I'm not a hipster: I don't make week menus



When I read other blogs, I have the impression I am the only one not planning week menu's or not subscribing to food boxes.  The main reason is probably that I try to delegate grocery shopping and meals as much as possible to my husband.


But when I am a week on my own like previous week, I do want to plan ahead and think about food. I dislike grocery shopping so I try to buy sufficient to stock a full fridge (combined with non perishable foods in the basement that I don't use enough). In order to fill up the fridge for a couple of days, it is a necessity to think ahead. I do that in the store (or when ordering online a collect order of groceries). It feels very comforting to have a lot of options open when coming home. So the idea of a plan that on day x I should cook and eat y, feels very restricted to me. The concept of thinking ahead on the other hand to have the necessary ingredients at home however makes total sense.

So while I do plan more or less what I'll eat a few days ahead, I do not plan "meals".  In contrast to the  popularity of casseroles or 1 pan dishes (often offered by foodboxes), my cooking brain is stuck in the traditional 3 partitions meal. When I think of cooking a meal, I start with a choice of meat or fish.  Then I check if I have vegetables and finally I add a potato, rice, bread or some pasta.  My planning limits itself to having meats and/or fish in the fridge that would supply us with a few days and a choice of different vegetables. 



As a result I am usually baking some meat or fish while vegetables are steamed or stewed in parallel in a seperate pot on the cooking fire or in the microwave ...or I cut up some raw vegetables. Just as easy, fast and stressless than most of foodboxes. However I probably miss a finishing touch of a special herb or that crunchy nut or a bit of sauce that would lift my meal up to a higher level. Most evenings when coming home after work and trying to serve food as soon as possible to the children, I couldn't care less for not serving the best culinary experience.  If I'd be following a recipe, I probably would get the instructions and knowledge to add that extra touch.

As for inspiration: I probably go back regularly to the same things but I believe that will be the case with a week planner as well. My inspiration comes in the store when checking out the meat and fish section :).



So what about you: are you a detailed planner  or an ad hoc cook? Do you mainly cook 3 component meals?




Comments

ElsS said…
Not a week menu planner either, the only meal I have to plan now is that for Monday evening. I stay at work till 19.15h, pick up my daughter from her rope skipping training (ends at 19.30h) and go home by bike. We only arrive at 20.00h so then you need a quick supper, something you just have to put in the microwave for a few minutes (as our 13YO is quite hungry by then and goes to bed around 21.15h). As a result we now often have meals that I prepare on Sunday evening, the rest is inspired by what I have in our fridge, freezer or cupboard (grocery shopping is a once a week event only) :)
Anne said…
Weekmenu en boodschappen online, al jaren. Begonnen toen we een familie van 6 waren, en blijven we nu doen. Ik ben van het soort dat zich de hele dag suf loopt te piekeren wat we vanavond gaan eten, dus als ik dat in één keer kan ballen op zondagochtend, dan is dat zó rustgevend. En als er geen inspiratie is: ik hou mijn weekmenu's bij, en kan altijd eens terugkeren om te kijken wat we zouden kunnen eten. Dat je vasthangt aan wat gepland is, vind ik niet zo'n probleem, er is sowieso altijd nog mogelijkheid om te wisselen of te schuiven of uit te stellen.
(en ik ben ook geen hipster, haha)
Goofball said…
@Irene: menu's maken om geld uit te sparen? Hoe doe je dat? Of is dat om impulsaankopen (en impuls deliveroo leveringen) te vermijden? Ik moet toegeven dat we ons wel vaak schuldig maken aan dat laatste.
Goofball said…
@Anne: piekeren doe ik er niet over, zeker niet als ik volle frigo heb. Maar zoals ik schreef beperkt mijn kookkunst zich doorgaans tot het bakken van iets (dat niet veel gaartijd nodig heeft) en er wat groenten bijserveren. Dus ik zit wel vast in bepaald patroon.

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