That time when I (finally) stopped eating like a frat boy

I thought long and hard on a solid New Year’s Resolution for myself. Rather than my typical “be a yes-man,” “be a better person,” “get better grades” I decided to go a different route.

Presenting… Drum roll please…

The Semi-Domestication

of Shane Holtby

Baby steps…

Okay, I’ll admit it… I’m a bit of a cooking virgin. Sure, I’ve made the occasional casserole, tacos, or chicken… But nothing substantial and on very rare occasions. To be completely honest, I have yet to prepare a meal since moving into my house in August. That’s six months. Scary thought?  Now that I’m almost 21, it’s time to put on the big girl panties and do something about my sub-par domestic abilities.

For a long time, I didn't want to cook. I was lazy completely content with frozen and packaged food because it was quick. I was also afraid I would screw up or burn anything I tried to throw together.  It finally dawned on me that I can heat up a frozen pizza and know exactly how it will taste every single time. And it took me deciding that I was bored of that and facing the truth of why it does taste the same every time, that it's finally become distasteful. 

I’ve come to realize as a college student, that despite the benefits of cooking at home—saving money and eating more healthily—it can be a hard resolution to keep given the busy life I lead. Between classes, work, studying, business meetings and leaving room for a social life, I rarely have time to devote to cooking.  I know that when I’m tired and overworked, I’ll be inclined to make whatever is easiest, regardless of the quality of the food.  Well, that’s all about to change.

One way I plan to overcome this is to search for recipes which re-use many of the same ingredients (such as chicken, a certain vegetable, or rice) so I can buy fewer items. One of the things that scares me about cooking is how many ingredients there are and how long everything takes. The goal is to find  simple yet nutritious  recipes!

My typical shopping list (Oh wait, there was no list…): 2% milk, Chips Ahoy, Ritz crackers, frozen Digiorno's pizza, frozen Lean Cuisines, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen lasagna, turkey deli meat, Kraft mac & cheese, pretzels, Baked Lays, Chewy granola bars, Apple Jacks, Lunchables, Coke

What I made with it: Made most everything in a microwave or with an occasional deli or PB&J sandwich thrown in the mix for good measure…yeah, not kidding.

New shopping list: Ground beef, boneless skinless chicken breasts, whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, baby carrots, eggs, all natural peanut butter, salsa, fresh fruits and vegetables, tortillas, Greek yogurt, lean ground turkey, tuna, sweet potatoes, Vanilla soy milk, herbs & spices

Goals:

1. Make a weekly trip to the grocery store while at school.

2. Gather simple but yummy recipes from Pinterest, recipe box, Rachael Ray 30-minute meals...

Began a list: Thai Crunch Chicken Salad, Buffalo Chicken Pull apart bread, Pulled pork tostadas…A tad ambitious perhaps?

3. Prepare meals at least twice weekly for myself and housemates/family

Week 1

Pesto Pizza w/ Italian Sausage, Slow roasted tomatoes & spring herb gemolata

Balsamic Strawberry pizza with chicken, sweet onion, applewood smoked bacon

Tips to help myself succeed…

1. Take Stock

Keep a well-stocked pantry so you can whip up meals without having to go to the store for every last ingredient. Pantry items should include canned tomatoes, tuna, beans, grains, sauces, and spices.

2. Buying Time

Use high-quality commercially prepared foods when you can. Fully cooked chicken, shredded cheese, and diced canned tomatoes will all save you valuable time in the kitchen.

3. Double Duty

Cook twice as much on weekends and freeze the extra meals for a ready-made dinner during the week. A little bit of extra work when you have more time on the weekends will pay off greatly on weekday nights when you're exhausted and the last thing you want to think about is what's for dinner.

4. Make It Last

Prepare recipes with leftovers in mind. If you only cook chicken breasts, you probably won't have any leftovers at the end of the meal. Cooking a whole chicken on the weekend will ensure that you have enough leftovers for chicken tacos one night and salad with warm sliced chicken another