Really having trouble meal planning. Please Help!

[GotGarlic]

Also, all of those can be made with beef, pork or chicken and sometimes fish or shellfish. Just because a recipe calls for pork loin doesn't mean you can't use chicken.

 

[CharlieS17]

Hi Charlie
Welcome to DC.

Josie

Thanks Josie

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thanks Aunt Bea!

like for instance, lets say I have recipes for Mon-Wed but I have leftover ingredients from those recipes, how would I find recipes for the rest of the week that can use those leftovers while at the same time, not calling for a whole new giant set of different ingredients?

that's my main problem.

This is a difficult question to answer without knowing the specific ingredients and your likes and dislikes. I live alone and I use various strategies to use leftovers and eliminate waste, I'm always learning.

I use my small freezer compartment to hold meal size packages of raw and cooked meats.

I cook ground beef with various vegetables added and then freeze it in meal size packages.

I buy shredded cabbage/coleslaw mix in one pound packages and use part of it in a cabbage salad, a handful in a pot of soup, another handful in a stir fry, etc...

I shop where I can buy individual fruits, vegetables, bulk food etc... so I can get the amount I need.

I buy frozen vegetables in one pound bags so I can pour out just what I need for a meal and toss the remainder back into the freezer.

and sometimes I just eat the same thing over and over and over until I get bored with it!

Hang around DC and you will get several ideas that you can adapt to your situation.

 

[CharlieS17]

Welcome to DC Charlie. It is good to hear that you are seeking a healthier lifestyle. You have already found two sites that are not suitable for your needs. You have started out on the right foot.

Thanks Addie!

There will be plenty of excellent advice here at DC. You have hundreds of combined years of experience at your fingertips. All you have to do is ask. And EVERY one wants to help you.

That's good to hear!! looks like I came to the right place!

But we do need a wee bit more personal information.

I gave some pretty detailed info in the following responses:

My Response to creative: (post #14)

http://www.discusscooking.com/forum...planning-please-help-93549-2.html#post1432434


My Response to taxlady: (Post #18)

http://www.discusscooking.com/forum...planning-please-help-93549-2.html#post1432447

If you need any more info, Just let me know. Thanks.

 

[Cheryl J]

CharlieS, I was just going to say some of the things Aunt Bea suggested. I live alone too, and it can be challenging to use up perishables before they go bad.

You mentioned using up an onion, for an example. Onions and bell peppers freeze well - many of us here chop up onions, peppers, even celery, spread them on a cookie sheet to freeze separately, then toss them into a freezer bag, getting all of the air out that you can. You grab a handful when you need them for a recipe, and restore the rest. I wouldn't eat them raw from the freezer, but they're fine for soups and stews, or any cooked dish.

Beans have lots of protein, and freeze beautifully. Same with rices - wild rice is a healthy option, and will freeze nicely.

I think one of the most helpful and most used kitchen items I've ever bought was a vacuum sealer. I think I paid $140 for mine 7 years ago - it gets used very frequently and it's still going strong.

Allrecipes also has an ingredient search, and will pop up many recipes with that ingredient. Best of luck to you, and keep on coming back with as many questions as you need to ask. There will always be someone here happy to help.

 

[CharlieS17]

There have been a lot of good replies, but the thing that really helped me stretch my creativity in the kitchen was to join a CSA program. In the program I joined, I paid a lump sum to get a bushel of vegetables and 3-5 lbs of meat each week.

Hi jseymour84!!

yes I agree. good replies!! I didn't know what a CSA program was but I looked it up, and it sounds like a good idea. I'll probably end up doing that at some point. Where I live, there are some farmers markets too.

it's about re-connecting with my food so that I know where it comes from, how it was treated, and how it was grown.

Yeah I definitely agree with that philosophy

Next year I will have my own vegetable and herb garden as well as the CSA program and farmer's market, and my goal is to be nearly supermarket free by the end of next year.

I would like to have my own garden at some point but I need to get into a house again. I know there are ways that apartment dwellers can grow food but Its just not for me.

Edit: Forgot to include that I am working on losing 135 lbs as well, and so far so good (down 10 lbs) from just eating fresh veggies and high quality proteins, such as free range chickens and grass fed beef. My doctor suspects my weight problem is a result of estrogen poisoning.

congratulations!! That's awesome. I've lost some weight since my treatments but I have a ways to go. Treatment made me put on 50 pounds and I was already overweight when it began. Your doc could be right. Lots of estrogen mimickers in the environment.

Thanks for your comment. I wish you well on your weight loss journey!!

 

[CharlieS17]

Cripes, it's been a long day.

Its ok. we all have them.

I also forgot to mention to learn where you can make substitutions. One example for be olive oil for canola oil, as I think olive oil or EVOO is healthier than canola or vegetable oil (maybe a more knowledgeable person can clarify that).

Also, learn some recipes for healthy sandwich spreads and dips, such as a good humus recipe and pair that with some roasted seasoned chick peas. Personally, I love a good humus on a wheat cracker so my cooking journal has a humus recipe I want to try out.

Overall though, the closer you can eat to whole foods, the better you will because there will be fewer preservatives. Another thing to get is a vacuum sealer, worth their weight in gold in my opinion.

Great suggestions. Thanks. I have another good chart that has a list of good substitutions! and I was looking into healthy veggie dip recipes and homemade dressing for salad (stuff like that)

I've been thinking of getting a vacuum sealer for a while but I'll have to save up for one. Glad to hear some confirmation that its a good idea.

 

[CharlieS17]

84, that's mostly good advice but preservatives are not a bad thing. Their purpose is to help prevent food from spoiling, which prevents food poisoning.

I'm definitely gonna have to disagree with you on that one but that's o.k. that's not what this thread is about. The purpose of preservatives may be good but I personally believe that a lot of preservatives are very bad for us.
Just my opinion based upon past research. We all need to be very weary of our sources. Lots of deception on all sides.

Editor In Chief Of World’s Best Known Medical Journal: Half Of All The Literature Is False | Global Research - Centre for Research on Globalization

Thank you for all your other posts though. They are certainly helpful!

 

[CharlieS17]

Use Google's advanced search options. You can search for specific words and phrases and include words that you *don't* want in the results.

Google Advanced Search

That's actually a fantastic suggestion!! Thank you.
I can't believe I didn't think of that but now that you mentioned it, I remembered I can use google to search an entire website and search it using the ingredients as keywords. So that should help a lot!!

I can have it search specific sites that I already know have healthy recipes!

We have a forum here called "What can I do with these ingredients?" Ask and ye shall receive many suggestions Experience will also help.

Thanks for letting me know about that forum. I'll check it out! and I agree, experience will help a lot.

 

[CharlieS17]

So search for recipes for those four dishes above. Plus soup, frittata, quiche, tacos or enchiladas or quesadillas, pasta with various sauces, Thai curry. They all can be made with the same set of ingredients.

O.k.

 

[CharlieS17]

Also, all of those can be made with beef, pork or chicken and sometimes fish or shellfish. Just because a recipe calls for pork loin doesn't mean you can't use chicken.

Good tip.

 

[CharlieS17]

This is a difficult question to answer without knowing the specific ingredients and your likes and dislikes. I live alone and I use various strategies to use leftovers and eliminate waste, I'm always learning.

I use my small freezer compartment to hold meal size packages of raw and cooked meats.

I cook ground beef with various vegetables added and then freeze it in meal size packages.

I buy shredded cabbage/coleslaw mix in one pound packages and use part of it in a cabbage salad, a handful in a pot of soup, another handful in a stir fry, etc...

I shop where I can buy individual fruits, vegetables, bulk food etc... so I can get the amount I need.

I buy frozen vegetables in one pound bags so I can pour out just what I need for a meal and toss the remainder back into the freezer.

and sometimes I just eat the same thing over and over and over until I get bored with it!

Hang around DC and you will get several ideas that you can adapt to your situation.

Thank You for your input and suggestions!

 

[CharlieS17]

CharlieS, I was just going to say some of the things Aunt Bea suggested. I live alone too, and it can be challenging to use up perishables before they go bad.

Thank You. Those are great suggestions!!

 

[GotGarlic]

The purpose of preservatives may be good but I personally believe that a lot of preservatives are very bad for us.

A lot of anything can be bad for us. Moderation in all things

 

[CWS4322]

Welcome to DC! It sounds as if you have made some great choices about getting fresh ingredients that do not have preservatives. If you have suffered medical problems, I would hope that you would have access to a nutritionist/dietician who could help you figure out what to do with the stuff in the CSA basket. I eat out of the garden all the time--and I flipped when I eat my main meal to the morning. Dropped bread and white sugar, white grains (rice) from my diet. I shrunk 4 sizes--I don't weigh myself--haven't since I was 21 years old and I'm ancient now. I do, however, still have a couple of pairs of jeans I wore in high school...and they now fit (they were in the rag bag). Real food tastes great. Portion control is important. 2/3 of my plate is covered with veggies. Protein is 3-4 oz. Starch is limited to whole grains. Check out the breakfast lately thread---you'll find a lot of great ideas for how to start your day with enough protein to keep you satisfied throughout the day.