Single and shopping

Noggin_1

I don't like cooking either. I have a nice big kitchen which is wasted on me.
I have survived quite well on simple stuff and I'm not obese or wasting away.
I am also single with a young son who is eating finger food at the moment. I don't have a problem with cooking a few veg or preparing a salad but that's about all I can manage. I have tried following recipes but I just get the timings wrong and I worry about things being undercooked and I absolutely hate burnt offerings. I really have a problem with it and never make anything from scratch, I was never shown as a kid what to do.
I am dreading it when my son gets a bit older and he tells everyone at school I can't cook, but he most certainly won't be fed on rubbish!

I think I need help too!

paulineb_2

Thumper7 wrote: »

Sounds like i'm gonna have to invest in another microwave, those rice fusion things sound really nice. Though Pigpen, if I !!!!!! that up like I did micro chips, I'm blaming you,

I will admit that my eating habits have been atrocious since moving back here on my own. I've skipped dinner most often than not. I've have, however, got to the stage that crisp rolls are not enough to keep me going.

Thank god for that

If you can boil water you can cook without the aid of a microwave

Scrambled egg, beans on toast, salad, even spaghetti hoops at a push, baked potatoes with cheese or beans or tuna

Seriously, there are so many easy meals you can make without having to nuke them in a microwave

My brother is a fantastic cook, but he didnt cook a meal from scratch until he left home for uni, he had to learn and if he can, anyone can.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

I think some of you need to go on a basic cookery course. It will pay for itself pretty quickly judging by the amounts being spent on pre-prepared food.

tiger_eyes

Thumper7 wrote: »

I don't have a microwave. I did at one point but gave it away when I set micro chips on fire. hell I couldn't even make a decent scrambled egg in the micro even following the instructions.

I think a cheap microwave could be a good investment. You should be able to heat up a frozen homemade meal without any problems - there's no actual cooking involved. You just put it in for 5 minutes, then if it's still cold in the middle give it another 5 minutes, etc.

Thumper7 wrote: »

My nearest shop is a smallish co-op which is quite expensive, well more expensive than Tesco. I don't drive so that doesn't help.

I feel your pain! Live in the city, don't have a car, local supermarkets too expensive. It's really not practical to do any real food shopping without a car - cans and jars and kilos of potatoes are just too heavy. My strategy is to order a massive Tesco delivery at the start of every month and only buy essentials (eg fresh milk) from then on. The delivery costs a few quid, but I make major savings by buying cheap food that isn't stocked in my local supermarket, and it cuts down on trips to the shop where you end up buying more than you needed. My delivery man even carries the stuff upstairs and put it in the kitchen for me.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

tiger_eyes wrote: »

I think a cheap microwave could be a good investment. You should be able to heat up a frozen homemade meal without any problems - there's no actual cooking involved. You just put it in for 5 minutes, then if it's still cold in the middle give it another 5 minutes, etc.

That's the worst thing to do. Make the food taste even worse and destroy any remaining nutrients.

What is needed is some tomatoes, onions, peppers, olive oil and a good pan.

paulineb_2

I dont drive and I rarely do internet shopping for food, Id have to disagree that its harder to shop for food if you dont drive. My mum doesnt drive either and neither does my brother.

It does depend on how many supermarkets you have near you

I dont think a basic cookery course is necessary, if you want to make a recipe, google, if you mess it up then yes, do something about it

Processed meals are full of added salt, sugar, arent that good for you and are horribly pricey

tiger_eyes

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

That's the worst thing to do. Make the food taste even worse and destroy any remaining nutrients.

What is needed is some tomatoes, onions, peppers, olive oil and a good pan.

What's this "even worse" business? I'm not talking about ready meals from a supermarket, but homemade meals cooked from fresh ingredients, portioned and frozen. You don't like my cooking?

Funky_Bold_Ribena

tiger_eyes wrote: »

What's this "even worse" business? I'm not talking about ready meals from a supermarket, but homemade meals cooked from fresh ingredients, portioned and frozen. You don't like my cooking?

There is no point cooking fresh and then microwaving it!

Thumper7

I know, I know. I can cook enough to survive. I suppose, if I'm being honest, what it boils down to is sheer bloody laziness on my part.

I love scrambled eggs, I hate cleaning the pot. lol

tiger_eyes

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

There is no point cooking fresh and then microwaving it!

OK, well, I've never met anyone who hates microwaves with such a passion, but it takes all sorts! If you have the time and enthusiasm to cook from fresh every day, that's fantastic. I enjoy cooking, but convenience is a factor for me at times and since I've never noticed a taste or quality issue after freezing and microwaving food, I'll continue to perpetrate this atrocity against food.