Cooking for the week strategies

First, I would like to discuss cooking strategies for the busy person.

The ultimate bachelor will probably appreciate the first strategy most. Leftovers. You cook to eat the same meal. Take one night aside and cook double-triple the helpings you need. You can eat it all week... and take it one step further: freezer. Try to pick meals that are freezer friendly. You will always have a ready made meal at your finger tips provided you don't get sick of eating the same thing. As a kid, I could not stand the same meal two days in a row (thanksgiving anyone?). Now I relish at it for the ease and convenience. Still, this strategy is not for everyone.

Second, quick & easy! Stick to stuff you can make instantly without any forethought required (examples... salads, pasta, soups, sandwiches) but try to intersperse these or you will undoubtedly get sick of the simple cooking. I will try to provide recipes for all the above examples as well as some other ideas for 'quick and easy.'

Third, for the truly experimental, busy cook... buy prepackaged main courses! This leaves you only with the chore of side dishes! You can make sautéed vegetables, fruit medleys etc to accompany your prepackaged chicken. This solution is not glamorous but it is effective and efficient.

Finally, the fourth strategy is my personal favorite. Most working, busy people do not have time to spend 3 hours every night slaving over the stove 7 days a week. My main strategy is to spend one night doing 5 hours and every other night is less than 30 minutes! Do the math just to trust my efficiency... (7x3=21 or 5+ (.5x6) =8 yes I can save you 13hours!). How? Magic? Hire your own personal chef (yea right!)? No, it is simple. Do all your prep work on one night for the whole week's cooking! This strategy requires some fore thought to know what you intend to cook the rest of the week. The second problem to address is to find common ingredients for all the recipes that KEEP well over the week so you can have 7 meals prepared in one night. You will see this strategy in action often with me as I showcase some recipe ideas... I will try to give ideas how to employ this strategy with the recipe.

These four strategies should send you on your way I hope to faster, healthier cooking! Everyone can cook... give it a try!