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NWR: Cooking Vs. Eating out

Brit09Brit09
100 Comments
in Colorado-Denver
FI and I eat out almost every night, it's a bad habit but it works for us. We try to buy groceries but since it's just the 2 of us a lot of it ends up in the trash. So, I was curious what all of you do? I want to start cooking more any helpful tips for buying/cooking in smaller batches?
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Re: NWR: Cooking Vs. Eating out

  • COkristiCOkristi member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    What works for us is going to the store twice a week. That way I only buy fresh fruits and veggies a few at a time so they don't go bad. I cook almost every night and it's easy to do grilled chicken or fish for 2 people. Some recipes are really good leftover so I make 4 servings so I have some to take for lunches. Check out www.eatbetteramerica.com and www.cookinglight.comfor recipes. Most are pretty easy.I also buy chicken breasts and freeze them, same with ground turkey, and I buy frozen tilapia. You can always grill up 4 chicken breasts one night and then you won't have to cook the next night. Grilled chicken salad, flatbread pizza, chicken wraps, whole wheat quesadillas, stir fry...lots of possibilites.
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  • jforeman5jforeman5
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I agree with PP about making four servings and using the left overs for lunch or dinner the last day. I love having left overs for lunch at work, it defininitely beats a microwave meal!I cook almost every night (or we'll eat left overs or have sandwiches), and we only go out to dinner a few times a month. I also go to the grocery store at least once a week to get fresh produce and meat. I also get chicken, shrimp and ground meat and keep it in the freezer at home so I can use it whenever I need it.COkristy pretty much covered it all, flatbread (I use pita) pizzas are your BFF! I use Allrecipes.com alot because each recipe has a calculator where you type in how many servings you want to make, and it converts the recipe for you! Here are a few things I keep on hand that are really easy to whip up an easy meal:Chicken breasts or porkchops (bake with seasonings in a tin foil pouch)brown rice frozen veggies in case I'm out of freshpotatoes (chopped and baked they take about 30 min)All the ingrediants for chili and chicken noodle soupEVOO, fresh lemons, fresh garlic, sea salt, parmesan cheese and a pepper mill will ensure anything you make is delicious! I have a ton of different spices, I grow fresh herbs in my kitchen (as easy as any house plant), and I have a variety of sauces in my fridge. This keeps things from getting boring even if you are using similar ingrediants each night. Don't be afraid to try something new because that is the only way you can learn! I love to cook, I would be happy to give you any other tips, just email me at jfo_55 at hotmail dot com! GL!
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  • Brit09Brit09
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks ladies! Everything you both said was very helpful!I'm a freak about leftovers, freezing things and experation dates and I really need to stop being such a wierdo about those things, I think that will really help. Well I'll probably still be a freak about experation dates, I always have been!
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  • chelbell326chelbell326 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    ditto prior posts...all very good suggestions!  The other thing that we do at home is I make a meal plan for the week & FI "approves" it :)  That way we know what go get at the grocery store, know when to thaw out frozen meat (we buy in bulk & freeze), the first person who gets home can start dinner and we can also plan things ahead so that we can utilize something we cooked the night before & incorporate it into the next meal. (ie:  if we make baked chicken breasts the night before, we make 3-4 & then we use the leftover ones to make chicken enchiladas the next night.)  I've found that having the menu planned out ahead of time keeps me on-track (if we have something planned out & meat is thawed for dinner then we are less likely to eat out b/c I don't want to waste groceries) ;)  Good luck & keep us posted on how your new cooking adventures go! ;)
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  • chelbell326chelbell326 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Brit-   Another thing to think about is using a crock pot!  You can prep everything in the AM & then dinner is ready when you get home!  We have a smaller crockpot & can make dinner for 2 in it without having to dirty lots of pots/pans.  Easy peasy!
    no identifiable siggy pictures anymore, thanks a lot stupid nest!
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  • Brit09Brit09
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Thanks Chell! It's weird my mom use to plan our meals growing up, you would think that I would inheriate that! Crockpot is a good idea too! Thanks!
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  • erin48erin48 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I agree with everything already said. Menu planning is a must! (it helps to save money too so you don't buy useless stuff). We shop every Sunday for meals through Thurs. I take the left overs for lunch. Every Friday is our "date night" where we go out to eat. It saves money, and makes eating out more special. I love recipes from cookinglight.com
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  • me2reanme2rean
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Menu planning will definitely help. I hate eating leftovers, so I try to cook exactly what we will eat. Most recipes can be altered. For those that are more time consuming (enchiladas, lasagne, soups) I will spend one day making a huge batch, then put together smaller portions, one for that night, then the rest go into the freezer for an easy meal day.
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  • jasmine0530jasmine0530 member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    i'm loving this post....also, for a quick answer, Rachael Ray has a cookbook called 2,4,6,8 Great Meals For Couples and Crowds.
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