Living alone and in need of meal planning help!
Discussion
At the ripe old age of 39 I am living alone for the first time in my life!
Now, before this if I wanted a meal I just grabbed whatever food was in my well stocked larder and ate it! If I wanted a meal, wifey made one.
However.....I no longer have a wife (well, not one that will cook for me!) and my cupboards are bare! Literally.....I have a bottle of coke and a ready meal for tomorrows tea.
So what do people do to plan their meals? I need to eat cheaply, simpley and with an eye on heavy weight training. Any good meal planners people have used? or even just some tips....I quite like the idea of making stuff on a sunday to last all week (or a few days at least) - But if I went to tesco to do that right now I'd just buy 7 ready meals!!! (and some more coke, its getting low!)
T
Now, before this if I wanted a meal I just grabbed whatever food was in my well stocked larder and ate it! If I wanted a meal, wifey made one.
However.....I no longer have a wife (well, not one that will cook for me!) and my cupboards are bare! Literally.....I have a bottle of coke and a ready meal for tomorrows tea.
So what do people do to plan their meals? I need to eat cheaply, simpley and with an eye on heavy weight training. Any good meal planners people have used? or even just some tips....I quite like the idea of making stuff on a sunday to last all week (or a few days at least) - But if I went to tesco to do that right now I'd just buy 7 ready meals!!! (and some more coke, its getting low!)
T
Bulk cooking worked well for me. That and advance planning.
Anything like chilli, bolognese, casseroles or curry can be made in pretty enormous quantities then portioned and frozen for reheating when it suits.
The other thing that helped me when I was in exactly your situation, was to sit down and write a list of a dozen or more meals that I enjoyed, plan what I was going to eat each week, and make sure I bought what I needed.
It was quite liberating, especially as my ex was a bit of a fussy eater, to be able to cook meals that I hadn't had for a long time, or to experiment with recipes - some of the ones on this forum are excellent
Anything like chilli, bolognese, casseroles or curry can be made in pretty enormous quantities then portioned and frozen for reheating when it suits.
The other thing that helped me when I was in exactly your situation, was to sit down and write a list of a dozen or more meals that I enjoyed, plan what I was going to eat each week, and make sure I bought what I needed.
It was quite liberating, especially as my ex was a bit of a fussy eater, to be able to cook meals that I hadn't had for a long time, or to experiment with recipes - some of the ones on this forum are excellent
I walk into work with so many Tupperware boxes now. 
I’m not a fan of cooking mainly because it takes time + washing up sucks. Here are some tips that I use. I’ll also be interested to hear what others say.
Eggs and chicken are your best friends… eggs are cheap, versatile and tasty. Chicken not so cheap but versatile and a staple of mine.
I make omelettes 2-3 times per week and even make extra so I can fridge for the next day at work for lunch. Use Cathedral City lighter cheddar if you are watching calories and finish off the omelette under the grill. It’s amazing what stuff like dried herbs can do to transform an omelette from something quite plain into tricking your mind into eating something exotic! Thyme is a favourite of mine + Frank’s hot sauce.
Maggi So Juicy is really simple… I usually buy them when they are on offer… chuck some chicken breasts in (I cut them into 4-5 pieces first), peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus… anything you got lying around. Bang in the oven for 35-40mins and enjoy. Again, I always double up my dinners to have the other half for lunch the next day. Not so nice cold the next day but it’s fuel for your body, right?
I bought some of that Reggae Reggae curry sauce stuff the other day – I think it cost about £1.80 and a whole jar with 2-3 small chicken fillets, peppers, onions in a saucepan – did it last night, had it with a couple of frankfurters and some leafy salad and was well nice. Again, got the same for lunch.
I buy natural greek yogurt in as big a tubs as I can find in the supermarket and put some in Tupperware to have when I go to work. I chuck some fresh fruit in there with it in the morning and have it as an afternoon snack (I put in mango, papaya, physalis, kiwi…).
Natural peanut butter on Ryvita is also another great snack – cheap, easy + nutritious and can bring to work.
I occasionally make a chili con carne for 3-4 days – huge batch of it. Tastes awesome and it’s easy.
The Ainsley Harriot cous cous is often on offer (only 74p a pack anyway) and 1 pack will last 2 servings (fridge it and use the next day) – as simple as mixing it with boiling water from the kettle. The lemon and parsley one is very tasty.
If you’re buying bread, get bang for buck not the cheap nasty stuff. I usually buy the linseed and soya and sprouted loafs. However, I don’t eat much bread at all. Last time was about a week ago when I smashed a Subway.
Green Giant frozen green medley veg is cheap and easy. Come in individual bags you literally lob in the microwave for a couple of minutes from frozen and voila, a mixture of veg that I like. Goes with anything.
Spinach… stuff is ridiculously easy to cook – chuck it raw in omelettes, raw in salad or boil it for a few minutes and have it with any dish. Really high in iron and with a little nutmeg, sea salt and garlic, tastes really good.
Milk – I buy loads of the stuff. I drink skimmed milk and have it with protein shakes and goes in my tea, coffee, make scrambled eggs with it and so on.
Protein powders – aside from the protein benefits, it’s a god send for convenience energy when you’re not starving and need something to tide you over. I bulk buy my powders and drink 2-3 per day. It gets my protein up without affecting my carb and fat intakes.
Matthesons turkey bacon – usually on offer – tastes nothing like bacon but good nutritional values, easy to grill and goes with anything. A soya linseed bread sandwich (Burgens small loaf) with 3 rashers of this turkey bacon, flora buttery spread + Heinz ketchup = 300 calories, 12g of fat (only 2g of sat fats), 23g of carbs & 29g of protein.
Stuff like silverskin pickled onions, pepperdew peppers, gerkins etc are always handy to have in the fridge and will last forever. Handy because they can make most things taste better. Plus not that pricey.
I also find condiments a life saver on bland stuff – just watch the calories if you are watching calories – make sure you include them. Kraft do a good range of low calorie dressings which taste great and are not calorie dense. The same with the extra light mayo.
Okay, that’s enough from me. :P
I’m not a fan of cooking mainly because it takes time + washing up sucks. Here are some tips that I use. I’ll also be interested to hear what others say.
Eggs and chicken are your best friends… eggs are cheap, versatile and tasty. Chicken not so cheap but versatile and a staple of mine.
I make omelettes 2-3 times per week and even make extra so I can fridge for the next day at work for lunch. Use Cathedral City lighter cheddar if you are watching calories and finish off the omelette under the grill. It’s amazing what stuff like dried herbs can do to transform an omelette from something quite plain into tricking your mind into eating something exotic! Thyme is a favourite of mine + Frank’s hot sauce.
Maggi So Juicy is really simple… I usually buy them when they are on offer… chuck some chicken breasts in (I cut them into 4-5 pieces first), peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus… anything you got lying around. Bang in the oven for 35-40mins and enjoy. Again, I always double up my dinners to have the other half for lunch the next day. Not so nice cold the next day but it’s fuel for your body, right?
I bought some of that Reggae Reggae curry sauce stuff the other day – I think it cost about £1.80 and a whole jar with 2-3 small chicken fillets, peppers, onions in a saucepan – did it last night, had it with a couple of frankfurters and some leafy salad and was well nice. Again, got the same for lunch.
I buy natural greek yogurt in as big a tubs as I can find in the supermarket and put some in Tupperware to have when I go to work. I chuck some fresh fruit in there with it in the morning and have it as an afternoon snack (I put in mango, papaya, physalis, kiwi…).
Natural peanut butter on Ryvita is also another great snack – cheap, easy + nutritious and can bring to work.
I occasionally make a chili con carne for 3-4 days – huge batch of it. Tastes awesome and it’s easy.
The Ainsley Harriot cous cous is often on offer (only 74p a pack anyway) and 1 pack will last 2 servings (fridge it and use the next day) – as simple as mixing it with boiling water from the kettle. The lemon and parsley one is very tasty.
If you’re buying bread, get bang for buck not the cheap nasty stuff. I usually buy the linseed and soya and sprouted loafs. However, I don’t eat much bread at all. Last time was about a week ago when I smashed a Subway.
Green Giant frozen green medley veg is cheap and easy. Come in individual bags you literally lob in the microwave for a couple of minutes from frozen and voila, a mixture of veg that I like. Goes with anything.
Spinach… stuff is ridiculously easy to cook – chuck it raw in omelettes, raw in salad or boil it for a few minutes and have it with any dish. Really high in iron and with a little nutmeg, sea salt and garlic, tastes really good.
Milk – I buy loads of the stuff. I drink skimmed milk and have it with protein shakes and goes in my tea, coffee, make scrambled eggs with it and so on.
Protein powders – aside from the protein benefits, it’s a god send for convenience energy when you’re not starving and need something to tide you over. I bulk buy my powders and drink 2-3 per day. It gets my protein up without affecting my carb and fat intakes.
Matthesons turkey bacon – usually on offer – tastes nothing like bacon but good nutritional values, easy to grill and goes with anything. A soya linseed bread sandwich (Burgens small loaf) with 3 rashers of this turkey bacon, flora buttery spread + Heinz ketchup = 300 calories, 12g of fat (only 2g of sat fats), 23g of carbs & 29g of protein.
Stuff like silverskin pickled onions, pepperdew peppers, gerkins etc are always handy to have in the fridge and will last forever. Handy because they can make most things taste better. Plus not that pricey.
I also find condiments a life saver on bland stuff – just watch the calories if you are watching calories – make sure you include them. Kraft do a good range of low calorie dressings which taste great and are not calorie dense. The same with the extra light mayo.
Okay, that’s enough from me. :P
mu0n said:
I walk into work with so many Tupperware boxes now.
I’m not a fan of cooking mainly because it takes time + washing up sucks. Here are some tips that I use. I’ll also be interested to hear what others say.
Eggs and chicken are your best friends… eggs are cheap, versatile and tasty. Chicken not so cheap but versatile and a staple of mine.
I make omelettes 2-3 times per week and even make extra so I can fridge for the next day at work for lunch. Use Cathedral City lighter cheddar if you are watching calories and finish off the omelette under the grill. It’s amazing what stuff like dried herbs can do to transform an omelette from something quite plain into tricking your mind into eating something exotic! Thyme is a favourite of mine + Frank’s hot sauce.
Maggi So Juicy is really simple… I usually buy them when they are on offer… chuck some chicken breasts in (I cut them into 4-5 pieces first), peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus… anything you got lying around. Bang in the oven for 35-40mins and enjoy. Again, I always double up my dinners to have the other half for lunch the next day. Not so nice cold the next day but it’s fuel for your body, right?
I bought some of that Reggae Reggae curry sauce stuff the other day – I think it cost about £1.80 and a whole jar with 2-3 small chicken fillets, peppers, onions in a saucepan – did it last night, had it with a couple of frankfurters and some leafy salad and was well nice. Again, got the same for lunch.
I buy natural greek yogurt in as big a tubs as I can find in the supermarket and put some in Tupperware to have when I go to work. I chuck some fresh fruit in there with it in the morning and have it as an afternoon snack (I put in mango, papaya, physalis, kiwi…).
Natural peanut butter on Ryvita is also another great snack – cheap, easy + nutritious and can bring to work.
I occasionally make a chili con carne for 3-4 days – huge batch of it. Tastes awesome and it’s easy.
The Ainsley Harriot cous cous is often on offer (only 74p a pack anyway) and 1 pack will last 2 servings (fridge it and use the next day) – as simple as mixing it with boiling water from the kettle. The lemon and parsley one is very tasty.
If you’re buying bread, get bang for buck not the cheap nasty stuff. I usually buy the linseed and soya and sprouted loafs. However, I don’t eat much bread at all. Last time was about a week ago when I smashed a Subway.
Green Giant frozen green medley veg is cheap and easy. Come in individual bags you literally lob in the microwave for a couple of minutes from frozen and voila, a mixture of veg that I like. Goes with anything.
Spinach… stuff is ridiculously easy to cook – chuck it raw in omelettes, raw in salad or boil it for a few minutes and have it with any dish. Really high in iron and with a little nutmeg, sea salt and garlic, tastes really good.
Milk – I buy loads of the stuff. I drink skimmed milk and have it with protein shakes and goes in my tea, coffee, make scrambled eggs with it and so on.
Protein powders – aside from the protein benefits, it’s a god send for convenience energy when you’re not starving and need something to tide you over. I bulk buy my powders and drink 2-3 per day. It gets my protein up without affecting my carb and fat intakes.
Matthesons turkey bacon – usually on offer – tastes nothing like bacon but good nutritional values, easy to grill and goes with anything. A soya linseed bread sandwich (Burgens small loaf) with 3 rashers of this turkey bacon, flora buttery spread + Heinz ketchup = 300 calories, 12g of fat (only 2g of sat fats), 23g of carbs & 29g of protein.
Stuff like silverskin pickled onions, pepperdew peppers, gerkins etc are always handy to have in the fridge and will last forever. Handy because they can make most things taste better. Plus not that pricey.
I also find condiments a life saver on bland stuff – just watch the calories if you are watching calories – make sure you include them. Kraft do a good range of low calorie dressings which taste great and are not calorie dense. The same with the extra light mayo.
Okay, that’s enough from me. :P
Brilliant post buddy! I’m not a fan of cooking mainly because it takes time + washing up sucks. Here are some tips that I use. I’ll also be interested to hear what others say.
Eggs and chicken are your best friends… eggs are cheap, versatile and tasty. Chicken not so cheap but versatile and a staple of mine.
I make omelettes 2-3 times per week and even make extra so I can fridge for the next day at work for lunch. Use Cathedral City lighter cheddar if you are watching calories and finish off the omelette under the grill. It’s amazing what stuff like dried herbs can do to transform an omelette from something quite plain into tricking your mind into eating something exotic! Thyme is a favourite of mine + Frank’s hot sauce.
Maggi So Juicy is really simple… I usually buy them when they are on offer… chuck some chicken breasts in (I cut them into 4-5 pieces first), peppers, sweet potatoes, onions, asparagus… anything you got lying around. Bang in the oven for 35-40mins and enjoy. Again, I always double up my dinners to have the other half for lunch the next day. Not so nice cold the next day but it’s fuel for your body, right?
I bought some of that Reggae Reggae curry sauce stuff the other day – I think it cost about £1.80 and a whole jar with 2-3 small chicken fillets, peppers, onions in a saucepan – did it last night, had it with a couple of frankfurters and some leafy salad and was well nice. Again, got the same for lunch.
I buy natural greek yogurt in as big a tubs as I can find in the supermarket and put some in Tupperware to have when I go to work. I chuck some fresh fruit in there with it in the morning and have it as an afternoon snack (I put in mango, papaya, physalis, kiwi…).
Natural peanut butter on Ryvita is also another great snack – cheap, easy + nutritious and can bring to work.
I occasionally make a chili con carne for 3-4 days – huge batch of it. Tastes awesome and it’s easy.
The Ainsley Harriot cous cous is often on offer (only 74p a pack anyway) and 1 pack will last 2 servings (fridge it and use the next day) – as simple as mixing it with boiling water from the kettle. The lemon and parsley one is very tasty.
If you’re buying bread, get bang for buck not the cheap nasty stuff. I usually buy the linseed and soya and sprouted loafs. However, I don’t eat much bread at all. Last time was about a week ago when I smashed a Subway.
Green Giant frozen green medley veg is cheap and easy. Come in individual bags you literally lob in the microwave for a couple of minutes from frozen and voila, a mixture of veg that I like. Goes with anything.
Spinach… stuff is ridiculously easy to cook – chuck it raw in omelettes, raw in salad or boil it for a few minutes and have it with any dish. Really high in iron and with a little nutmeg, sea salt and garlic, tastes really good.
Milk – I buy loads of the stuff. I drink skimmed milk and have it with protein shakes and goes in my tea, coffee, make scrambled eggs with it and so on.
Protein powders – aside from the protein benefits, it’s a god send for convenience energy when you’re not starving and need something to tide you over. I bulk buy my powders and drink 2-3 per day. It gets my protein up without affecting my carb and fat intakes.
Matthesons turkey bacon – usually on offer – tastes nothing like bacon but good nutritional values, easy to grill and goes with anything. A soya linseed bread sandwich (Burgens small loaf) with 3 rashers of this turkey bacon, flora buttery spread + Heinz ketchup = 300 calories, 12g of fat (only 2g of sat fats), 23g of carbs & 29g of protein.
Stuff like silverskin pickled onions, pepperdew peppers, gerkins etc are always handy to have in the fridge and will last forever. Handy because they can make most things taste better. Plus not that pricey.
I also find condiments a life saver on bland stuff – just watch the calories if you are watching calories – make sure you include them. Kraft do a good range of low calorie dressings which taste great and are not calorie dense. The same with the extra light mayo.
Okay, that’s enough from me. :P
You're proving very useful to folk in this area!
Lee
I've lived on my own for about 6 years now. I've got a larder well stocks with herb, spices, rice, noodles, etc. I usually have a think about where I'm going to be for the week and plan my meals accordingly. I'll either make a meal which feeds two and have it again the next day, or i'll do some form of eastern cooking, which caters well for single eater, so it might be a thai curry or a laksa or something. Quick to make and tasty.
TheJimi said:
MuOn - are you an old PH'er under a new name?
No sinister reason for asking btw, just curious
I was muon but something odd happened and I got banned. An admin said it was because I had already used the same e-mail address? I don't know, I didn't get a proper explanation. No sinister reason for asking btw, just curious
Forget about ready meals and learn to cook, it can be healthier and cheaper, plus ladies are often impressed by a man who can cook The BBC website has a great recipy section so no need to go and buy loads of recipy books straight away.
If you have a freezer definitly go with bulk cooking, chilli, bolagnase, curry and stews. Serve up the portions for the freezer at the same time as your portion though otherwise you'll end up eating way too much. Lasagne and pies can also be frozen, but ideally you want a combi microwave to reheat pies.
Get an electric steamer, my veg consumption tripled when I got one when I was living alone, also good for fish.
Find a decent butcher with a range of proper sausages.
Some think it sounds silly when you're living on your own, but do a roast one weekend, very little efford to do and a small chicken will give you a roast on sunday, cold meat with jacket potatoes and coleslaw on Monday, a few days of chicken sandwiches for work, and enough left over to make a curry or a chicken and leek pie. ETA: Oh and a decent chicken from a butchers will cost twice as much as a similar sized supermarket one, but have twice the meat on it and taste 4 times better.
The BBC website has a great recipy section so no need to go and buy loads of recipy books straight away.If you have a freezer definitly go with bulk cooking, chilli, bolagnase, curry and stews. Serve up the portions for the freezer at the same time as your portion though otherwise you'll end up eating way too much. Lasagne and pies can also be frozen, but ideally you want a combi microwave to reheat pies.
Get an electric steamer, my veg consumption tripled when I got one when I was living alone, also good for fish.
Find a decent butcher with a range of proper sausages.
Some think it sounds silly when you're living on your own, but do a roast one weekend, very little efford to do and a small chicken will give you a roast on sunday, cold meat with jacket potatoes and coleslaw on Monday, a few days of chicken sandwiches for work, and enough left over to make a curry or a chicken and leek pie. ETA: Oh and a decent chicken from a butchers will cost twice as much as a similar sized supermarket one, but have twice the meat on it and taste 4 times better.
Edited by RizzoTheRat on Wednesday 24th April 15:53
Roasting a chicken is really easy and with just 1 person eating it lasts for ages.
I also have a steak every saturday, cook batches of bolognese sauce usually on 1 sunday a month, (you could do chilli too but i prefer bolognese). I like bolognese with pitta bread or garlic naan bread (rip it in half and pop it in the toaster, dont bother with the grill), salad, cheese and garlic mayo.
The freezer is your friend, I keep different types of bread in the freezer and just toast what I need when I need it.
Baked potatoes are good too,
I also have a steak every saturday, cook batches of bolognese sauce usually on 1 sunday a month, (you could do chilli too but i prefer bolognese). I like bolognese with pitta bread or garlic naan bread (rip it in half and pop it in the toaster, dont bother with the grill), salad, cheese and garlic mayo.
The freezer is your friend, I keep different types of bread in the freezer and just toast what I need when I need it.
Baked potatoes are good too,
Buy a pack of prepared veg from the supermarket and some diced chicken, beef etc and grab a handful of the Schwartz slow cooker mixes. Bung it all in the slow cooker with a tin of chopped tomatoes the night before and stick it on before you go to work. If you have a beef stew on Monday pep it up with some curry powder on Tues and serve with Uncle Bens 2 min microwave rice.
Alternatively, how about pan frying some chicken fillets with some worcestershire sauce to give it a nice glaze (finish off in oven) and serve with wholemeal pitta bread and some salad.
Just some of the things I'm doing although I do like to cook big dinners it's not always practical when you're on your own
ETA make bolgnaise in a similar fashion in the slow cooker and have spag bol one night and the next night bung in a tin of beans and some chilli powder for a nice chilli..!!
Alternatively, how about pan frying some chicken fillets with some worcestershire sauce to give it a nice glaze (finish off in oven) and serve with wholemeal pitta bread and some salad.
Just some of the things I'm doing although I do like to cook big dinners it's not always practical when you're on your own
ETA make bolgnaise in a similar fashion in the slow cooker and have spag bol one night and the next night bung in a tin of beans and some chilli powder for a nice chilli..!!
Edited by ShyTallKnight on Wednesday 24th April 16:12
As a couple of people have said, a whole chicken is better value than buying breasts, Do you like chilli? make a load & freeze in portions.
It may also be worth buying a slow cooker.
It may also be worth buying a slow cooker.
I find the George Forman brilliant these days.
Just what ya veg on meat in the GF and within 10min your ready to smash it down your mush.
Or sometimes I will cook a big lot up put in Tupperware fridge or freezer. Cant get more simple.
If you want to use Tupperware I've found the ones from Morrisons with the green lids work brilliant had them ages and not had a leak yet :-)
Just what ya veg on meat in the GF and within 10min your ready to smash it down your mush.
Or sometimes I will cook a big lot up put in Tupperware fridge or freezer. Cant get more simple.
If you want to use Tupperware I've found the ones from Morrisons with the green lids work brilliant had them ages and not had a leak yet :-)
Any time and effort spent learning to cook is never wasted!
The freezer will be your best friend- buy or cook in bulk, bag it individually, and freeze it. You can then quickly defrost anything in a sink full of cold water. Grill or roast your meat, steam (in a steamer or covered in a microwave) your vegetables. "Done".
The freezer will be your best friend- buy or cook in bulk, bag it individually, and freeze it. You can then quickly defrost anything in a sink full of cold water. Grill or roast your meat, steam (in a steamer or covered in a microwave) your vegetables. "Done".
theshrew said:
I find the George Forman brilliant these days.
Just what ya veg on meat in the GF and within 10min your ready to smash it down your mush.
Or sometimes I will cook a big lot up put in Tupperware fridge or freezer. Cant get more simple.
If you want to use Tupperware I've found the ones from Morrisons with the green lids work brilliant had them ages and not had a leak yet :-)
This is exactly what I do. I have two George Foreman grills, one small one and a large one (I found a good offer on the large one).Just what ya veg on meat in the GF and within 10min your ready to smash it down your mush.
Or sometimes I will cook a big lot up put in Tupperware fridge or freezer. Cant get more simple.
If you want to use Tupperware I've found the ones from Morrisons with the green lids work brilliant had them ages and not had a leak yet :-)
I cook meals to be used in the day and then evening meals separately (I try to eat 6-8 meals a day).
Turkey is a great alternative to chicken IMO, and half the price...
Also, if you have a good butcher/farm shop near you, get friendly. Last weekend popped into the farm shop, the butcher there disappeared and came out with a bag - full of steak trim that he wasn't going to use for pies. Free, and perfect for casseroles/curry/pie. I then picked up an obscene amount of meat of all different kinds for less than supermarket prices, and the quality is incomparable.
Game is also well worthwhile. A rabbit for 2 quid, or a pheasant for a tenner are great for some variety and trying something new. Fish is great but requires a delicacy with both seasoning and cooking to not ruin (although it will still be better than any frozen or ready prepared).
Cooking really is bloody simple.
Italian is a doddle. Indian needs lots of different spices etc. and often many stages, but tastes bloody good and freezes well. Chinese quick and easy. Trad british is often combinations of easy things cooked with attention to detail.
Slow cooker as mentioned. Cheap, big saucepans for bulk cooking. A good griddle/pan. A well stocked spice/herb rack. A good knife and chopping board. All essential.
The foodie forum here is great, some very good cooks, but also guys like yourself learning from scratch. You'll soon realise you never need use a packet or jar of sauce, and it doesn't take long.
Example - small gammon joint.
Chop some root veg roughly (carrots/parsnips/swede).
Lay in base of slow cooker.
Place gammon on top.
Pour in enough coke to just overlap the base of the meat.
Set timer plug to come on 3 hours before you get home from work.
Arrive home to amazing smell.
Take out meat and place in oven tray.
Blend juice/veg and boil in saucepan til gravy thickness.
Chuck some oven chips and gammon in oven.
Nuke some mixed veg (peas, broccoli, sweetcorn, etc.)
Serve.
Also, if you have a good butcher/farm shop near you, get friendly. Last weekend popped into the farm shop, the butcher there disappeared and came out with a bag - full of steak trim that he wasn't going to use for pies. Free, and perfect for casseroles/curry/pie. I then picked up an obscene amount of meat of all different kinds for less than supermarket prices, and the quality is incomparable.
Game is also well worthwhile. A rabbit for 2 quid, or a pheasant for a tenner are great for some variety and trying something new. Fish is great but requires a delicacy with both seasoning and cooking to not ruin (although it will still be better than any frozen or ready prepared).
Cooking really is bloody simple.
Italian is a doddle. Indian needs lots of different spices etc. and often many stages, but tastes bloody good and freezes well. Chinese quick and easy. Trad british is often combinations of easy things cooked with attention to detail.
Slow cooker as mentioned. Cheap, big saucepans for bulk cooking. A good griddle/pan. A well stocked spice/herb rack. A good knife and chopping board. All essential.
The foodie forum here is great, some very good cooks, but also guys like yourself learning from scratch. You'll soon realise you never need use a packet or jar of sauce, and it doesn't take long.
Example - small gammon joint.
Chop some root veg roughly (carrots/parsnips/swede).
Lay in base of slow cooker.
Place gammon on top.
Pour in enough coke to just overlap the base of the meat.
Set timer plug to come on 3 hours before you get home from work.
Arrive home to amazing smell.
Take out meat and place in oven tray.
Blend juice/veg and boil in saucepan til gravy thickness.
Chuck some oven chips and gammon in oven.
Nuke some mixed veg (peas, broccoli, sweetcorn, etc.)
Serve.
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