's the kiddo and me), and I know it can seem overwhelming with work and such, but a little planning goes a long way. Start with a few meals and you'll be cooking like mad in no time.

JennaD075

jnelson1028

I have had the same struggle. I have never been a big cook and never really learned, but have gotten better in recent months... Here are a couple suggestions

1. Start by finding 2 recipes you would like to try before grocery shopping. Get the ingredients when shopping and then cook them within a couple days. By finding the recipe, cooking it, and realizing how good it is. It will help. Therefore it is not overwhelming and you will see the result..... Also I research 5 ingredients or less recipes to keep cooking time short. and you can continue to increase recipes you find or whatever, but 2 seems like a good way to start and it's not overwhelming.

2. With fresh veggies like broccoli, cauliflower- cut those up once you get back from the store and put in a container for easy grabs. I also cut up half a iceberg lettuce and have in a bowl so I have easy access.

jnelson1028

I also forgot to mention when I cook supper- I cook enough for lunch (and at most another supper) for the next day as leftovers. Much more then that and we are bad about eating leftovers.

kasterrett

Hey there,

I got married when I was 21 and my husband had just turned 20. I didn't know how to cook either (and he had no desire) as I had been raised on fast food. I had cooked maybe a dozen times before I was 21, and most of them were failed attempts at deliciousness So I taught myself how to cook using the Cooking Channel. I no longer have cable, and I miss the three or four cooking channels (and fifteen or so shows) I watched, even after two years of being cable free! Crazy, right?

Anyway, I started with stuff like chicken parmasean, which involves dumping a bunch of sauce onto some chicken, adding cheese and throwing it in on the oven. I also recommend crock pot food, as it's mostly dump and go. Couple cans of chicken stock...random veggies in the house...some spices...some frozen chicken...BAM! Six hours later you have chicken tortilla soup. Seriously. I started with "A Year of Slow Cooking". It's a website. She's honest about how stuff turned out, try her.

I also suggest budgetbytes.com. Easy, cheap, and healthy!

Limath

Prep meals ahead of time on the weekend, or whatever free day you have. You can also make use of a crock pot, where you can have a meal slowly cooking all day and is hot and ready to eat when you get home.

I was going to suggest this as well! I make anywhere from 3-5 dinners on Sundays, to have ready when I come home after work & the gym. Crockpot meals are always included.

Easy ideas:
1. (as suggested above) Chicken breast or pork loin in green salsa for tacos or taco salad.
2. Meatloaf. Make 3 or 4 at a time, and wrap them in the freezer ready to thaw & cook. Or, cook them in muffin tins for individual servings, then freeze for later.
3. Stuffed peppers or cabbage. Mix together a little turkey Italian sausage with brown rice (google Alton Brown's brown rice recipe - it's yummy & fool-proof, make rice 1 night as a side, then use leftovers for peppers) & marinara sauce, and stuff in a pepper, and cook all day in the crockpot. You add or top with cheese, I you have the calories for it. This is my teenagers favorite.
4. Chicken breast chili. Super easy. Couple of chicken breasts in the crockpot, topped with onions & peppers, a couple of cans of beans, a can of tomato sauce & diced tomatoes & season to taste with chili powder, cumin & oregano (or whatever you like). Cook all day in the crockpot, & the chicken shreds. Then freeze the leftovers in 2 serving portions for an easy dinner another time.

Good luck! Also, when you are bored, watch cooking shows! A lot of them teach cooking techniques.

kasterrett

Oh, forgot to mention snacks:

Puppy Chow
Zucchini chips (slice them real thin and then bake them, bam...potato chips only not)
Peanut butter (or caramel) and apples (buy a handy dandy apple corer from Walmart for $10, you just push it down on the apple and you suddenly have slices)
Ranch and carrots
Mini bagels and cream cheese (and locks, if it's in the budget)
Pepperoni rolls.

gaylebodine

Check out the Hungry Girl site and there is also an "Eat This, Not That" book that is dedicated to food items around 300 calories or so. I tried to start a topic: "yummy lower calorie food finds" but no one has added to that thread yet. As you discover lower calorie snacks and meals please post there--I can always use suggestions. Right now I'm happy to have found Coco Pop Cakes. I found them at Target. Like a small tortilla sized thin rice cake that doesn't taste like much except crunch, but you can put a tablespoon of Nutella or Peanut Butter and it seems like a "big" snack.

Hurricane_C

Again, crockpot. I'm a huge fan of the crockpot, but I, personally, use it more in the fall and winter. We just bought a grill, so grilling chicken breasts has been a popular choice for us lately. We'll make a whole package (maybe 5 or 6 breasts). And thats usually enough for me and my BF for both dinner and lunch the next day. I'll throw the left overs over a salad for a quick easy lunch. If you don't have an actual grill, we used to use the George Foreman grill a lot. A LOT. A bag of frozen chicken breasts and some frozen veggies becomes a quick easy meal in like 10-15 minutes.

As for snacks, we like hard boiled eggs, baby carrots, nuts (I'll portion these out into serving sizes, using our kitchen scale, when I get home from the store so its easier to just grab a small baggie and go). Other options are string cheese, yogurt, fruit, etc.

Good luck!

arogers0541

Thanks everyone who has posted so far. kasterrett, we are without cable also, so it will be hard for us to watch cooking shows. I thought about maybe trying to find a cooking class in our area if anyone even teaches that???

I will also be looking into some slow cooker recipes.

If anyone else has anything, please keep the suggestions coming.

Thanks!

CindyMarcuzAdams

Cheaters chicken cacciatore

2 skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs
Pour on 1 jar good salsa

Bake at 350 for 45 min

Serve with whole wheat pasta and a side salad

Voila an amazing dinner

janiceclark08

Beef jerky is something I ate as a snack when I started. Also the 100 calorie Kelloggs Pastry Crisp are good and come in different flavors. I like to put roast in a crockpot with baby carrots, onions and potatoes cut into chunks, a can of beef broth or a beer, some garlic powder , salt , pepper and some worchestershire. Sometimes I add alittle green pepper it gives it a good taste. You can add seasonings u like I vary mine.This will cook all day . Also it can be beef or pork roast. The vegetables can be fresh or frozen. The potatoes can be canned just drain first .so can the carrots , whatever you have on hand. The crockpot can be very versatile, I even made meatballs in it the other day,skinnykitchen.com recipe. I hope this helps.

cuckoo_jenibeth

Not sure if mentioned or not, but sometimes I think convenience is worth the little bit extra...on this note....Tyson's grilled chicken, pre-cut veggies & fruit. 5 minute stir fries, chicken tacos, or salads! I love thin corn tortillas with chicken strips & some wholly guacamole or salsa (or both)! Grab some instant brown rice for a super fast stir fry! Pre-packaged salad topped with the veggies & a healthy portion of chicken strips. Veggie strips with hummus or cubed fruits with yogurt or cottage cheese makes for a quick snack.

abyt42

I learned to cook with a Sunset book entitled "Easy Basics for Good Cooking," and there's a great newer book called "Keys to the Kitchen" which has tasty recipes, illustrations about techniques, and a very readable style.

I'm also a fan of crockpot365 and smitten kitchen blogs and recipes.

paulawatkins1974

Oh, forgot to mention snacks:

Puppy Chow
Zucchini chips (slice them real thin and then bake them, bam...potato chips only not)
Peanut butter (or caramel) and apples (buy a handy dandy apple corer from Walmart for $10, you just push it down on the apple and you suddenly have slices)
Ranch and carrots
Mini bagels and cream cheese (and locks, if it's in the budget)
Pepperoni rolls.

Puppy chow?

deansdad101

Hello Everyone,

This is my first time posting in this community. I have been lurking for a while at different times. My wife and I have used MFP on and off and have had success with it in the past, however we never stick to it. We have decided finally to do this program together and keep each other accountable. We have no kids currently and have a pretty difficult work routine which makes for long days. Our hardest problem is setting aside time to cook in the afternoon as which often leads us to getting fast food often because it is "convenient". We know that from here on out we have to set aside the time to cook. I think our other large problem is we are both young and never really had anyone to show us how to cook (so this will be a learning curve for us as well). We are planning on going grocery shopping (researching) some healthy options for us. I have two questions for you:

Do you have any suggestions of "snacks" that work for you if you are in a time crunch or on the run? Any snack bars or shakes that work best? (Any suggestion is appreciated)

Also, are there any meals that are somewhat healthy and easy? We are not necessarily looking for 100% healthy meals. Right now our main focus is to just get in the habit of cooking and then we will focus more on what we are cooking. We figure that just about anything that we cook will be better for us than fast food. The problem is we often have too much left over and sometimes find ourselves wasting food because there is just two of us. Do you have any meals that you cook that is ideal for just two people?

Once again, thanks in advance for your help! I look forward to the lifestyle change that is about to take place in my family and sharing it with all of you.

ARog;
You've received a bunch of good suggestions already of ideas that "work" for the various posters.
Unlike you, as the first born son in an Italian family I had the good fortune (or curse?) of growing up in the kitchen. My bride, OTOH, learned how to boil water and make jiffypop, that was pretty much the extent of "home cooked" in her house.
Today she approaches "world class" (if I do say so myself).
Anyway, the point is, none of us were born knowing how to cook so, like anything else, just jump in the water's fine.

Regarding your "fast food" addiction (or necessity), it's really not *devil* you've been led to believe it is. It CAN be, of course, but it need not be.
Here's an interesting video that might change your understanding of what is (in the minds of some) "myth" or "conventional wisdom".
http://tinyurl.com/cr5fx68

I'm not advocating for the fast food industry (certainly they have earned much of the shame that has been bestowed upon them), but neither am I an advocate for common knowledge - memes which take on a life of their own despite living in a "fact free" zone.

Cooking 5 or 6 meals "ahead" on the weekend works for others, it doesn't for us and while crockpotism is great once in a while, it too isn't something that will ever become daily fare in our house - to each his/her own.

Once you build up a decent set of kitchen basics (and gadgets), and get "comfortable" it's really quite easy (even on a tight schedule) to "throw" something together quite quickly and for it to be healthy, nutritious, fresh, and meet your specific dietary goals.

In addition to the basics, you will absolutely need a good, and versatile kitchen scale, set of measuring cups (pyrex, various sizes 1cp to 4) and measuring spoons.
In scales, you can spend a fortune but need not do so. We'd recommend digital, grams and ounces, and the ability to "zero out" the weight of a plate or bowl. They're available from about 10 dollars and up. Here's an example:
http://tinyurl.com/p7288ny

The other, absolute "musts" are, a good digital bathroom scale, and a good (and user friendly) tracking app/program. MFP is as good as any (better than some, others prefer different UI's), you just need to find one that works for you set aside the few minutes EVERY day to keep it current. Log food and weight daily but DO NOT "obsess" over daily weight fluctuations (takes 2-3 weeks, at least, for trends to be meaningful.)
We find that looking at our daily totals (and what's "left"), makes deciding on the dinner menu much easier. How many cals, fats, carbs are left and adjusting portion size to "hit" daily goals.

On the bathroom scale, there too one can spend a ton on the latest, greatest, 700 function, wifi enabled "cadillac" or for ~30 bucks try this:
http://tinyurl.com/pnrseot

Finally, the VERY best thing you have working in your favor is the fact that you and your wife are "in this together" - if I were to list those things responsible for our success, that we are too would be, far and away, number 1.

hubn8147

http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Best website ever!

seltzermint555

I have had the same struggle. I have never been a big cook and never really learned, but have gotten better in recent months... Here are a couple suggestions

1. Start by finding 2 recipes you would like to try before grocery shopping. Get the ingredients when shopping and then cook them within a couple days. By finding the recipe, cooking it, and realizing how good it is. It will help. Therefore it is not overwhelming and you will see the result..... Also I research 5 ingredients or less recipes to keep cooking time short. and you can continue to increase recipes you find or whatever, but 2 seems like a good way to start and it's not overwhelming.

2. With fresh veggies like broccoli, cauliflower- cut those up once you get back from the store and put in a container for easy grabs. I also cut up half a iceberg lettuce and have in a bowl so I have easy access.

I really like this approach!!

My husband and I are also a 2 person household. Honestly we're both so used to cooking for ourselves and for others, that it is pretty easy for us to cook the "right" amount w/o having too many leftovers, but I can understand how it is an issue for some people who think it's overwhelming to start if they haven't cooked much before or are used to a bigger household etc.

We have a few shared boards on Pinterest where we come up with meal ideas and then go over them when we're making our weekly grocery list. Most weeks, our list is made up of 2-3 new recipes and then a few easy go-to recipes that we already like and are easy to make. This only takes about 15 minutes of our week.

Meal ideas can be found anywhere...these forums, magazines, websites, etc. It is also pretty easy to tweak "regular" recipes - more so with cooking than baking - for example, making your own wheat crust for pizza and then topping it with 1/2 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella and a tbsp of Parmesan, instead of the suggested 2 cups of fresh mozzarella and 1/3 cup Parmesan. It makes a huge difference. Also, omitting bacon or mayo from certain recipes...endless swaps and omissions can be made.

For us the BIGGEST thing is having a list on the fridge of meals - either for 7 days/10 meals/2 weeks/whatever works. I've actually been doing this for about 10 years, even when I was with my ex and eating very unhealthy...it is just a very usable idea, in my opinion. It doesn't all have to be fancy meals, it can be as simple as listing sandwiches & salads alongside a casserole, pizza, fish, grilling out, a Mexican night, whatever. But for us it makes it way less likely that we will grab takeout or go out because 'there isn't much to eat in the house'.

Good luck, OP!

bshipman89

As many others have suggested, crockpot meals. It will become your best friend, lol! Seriously though, when I was getting rid of 40 lbs of baby weight last year, it made it so much easier because I didn't have to worry about working out and fixing supper. It was already done! Pinterest is probably one of the best things ever! You can look up healthy meals, or healthy crockpot meals. Whatever you're wanting. It has been a life saver, especially when you feel like your in a rut with what you do know how to cook. Greek yogurt is awesome. keep some fresh fruit on hand to mix in, and it cures your sweet tooth. Good luck to both of you!

zdyb23456

I am a busy mom of 3 young kids (5 and under). I work part-time (4 days a week) so I cook on my days off - Saturday and Tuesday (Sunday is my day of rest). I cook enough to last until my next cooking day - usually 2 or 3 recipes. If I decide to make a recipe that truly does not taste good reheated or it's a crock-pot recipe, I prep as much of the recipe as I can ahead of time i.e. chop veggies, clean/trim the meat, etc.

I know myself well enough that if I can't get dinner on the table fast, I will resort to junk i.e. frozen nuggets/fries, frozen pizza, canned veg, cereal/milk, etc. Although, my kids love when that happens

It take a bit of planning - deciding which meals to cook, buying the ingredients and cooking on my days off, but it's worth it. I starting do this years ago to save money, but it clearly has health benefits to it.

Btw, the meals do not have to be fancy! Tacos, split pea soup w/ crackers, meatloaf with steamed rice and veg, spaghetti with salad, stir-frys... I used boxed "helper" meals too, I'm not ashamed to admit. I use extra lean beef (93/7), add extra veggies and skip adding any milk/butter/oil.

seltzermint555

Oh, forgot to mention snacks:

Puppy Chow
Zucchini chips (slice them real thin and then bake them, bam...potato chips only not)
Peanut butter (or caramel) and apples (buy a handy dandy apple corer from Walmart for $10, you just push it down on the apple and you suddenly have slices)
Ranch and carrots
Mini bagels and cream cheese (and locks, if it's in the budget)
Pepperoni rolls.

Puppy chow?

It's a cute name for a snack made with Chex cereal and powdered sugar and other things. I've had a lot of coworkers who brought it in to former jobs.

I am marveling over how many people love their Crock Pots. I find very little use for mine, and I've owned like six over the years...I love to cook, but I don't know of too many dishes that work as well in the Crock Pot as they would in a Dutch oven. At least for me. Most of the successful Crock Pot dishes we make require a lot of attention too - can't just be left overnight or on low while at work all day - need more ingredients added and regular stirring and such.

kmariet7

We use our crockpot to cook up a bunch of meat to use during the week in different ways. BBQ chicken/ turkey or even just cooked with chicken stock to add into pasta or rice...

kimberlyblindsey

What works best in the crockpot(before I leave for work) is the time consuming meat cooking that would otherwise take forever after work, like shredded chicken for tacos--plop a couple chicken breasts in with some chicken broth, tomatoes, onion and garlic-and you'll have shredded taco meat for your tacos, pot roast- put some shoulder roast with red wine, bay leaves, onion, etc-but you have to brown it on both sides first and leave all day and you have roast for dinner and meat for sandwiches the next day, pulled chicken--just again chicken breast with barbecue sauce, brown sugar or I use coconut palm sugar and you've got sandwiches at night, white chix. chili, and lots of legumes and lentils cook well all day in crock pot too.

nixxthirteen

I pan fry salmon, chicken breasts, and steaks in bulk. Then I put a few in the fridge and the rest in the freezer. It takes BARELY any time to cook fresh meat.

My favourite thing to do when I get home late is heat up a piece of meat, and then steam half a bag of frozen veggies in a bowl of water in the microwave (6 min), or sautee fresh veggies in a pan. Very fast, super delicious when you experiment with sauces and spices, and easy cleanup!

I totally understand because I DESPISED cooking before starting my own weight loss journey. But if I can do it, I swear anyone can.

Other fast favourites:

-Tuna sandwich (one can low sodium tuna mixed with one tbsp light mayo and some mustard, on light rye with spinach and cucumber)
-Egg and chicken bacon sandwich
-Making 5 or 6 mini pizzas on pita bread and then freezing them.
-Turkey burgers - 1 lb ground meat and a ton of raw onions makes 4 patties. They cook up in the oven really damn fast.

Basically the trick is to cook stuff when you have time, then freeze it to reheat on days when you're lazy/tired/don't want to throw together a meal

seltzermint555

What works best in the crockpot(before I leave for work) is the time consuming meat cooking that would otherwise take forever after work, like shredded chicken for tacos--plop a couple chicken breasts in with some chicken broth, tomatoes, onion and garlic-and you'll have shredded taco meat for your tacos, pot roast- put some shoulder roast with red wine, bay leaves, onion, etc-but you have to brown it on both sides first and leave all day and you have roast for dinner and meat for sandwiches the next day, pulled chicken--just again chicken breast with barbecue sauce, brown sugar or I use coconut palm sugar and you've got sandwiches at night, white chix. chili, and lots of legumes and lentils cook well all day in crock pot too.

Ah maybe that's part of the reason my Crock Pot recipes are so different. They're mostly soups and stews with vegetables that have different cooking times - like a soup with beans and butternut squash that needs kale & sweet potato added later at different times. We don't buy or cook beef, pork, chicken, etc, because my husband is pescetarian. I eat meat but I detest cooking it, so I don't.

When I was with my ex husband we did buy/cook meat but when I tried it in the Crock Pot I think the recipes were off, because it would call for x amount of sauce and liquid with a weight of chicken (for example) and I would follow the directions to a tee but when I'd get home from work I just had either a sticky dried up slightly burnt mess, or semi-raw meat in flavorless sauce. For someone who cooks a lot and has good results, that was the biggest downer. I actually bought 2 more Crock Pots at one point thinking mine was faulty and then had the same thing happen! It sounds like it works really well for a lot of you, so I am glad :-)

theCaityCat

An idea I got from my doctor, of all people, was to cut up an apple, then put the slices into a jar with a tablespoon of orange juice to keep the apple from going brown. That way she has something healthy to snack on in between patients. I plan on trying this when I go back to work in the fall, because I often have very little time in between speech/language therapy groups.

I also make a batch of granola with oats, raisins, nuts, dried apple, and maple syrup or honey every couple of weeks. A 1/2 cup of granola in a sandwich bag is an easy snack.