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1) I don't go cold turkey, I too don't like cooking all that much and it seems that most of the chores surrounding it, falls on me. so once a week, I go out. I put it in my budget. now it doesn't have to be uber expensive, most of the time it's pizza but it gives me something to look forward too.
2) my hardest problem is variety. seems like I make the same meals, rinse and repeat. So now I'm trying to make menus.
3) Also don't feel like you have to have a full blown, 1950's variety dinner. some days we simply had pancakes. lol easy peasy. So remember a grilled cheese sandwich and some soup all count as "dinner."
I'm not trying to be extremely frugal, but I'm trying to cook more to avoid eating out too often which adds up the expensive. I figured that even if I buy good ingredients(fresh veggies, quality beef cut, seafood), it's still much cheaper than eating out.
I don't enjoy cooking at all, I hate doing grocery and cleaning the kitchen.
How do you who live frugally make your own food on a regular basis? Any good cookbook or recipe website to recommend? I know there are a ton, but they are not easy to follow.
Thanks
Like others have said, make an extra amount of food when you cook and freeze the leftovers for future easy meals. Casseroles, lasagna, soup, stew, stuffed peppers, stuffed cabbage, and pot roast work well.
A crockpot can also be a time saver and very easy. Pulled pork is very easy and pretty darned good in the crockpot. Get a large pork Picnic/shoulder, place in crockpot and add 1/2 cup water. Place on low for 8 hours or so. Take out and trim fat and pull apart or shred. Place back in crockpot with BBQ sauce and heat through. Individual containers can also be frozen.
Have breakfast for dinner. Eggs and omelettes are a great way to use leftover fresh vegetables. French toast and pancakes are easy. And of course soup and sandwiches are always an option.
Grilled foods are also super easy.
I love cooking so reading recipes is a hobby of mine, lol, and I did come across a cookbook that I think is wonderful for new cooks. Each recipe is illustrated with step by step pictures and it is "very" easy to follow. You can buy it used for a decent price. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0078XTEQI...ng=UTF8&btkr=1
I also love Taste of Home and Allrecipes for my recipes.
lol, if you butter and jam up the toast it counts.
my wife is baby sitting for our grand kids in new jersey for two weeks while the kids are in africa on a safari .
so i am home with no adult supervision . every night so far the food has been awesome . last night i got the traditional wife's away 1/2 rack of ribs from a local bbq joint i like .
lunch today i will be cooking . kraft mac and cheese , right from the box ... yummy .
i get to eat all the stuff i can't when she is here . those ribs would have to use lipitor as a dry rub before she would let me get them ha ha ha ...
so far since she has not been home the food has been better , the sex about the same , the tip off is the dishes in the sink are still there lol
While I'm frugal and don't do takeout unless with my girlfriend occasionally, I hate cooking and rarely plan meals. This leaves me wondering "what will I eat tonight", which isn't the healthiest option (think spaghetti, bison burger, chicken tacos). I need more options. I have a crock pot I don't know how to use. Have had it 4 years and used it once. I need some help on sinple meals and planning.
I don't cook every night -- I cook maybe once a week in large portions, and freeze serving-size portions for use another day. Sometimes I cook up a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut them into pieces, put them in a plastic freezer bag and take out one serving at a time to make a sandwich or to add to a bagged salad.
Try googling "I hate to cook" and see the wealth of information that comes up.
I'm not trying to be extremely frugal, but I'm trying to cook more to avoid eating out too often which adds up the expensive. I figured that even if I buy good ingredients(fresh veggies, quality beef cut, seafood), it's still much cheaper than eating out.
I don't enjoy cooking at all, I hate doing grocery and cleaning the kitchen.
How do you who live frugally make your own food on a regular basis? Any good cookbook or recipe website to recommend? I know there are a ton, but they are not easy to follow.
Thanks
If you click on the link, the video is there, not sure why it isn't showing up.
There are lots of one pan dishes. You can freeze portions for later meals. Here is one that I have tried that is really good imo. Aldi has amazing prices on the items needed. Just go to YT and type in "one pot meals".
While I'm frugal and don't do takeout unless with my girlfriend occasionally, I hate cooking and rarely plan meals. This leaves me wondering "what will I eat tonight", which isn't the healthiest option (think spaghetti, bison burger, chicken tacos). I need more options. I have a crock pot I don't know how to use. Have had it 4 years and used it once. I need some help on sinple meals and planning.
allrecipes.com
has many sections...easy meals, crockpot recipes, cooking for one or two...planning. I find planning is the hardest as I might or might not want what's on the weekly plan...besides it takes a lot of time. I just buy
food then decide what to do with it.
Get a basic cookbook...so many available but try Good Housekeeping cookbook, The Joy of Cooking...use as a reference in addition to recipes.
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