Trying to cook more

[Radiance]

Agree, but you need to consider this is affordable even now in countries like India and many latin american countries....Back there I always had some type of help. If not for cooking, for cleaning.

[mom-from-missouri]

for expiration dates...check with your local home economist for specific information. Many of these dates can be stretched a bit. Dried spices for example, lose strength so it is efficient to increase the amount. In many cases the date can be interpreted as 'best before.' You can use common sense, if it looks bad, smells bad or tastes bad...trash it.

Many items don't carry an expiration date--many are "BEST BY" dates. There is a difference, or in our area our milk has a "SELL BY" date. Many times I have seen people misunderstand those dates and dump good food.

Some bad items can still be used--sour milk?? Good for a sour milk cake or you can google for more recipes.

[disneysteve]

Many items don't carry an expiration date--many are "BEST BY" dates. There is a difference, or in our area our milk has a "SELL BY" date. Many times I have seen people misunderstand those dates and dump good food.

The dating laws vary by state, also. We live in NJ. Our milk cartons are dated with one date and then below that, it says, "In New York, sell by ..." with a date several days sooner.

[mom-from-missouri]

I think you need a "rotating menu". I owned/directed a preschool & daycare center years ago we had one so that we had no leftovers.

For example:

day one you might have chili
day 2 would be chili dogs (that would use up the remaining chili) and you add the hotdogs and buns
day3 would be beenie weenies (to use up any leftover hotdogs) and cheesy bread (made with the leftover buns)

We had it designed so that all would either be gone by day 5 or the leftovers from day 5 would be frozen into individual servings for staff at a later date, or for a child who came in late after meals were done but needed to eat, or for our "buffet night" when we had training once a month after work and we would eat down the freezer.

We had 6 weeks of "rotating menus" that a nutritionist helped us with.

We tried to not have any leftovers, but you never knew who may not come due to sickensses and such. Also, we served family style so kids coulds get seconds. Parents could also pay and eat with us (sign up the day before) but some were bigger eaters than others so we always couldn't judge portions accuractly. When we switched to rotations, our waste came to a halt.

[cptacek]

Radiance, I feel your frustration!

I am trying to do the meal planning thing. I did great last week, and doing fine this week. But like you, I am afraid of wasting food.

For instance, last week, I made meatloaf, and in my recipe, I use carrots. I don't really eat carrots by themselves, so I was afraid that they would go bad. So, this week, I used them in chicken noodle soup (made my own broth and everything. Go me!) But to make chicken noodle soup, I needed celery! So I got the celery. Now what to do with the extra stalks? When I was sauteing the carrots, celery and onions for the broth, it smelled like some type of Chinese food. So, I got a $.99 spice packet and made Kung Pao Chicken with the rest of the carrots, most of the celery, and chicken I was going to use for another meal.

I am like you, in that I was never 'trained' in the kitchen, or home management. I worked outside on the farm with Dad, and if you worked outside, the people who got to stay inside did the inside work. I definitely believe that managing a household is a skill someone has to learn...but eventually, things like this will seem like second nature, and we won't have to think about them, so long as we learn the lesson.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Actually many americans don't learn cooking either. Why? Either eating out or some one else takes care of it. I didn't learn until I married my DH. He only learned because he moved out as well. It takes time.

[PrincessPerky]

Agree, but you need to consider this is affordable even now in countries like India and many latin american countries....Back there I always had some type of help. If not for cooking, for cleaning.

Oh I know, many countries still have a good labor force.

Just not here in the US (and I am looked on as a terrible person for wanting one, how could I demean another by asking them to do my dirty work?)

As to learning how to cook, who has time between 6-8 hours of school, 1-3 hours of homework, and baths, eating, extra curricular activities, ect. America is blessed with tons of cheap tech to make life easy, so we fill it with more cheap tech....

[snafu]

Don't know how or just don't like to cook? Turn that negative into a positive by inviiting a neighbor or a friend in for a Sunday cook-a-thon once a month. Try cooks.com or some similar site for the ingredients you have on-hand.

As a newly wed, I got together with 2 friends and the three of us made entrees focused on Chicken or Beef or Pork...whtever was on sale at the supermarket. We put on some music, made a ton of mistakes, laughed about our inexperience and produced at least 10 meals each to freeze. Once in awhile one of our moms came over to show how to make her 'specialty.' Best of all DH was responsible for the clean up!

[rob62521]

Find a basic cookbook -- not a fancy chef cookbook, but an old time one with basic recipes. If you can find a few basic recipes, you can alter the ingredients and have quite a few recipes under your belt.

[Radiance]

A different approach!

This is what I decided to try first. It can evolve to incorporate other things:

I saw a 30 day weeknight dinner meal plan on a magazine and I bought it ($4)

What I like is how well organized it is:

Each page has three columns:
In the left page is the grocery list for the week, the Monday and the Tuesday recipe
In the right page, the recipes for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
Then the same for weeks 2,3 and 4 in the next pages
Besides, very important, it includes a good quality color picture of the completed dish at the top of every column and each recipe is less than 30 minutes prep time.

ok, so on Saturday I checked my kitchen to see what I was missing and went shopping.
Because it was not a latin based menu, I had to buy some things I am not sure I will use in the long run, such as rice vinegar (?!?). But I did it anyway because I know that If I deviate, I will not do this. (I've tried before and I failed because I was making so many changes to the plan, this time I am going in auto-pilot!)

I only made two changes, so far: I replaced pork with chicken breast and white rice with brown rice.

ok, so On Sunday night, I was tired, but I got my tired self to the kitchen and cooked the Monday dinner! Done!
Well, I actually brought it as lunch today; I plan to have cereal for dinner.

Tonight, I will cook the Tuesday recipe... wish me luck!

[rob62521]

You sound quite organized, Radiance! Good luck!

[Radiance]

Thanks

It is a gift and a curse at the same time.
I don't see myself as highly organized but there most be some thuth to it since I get that feedback very often...

I think it helps me getting things done, but it makes it that I need things to be organized certain way so they work for me....

Anyway, I am happy to report that I am on day 3 of my weeknight meal plan and so far so good, and, I am enjoying it!!

I'll leave it like this for 3 weeks before I try to add lunches, breakfasts, snacks. I also want to do healthier stuff, more veggies, some raw food, some vegetarian. But I know I need to get into the rhythm first. Baby steps.

[alexis]

well good luck. That is good for you.

Try to search easy cook meals ... if you want i can help you. I loved to cook. FYI, i am not a good Cook but because of my husband i learned and it become my hobby

[snafu]

Radiance if you are unfamiliar with Vinegar... This product has a great many uses. Frugalistas use it for cleaning, others use it medicinally, it sets color, degreases, meat tenderizer etc. Try Googling for all the things vinegar can do!

[Radiance]

Thank you Alexis, I might cry for help as I add more recipes to my collection. For now I am liking Allrecipes and eatingwell. I also have a "30 minutes meals" cookbook and a"easy vegetarian" cookbook.