Cook Once, Eat Twice
Or Three, or Four, or Five Times
All too often, preparing meals is viewed as a burden. It’s not just the cooking, it’s the meal planning (what do I want to eat for the next 5 days?); the grocery shopping (I hope the store has everything on my list!); the prep time (the chicken requires a 12 hour marinade?!); the clean up (so many pots and pans!). With all of the conveniences of our modern world, preparing meals can still feel like an all-consuming activity that you didn’t sign up for.
There are of course plenty of recommendations on how to alleviate certain steps of the process, but even those of us who enjoy cooking can admit that sometimes it’s a hassle. And for those who do not enjoy cooking, preparing meals can be agonizing.
For anyone who feels this way, I want to invite you to enjoy the wonderful world of leftovers!
Leftovers: the extra food that remains after you have enjoyed a meal. Some people give leftovers a bad rap. They argue, “I don’t like eating the same thing twice” or “the food doesn’t taste as good the next day”. However, leftovers do not have to be mundane or low quality, and the beauty of leftovers is that they decrease the frequency of meal preparation.
In fact, having leftovers does not mean that you have to eat the same thing twice. Prepared items from one meal can be transformed into a new meal the next day. Let’s look at an example:
Meal 1: chicken thighs, roasted sweet potatoes, and green beans
Meal 2: shredded leftover chicken thigh meat mixed with leftover cubed sweet potato, rolled into corn tortillas, topped with cheese and enchilada sauce – YUM!
By preparing double portions of chicken thighs and sweet potatoes one day, you can create two distinct meals and reduce the cooking time (and clean-up!) by half. Get creative with how to repurpose foods. Tacos, rice bowls, and noodle dishes are great starting points for recycling a leftover meal.
And for those who believe that the food doesn’t taste as good the next day, this can often be remedied. Be mindful of your reheating techniques. A microwave isn’t going to replicate the crispy coating of chicken parmesan – but broiling or air frying will! And some foods actually do taste better the longer that they sit, such as meats simmered in sauces, or soups and chilis. Try finding sauces for reheating proteins, such as a jarred coconut curry sauce for leftover shrimp.
Whether the kitchen is your happy place or the space you only enter out of necessity, this motto should be yours: cook once, eat twice (or three, or four ,or five times). This is one strategy for reducing the burden of preparing meals at home while still maintaining your sanity.
Working with a dietitian is a great way to learn how to simplify meal preparation and individualize your eating habits. If you would like to work with me, schedule a FREE Discovery Call here.