April 6: The Weekend Behind, The Week Ahead

 

I've become very aware of new patterns evolving over the past month or so.  It started with the intermittent fasting and it's been giving me reason to think harder than usual about my time in the kitchen and about how I eat.  I'm tossing more food than I have in years.  Why?  There are several reasons.

I'm not making the sort of food that freeze well as leftovers.  As I get more and more accustomed to what the app considers a 'good meal' and what it considers a 'low' meal, I'm cutting back on certain components that have seriously compromised flavor and texture.  Frankly if I feel a meal is 'Meh' when I'm done with it, I do not feel inclined to freeze the leftovers...and I'm totally going to avoid eating those leftovers!   The few recipes I've tried from the app have been super bland and not good.

Then the cat and dog went on strike.  No human food for them.  So, I have more waste.  And it's not the produce I'm wasting!  It's meat, cooked sides, etc.  

I think what I need to do is go back to my usual recipes but cut back on portions and try to make healthy switches in those recipes.  I'll eat better and have less waste.   I'm exploring other sites that deal with 'diet' type foods so perhaps I can find a few new recipes to toss into the mix for us.

I'm not as hungry.  I'm truly not hungry.  Eating within an 8-hour window means that I'm often not hungry when it's time for the next meal.  So even if I make a lesser portion of a recipe, I can't always eat all that I've made for us.  I find too, that John tends to follow my lead, and he doesn't go back for seconds.  He will eat something else later, but it's always something else, never leftovers.  

Of course, part of this has to do with my tendency to continue to have our bigger meal in the evening.  The truth is, I would be happier with the bigger meal at midday just now rather than in the early evening (about 5-5:45 pm).

I need a higher fiber, higher protein meal in the evening, but it's also turning into my smallest meal of the day.  If I eat too lightly (calorie and protein wise) then I end up being super hungry, sometimes to the point of lying awake hungry.  I haven't quite found the right balance of eating too little and eating too much.  So, this meal sometimes can turn into a source of leftovers as well.  

I'm still working out just exactly how this is going to work out for me, what I need to change, etc., but I do dislike waste, so I'll definitely be making some changes.

On the other hand, here I am in April with a decent portion of my March grocery budget leftover. And a freezer and pantry that is looking less and less 'stocked'!  I can't accept the kudos for the savings, nor accept blame for empty spaces.  The truth is that the dearth of loss leaders that we'd typically use are not going on sale and those things that are, aren't the sort of things I usually would stock.  No milk, eggs, butter, cheese, no canned goods, etc. going on sale.   And the only real seasonal foods at the moment for us are strawberries and asparagus.  We won't begin to hit the full blessing of fresh produce until mid-to-end of May.  

Let me move on now.  This week I have been called for Traverse Jury Duty.  I have no idea how long I will be gone on Monday or if I'll end up being on a jury.  So, the week is pretty much up in the air.  Therefore, the only real 'plan' I'm making is to try to figure out meals, get things thawed and prepped so I can have meals I can make quickly.  I have Strawberry Almond Flour and Oatmeal muffins in the freezer that I made on Friday.  We have eggs, grits, cheese, yogurt and of course we are eating Oatmeal at least two times a week, because it's so filling and quick to prepare.  So, breakfasts are sorted just that quickly.

This week is pay week for us.  I have to get my ledger sheet set up, pay bills, etc. for the month.  I've paid the things coming due immediately, but I may have missed one.  I want to make sure I'm on top of that.

Monday I'll have lunch before I report to court.  What will happen the rest of the week, I can't say, though I personally think the odds I'll be chosen for duty are slim for various reasons.  But if I am chosen then I'll definitely want to be prepped ahead for suppers.  Lunches...well I don't know if I can keep anything cold long enough to not have spoiled food but there are several restaurants on the square where the post office is located so I can get something if need be.  

Suppers:  

Pot Roast with vegetables.  I have two roasts in the freezer so I can easily put one of those in the slow cooker when I leave.  It's supposed to be a cooler day on Monday so this should work well.

Hash, Peas, Tossed Salad, Applesauce. Or make a Cottage Pie...You get the idea...Leftovers!

Taco Bowls Quesadillas.  Whether I use chicken that I've seasoned and cooked or a taco mix of ground beef and lentils, I can easily assemble these and heat in the oven after I come in.  I have low-carb tortillas and plenty of lettuce, tomato, individual cups of guacamole, etc.

Shredded Pork BBQ Sandwiches, Slaw, Chips.  I have two packets of shredded leftover pork in the freezer so one of those will work just fine.

Omelet, Asparagus, Salad, Greek Yogurt 'Biscuits'.  If all else fails eggs and asparagus will make a quick meal.  I should get enough biscuits from the dough to possibly serve some for as breakfast sandwiches one morning.

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