Ok, I'm hating this at the moment! I've never been good at planning meals and sticking to them, and thus going grocery shopping, I end up getting so frustrated and overwhelmed that I hate to go!! I've tried over and over and it just doesn't work for me. I've tried making lists, I've picked recipies and got the ingredients, and then never made what I was going to...I just don't know how to make it easier!
Here's my question...How'd you start planning your meals and shopping? Did you find it overwhelming at first?
I find it really helps a lot to set aside an hour or so after you've gone shopping to do a little prep-work. I chop all of my veggies, divide meats into portions and freeze whatever I won't need for a few days, make any seasoning mixes and sauces that can be done ahead of time, and put them all in containers in the fridge. This way, when it comes time for dinner, I just have to chuck everything in the oven/pot/pan and it's ready to go.
I still find it pretty overwhelming. My problem is that I find recipies that look fantastic and easy, then when it comes time to actually cook I get bored/distracted and give up. I guess what I've learned is that I'm not a cook, and maybe living on a diet of uncooked veggies, turkey sandwiches, lean cuisine frozen dinners, and coffee isn't such a bad thing.
On the other hand, planning is basically the only way to be successful. It keeps you from making stupid decisions regarding food when you're super-hungry. Are you a really motivated cook? If not, then maybe try some meals that are very fast and simple (and healthy!). I got a cookbook at a thrift store last year where none of the recipies involve more than 5 ingredients. It's easy to adjust most of them so they're fat-and-calorie friendly. Go for simplicity and see if that makes it any easier for you.
I still find it pretty overwhelming. My problem is that I find recipies that look fantastic and easy, then when it comes time to actually cook I get bored/distracted and give up. I guess what I've learned is that I'm not a cook, and maybe living on a diet of uncooked veggies, turkey sandwiches, lean cuisine frozen dinners, and coffee isn't such a bad thing.
Edited to add: Sierra beat me to the post- and also made me look really bad in the process. I envy all the organized people out there... and the pre-prep food prep is pretty awesomeonly organized. My fridge still looks like frat boys live in my house.
I went onto 3fatchicks, checked out the South Beach Diet,
One of their stickies is a grocery list of all the foods that you can eat
Print out and go to store.
I still find it pretty overwhelming. My problem is that I find recipies that look fantastic and easy, then when it comes time to actually cook I get bored/distracted and give up. I guess what I've learned is that I'm not a cook, and maybe living on a diet of uncooked veggies, turkey sandwiches, lean cuisine frozen dinners, and coffee isn't such a bad thing.
On the other hand, planning is basically the only way to be successful. It keeps you from making stupid decisions regarding food when you're super-hungry. Are you a really motivated cook? If not, then maybe try some meals that are very fast and simple (and healthy!). I got a cookbook at a thrift store last year where none of the recipies involve more than 5 ingredients. It's easy to adjust most of them so they're fat-and-calorie friendly. Go for simplicity and see if that makes it any easier for you.
Edited to add: Sierra beat me to the post- and also made me look really bad in the process. I envy all the organized people out there... and the pre-prep food prep is pretty awesomeonly organized. My fridge still looks like frat boys live in my house.
I'm so not a cook, and I know it! Every once in awhile I'll feel like cooking a nice dinner. But since most of my meals are by myself, it seems more of a pain to cook such a big meal for just myself! Or I buy a whole bunch of ingredients for a meal, and never make it. Hate that! Simple is best, but every once in awhile Chicken rice and veggies get a little too boring for me. no matter which way you slice it... Maybe I should try to make a chili or something once every 2 weeks, just for variety...
What I do is basically try and build off of the meals I have already cooked. For example rotissere chickens are our friend. Have on for dinner, then pick off all the left over meat. Make a casserole, chicken salad sandwiches, or BBQ sandwiches. Then with bones you can make chicken soup. Also I usually cook up a lean ground beef to make soft tacos on night. Any that you have left over make into chili. By the time I get home DH is already hungry so I try and make "30 Minute Meals" like Racheal Ray. Also always have veggies on hand to add to any meal by steaming or sauteeing them.
I don't make a grocery list. I go to the store and buy the basics: chicken breasts, turkey sausage (I eat these for breakfast a LOT), turkey burgers, cheese, sandwich meat, milk, bread (this takes me a while, as I look for bread low in calories, whole-grain, and without HFCS that isn't dry or airy), diet soda, and any fresh fruits/veggies that are on sale that I know I can eat in a few days (I only shop once a week and hate it when fresh produce ends up getting tossed because it's spoiled).
Once in a while, I stock up on frozen veggies and marinades/dressings. I completely skip a lot of aisles in the store (like the juice one, the cereal one, the chips/pretzels one...) in order to avoid temptation.
I don't plan my meals very far ahead. I usually decide either that morning or the night before what I'll be having for dinner. Last night, I marinated chicken breasts in a honey dijon marinade and baked. I served it with a box of microwaved frozen chopped broccoli. Then end Tonight, Jeff and I will be having 2 different meals (only because I discovered this morning that I only have enough turkey burgers for 1 person ). He will have 2 turkey burgers, and I will have 2 frozen fish fillets (which I know he hates and would never eat, so it is a perfect night to have them), and I will make a side of whole-wheat spaghetti with some sort of vegatable and sauce mixed in. I always only cook enough for just the 2 of us (or just myself if it's something he doesn't like) because we're really bad at eating leftovers.
Oh, and I'm not a fan of cooking, so everything I make is super easy
i also do something similar to Jill, I regularly shop for the basics (same kind of stuff) and just try and make different variations of stuff from that. I make a big pot of soup every week, i just throw some chunks of chick breast, beans, any kind of veg, and some seasonings in and divide it up into 5 containers and have lunch for the week. I only make "new recipes" like 1 time per week so I don't feel overwhelmed.
Im the kind of person that never really plans meals. I buy alot of healthy basic stuff. And if theres a special meal i want to make i just add it to my list.
How Do You Do It???
I envy all the organized people out there... and the pre-prep food prep is pretty awesomeonly organized. My fridge still looks like frat boys live in my house.
Tonight, Jeff and I will be having 2 different meals (only because I discovered this morning that I only have enough turkey burgers for 1 person 
). He will have 2 turkey burgers, and I will have 2 frozen fish fillets (which I know he hates and would never eat, so it is a perfect night to have them), and I will make a side of whole-wheat spaghetti with some sort of vegatable and sauce mixed in. I always only cook enough for just the 2 of us (or just myself if it's something he doesn't like) because we're really bad at eating leftovers.
