Over the last few years, I have gotten into the habit of looking at cooking as something that I have to do, rather than something I enjoy doing. While the big lockdown in 2020 gave me more time to spend cooking and let me develop some recipes, as I got more stressed throughout the year, I started to rely on easy meals and takeaways more and more.
Even though I now work from home the majority of the time and did throughout 2021, I have still fallen into the trap of just cooking anything quickly or ordering in more frequently. Even when I grew my own food, I struggled to get the energy together to actually do anything with it.
I previously tried weekly meal planning but found that this meant I was even shorter on time as I had to go food shopping more often. By the time it came to actually getting in the kitchen, the shopping side of things had left me shattered. My husband also ended up cooking less often, so I actually made more work for myself.
This is why I am taking an even more organised approach to cooking and meal preparation this year.
Planning what we want to eat
I've found that the best ways to do this are by:
- Looking at what we already have in the cupboards and freezer
- Seeing what is in season during the month
- Asking my husband for 5 meals he would like
- Thinking about what I fancy making for fun
The chances are that things in the cupboard will translate into some of our favourite dishes (I have no issue with eating vegetable fajitas at least once a month), especially if I previously cooked it in bulk and shoved it in the freezer. Typically, these also tend to be the quicker and/or easier meals that are great for busy days.
Looking at what's in-season can mean that you are more likely to come across offers, not to mention being able to get more fresh, local produce. It can also mean you're able to get some of your shopping from markets or small businesses, which I always prefer to the big supermarkets if my budget allows.
In many cases, the meals my husband chooses are ones that he can cook, so this ensures he cooks something at least once a week (although I'm trying to get him to do more food prep and learn new recipes). He'll often also want something with meat so I can get away with getting him a ready meal every now and then that he can just chuck in the microwave -- perfect for when I'm out for the evening or busy.
Finally, I'm trying to make sure that I make at least one meal for fun each week. This can be something I've not made in ages, something that takes a lot of prep time or a brand new recipe I found and want to try out. This makes sure that I can get excited about cooking at least once a week rather than trudging through every meal.
Creating a calendar
If I have a class on a set day, my husband can cook something easy. If he's got a gaming night arranged, I'll make something that he can have as and when he gets hungry. I even plan in the days that we're going out or when we're going to order a takeaway as this saves me from buying food that could go to waste.
The result is my list of meals in date order complete with who's cooking.
Not only does this make sure we know what's for tea and can move things as required, it also ensures I know what to buy on our big monthly shop and what I may need to pic up throughout the month so I'm not scrabbling to buy things.
Making the plan visible
To combat this and make sure I'm all set for the week ahead, I have a meal planning chalkboard in the kitchen. Every Sunday, I update this with the meals for the rest of the week, along with who is cooking them so my husband can easily see what's for dinner and be prepared to cook on his evenings.
I've found that this is also a great way to talk myself out of just ordering a takeaway, as if I've had a hard day and don't want to make something complicated, I can switch what I'm cooking with another day while still sticking to the plan.
This weekly plan also means I can keep an eye on ingredients with a short date and pop them in the freezer or pre-prepare them if necessary, which cuts down on waste.
Time saving and healthy choices
It is also saving money, as I'm only buying what we actually need. If I happen to come across something that's on offer or that I fancy trying, I may still buy it or make a note of it so I can include it in the plan for the following the month.
Probably one of the most important factors is that doing this means we are making healthier food choices. There's fewer instances of grabbing a frozen pizza or ordering a takeaway because we have a plan and the right ingredients at home. We can also see when treat days are, which means we stick to them and look forward to them more.
So far, I've planned until mid-March this way and it seems to be working well, so fingers crossed I can keep it up and get back into the groove of enjoying cooking.