A new years resolution is to cut my takeout/delivery food consumption. I can literally go weeks without a home cook meal.
I am not ready/ don't have the time for learning to cook more meals from scratch (I've got about 5 things I can cook confidently and that's it), but I am good with the stove and seasoning stuff to my taste.
So what are your favorite pre-packaged easy meals?
I've heard people rave about the Trade Joe's Kung Pao chicken for example.
********** "Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson
i steam em in a bamboo steamer and eat it with vegetables i blanche/steam
but your best bet is really to get a freshly roasted chicken and whip up veggies real quick and there you go. at least health/$$ wise
ive been suspended from the coop for at least 2 months now so im suffering. i should be back in the game after this weekend but i was frozen dumpling it up. i usually get the trader joes ones or the ones from chinatown. all the good dumpling spots sell frozen bags of 50 to go for like 10 bucks but theyre only usually pork or veggie
you miss a shift without notifcation, you have to do 2 to make up first time i blew it off and if i had made next month's shift i'd still be in good shape (i would have time to do my makeups and still shop)
but next month i got the flu and didn't let them know in time.
so then i owed FOUR
now i owe them three. lol. it's been a busy time
if i do one more makeup i'll be allowed to shop again and have more leeway to do makeups
19. "i put salt in my coffee. the health risks of salt " In response to Reply # 7
consumption are greatly overraggerated for healthy people with normal blood pressure.
that said, most americans are overweight and that in itself puts them at risk for all kind of problems related to salt consumption like heart attack, stroke, even if they decrease salt consumption.
I think people don't give enough consideration to the insanely high sodium levels found in those pre-packaged meals.
You really need to get a crockpot. Soups! Curries! Ribs! All lamb everything. You put your ingredients in before you go to sleep and turn it off when you go to work. Or prep before going to work and your meal will be waiting for you when you get home. Crockpot cooking really is one of the greatest culinary delights of my life.
Go get you a crockpot and make it do what it do.
_______________________________ Maintain chill at all times.
make variations of the 5 things you know how to make
this is coming from someone who hates cooking but i have to or else i'd have high blood pressure
you have more ppl in your family so it may be harder but cook a big batch of something on the weekend. at least enough to last through wednesday. you have kids though so you might need more variety.
but Niq96st is right, get a crock pot. google recipes. all you have to do is chop and prep (which you can do the night before) and put it in the crock pot and you come home to a meal
you can cook nearly everything in a crock pot-soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, desserts, even a whole chicken (which I have never tried)
a rice cooker got you on a quick starch and veggies are quick to make
60. "Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless is my go to cookbook" In response to Reply # 11
Most of the recipes can be cooked in 30 minutes. They are mostly a meat and veggies so they are healthier than pre-cooked meals.
Also he gives many riffs so you can change the recipe and suit it to your tastes.
For example one of my faves is chipotle shrimp. Take a can of diced tomatoes and blend it with a chipotle pepper (or 2 if you like it spicy). Add it to a pan with olive oil and a chopped garlic clove. Brown sauce for a few minutes. Add shrimp to pan, cook for a few minutes each side, add a little cilantro for garnish and you are done.
30. "I take it youre turned off by the prices" In response to Reply # 23
>8 dollars. > >********** >"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then >they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson > >http://blackpeopleonlocalnews.tumblr.com/
Its good eating though, you should try one sometime.
34. "smh, bruh, u can't eat eggs everyday" In response to Reply # 33
>All you have to do is peel and season them with olive oil, >etc. > >Eggs are easy too. Hell, I make them in the microwave lol. > >Rotisserie chicken, avocados, and eggs are my easy-eating >trifecta, and all of them are healthy enough to eat every >day. > >
38. "Yes you can. You stuck on them outdated guidelines. " In response to Reply # 34
Eggs are one of the healthiest foods around, and the idea that one should consume them sparingly has fallen out of vogue. In 2015, it's ok to eat eggs basically to your heart's desire.
The same goes for avocados, which were once feared to be too high in cholesterol, but are now appreciated as something we should eat on a daily basis.
41. "we eat eggs and bacon EVERYday and have super low cholesterol" In response to Reply # 38
well the numbers that are sposed to be low are hella low the numbers that are sposed to be high are hella high my wife will try to fight me if i dont have at least BACON for breakfast some days i skip eggs and do BACON and cream of wheat still got that sugary/salty thing going on
62. "You'll die because of bread before you die of eggs." In response to Reply # 45
I have three eggs a day, and my cholesterol levels are on fleek. Meanwhile, people wonder why they're not losing weight on low-fat yogurt and "healthy" cereal.
40. "Yes I will put an egg in a small bowl " In response to Reply # 33
Microwave it for a minute. It comes out perfectly round then put it on an English muffin with some bacon and make an egg mcmuffin. Or do a mini quiche in a mug. Or flax seed muffin in a mug. The main binder for that is egg.
The avocados I will freeze a lot of times and make smoothies. Vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. They're delicious on veggie burgers too. Really the taste is so mild, you can use them on just about anything.
43. "treat yourself to a very sharp and good knife. you will cook. " In response to Reply # 0
it takes no time to expand your repertoire and the cool thing is that a lot of shit is connective, learn one recipe and realize that that one thing connects to about 3 and 5 other recipes.
you can seriously eat good as fuck if you cook at home and your pockets will thank you.
im dropping about 200-300 on groceries a month which is like a week of eating out every meal
46. "BALLER ALERT $1,200 a month on food for a single person" In response to Reply # 43
>im dropping about 200-300 on groceries a month which is like >a week of eating out every meal
when i lived in nyc i did not cook for like 9 months straight every meal was eaten out i'd average $30 a day on food $5 breakfast $5-10 lunch $10-20 dinner
sometimes i could repurpose the dinner from the night before as lunch the following day
and most days i spend $2 on a large cup of porridge from the dominican spot on 125/Lexington for my metro-north ride
that was nutritious and filling
hit the food trucks in front of 333 Cedar (i see you O_E) for a $5 lunch plate and im golden
48. "that seems to be the case for a lot of NY folks...I dont get it. " In response to Reply # 46
>when i lived in nyc i did not cook for like 9 months straight >every meal was eaten out >i'd average $30 a day on food >$5 breakfast >$5-10 lunch >$10-20 dinner >
I can only go so long with eating out before I lose my brain. there something extra nourishing about a home cooked meal.
I like to eat by a lot but I would be mad as fuck if I consistently ate every meal out.
49. "homecooked meals take a LOT of preparation and cost $$$" In response to Reply # 48
>I can only go so long with eating out before I lose my brain. >there something extra nourishing about a home cooked meal. > >I like to eat by a lot but I would be mad as fuck if I >consistently ate every meal out.
let's say i want a good burger and fries first i have to spend all that time going to the grocery store to get the ingredients then i gotta spend the time at home cooking it then cleaning up after myself
that's time
then on the cost aspect, you can get a good burger and fries for $10 - $15 all over but store bought fries will be $3-4 the meat will be $6 a pound (you not buying no half pound of ground beef from no store) cheese will be $3 lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, etc that shit adds up
basically it's not much cheaper to eat at home for a SINGLE person than it is to eat out i can go to one of them japanese places on UWS and get a $10 bento box and be on my way go to a spanish joint for the $8 meals
nyc its always something to do so i dont have time to be in the house manageing a dutch oven for 4-6 hrs making a pernil when i could slide by some abuelita's shop on my way home from SOBs
dont forget rachelle ferrell will be at blue note valentines day wknd
63. "I need to check Mint, but I think I spend $1,000/mo on food" In response to Reply # 48
NYC keeps you so busy and it's so hard to pass up the omnipresent ethnic restaurants and dinner invitations from friends. Oh, and my coworkers ALWAYS want to go out to eat. Bringing my food every day puts me at risk of looking antisocial.
I need to come up with a strategy for my budget and social life this year.
^^^ Yo, this guy is an inspiration!! I am seriously in awe, LOL. I am cracking up at the conclusion: “What people will do for a pig in a blanket is crazy,” he said.
51. "my house of 2.5 has a $6,000 annual food budget" In response to Reply # 50
>I'm nice with the quicken money. > >And that really doesn't count all the dining out with drinks >and stuff. > >I've got to do much better in 2015. Need twin tuition money.
or $500 a month line item for household food budget that does not include dining out (of course) it is basically $125 per week in groceries if i spent that much it would be all organic and gourmet type stuff (beef short ribs and oxtails and lamp chops)
i can get it down to $80 skimpinng here and there
if i went to $50 a week we'd be eating very unhealthy EBT style (rice a roni, boxed mac n cheese, minute maid OJ instead of Tropicana etc)
i think i avg $100 a week in groceries
but ol boy was spending $9,000 to $14,000 a year on food for one person if he spent that much weekly/monthly in a year's time
54. "i spend 30mins per night cooking. 2hrs per week shopping" In response to Reply # 52
>>if i spent that much it would be all organic and gourmet >type >>stuff (beef short ribs and oxtails and lamp chops)
i guess i could do one 1hr trip each week but i like to go 3-4 times per week right after work to pick up stuff spending 20-30 mins each time
once you know how to cook stuff it becomes simple
i had all plans to make chicken fried rice lasat night but wifey came thru the door hollerin bout she was sick and i'm on my own with the baby tonight so i switched it up and used the leftover roast chicken to make her a soup
i was thinking to take pics to show okp but just got to it and did it wasn't nothing more than:
1. put a pot of water on stove to boil 2. add a chicken bouillon cube 3. chopped a onion throw it in 4. had two carrots been sittin in the fridge for weeks. rough chop then throw in 5. peel a few cloves of garlic then throw in 6. every spice i got in my cabinent damn near (salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, smoked paprika, one bay leaf and some crumbs from the star anise packet i had)
7. let boil for 20 mins then throw in roast chicken
8. let boild for another 30 mins
when down spoon soup over leftover rice you was going to use in the fried rice
9. use scissors to cut green onions on top
10. wifey is very happy and thinks you're superman when all you did was boil some water for an hour and play with your kid while it was boiling
59. "you need 16 meals that will get you through a month. ORGANIX post" In response to Reply # 55
but right here i can think of 16 meals you can cook at home that are simple that will get you through four 4-day weeks (fri-sun are cheat days and you can order take out)
i hate eating the same thing more than once a month (unless it is STEAK or tacos or something else really good that i like which are a lot of foods) so i always make two-week menus in my head and try to not repeat nothing from the second menu on the first
61. "it takes some time but you gotta shop yo lol" In response to Reply # 52
that's the good/bad thing about NYC lots of places to shop but rarely is there one spot for everything as far as meeting price and quality standards.
i love the coop but it aint for everyone. especially if you have multiple adults because they make you ALL work (but you can always just lie and act single).
but you have the farmer's markets court street has some great butchers sahadi's got a good, reasonably priced selection for spices and cheese and other gourmet items
and i am all about chinatown for seafood and some produce. i make a little trip out of it. i try to go late morning/early afternoon on a saturday and i get dumplings or a banh mi and then hit up the big market on hester and elizabeth (if i need special asian sauces-they have good produce too).
then i head down grand. there are a lot of produce spots and fish places. the one on the south west corner of grand and chrystie is my favorite. they don't have fish on the ground swimming around like the other ones lol. i get a ton of salmon and shrimp there and freeze it after i portion them out.
if you bypass the eating along the way, you can do it in an hour
73. "^^^YES this is the place. sorry i said court street" In response to Reply # 70 Fri Jan-09-15 04:28 PM by teefiveten
los paisanos is the place for meat
i rarely make steak but that's where i go
i bought a ribeye that i cooked so perfectly i wanted to marry myself
it's not cheap but the quality is amazing. i keep meaning to go to get some stew beef and lamb so i can start making crockpot stews and possibly some homemade broth.
i bought 2 lbs of chinese spinach im trying to get through this week.not organic but it's fresh and $4. i do not fuck with any trader joes produce that i don't plan on using within 24 hours because it goes bad so fast. i'm surpringly almost done and i only cooked twice this week. i like to get that or bok choy and do different variations of asian food during the week (stir fry, add it to dumplings, etc). The chinatown produce lasts too. im lazy i just keep it in the same plastic shopping bag it comes in and it lasts for a week. it'd probably last longer if i put it in a proper ziploc
i dunno man i lost a lot of weight 4 years ago and i just want to maintain where i am at. that and im poor so i need to make sure i dont waste what i buy to cook/eat. my system isnt perfect but it's much better
76. "lol nah i dont enjoy it as much" In response to Reply # 74
i enjoy it if it's fast. lol.
i actually like cooking more when i'm repurposing leftovers.
because im banished from the coop im less enthused about cooking because all the fancy stuff i want/need is cheapest there. once im back in the game i'll enjoy cooking again. i'm already making my list for when i return
66. "Save your money. Eating out will crush your savings." In response to Reply # 0
I cook all my meals save for here and there. I usually cook a bigger dinner and have leftovers for the next day at lunch, and I love living this way. I'm saving a lot of money and feel good about what I'm eating.
78. "damn thought i was bad for spending $400 on restaurants last month" In response to Reply # 0
cats in here routinely spending that a WEEK on take out? http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lshj0c2Rgf1qzor9oo1_250.gif i'm trying become more mustachian and fall back on eating out holla @ ethnic stores. hmart or whatever african/asian store is in your area cheaper meats and better variety of fruits and vegetables
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