Updated 19 July 2020; Original 12 January 2019
My Story
I started thinking about the New Year on Sunday, while “meal prepping” for the week. That led me to thinking about starting how we start new habits. So I wanted to share this idea, as a way I found to stay within the calories that were set by a nutritionist and doctor.
Some people can eat the same food everyday as a weight management tool, since they already know the calories they are consuming. But I am not that person as I like variety of textures, tastes, smells, and flavor; and I like to actually cook.
So I started meal prepping. So a comment by me would be, This technique is not just good for weight maintenance, it also helps those of us trying to save money, those of us working hard and not wanting to cook when we get home at the end of a long day, and those of us who have to manage diabetes. All the food is ready, the counts are at hand, and you just reheat and eat.
Friday: Planning + Negotiating
Friday evening I figure out the recipes for the coming week. This is a fun exercise as I review recipes. choose ones that would taste good together, think about how to use up everything I in my fridge and pantry, and decide what cuisines I want to explore, etc.
Then from those recipes, I make a preliminary shopping list. After a quick review of what I have on hand, and several scratches later, I have the final list ready for shopping.
Where does “negotiating” come in? Well I do not live alone and anything I eat my spouse or visitors will eat too. So I discuss the recipe plans to make sure everyone is on board with the food.
Saturday: Hunting + Dumping
Saturday morning I get up and eat breakfast. Then make sure all the shopping bags are in the car, and go to the market. For my favorite market, Monterey Market, I try to get there just a few minutes before they open (primarily so I can get a parking spot).
I find shopping for food in the local markets fun; the experience is colorful, and full of people and food options. Plus you never know who you will run into, from now retired work friends, to the Chancellor of UC Berkeley. Sometimes I can get everything I need at that one store, some days I have to go to two (Monterey and El Cerrito Natural Grocery Store), or even three (add Trader Joes).
Eventually, I return home and unload. Before I add the new stuff, I take everything that I have not cooked from the previous week out of the fridge and onto the counter. Then I put all the new food in their place.
Generally, I do not clean and pre-cut the food, until I am ready to use them, which is only a day away, but I do keep them in the sacks they came in to prevent cross contamination. Once everything new is put up, I look at the food that I need to use up and start planning and cooking the dump meals — I dump everything I have left over into stews, casseroles, breakfast scrambles, etc. I will cook, freeze, or dry all the remaining food from the week before.
Sunday: Cooking + Storage
Sunday I cook the food for the coming week. I make enough for the five days and weigh or portion out the items per my calorie counts. So Sunday is the all-day cooking event at my house.
The hardest thing is to find room in the fridge.
Plan Benefits
- This allows me to stick to a nutrition plan, but still have the weekly variation I like, without having to record each of my meals.
- This is not a “what I cannot eat” diet, but what do I want to eat, and then it is a matter of portion and ingredient control.
- This way of cooking also means I use less prepared or boxed foods, since everything is prepared in a leisurely manner during my weekend.
- I am less likely to order out (Grubhub is way too easy and expensive). Even tired at the end of the work day I can find the energy to reheat and eat.
- It saves me money as I am less likely to eat lunch out when I have a delicious meal waiting for me. (Coffee is another story, I do like getting my fresh cup each day.)
This is a time of contemplation on a year past, and hopes for the year to come. May the new year be full of new flavors, wonderful surprises, and confirmations on your wisdom and worthiness. Happy New Year!
–Patty
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Recipes: What is breakfast without the occasional bowl of Oatmeal? Lunch of a Potato Broccoli Cheddar Soup is still good on these cold days, along with a dinner of Spanakopita Salmon. Great recipes and yummy flavors. I also added a Corn Bean Pepper Lime Salsa with a video from Kitchen on Fire showing how to cut onions, cilantro, peppers and a mango; and a video on making a Bechamel sauce. I cook and teach at Kitchen on Fire so it is great I can share with you some of the skills I have learned from the Chefs directly.
Articles: Tied to already published recipes, I have added some info on grains such as Oats and Farro. I have also added more photos and videos for Salts and Extracts and Sugars.
Food safety: The NYT reports that “The [FDA] has stopped routine food safety inspections of seafood, fruits, vegetables and many other foods at high risk of contamination because of the federal government’s shutdown.” The Ag Dept is still inspecting poultry and meat. My sense is that even once the shutdown is over it may take a while to get everything back up and running. So my continuing advice is to use common sense, continue to buy local, buy organic, and wash + cook your food well.
