planning good meal ideas & combinations
(varying tastes, textures, healthiness + more)
(varying tastes, textures, healthiness + more)
I tend to think of what to buy for dinner when I'm at the grocery store (I usually buy for 2-3 nights at a time).
Some of what I end up with has to do with what I've had the past 2 nights... if I've had something stewy or soupy, I'll want an entree that's kind of firm (like perhaps oven baked chicken or pork tenderloin or stuffed bell peppers or tacos, etc). If I've had something firm, my taste buds will be ready for something stewy or soupy. Some things fall in-between, but again I just like to vary the texture of things as well as the nutrients, basic tastes, etc (wouldn't have tomato-based foods or pasta two nights in a row, e.g.).
We do eat leftovers sometimes and I may even plan for two meals from one cooking session, but I'll usually save the leftovers for the day-after so won't be eating them two days in a row or have for lunches.)
I'll do the same kind of thing for the veggies, fruit, and/or starches... just vary them so we don't have the same ones for about 3 days. (I usually have a protein, veggie, starch or beans, and fruit...though stews/casseroles/tacos/etc may have more than one of those things, or I'll supplement with a green or veggie salad on the side, or bread. We also do vegetarian things sometimes.) I also like to vary the cuisine (though most of the stuff I make is "healthy") so I'll also intersperse dishes from the Far East or the Middle East or Latin America/Mexico, etc., with more American or European dishes.
Oh, and I also vary the "healthiness" over a few days, or rather allow splurges... so I might buy something fattier or with more sodium (often boxed, jarred, or take-out foods) than I'd eat normally, but then be sure to cut back on those things for the next few days so it won't mount up or become a habit.
After learning a number of "recipes" that I like, it's easier too to be ready for say chicken or fish, etc, then know immediately a few ways those can be fixed.
Sometimes I just go buy something-fast-for-tonight too if I'm tired or out of time, like perhaps a shrimp boil with Old Bay Seasoning in the water and cocktail sauce as an entree, or have omelets or scrambles because I always have those ingredients around as staples.
I also cut out or save in my files recipes that look interesting when I come across them, and will sometimes try a new one (we call those meals"Adventures in Dining"). They may work out or not, then go into my possibilities--or not, or need more work.
I also vary "cooking" with having occasional take-out or restaurant meals (or take out from hot food tables, etc.), or simple things like sandwiches or TV dinners with fruit or a salad on the side. The DH and I also take turns cooking when he's home early enough or on weekends (whoever doesn't cook cleans up), and sometimes we have we're-on-our-own-to-scrounge nights too, so cooking doesn't get as burdensome and unrelenting as it can feel sometimes (especially with kids or when both working, etc.). Otherwise, I enjoy cooking and learning new stuff.
Here are some ideas for "quick" and/or easy recipes that are also "healthy", although I'd seldom spend more than 30-45 minutes on any of my dishes anyway (unless they were stews/etc and took several hours to cook but that's time I can be doing other things):
http://www.google.com/search?q=recipes+q…
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu…
...you can narrow either of those searches down a lot by adding the word chicken or stew or microwave or something as an additional search term
HTH,
Diane B.
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