Being Pro-Active in the Kitchen
There is nothing worse than coming home from a long day, starving and not having the energy to cook anything. Further still, there are only bits and bobs in the fridge and the pantry.You could just munch on a Cako cupcake or have some cereal but that isn’t dinner. Do you succumb to the urgings, order take-away and feel worse for wear after??
There are numerous shows on television devoted to cooking and many of them have segments about making a dish using random ingredients. That may work on television, but when you come home and are faced with a jar of peanut butter, half an onion, a carton of milk and some plums that really isn’t that much to work with.
You could have basics such as pasta in the house, but you probably don’t feel like having it or some leftovers again.
In this day and age, supermarkets are at least open till all hours, but when you are tired who wants to head out again and you don’t have the fortitude to think of what to buy.
So how do you avoid finding yourself in this situation? There are several ways to go about it – it’s about finding the one that works best for you.
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When you go shopping you should plan ahead and work out a menu of sorts – this way you have all the ingredients already. You could also cook or prepare ahead of time so that you aren’t left with this sinking last minute feeling.
It’s true that planning doesn’t always work. You may earmark Thursday as fish day, but you get to Thursday and just don’t feel like fish. What to do? Go to the supermarket and get whatever you are in the mood for. With online supermarkets, you don’t even have to go anywhere. You could just order online and have the things sent to your house.
This is a situation that if happens once, tends to repeat. As creatures of habit when faced with a recurring situation we deal with it the same way, hence the frustration that builds up – so beat it to the punch. When you’re at the supermarket – ask yourself the question, if I get home and don’t have the energy to cook anything, what would be good last-minute, options?
From instant soups to canned goods, these aren’t the healthiest things but at least they are something. Go have a good look at the freezer section because they have some interesting things.
Speaking of which, you should take advantage of the freezer and the options it gives you. You could have a lot of buried treasure in there that you’ve forgotten about. In the morning take something out whether it’s a frozen soup, fish or piece of meat and throw it in the sink. When you come home it’s defrosted and good to go. It sounds very simple but is very effective.
David Wise likes to write about all things home-related. His favorite activities are jigsaw puzzles and watching Humphrey Bogart movies.
