Easy cooking

[Lucian Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lucian]

Man TGD you're loving this thread! And I'm loving your input! Good ideas

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

Man TGD you're loving this thread! And I'm loving your input! Good ideas

I really am. I'm finally cooking healthy food again, my clothes fit looser, and I can afford life again.

Tonight, for dinner I made sweet and spicy Texas chili that was a rescue meal... I accidentally burnt the red beans and then added too much sugar free sweetened. So it will be pumpkin chili tomorrow, just to mellow the flavors. I had that with some cheddsr cheese and a piece of quick honey butter corn bread made from scratch. Then for dessert I'm having a 2 scoop protein shake.

I'm make really good food, with an occasional fuck up, but most of the time I can fix that pretty easily or turn it into someone else. In case you're wondering, I do a loose food schedule with meatloaf on Monday, tacos on Tuesday, wings on Wednesday, pasta on Thursday, pizza on Friday, hamburgers know Saturday, and BBQ on Sunday. I don't always keep this schedule but it helps to keep food costs down by planning my meals and cooking small portions, and then turning one dish into another. For example, I can turn meatloaf into pasta on Thursday.

[TheZZMan Moderator Member of the Month Sept 2018PEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close TheZZMan]

Everyone should invest in a vacuum sealer. That way, you buy your meats when on sale, portion them and then vacuum seal before freezing. I use ours all the time. Don't think I have paid full price for meat in a couple of years.

Recently, made pulled pork BBQ. Leftovers into the vacuum sealer portioned for two plus one extra sandwich for lunches and I have 7 or 8 meals out of that one session thanks to vacuum sealing. There is a trick to freezing food that has a lot of moisture in it. Let me know when you get there if you need help.

If you buy one, buy the bags online. I got like a years supply for the same price I would have paid at retail for like 32 bags.

[TheSperminator Member of the Month Oct 12 Find all posts View Profile Close TheSperminator]

Perhaps a stupid question but I'm a total noob in the kitchen.. I recently live in my grandmothers home .. She got a little freeze section inside the fridge, but I don't know how many degrees it is .. I think this is important to know if you want to meal prep and freeze some meals? What would be the best way to find out how many degrees the freezing section has (The freeze section doesn't have a thermometer).

Any tips on freezing meals (meat, rice, veggies, etc.)? Can I place the prepared food in tupperware boxes immediately after cooking or should the food be cooled off first?

Thanks!

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

Perhaps a stupid question but I'm a total noob in the kitchen.. I recently live in my grandmothers home .. She got a little freeze section inside the fridge, but I don't know how many degrees it is .. I think this is important to know if you want to meal prep and freeze some meals? What would be the best way to find out how many degrees the freezing section has (The freeze section doesn't have a thermometer).

Any tips on freezing meals (meat, rice, veggies, etc.)? Can I place the prepared food in tupperware boxes immediately after cooking or should the food be cooled off first?

Thanks!

You can buy a little freezer thermometer but water freezes at 32 deg. Fahrenheit or 0 deg. Celsius. I don't bother with that though, I just keep the dial on my fridge set at about 4 or 5, which is cold enough for ice but not so cold that items in back of my fridge freezer over.

For food safety put everything in small fat containers, because bigger containers take longer to cool and can harbor bacteria, and keep everything below 41 deg Fahrenheit. Other than that you're going to have to do some experimenting to find out what you like.

[TheSperminator Member of the Month Oct 12 Find all posts View Profile Close TheSperminator]

You can buy a little freezer thermometer but water freezes at 32 deg. Fahrenheit or 0 deg. Celsius. I don't bother with that though, I just keep the dial on my fridge set at about 4 or 5, which is cold enough for ice but not so cold that items in back of my fridge freezer over.

For food safety put everything in small fat containers, because bigger containers take longer to cool and can harbor bacteria, and keep everything below 41 deg Fahrenheit. Other than that you're going to have to do some experimenting to find out what you like.

I was thinking of cooking on Sunday and prep me some meals for Monday untill Thursday .. I think keeping a meal for 4 days in the fridge is long enough no? Not sure how it would taste after 4 days .. Kind of excited to try this but also want to be prepared because I have to invest some money (for a steam cooker for example).

Is steaming your veggies really the best way to consume them?

[Party Senior Member Member of the Month August 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close Party]

I was thinking of cooking on Sunday and prep me some meals for Monday untill Thursday .. I think keeping a meal for 4 days in the fridge is long enough no? Not sure how it would taste after 4 days .. Kind of excited to try this but also want to be prepared because I have to invest some money (for a steam cooker for example).

Is steaming your veggies really the best way to consume them?

I make a damn good Chili but after a day or two in the fridge it’s even better. The flavors have even more time to meld together. The same is true for red sauces. It must have something to do with the fresh garlic, I use an entire head of it in my chili that makes about a gallon and a half. I’ll make it in the morning and simmer it all day, the kids can eat as they please, usually on NFL football Sunday’s.

Your garlic fact for the day, at least here in the states. Beware of Chinese garlic. The Food and Drug Administration here make the Chinese scalp their heads of garlic to prevent importing bugs. Home grown garlic has a beard still and is generally fresher.

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

I was thinking of cooking on Sunday and prep me some meals for Monday untill Thursday .. I think keeping a meal for 4 days in the fridge is long enough no? Not sure how it would taste after 4 days .. Kind of excited to try this but also want to be prepared because I have to invest some money (for a steam cooker for example).

Is steaming your veggies really the best way to consume them?

You can keep some meals in the fridge for up to week but things like fish and cooked eggs need to be eaten pretty quickly. Look up the food safety guidelines on how long you can keep certain foods kf you want to know more. What I do is just prep my foods the night before and keep a small lunch bag in my fridge. It's like laying your clothes out the night before so you can save time getting dress d in the morning when you know you'll be tired.

My rule on investing in things to help you save is spend only what you can afford and buy exactly what you need. You don't need a huge $100+ crock pot with a fancy computer and a bunch of doodads when a $20 or $30 one will do. Hell, I got my 1.5 quart crock pot for about $10 or $12 and it's perfect for me. I'll post a link below. For right now though, you really don't need anything other than gladware or Tupperware big enough for your meals, a few other sizes for leftovers, and a small crock pot... Which is not necessarily but comes in handy for slow cooking. Other than that, you can wait on buying a steam cooker or rice cooker and anything else.

And don't buy any single purpose kitchen gadgets other than a small waffle iron or a George Foreman grill. The other stuff like all the sandwich makers and specialty tools for one food are really just a waste of money.

https://www.crock-pot.com/slow-cooke...P.html#start=2

[TheSperminator Member of the Month Oct 12 Find all posts View Profile Close TheSperminator]

What type of food containers should I buy to store the meals? How many liters? Any good brand?

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

Ignore that part about buying an expensive fancy cooker. I just went to Khol's and bought a 3 quart Instant pot programmable pressure cooker for $90. They also had other sizes and an 8 quart crock pot pressure cooker for $110.

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

What type of food containers should I buy to store the meals? How many liters? Any good brand?

Just go look at the gladware section of your grocery store. If you can pay more get good Tupperware with the little snap on flap attachments or the glass one's with the rubbery lids. The more you spend the longer it will last you.

For now you only need enough meal sized containers for any meal you plan on taking with you. If you're only going to work and then coming home then bring lunch, some snacks, and maybe a can of Coke or a protein shake and some drink mixes with you. So get at least 6 gladeare meal containers, some gladeare for liquids like soups and stews, some ziplock fridge and freezer bags, and something for snacks.

Do you have a lunch bag? A lot of this also depends on the size of your lunch bag.

[Party Senior Member Member of the Month August 2016 Find all posts View Profile Close Party]

Just go look at the gladware section of your grocery store. If you can pay more get good Tupperware with the little snap on flap attachments or the glass one's with the rubbery lids. The more you spend the longer it will last you.

For now you only need enough meal sized containers for any meal you plan on taking with you. If you're only going to work and then coming home then bring lunch, some snacks, and maybe a can of Coke or a protein shake and some drink mixes with you. So get at least 6 gladeare meal containers, some gladeare for liquids like soups and stews, some ziplock fridge and freezer bags, and something for snacks.

Do you have a lunch bag? A lot of this also depends on the size of your lunch bag.

Size, size, size, why does it always have to be about size. Portion control is key, I think.

Sorry. Couldn’t help myself.

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

How is this project coming along? Do you want any examples of struggle meals you can make at home?

[TheSperminator Member of the Month Oct 12 Find all posts View Profile Close TheSperminator]

How is this project coming along? Do you want any examples of struggle meals you can make at home?

Hi TheGreatDivider!

First off thanks for asking! I bought me a steam cooker to steam mainly vegetables. I red that's the best and healthiest way to consume veggies. I also bought me a microwave rice cooker. I can cook a lot of rice (for 4 people/average meals) in a microwave in 11mins. I bought a sharp chef knife and a wooden cutboard (not sure if that's the correct English word).

I also bought 2 containers but they are a bit too big to fit in my freezer department of my fridge. I got a small freezer department and I need to buy some smaller sized containers so I can fit like 4-5 containers in my freezer. It's doable but not easy to find.

I plan to mainly go with a green veggie like spinach, brocolli, salad etc. Also asperugus and brussel sprouts. Then I add rice or some cooked potato. As for meat I mainly will go with chicken breast or turkey.

I'm searching for some glass jars at the moment to prepare my breakfasts in. Breakfast will be oatmeal with frozen fruit and a scoop of whey protein. Perhaps some yoghurt added etc.

Mostly basic meals that I can prepare in like 2-3 hours for 4-5 days of food. I just have to wash everything now before I use it (the containers, steam cooker, etc.) ... I hate that (I don't have a dishwasher, all manual).

To summarize: invested some money and got to wash some stuff by hand.. Ooh and I also bought me some cooking spray that is low in calories. Like 0,4kcal per spray. I red that oils (olive etc) are very calorie dense (like 3-400kcal a meal). Trying to shed some belly fat here .. Not in my greatest shape at the moment.

I do brazilian jiu jitsu 3 times a week (I try) but it doesn't do the trick for me. Sitting 8 hours every day at a desk doesn't help either.

[TheGreatDivider Senior Member Member of the Month Dec 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close TheGreatDivider]

Hi TheGreatDivider!

First off thanks for asking! I bought me a steam cooker to steam mainly vegetables. I read that's the best and healthiest way to consume veggies. I also bought me a microwave rice cooker. I can cook a lot of rice (for 4 people/average meals) in a microwave in 11mins. I bought a sharp chef knife and a wooden cutboard (not sure if that's the correct English word).

I also bought 2 containers but they are a bit too big to fit in my freezer department of my fridge. I got a small freezer department and I need to buy some smaller sized containers so I can fit like 4-5 containers in my freezer. It's doable but not easy to find.

I plan to mainly go with a green veggie like spinach, brocolli, salad etc. Also asperugus and brussel sprouts. Then I add rice or some cooked potato. As for meat I mainly will go with chicken breast or turkey.

I'm searching for some glass jars at the moment to prepare my breakfasts in. Breakfast will be oatmeal with frozen fruit and a scoop of whey protein. Perhaps some yoghurt added etc.

Mostly basic meals that I can prepare in like 2-3 hours for 4-5 days of food. I just have to wash everything now before I use it (the containers, steam cooker, etc.) ... I hate that (I don't have a dishwasher, all manual).

To summarize: invested some money and got to wash some stuff by hand.. Ooh and I also bought me some cooking spray that is low in calories. Like 0,4kcal per spray. I red that oils (olive etc) are very calorie dense (like 3-400kcal a meal). Trying to shed some belly fat here .. Not in my greatest shape at the moment.

I do brazilian jiu jitsu 3 times a week (I try) but it doesn't do the trick for me. Sitting 8 hours every day at a desk doesn't help either.

A few things I need to point out here. Steam cooking is not the best way to cook all vegetables. You can bake, broil, stir fry, and boil vegetables and get a lot of the same nutrition out of them that you would with steaming. You just don't want to overcook them or boil vegetables like broccoli in a lot of water and then dump it because all your minerals will reach I to the water.

Your diet looks really boring to be honest. Where's your beef and pork, cheaper cuts of chicken and turkey worth more fat (more flavor), fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy products like cheese and sour cream, not to mention milk and cream, whole grain bread, other whole grains like quinoa or bulgar that are very filling, soy TVP, beans and lentils, and fruits? You're missing out on a lot of nutrition but eating "healthy."

If you have some weight to lose DO NOT MAKE DRASTIC DIETARY CHANGES. Especially if you have limited money, have a stressful job, don't know where to start, and with winter coming. You don't want to make your diet so depressing that you abandon in a few weeks for holidays foods. Just do simple things to cut calories, or swap some carbs for fats (especially in the winter), and keep your portions in check. At the end of the day it doesn't matter what you eat and it's calories in vs. calories out. It's a bit more complex than that but that's the easiest way to comprehend fat loss.