Does anyone make food that last for a few days?
 

I know that most of you guys plan your meals. My biggest problem is planning my meals. I dont have much time to cook but I would like to at least start making certain dishes that could last for a few days. So far ive boiled a lot of eggs for the week. Just wondering if anybody else does so and if you wouldnt mind sharing some meal ideas or what have you. THanks!

It would really be nice if someone you had some different ideas that you would like to share

I make couscous and beans or rice and beans that freeze and have for lunch when I eat at work. To cook the couscous or beans, I cut the water that it calls for in half, and replace it with salsa. Then add beans and whatever else you want. I'll usually add a bit of cheddar and tomatoes. I often buy the black beans with lime juice and jalepenos. Yum!

Spaghetti - Half a box of noodles and one can of sauce makes about 4 meals, depending on portion sizes. If I have time, I make a piece of garlic bread to have with it (spread a slice of Italian bread w/ 1/2 tbsp I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and sprinkle with parmesan herb seasoning, then bake 5 mins), otherwise just have a piece of plain bread.

Tacos - Makes about 3 meals (2 tacos each).

Beans and rice - I use the Lipton/Knorr Rice Sides packets (Taco, Mexican, etc flavors) and add a can of drained black beans during the cooking time.

With all of the above, I measure meal size portions out into seperate Gladware containers right after cooking, so all I have to do for meals during the week is grab and heat.

I do a lot of cook-ahead meals. Often I'll start with a generically-seasoned "hunk-o-meat," roasted in the oven or simmered in the crockpot...

a beef or pork roast, a whole chicken or chicken pieces, a small turkey (we eat turkey all-year round)...

I just googled "crock-pot recipes," and "rotisserie chicken recipes." The rotisserie recipes use grocery store ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken - (or your own baked or roasted chicken leftovers).

I do buy rotisserie chickens occasionally (when they're selling for less than $1.50 over the price of a whole raw chicken).

I generally make enough food the last two or more days. For example, I baked eight meals (four days) worth of chicken and fish last week, already proportioned. That way I just pull out one portion and put the rest back in the fridge. Sides are usually made every other day. But I'm not a picky eater. I could eat chicken every day, twice a day for a month and not tire of it as long as I'm switching up my vegetables.

Yes, I do something called "once a month cooking" although I am very behind right now. I make anything that is on my plan (South beach diet) and freeze it in either individual portions (I use cottage cheese, lunchmeat containers, or ziplok bags) or meal size portions in large containers or gallon size bags(there are 3 or 4 of us depending on the time of year).

We make chili, or soups, and I also pre-make partial meals...I may buy a large tray of chicken breasts and bake them with different spices and then freeze them ready to microwave, "Italian chicken" "Fajita Chicken" "Middle Eastern Chicken" "Plain Chicken" so that I can add the cooked chicken to anything I am making, top a salad, or quickly make chicken salad, etc.

Basically, anything that can be frozen (or that a company gets the bright idea to sell you in a TV dinner in the first place) can be frozen in a "once a month" style. It's hard to get started, because you have to make a big batch of chili, and a big batch of three or four other things, but once you've done that, it saves SO MUCH TIME. And the money you save is extraordinary because not only are you not going out to eat/getting takeout, but you can buy things that are on sale or buy things in bulk.

We also make breakfast burritos, and freeze those. This is very easy to do dozens at a time and it makes for a great quick hot breakfast to microwave--again, a HUGE cost savings, especially if you compare the cost of one BK Wrap (not to mention the calories/carbs/fat).

You also have to have room to freeze the food and have it handy...you just can't do this in your fridge freezer.

i make pasta and mini meatloaves for my family once a week, and it usually lasts 2 or more meals.

when i make pasta I throw cubed chicken and broccoli florets into the store bought sauce to complete the meal.

mini meatloaves are made in muffin tins, and you can use lean beef or turkey. Add whatever veggies and seasoning you like, I enjoy mine with worchester sauce, garlic, parsley, and diced onlion. Add the ketchup on top when you reheat them. My family loves these, and a pound usually feeds the three of us for 2 meals.

I'm a fan of the big hunk 'o meat thing. I like to cook a chicken or tri tip or ham -- whatever's on sale and looks good -- over the weekend and use it for the next few days. We have a very tight schedule during the week, so having something I can use to top a salad, make sandwiches or throw into pasta or rice with veggies is huge. I also make breakfasts and lunches the night before and portion everything out for the next day, as well as log it.

I find that I do sooooo much better when all the guesswork is taken out of it for me. I'm less likely to make impulsive food decisions if everything is already thought out and easily accessible. I also keep a bunch of healthy snacks at my desk at work, just in case.

Good luck! :)

I have been making a main dish and then portioning it out into small lunch size meals and then I add frozen veggies. It cooks up like a premade frozen entree.

Last night I made Coriander chicken. Instead of making 2-3 breasts for my family I made 6 and divided the leftovers into baggies. I used a measuring cup to measure out frozen, uncooked veggies. The moisture from the frozen chicken and veggies will steam the veggies to perfection.

Sounds like so good ideas Im making baked chicken tonight it should last a few days. Meat loaf is also a great one. I also use ground turkey. I dont really eat ground beef anymore. SOunds like you guys have it all figured out lol

I always make enough food for extras. Last night, I made some rice/millet to go with various meals and tofu/bok choy stir fry. On Sunday, I also made lasagna and roasted squash. The next couple days will be busy and I won't have time to cook so its good that I have leftovers that can be used for lunch/dinners for my husband and myself.

Um...no. LOL! And for when I don't, there's Lean Cuisines and nutrition guides for the local fast food places! One chicken taco from taco bell goes great with an apple! :D

For the days when I don't have it all figured out, I head to the chipotle my hubby manages.

chicken salad w/black beans, mild & corn salsa, and guacamole! leave off the vinigrette. yum &balanced. Check out chipotlefan.com for nutition info on your favorite! (fyi, tortillas at chipotle cost you 330 empty calories!)

Their website is really cool. You click on items you want in your bowl and nutrition information updates itself accordingly. I think the calories are pretty high, but the portions are pretty big too. If you plan to eat only half or 1/3 of the bowl, it's doable.

I'm a freezer too, I love to cook up a lot of chicken and keep it handy, either 'as is' or for a salad. Same with ground beef, i brown it with a little taco seasoning mix and freeze portions -- can use either as taco meat, or to throw in a mexican soup.

I cook up a lot of brown rice at once, usually with chicken stock and some froz veg in it for fun and freeze individual portions so it's always at the ready.

I make a goofy 'cheater' (cuz it's all cans/froz veg etc. LOL) meal that takes the place of lean cuisines -- it's a big pot with low-fat cream of chicken soup, some low-sod chicken stock instead of water, a ton of frozen veg broccoli/carrots/ peans corn, and some of the already cooked chicken in my freezer, toss in some cooked rotini and put it in containers -- perfect for lunch on the go!

a little bit of organization a few times a month can save so much time and money, it's crazy!!! Whenever I was at a loose end for dinner I would ALWAYS hit mcdonalds, now my first inclination is to hit my FREEZER!