In my very first post, I gave you some thoughts on how to get started with once a week cooking. I have simplified those hints here. Use what works for you. There are no hard and fast rules. If you find something new that works for you, please share it in the comments section.
1. Keep a well stocked pantry. Keep staples you know you use. For example, I cook with black beans quite often, I try never to run out.
2. Shop the sales. I always go through the supermarket flyers and check what is on sale before I plan my menus.
3. Make a plan. I usually plan on Thursday night what I will be cooking for the following week. All the sales start the next day and I can pick up any items I need.
4. Start slowly. Begin by pre-cooking just a few meals. Make double batches so you can freeze one. Soon you will have a supply of meals in the freezer. I now plan out the whole week and cook ahead anything I can, but I didn't always do that. If you jump in headfirst and try to do a whole week at once, you may get overwhelmed and give up. Think about it this way, if you make a double batch of pasta sauce this week and put one in the freezer you have it for next week. That's one less meal you need to prepare. If you do this each time you cook, your freezer stockpile will soon grow. When you have enough meals for a week, use some of those non-cooking nights to prepare for next week. Once you get the hang of it you can start to prepare several meals at a time.
5. Stock up on food storage items, clip coupons, shop sales, go to warehouse stores like Sam's. I will tell you from experience, bargain plastic containers don't work. They crack in the freezer. I use the Glad brand, the Ziplock brand and my favorite are the Rubbermaid, but they tend to be a bit pricey.
6. Be prepared. When I pre-plan my meals I always make sure I have all the ingredients I need, or pick them up at the store on Friday. This way you won't be running out to the store for "just a few things" that always end up becoming a whole basket. Wait till you see how much money you will start saving!
7. When you pick a cooking day, start early. Then you will finish early!
8. At the start of your cooking day get everything out you will need. All produce, pastas, canned goods, etc. I usually defrost meat the night before and bring it from the outside freezer to the kitchen fridge. I don't want to be running out to the garage pantry or fridge for stuff I forgot. Wastes time!
9. Do all your prep work at the same time. I peel and chop any vegetables I need before I begin cooking. I keep a large bowl for all my scraps. At the end of the afternoon, it gets dumped into the compost heap. (Hint: if you compost, NEVER put in meat trimmings--only plant products). If you are peeling potatoes, put them in a bowl of water after you peel them and they won't turn brown.
10. Start things that will take the longest first. This way, while they are cooking, you are preparing the next thing.
11. CLEAN AS YOU GO! If you don't you will end up with a horrible mess at the end of the afternoon and you won't feel like cleaning up.
12. You do not need to have a stand alone freezer to make this work. I have two refridgerators, both on the small side. One in the kitchen and one in the garage. I do have cabinets in the garage where I store most of my pantry items like pasta, rice, canned goods and flour. (I do a lot of baking and buy 25 lb bags at Sams.) I store everything in air tight containers. Old pretzel jugs work well. I buy in bulk whenever I can.
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