Was thinking of what to have have for dinner this evening and just realised how boring and repetitive my standard “menu” is.

I struggle to avoid repeating meals even in a week cycle.

I enjoy my food and eat very little processed and prepared stuff but struggle to get much more than 7 regular meals.

How do very your meals?

On rotation in the RussianBob household….

Lasagne
Spag and Meatballs
Chicken wraps
Falafel wraps
Quick chicken dinner (chicken breast, veg and grazy)
Sausage and Mash
Sausage casserole
Mac n Cheese
Fish pie
Veggie burgers
Pizza
Beans on Toast
Jackets with beans/tuna
Soup and cheese scones/sausage rolls/quiche
Steak and Ale pie
Shepherd’s/cottage pie
Curry
Pasta/Aubergine bake

Generally all made from ingredients and generally all served with salad/veg

I counted them up the other week because No1 Son was complaining, we’ve got 9 core meals, maybe another 6-7 that come and go, and their variations of them all. There’s a couple that are time consuming and/or expensive that I wheel out once or twice a year.

I do all the shopping and cooking in our house which makes it easier, we avoid more processed things, and some are quite simple – smoked haddock with veg, roast chicken breast with veg etc.

When I get complaints from the ungrateful sods, they’re free to choose something from the cook book, I only have one, it’s a Hairy Bikers one I bought for £3, it’s pretty good – if they both agree (Son and Wife, Daughter still eats different food as she’s only 2) then I’ll make it, if they like it I amend it to make it either cheaper or faster to make – ideally both for a more ‘mid week’ version.
I learned that once you understand how it all works (I’m not a natural cook) it’s surprisingly simple and most things are a variation on most other things.

By going out… Was much easier for 2 taking turns and all that, as a single bloke now I tend to make a bigger bat he of something and vary them around.
Best way though is planning do the shop with a list and ideas or you just end up with the same things.
Jamie Olivers Jamie at home book was a great help as it gave you seasonal choices and ideas. Make it a challenge to try new things from something like that.

One of the problems I have is that I don’t do the heavy carbs anymore, no pasta, bread, spuds, rice etc.

The loss of pasta and rice probably cut 5 or 6 off the list.

Gruts

Current list – I keep a list because otherwise when writing a shopping list, neither me or my partner can think of a single meal we usually eat. Looking at this before shopping so we buy enough ingredients, making double batches, and the odd meal out we can go about 2 weeks between shopping trips. It’s all veggie because my partner is, and some of it may only make sense to us.

Tortellini
Frittata
Aubergine lasagne
Glamorgan sausages/burgers
Speltotto
Orzo risotto
Paella
Pizza
Curry
Spinach Florentine
Nut cutlets
Beetroot burgers
Stir fry
Macaroni cheese
Toad in the hole
Pasta and lentil sauce
Tomato and cheese tart
Onion/beetroot tarte tatin
Mackerel
Fish pie
Sweet potato stew
Jacket potatoes
Pancakes
Kedgeree
Lime and coconut ficken
Savoury porridge
Salmon tagliatelle
Quiche
Eggs, sausage, chips and beans
Lentil shepherd’s pie

Why has no-one got STEAK on their list? (ok, “It’s all veggie” pah!)
Lidl’s ribeye rubbed with garlic pepper & salt. Love it.
Salmon steaks in cajun seasoning, or topped with pesto

Yes, I have 2 things 😆

The Greggs menu provides a surprising array of pastry-encased lovliness. You can go a good couple of weeks before you start to repeat things.

I’ve been told they even do salads 😯

Never counted but it’s a huge list, we do go through cycles of doing the same things for awhile then change to something we’ve not had for awhile. Crispy beef teriyaki last night with sticky rice, tonight it’ll be homemade pizzas with various combinations but based around wild garlic pesto and leaves.

Pizza (various versions) or the occasional supermarket one for convenience
Meatballs (either homemade or dirty Ikea ones) with pasta
Creamy chicken pasta
Curry (about 10 different versions)
Fish pie
Roast chicken dinner
Proper carbonara (ie – NO BLOODY CREAM)
Chicken pies (leftover chicken from above)
Various risottos/paellas (meat/fish/shell fish etc)
Chilli (minced meat and pulled pork versions)
Chicken burgers
Various thai meals
Chicken fried rice
Szechuan chicken
Chicken kung po
Steak
Gammon dinner
Chicken kievs
Fajitas
Enchiladas
Quesadillas
Fish, chips, mushy peas (the cheapest ‘Smart Price ones for more authenticity) and loads of bread
Casserole
Spanish tortilla
Beef stroganoff
Pork fillet in breadcrumbs with minty smashed potatoes and coleslaw

And my latest will be homemade ravioli as I have just won a ravioli maker for my pasta machine on Ebay

My wife is allowed to make meals for our little girls 🙂

Ohh and I don’t see the issue with eating *some* processed foods as we lead busy lives and sometimes we just want to have an easy meal (however I use cooking as my way of unwinding after work so I am normally happy pottering all evening in the kitchen).

Don’t live with my OH so cooking is more of an event or activity. Struggling to think of anything other than steak that we’ve eaten more than once.
We do eat out a lot though.

Almost veggie/vegan household . Can’t list all. We like food.

That Lentil Thing (tonight huzzargh) served in about four other different dishes
Red dragon pie
Potato waffles beans and egg
Wholefood salad with sprouting beans and walnut
Wholefood salad with seasonal fruit
Wholefood salad with pearl barley and garlic mushrooms
Wholefood sala… you get the idea
About three different sheperds pie variants
Arroz con non-pollo
Jamaican black beans w/mollasses served with rice
Soy mince tex-mex chilli with red kidney beans and dark chocolate
Bean chilli
Spaghetti bolognaise
Many hearty soups (ok about three)
Brocolli and coconut bhuna
Dark green lentil curry with spinach and mushrooms
Veggie banger, horseradish and potato mash with mixed veg and onion gravy
Gert lush creamy seasonal veg bake
Roasted nut loaf with veg and gravy (sunday lunch style)
Baked jacket spuds, creamed with chopped spring onions, peppers and seasoning then re-heated in oven, served with fat soy burger on bun topped with salad and smoked chilli-jack vegan cheese slices
chips, with salad mint, hot sauce and mayo in pitta
Chickpea curry
Baked tofu with homemade teriyaki glaze
Beans on toast
Frys breaded schnitzels with some veg
Potatoes oven-roasted with garlic and lemon, served with hummus, spicy beans and alfalfa in pitta pockets
Veggie fry-up (baked beans, mushrooms, veggie sos, hash browns, scrambled egg, fried bread etc)

(I’m not veggie/vegan, Mrs MR is. I’m about 40lbs overweight. She is ideal weight for height with perfect blood, blood pressure and body-fat results at recent test. Guess who eats the most bacon sarnies, takeouts, choc bars and/ or pork/pastry snacks on the hoof? Shame on me, seriously)

Why has no-one got STEAK on their list?

It stinks up the house. Its fine when its been cooked in someone else’s kitchen though 🙂

How do very your meals?

We’ve used various veg/meal box schemes to get ourselves out of a cooking-the-same-10-meals rut. It’s a good way to force yourself to cook something different.

We are currently with Hello Fresh and we get a box containing recipe cards and all the required ingredients for three meals every week.

Really handy when we are both working. Adds a lot of variety and means I can happily come in and start preparing a meal without worrying that I am using ingredients she was saving for something else.

It stinks up the house.

Cajun blackened salmon to REALLY stink the place up.
I’ve taken to grilling steaks, so not that smelly.

It stinks up the house

Delicious, mouth-watering, meaty stink.

I would say I have more than I can list but with quite a few regular favs but even those will be varied ingredient wise. Pinterest is great for recipe inspiration. Just search an ingredient or two plus the word recipe and you get loads of lovely pictures of meals come up. Other thing to do is go to a health food shop and browse the shelfs for unusual ingredients which will then inspire a new meal. This does take time obviously. For example last weekend I picked up a couple of new things I’ve not cooked with before…black rice and amaranth. Black rice pudding with coconut milk and mango (Pinterest) and not tried the other ingredient yet.

It’s all veggie because my partner is
…
Mackerel
Fish pie

No it isn’t and no she isn’t.

I have the same breakfast everyday (cereal), the same lunch (sandwiches), so that’s 2. Evening meals are mostly toast, apart from Friday (cheese on toast) and Saturday when we have a ‘meal’. So maybe 5 or 6 different meals.
I really have no interest in food, apart from to stop me feeling hungry, so I don’t understand the concept of being bored with a particular meal. (And I cycle about 48Km a day to work, so I’m fairly active.)

Other thing to do is go to a health food shop and browse the shelfs…

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXvYnW1ua3A[/video]

(also covers why vegetarians can eat fish)

richmars – you basically exist on 90% wheat? If you are also in good physical health then that is some feat. Member of my family eats *basically* the same as you (wheat, meat and cheese, day in, day out – virtually no fruit or veg except the odd banana or pea) yet looks pastier and doughier than the grave! Glassy eyes, swollen ankles, the lot. Completely sedentary though, maybe that’s the key! Life would be so much cheaper if cheese on toast gave me everything I need…

richmars – Member

I have the same breakfast everyday (cereal), the same lunch (sandwiches), so that’s 2. Evening meals are mostly toast,

I really have no interest in food

Not surprised if you’re living off cereal and toast!

Can I come round and cook for you?
I’ll bring exotic flavours and everything. 🙂

Malvern Rider – Member

Red dragon pie

Hmmm, sounds interesting – what is in that, sounds like a spicy one.

DezB – Member

Why has no-one got STEAK on their list?

The Aldi Aberdeen Angus fillet steaks are amazing (about a fiver each).

As a cook I have a pretty wide repertoire, but for the sake of convenience and speed (much as I enjoy it, I don’t really want to spend much more than 30 minutes cooking after a day at work unless I have to) we tend to rotate through the same few simple weekday meals…

Fajitas (chicken or beef)
Chicken wings, salad and jacket spuds
Hash of some kind (would also include stovies in the winter)
Spicy pork noodles
Steak and chips
Bean stew with either pork chops or duck
Sausage and mash
Chicken Caesar salad
Chilli (either bean or beef – cooked as a batch, frozen and then reheated)

Mine is easy if you know what you are doing.

Combination or on their own:

Meat:
1. Stir fry
2. Stew
3. Boil (watery soup)
4. Oven bake
5. Steam

Fish:
1. Steam
2. Shallow fry
3. Bake
4. Soup (sometimes but very easy)

Veg:
1. Steam
2. Stir fry
3. Soup
4. Bake – potatoes only.

Noodle:
1. Fried
2. Soup
3. Semi-soup.

Style of cooking:
1. Orientals
2. SE Asia
3. European

Delicious, mouth-watering, meaty stink.

GrahamS has clearly been in my house…

Tikkaed chicken with various combinations of curryish sauces
Chilli con whatever
Fish
All day breakfast
Sausage egg chips
Sausage chips peas and gravy
Pies
Beef/chicken stew
Homemade pizza
Salads
Mediterranean mezze type stuff
Spagbol
Mince on toast
Liver and onions

richmars – you basically exist on 90% wheat? If you are also in good physical health then that is some feat.

Ok, I also have a few apples and oranges, but not much meat (maybe ham sandwiches some weeks) and veg once a week. It works for me!

Not surprised if you’re living off cereal and toast!

Can I come round and cook for you?
I’ll bring exotic flavours and everything.

Thanks for the offer, but it would be wasted on me!

Red dragon pie

Hmmm, sounds interesting – what is in that, sounds like a spicy one.[/quote]

I was wondering the same. So, y’know, I looked it up. (-: Sounds interesting (though it sounds to me like it’d be improved with copious amounts of chilli, maybe dried chilli flakes for little pops of heat).

http://thinlyspread.co.uk/2011/02/28/meat-free-monday-red-dragon-pie/

My standard ‘not sorted dinner’ meal is stirfry a load of veg and add some bacon if handy. Cook pasta. Take veg off heat, stir in single cream and juice to taste (about 3/4 of a lemon).

Spruced it up last time with a chunk of salmon artfully balanced on top, very nice.

I’ve been told they even do salads

What like this carrot salad? 😀

Tuna nicoise, (cajun) chicken caesar salad – make my own dressings from scratch (including raw egg for the caesar which you really need to try) which is a lot easier than you’d think once you’ve done it twice. Both are essentially an assembly job that can be interrupted and done in stages so work well if you’re waiting on someone. Fresh tasting and not too heavy on the carbs. I always get the shopping delivered and it’s 2 nights covered.

Chewkw – That’s not far of what I do. I don’t use as many options as you.

Meat:
1. Stir fry
2. Stew
3. Boil (watery soup)
4. Oven bake
5. Steam

Fish:
1. Steam
2. Shallow fry
3. Bake
4. Soup (sometimes but very easy)

Veg:
1. Steam
2. Stir fry
3. Soup
4. Bake – potatoes only.Roast

Noodle:
1. Fried
2. Soup
3. Semi-soup.

Style of cooking:
1. Orientals
2. SE Asia
3. European
1. Mine

I still only come up with a few regular combinations. 🙁

I don’t really want to spend much more than 30 minutes cooking after a day at work unless I have to

That’s the other nice thing about the Hello Fresh box we get – almost everything is already measured out in the right quantities and all the meals (on the selection we choose) only take around 30 minutes to make.

Somewhere between a lot and loads.

I really have no interest in food

Push the boat out – try some Gruts

currently 14 as in crankygirl plans 14 meals in advance based on expected veg box contents and online shop, she tends not to repeat too often so I guess that makes about 30 meals in her cycle.
Once we break the chain of her planning I have about 10 basic recipies . My mum when invited to dinner asks if I am doing fish with potatoes on top or fish on top of potatoes or fish with potatoes on the side.
Friday is always pizza and garlic bread though.

Cooking a curry from scratch is quite satisfying, once you’ve bought all the basic spices you can crank them out easily using whatever meat and/or veg is laying around. Chopped Onion and tomatoe as the base of the sauce, ad Chickpea or mixed beans or whatever.
A globe of chopped garlic and a decent amount of fresh ginger is mandatory.

Currently like adding creamed coconut and natural yoghurt with chilli for a creamy yet firey taste.

And due to my haphazard style of cooking you never get the same one twice!

makes about 30 meals in her cycle

Interesting system. Are at least seven of them based on chocolate and tears?