HelenLA Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I'm not sure if this is the proper place for this topic or not, but I am only on day two and I am tired of being in my kitchen. It really feels like all I do is prepare food, cook food, eat food, wash dishes, and start all over again. I'm sure it gets easier as I get farther along but this is not how I want to spend my life.I'm single and live alone and don't really enjoy cooking for myself and all of this long drawn out meal process alone. I'm used to making one or two one pot meals that would feed an army and eating that for lunch and dinner most of the week then freezing what I don't finish to eat at a later date. I would cook breakfast each morning and then take leftovers from the one pot meal for lunches. I would eat out once a week and then eat with family another day of the week. any tips or encouragement from you veterans would be appreciated. I truly want to change my relationship with food and see the benefits to my health but I don't want to feel like I cannot do anything else but deal with food constantly. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has felt this way. thanks for all of your great help and advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I'm used to making one or two one pot meals that would feed an army and eating that for lunch and dinner most of the week then freezing what I don't finish to eat at a later date. Why aren't you doing this now? I live alone and often make something like bison chili with butternut squash and then eat it for a bunch of meals before I make something else. On the whole30 you can have leftovers from your one-pot meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you want to get fancy at breakfast, fry an egg to put on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 You can still make one pot meals. We're big on leftovers around here. Just do it within the Whole30 rules. Are there some of your favorite recipes you could adjust to be Whole30 compliant meals? Also take a look at Mel Joulwan's hot plates approach, where she pre-cooks proteins and veggies ahead of time. http://meljoulwan.com/2013/07/27/whole30-week-1-food-plan/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted January 10, 2016 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2016 Why aren't you doing this now? I live alone and often make something like bison chili with butternut squash and then eat it for a bunch of meals before I make something else. On the whole30 you can have leftovers from your one-pot meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you want to get fancy at breakfast, fry an egg to put on top. Same here! I pick one thing and make a huge pot of it for a week and then supplement with a roasted chicken and eggs for breakfast. Then next week I pick something different to make. If I had to make 90 different meals for the 30 days, I would never have done it in the first place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I'm sorry. I feel the same way. I'm always in the kitchen doing dishes but I have to do them regardless of Whole 30 or not. I would lurve to wad them up in a tablecloth and throw them out the back door like Lisa did on Green Acres. She never did the dishes. Turn the tunes on and block out the mundane - toting that bale and doing sigh and alas, another dish. I'd rather do anything but pots and pans. In fact, I'm dragging my feet right now. I must, I must get in there before the pans turn to rust. Understood and appreciated. Come back for more commiseration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenLA Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 I guess I just need ideas, suggestions, and recipes. do you have a recipe for your bison chili and butternut squash that you can share? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenLA Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 also I guess I was concerned about not getting enough variety to allow my body to have the nutrients it needs if I do the one pot wonder meals all week long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted January 10, 2016 Moderators Share Posted January 10, 2016 also I guess I was concerned about not getting enough variety to allow my body to have the nutrients it needs if I do the one pot wonder meals all week long. Do the one pot meals for your main and then do a variety of roasted or cooked veg for the sides... that way you're getting a ton of variety. Also, if you make chili or soup or something, jam as many vegetables in there as you can. Yes, variety is important but you will be getting enough variety to get the nutrients that you need. Change up your one pot meals weekly or twice a week depending on how big you make that pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmary Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I guess I just need ideas, suggestions, and recipes. do you have a recipe for your bison chili and butternut squash that you can share? I kind of just make things up as I go, but here is a similar recipe: http://civilizedcavemancooking.com/recipes/beef/bacon-bison-butternut-squash-chili-triple-b-chili/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ultrarunnergirl Posted January 11, 2016 Moderators Share Posted January 11, 2016 Tom Denham's wholelifeeating.com has a lot of super simple crockpot roasts and such. They are great tasting and take little work! One of my faves: http://www.wholelifeeating.com/2012/02/slow-cooker-chuck-roast/. Just add additional veggies, either to the crockpot or after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistyfire Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 I often make a big pot of ratatouille and throw different proteins in it to make it a different meal each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praxisproject Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 You can also make a big lot of protein such as this one in a crockpot http://nomnompaleo.com/post/10031990774/slow-cooker-kalua-pig and then just use it to make different things, add some Sunshine Sauce http://meljoulwan.com/2009/07/21/sunshine-sauce/ and some Spaghetti Squash http://meljoulwan.com/2008/09/30/eat-your-vegetables-spaghetti-squash/ and you're done But if you like eating the same thing for a few days in a row, there's no reason you can't do that on Whole30 I have a favourite curry I make all the time, because I love it, I never get sick of it. This one is a great one to freeze in portions and it's just veggies, so you can add it to any meal http://meljoulwan.com/2012/11/05/silky-gingered-zucchini-soup/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laura_juggles Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 You can also make a big lot of protein such as this one in a crockpot http://nomnompaleo.com/post/10031990774/slow-cooker-kalua-pig I made the kalua pig this weekend and it is ah-may-zing. The only way I can eat healthfully (Whole30 or not) is to batch cook for both lunch and dinner, so I usually do 2 different batches. This week it's the kalua pig and chicken. My fridge is full of veg either roasted or ready to be eaten raw. There is no need for you to be full on cooking every single meal separately. If you've got good tupperware, then you're good to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jent103 Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Yup, I'm single and live alone too, and most weeks I cook one recipe each for lunches and dinner (and breakfast unless I decide to do scrambled eggs or something). Like, last week I ate Cincinnati chili from Well Fed 2 over roasted kabocha squash with cole slaw for lunches, and the Best Chicken Ever (I use a different seasoning mix) with aioli and green beans for dinner, and scrambled eggs with homemade sausage mixed in + kale salad for breakfasts. I only cooked for a few hours on the weekend; everything else was basically reheating and occasionally mixing up more salad dressing or something. I often don't get home until 7:00 or later; I don't have time to make dinner from scratch every night, plus I don't see a need to. I worry about variety on average - over a month or so I try to get in a decent variety of proteins and vegetables. I've been eating this way for about two years, but I did a "weekly cookup" for a long time before that. The method I use to cook on the weekends and reheat all week hasn't really changed - just the recipes I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinger Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 I'm kind of thrilled/relieved to see old hands at this recommending my favorite way of eating. For years I've made a big mess of something at the start of the week to eat for several days. So long, in fact, that I really don't know how to whip together something quick in the evening. On the rare occasion that I do it feels like a massive accomplishment. But I've been trying to make something new at least every few nights, now. Or using Mel Joulwan's hot plates techniques, but even that doesn't "feel" right. And this week I'm already running out of veggies—of which I bought a LOT this weekend—because I don't know how to gauge what I need for this freestyle eating I'm doing. I'm SO going back to a couple big batches of something when I go to the grocery again. Thanks for the life affirmation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alisonlcarver Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I love the suggestions here. I love batch cooking, but kindof smaller batches so my husband and I are not eating the same thing ALL WEEK. Often when I make a large pot of chili I will portion out single servings in individual containers for work or dinner. It's so easy to just put the container into a bag and add either a fat or veggie to make it template worthy. I also pre-cut veggies for the whole week and put them in individual zipper bags so that I can either throw them in with my lunch or eat them at home as part of a mini meal or with dinner. The prep work on the weekend definitely makes the time saved during the week worth it. I do still cook during the week, but make sure these are 'easy' meals, like brown some ground beef and onions, add some canned tomatoes and green chiles and spices, then place this in a bowl with shredded lettuce, cut up tomatoes/black olives/avocadoes and top with spicy mayonnaise. This involves minimal chopping, minimal cooking, and is extremely delicious. When I make this I use 1 pound of ground beef to portion out 4 meals. This makes dinner for the night and lunch for the next day for two people. Convenient foods will help you here too. I buy frozen fish (look at the labels of course) and they bake from frozen. As the fish is baking, I roast some broccoli and throw some ingredients together to make homemade tarter sauce. It's fast, easy, and delicious. I think it is important to have a list of meals that you can throw together quickly with ingredients that you often have on hand. But like everyone has been saying, it is also great to batch cook and eat on this throughout the week, and even freeze some for later. I like to keep myself organized by placing post-its on my fridge with 'protein', 'veggies', and 'fat.' I write down what I have in my fridge, freezer, and cabinets so that if I am feeling super unmotivated to cook I can just pick one thing from each post-it, place it on a plate, and eat. Super quick template meal. This creates some pretty random meals sometimes, like scrambled eggs, celery/carrots/tomatoes, and avocado...or it could be shrimp, green beans, and olives. As long as it fits the template, it works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuilterInVA Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 I love the meal plans at www.meljoulwan.com. They are not plans where you eat this for breakfast and that for lunch but batch cooking plans. You spend a couple of hours and have food for a week that you can mix and match. Take a look. She is the author of the Well Fed cookbooks and you can download 30 of her recipes from Well Fed for free. We always seem to be able to make time for other things, but when it comes to cooking good food for our health, we don't want to do it. Where's the logic in that. Spend time in the kitchen or the doctor's office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellewannabe17 Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 This goes with everything said, but MEAL PLAN! One day a week, make a calendar of what you are eating for the week and what needs to be prepped for it. Spend a few hours prepping as much as you can and then look to your calendar to see what needs to be done each day. You can batch cook for several meals and use the crock pot. I bake several sweet potatoes at a time or roast a huge pan of veggies. I like to have a big pan of spaghetti sauce that's heavy on the meat and then load it on different veggies. I also love taco meat or pulled pork to load on veggies or salads. Also, make your time in the kitchen fun. Put on your favorite music, dance while you chop, call a good friend while you prep or wash dishes! What would you be doing if you were not prepping food? Watching TV? Reading a book? Working? Something sedentary? Turn it into exercise! Good luck from a full time working mother of three young children who would give anything to spend a few hours alone in the kitchen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenLA Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Good luck from a full time working mother of three young children who would give anything to spend a few hours alone in the kitchen Belle- I have received many great suggestions and well-meaning replies from everyone on this post that I will be working on using. As for everyone this new lifestyle is a work in progress for me. thanks for the suggestion about the "spaghetti" sauce. it's something I have been making for years from my own recipe that is already compliant because I never liked the too sweet taste of jarred sauces. so I will just get more creative on how I eat vegetables with it. congratulations on making this plan work while being a full time working mother with 3 young children. my advice to you would be not to take for granted any moment you have with them as everyone is precious. I lost my husband and two children about 15 years ago. so every moment spent preparing meals alone for me is just a reminder that I don't have them to share the meals with me. I would gladly give up all of my alone time in the kitchen and more to have them back. I am NOT interested in any sympathy or apologies by making the statement. I know you meant only good but your comment just struck a chord with me. thanks again for taking the time to reply and be helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannlib Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Belle- I have received many great suggestions and well-meaning replies from everyone on this post that I will be working on using. As for everyone this new lifestyle is a work in progress for me. thanks for the suggestion about the "spaghetti" sauce. it's something I have been making for years from my own recipe that is already compliant because I never liked the too sweet taste of jarred sauces. so I will just get more creative on how I eat vegetables with it. congratulations on making this plan work while being a full time working mother with 3 young children. my advice to you would be not to take for granted any moment you have with them as everyone is precious. I lost my husband and two children about 15 years ago. so every moment spent preparing meals alone for me is just a reminder that I don't have them to share the meals with me. I would gladly give up all of my alone time in the kitchen and more to have them back. I am NOT interested in any sympathy or apologies by making the statement. I know you meant only good but your comment just struck a chord with me. thanks again for taking the time to reply and be helpful. I know you're not asking for sympathy but I can't read this and not comment ... I am so very sorry for your devastating loss. I hope you can find a way to make this programme work for you and wish you a successful whole 30. So many great meal prep tips on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted January 17, 2016 Administrators Share Posted January 17, 2016 Hi Helen, as with Hannlib, I can't not comment. So instead of sympathy which you don't want, I'm sending you a hug and whatever virtual support during your Whole30 we can provide. You're a strong woman to have come 15 years from such a tragedy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolong Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I know how you feel Helen....I am on Day 7 today and I feel like I'm always in my kitchen! This is my first Whole 30 and I thought I prepared pretty well, but I definitely did not think of batch cooking for the week. I will be out of town from Thursday through Sunday so I will need to deplete the few leftover I have, but hopefully next Monday night I will be able to at least cook up a batch of the spaghetti sauce...that does sound like a delicious dinner to have on hand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortystylee Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 I batch cook for the week every Sunday, and it definitely helps if you are OK with leftovers and a little bit of monotony. Also, think of things you can cook all at once. I'll usually have the crockpot going (curry or a roast/pulled meat), a large stockpot (the heavy Le Creuset style) on the stove (soup/curry), a pot boiling for mashed sweet potatoes and another steaming cauliflower for "rice", and the oven cooking chicken thighs and maybe salmon filets. For veggies as sides, you can have everything washed and cut, then just stowed in the fridge so you can quickly cook it for dinner. It takes a while for me, but I usually combine food prep day with other chores, and I'm great at distractions. A big plus for putting on some music and zoning out, and I've actually taken to setting up Netflix on my phone and setting it on the kitchen window ledge while I work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellewannabe17 Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 Helen, Oh my gosh, I am so sorry that my comment hit so close to home. Thank you for recognizing that I was just trying to be helpful. I just wanted to encourage you, but I can see where I was not. I am so so sorry. I hope that you can find a way to make your time in the kitchen a little less painful. Sending virtual support and strength to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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