How do you guys motivate yourselves to cook?

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245

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  • chad_phillips1123
    chad_phillips1123 Posts: 229 Member
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    Sometimes I enjoy cooking, sometimes I don't. In general, I keep in mind that it's an investment. Not only does it cost less to make it than buy fast food or pre made, but by making a big batch of something and tupperwaring it, I'm must more likely to eat it.

    I also don't pigeon hole myself with a dish. I cook quite a bit of chicken (yeah protein!). I've grilled it, pan fried it, and baked it. From any of those methods I can reheat the leftovers and add some bbq, shred some and have chicken burritios, chop it up for salad, or shred for chicken salad. Add some veggies and it a pretty healthy and filling meal. It doesn't take that long to cook a batch (listen to some music while cooking if you're ADD). And try to find recipes/dishes that are versatile, can be made in batches, and be used in different meal types.

    I find Yummly.com to be pretty good at finding new recipes. Classical or ambient electronica for cooking music.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Cook?
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    Hunger?
  • Flossiesdoll
    Flossiesdoll Posts: 48
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    I spend a weekend every so often cooking meals and freezing them in portions so I don't have to cook through the week.
  • StaceyRigs
    StaceyRigs Posts: 9 Member
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    I make a weekly meal plan and shop for the whole week at once. I post the meals on a white board in my kitchen so I don't have the hear "What's for dinner?" as soon as I walk in the door from work.

    When I make my meal plan I take into account any activities going on that week, so I know how much time I have to cook. Also, the crock pot is your friend. Throw something in before work and it's ready when you get home.

    I do my workout as soon as I get home and then go straight to cooking dinner. The key to me getting it done is not sitting down until everything is ready. Once my butt hits the chair I am done doing anything else.
  • Crateria_
    Crateria_ Posts: 253 Member
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    Sometimes I enjoy cooking, sometimes I don't. In general, I keep in mind that it's an investment. Not only does it cost less to make it than buy fast food or pre made, but by making a big batch of something and tupperwaring it, I'm must more likely to eat it.

    I also don't pigeon hole myself with a dish. I cook quite a bit of chicken (yeah protein!). I've grilled it, pan fried it, and baked it. From any of those methods I can reheat the leftovers and add some bbq, shred some and have chicken burritios, chop it up for salad, or shred for chicken salad. Add some veggies and it a pretty healthy and filling meal. It doesn't take that long to cook a batch (listen to some music while cooking if you're ADD). And try to find recipes/dishes that are versatile, can be made in batches, and be used in different meal types.

    I find Yummly.com to be pretty good at finding new recipes. Classical or ambient electronica for cooking music.
    Perfect response-- thank you :DDD
  • edisonsbulb
    edisonsbulb Posts: 93 Member
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    I browse around on here:
    http://www.pinterest.com/all/food_drink/

    and then I'm like
    daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam that looks GOOD!
  • jrcrmr
    jrcrmr Posts: 31 Member
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    honestly, my end game is a mix of a few posts on here:

    - cooking will usually allow you to eat more..so that's a big win for someone like me who has an insane appetite (the same meals pre-prepared tend to have higher calories and you can choose "better" ingredients)

    - it allows me to feel less guilty on meals (a few a week) where i do let myself go a bit (always staying within my macros, and under my goal for the week)

    - setting a specific day/time where i'm not working, taking a few hours, and getting most if not all my meals for the week ready. on sunday afternoon, i will do four egg white omelettes, and two meals which usually have at least four servings each...that will hold me over until at least thursday (usually until friday) and it'll only take two hours out of a day where i didn't work anyway so i'm not as pressed for time

    - i'll usually put on a movie that i've already seen and like in the background to keep myself externally stimulated (get your mind out of the gutter)

    those are my tricks and motivations...
  • Crateria_
    Crateria_ Posts: 253 Member
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    I browse around on here:
    http://www.pinterest.com/all/food_drink/

    and then I'm like
    daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam that looks GOOD!
    Oh goooodnesssssssssss <3333
  • reddz12
    reddz12 Posts: 350 Member
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    to be honest i weight out nutrition and calories before i leave work.. i can either cook.. and actually eat good things and potentially MORE good things as opposed to grabbing fast food and being limited.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    gotta eat yo.

    kidding aside, i love to cook. it brings me pleasure. spending a day on the deck with a bottle of chilled white and my smoker is tough to beat imo.
  • TKhamvongsa
    TKhamvongsa Posts: 287
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    Because I have to meet my macros. If I don't - chaos will happen.
  • Bounce4
    Bounce4 Posts: 288 Member
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    Well I don't even like to cook but I do get hungry so that is my motivation, lol. If I lived alone I'm pretty sure I'd exist on rice and oranges, pasta and sauce, or raisin bran - then eat out the rest of time. Actually I did that for years, lol.

    Some things to do to make cooking a little more fun:

    try new recipes
    try new foods (I don't really like this but lots of people do)
    Cook with a friend.
    Find one of those groups that meet for one afternoon and make freezer meals.
    Cook for a friend once a week or so.

    Some things to become more efficient so it isn't such a chore.

    Buy all your produce on Sat. and clean it all so it is ready to grab and use all week long.
    Cook a batch of chicken on the weekend and then separate it into individual servings to either freeze or eat up in the next few meals/days. I use a crock pot but baking in the oven works too.
    If you like meals with hamburger you can cook that in bulk on the weekend and freeze pre-cooked individual sized packages.
    Once you have that done you can make some chili, or pasta sauce, or whatever in hardly any time at all.
    Stir fry is quick and easy if you have all the veggies prepared from the weekend. You can buy stir fry meat or cut up your own chicken breast etc

    Have pandora playing at all times, lol.

    I mostly think hollydubs85 wins this one though. I'd go with her suggestion hands down.
  • amethyst7986
    amethyst7986 Posts: 223 Member
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    I only have to motivate myself once a week to cook.....usually Sundays. I make all my food, bag it up, separate according to day and then all that's left is grabbing what I need for the next day and put it in my lunch bag.

    My other motivation is Pintrest...they have recipes and ideas galore!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I spend a weekend every so often cooking meals and freezing them in portions so I don't have to cook through the week.

    Excellent idea! ^^ Why waste money on Lean Cuisine when you can have your own tastier frozen meals?
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    My motivation is avoiding sodium. There is little food I can get from a restaurant, out of a box or from a can that does not have oppressive amounts of sodium. My solution is to prepare very basic meals of protein, whole grains and vegetables. Often it's done on the grill. Grilled chicken, whole grain rice, and asparagus is not so bad a few times a week.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,124 Member
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    Being hungry... that's my motivation. Crappy frozen foods and fast food isn't an option. Just think of all that sodium you're taking in. Why not cook a lot at once on the weekend and save it for throughout the week? It's really not difficult to throw some chicken on the grill and steam some veggies. Takes... 20min tops.
  • Gestahl
    Gestahl Posts: 110 Member
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    As mentioned by many others, cooking in batches and tupperware-ing it helps immensely with saving time! Crock pot recipes are particularly easy and usually last for several meals - sometimes a week's worth if you're eating it yourself! Which gives me more time for geeky hobbies like gaming and anime, haha.

    I also find that it helps to view it as an art. I tend to be overly perfectionistic of my own cooking, but there's something fulfilling to creating food, even if it takes time away from my hobbies. It makes me feel like my life is more balanced. The more you cook something, too, the more efficient you become at it.

    In addition, try out a few different types of cooking if possible. Baking doesn't feel at all like stovetop cooking, and stovetop cooking feels different still from grilling. Baking is hard for me to enjoy... I like being able to handle the food right in front of me. I know several others who are the exact opposite and bake incredible things but feel less comfortable with a stove. Find what works for you. And great job trying to motivate yourself to cook more!
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I love to cook, so I don't have this issue.

    But I'd agree with what some others said about meal prep in advance. I do my shopping Saturday and cook on Sunday. You could try cooking a variety of meats and bake off some potatoes...then during the week, you can re-heat the meat and potatoes and I also buy the Birds Eye frozen veggies that steam in the microwave right in the bag. Then you have a healthy meal and didn't have to do much to make it! Pretty quick too!

    You can also try making a big salad on the weekend and having that for lunch with different types of protein to go with it. I make a big one and it stays good for 4 days, which is about how long it takes me to eat it.

    For breakfast, I do a lot of yogurt, fruit, protein bars...Think Thin bars specifically...again, little effort, lots of return.

    Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
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    This is when I need a wife.

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