I'm sure I've mentioned it before.......I HATE cooking. Mostly I hate making dinner. And I hate trying to figure out what to make for dinner. DH pretty much only likes a handful of things, so in that sense it should be easy to plan, but I get so sick of eating the same exact meals every week. But, pretty much that's what it ends up being.
At least we have cut our fast food expense way down with it being just us two. Two nights are budgeted for take out. I always plan all my dinner meals for the week before I go grocery shopping. So, this is what I have this week, starting with last Friday night:
Friday - Tuna Casserole (only because I don't want to go grocery shopping that afternoon and I had nothing else to make. I prefer early Saturday morning)
Saturday - Steak (on the BBQ now that we have it out and weather is good)
Sunday - Hamburgers (BBQ)
Monday - stopped at Subway on my way home and got sandwiches
Tuesday - ? (Tomato soup and grilled cheese - Just decided this morning what to make)
Wed - Meatloaf
Thurs -Take out for DH from his favorite burger stand
I can always think of 4 meals for the 5 I make at home and always am stumped what to make the 5th.
There are other things I made on a regular basis, but not enough to want them every week, so they get rotated in every 2-3 weeks (like tuna casserole, chicken sandwich ring, pizza, tacos, etc). I'm a terrible cook! I mean the food is ok......I just don't have it in me to get excited about it and DH is such a picky eater. Last Sunday I made this cheesy bacon hashbrown casserole that is really good and always tons left over for my lunches for the week. Well, last Tuesday was my ? day and I hadn't figured anything out. I didn't even have tomato soup on the cupboard to make. DH does not like leftovers (unless it's from Thanksgiving) but I went ahead and re-heated it anyway......he had 2nds...of leftovers! That probably seems ridiculous to most, but it's a huge deal around here, LOL.
For my shopping trip this past Saturday I tried to come up with 2 weeks of dinner meals and shopped accordingly. I was able to get most of it, but a couple of the dinners next week need fresh ingredients and I will need milk and such, but next weekends shopping should be a much quicker trip. I was also able to get a good deal on soda (dh drinks) at Target for $2 each and stocked up on 8 12 packs.
I told DD that while she is home for the summer (in a few more weeks) she is in charge of making dinner one night a week. She was very agreeable, so that is good. I don't care what she makes as long as I don't have to make it. But she does have to keep in it the area of what DH will eat. She likes to try new stuff, so maybe we'll end up with a new recipe or two we all like.
DH does not like leftovers, but could you freeze stuff into DH-size portions and then make yourself a salad or eat cereal or try something else you like on another night? We are creatures of habit, too, and tend to eat the same meals over and over again. I also freeze a lot of single-size portions when I make crockpot meals or lasagna, etc., because we have plenty of "fend for yourself" evenings when neither of us want to cook.
ReplyDeleteI usually cook big batches and freeze them in portion sizes. It is easy to take them out and re-heat them in the toaster oven. Some nights, I prepare sandwiches or pasta for variety and this way I cook about twice a month. I am a big fan of leftovers unlike your DH.
ReplyDeleteWhat about grilling other stuff? We grill pork chops, boneless ribs, regular ribs, chicken breasts and thighs and drummies, pork loin, brats, kielbasa, steaks, burgers, fish, you name it. I also like to throw a sandwich night in during the summer, sloppy joes, BLT's, cold cuts, grilled cheese, tuna melts, etc.
ReplyDeletewe are just winging it this week. I prefer to do a batch cook as I like to cook, but like you get fed up of cooking. My dh does not cook at all, so it's always up to me to do it.
ReplyDeleteGreat ideas! I have a question for those that cook and freeze. Say for a casserole, do you bake it and then frreze and reheat or freeze before baking and then thaw and bake?
ReplyDeleteI definitely want to try some more things for grilling on the BBQ, especially chicken and fish.
My dh is like yours Gill, doesn't cook at all and it's all on me.
I bake or cook first, let the dish cool off and then, divide it in portion sizes to freeze. I make stuffed peppers, tomatoes, grape leaves. These freeze really well. Casseroles freeze well too. I also make meatballs or meat patties. These can be frozen both uncooked or cooked.
DeleteThanks T'Pol! I will have to start doing that because with just the 2 of us (well after this summer is over and DD is back at school) the dishes have more than enough to half and freeze some of it.
DeleteI don't make casseroles, but I freeze lasagna, beef stew-like dishes, grilled chicken, etc. after cooking and reheat via microwave. I actually don't freeze anything uncooked.
ReplyDeleteWe are grilling A LOT in our household right now - after a few edible but a little too done experiments DH has hit his stride. Burgers are huge in our household right now, followed quickly by chicken. Since DH does not eat pork, we do not typically have ribs or roasts of that nature, but he's had beef short ribs marinating and is planning to slow smoke them on the grill this afternoon.