Families aren't really getting "convenience" out of convenience foods

9-04-2007 @9:59PM moonwind said... Here in Tucson, I am finding a meal in the box is cheaper then buying the fresh veggies. Today Green Beans, 1.20 a lb. summer squash for family of 5 would cost about 6.00 so we do not get fresh veggies much. A couple of bags of corn at 1.00 will feed us as a side dish, throw in the mashed taters and gravy a salad and meat entry, and you still have a good 10.00 in a meal. but you can't eat out for that. A pizza for all of us is more than 25.00 and someone always wants wings and bread stix to go with it so we can spend 2 days worth of groceries on one meal. They should just create a pill that will fill you up, give you all the nutrition you need, and charge .50 for it. we could all afford to live then.
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9-04-2007 @10:09PM Storm said... I agree with what one poster said about "enjoying cooking" as being a key to this... I've always liked to cook -- to me -- it's an expression of love to the people closest to me... although I don't think that is necessarily an "obstacle" to someone who wants to eat more healthfully in their life -- with all of the cooking shows and books, etc. that is out there -- one should find plenty of help if there is none to be found within the family or friends...

When I was first starting out... I used some pre-packaged meals also -- the key is to "make them your own" -- dress them up the way YOU like them and as another poster said... DON'T BE AFRAID! ;) Also be sure to ADD some veggies on the side... that's one thing you WON'T find too much of in a frozen meal -- and you want to try and balance out all of that other stuff -- a salad... and maybe use fresh vegetables w/low-fat dip for an appetizer... have fresh fruit for dessert -- or try a dark chocolate/fruit pairing... or a fresh fruit sorbet... yum!!

Loving FOOD, I would have to end up saying... is probably more important than loving to cook -- because if you love food -- you can dream up all KINDS of ways to make it delectable... nothing is written in stone in a recipe -- except, you must try and be exact in baking with the key ingredients -- that's more like a formula -- lol... but in stuff like soups and stews, casseroles and a host of other types of dishes-- you'll have a lot more leeway to experiment in what you put in and leave out... or substitute...

The main thing is to ENJOY yourself... if you can get your mate (or your date) in there with you to cook -- sometimes it can turn into quite an evening... ;)
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9-04-2007 @10:19PM karen said... There is a show on HGTV called semi-homemade. They use lots of pre packaged stuff mixed woth your own ingridents. Great show to learn with.
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9-04-2007 @10:44PM London Bridge is Falling Down said... Well, I'm a hybrid of you all. Not the one that tends the goats, though.. heheh. Chopping off a chicken's head doesn't interest me.

I'm single, so I'm only responsible for myself and my nutrition. I'm also a little wary of down time. By that I mean that my job might disappear, or something may happen that wouldn't allow me to run off to the grocery for some fresh cilantro for a recipe. I generally try to keep a two month's supply of food on hand in my pantry and freezer/fridge. I also have an extensive spice rack and feel that a stocked pantry can allow you to make most anything. Not only is that prudent, but I think it's smart. I'll tell you why....

Let's take the example of hamburger helper. I have pasta in my pantry along with tomato sauce, and cheese in my fridge, which I have an affinity for and constantly nibble on. As mentioned above, I also have an array of spices at my disposal. Do you want cheeseburger mac, or chili mac? Want a stroganoff? Let me hit the convenience store on the corner and get some sour cream. Knock on my door right now and in thirty minutes, you'll have whichever version you'd like. Where does that start? Having a pantry, fridge, and freezer that accommodate each recipe.


Like a lot of you, I have limited space for storing foods. Does that mean I can't slay you with a stuffed pasta shelled version of lasagna that I can make single portions for? Want spinach in them? Frozen, thawed, and added. Want a bechamel sauce atop with parmesean? Got that with flour, milk and cheese. Want a fettucini alfredo? I have tri-colored fettucini to make the pasta pop from the sauce. Chili? I'm currently experimenting with a number of packets from the store to see what America considers the basic chili. Want some rye bread? I've got rye in my freezer along with a jar of yeast and my other flours in my pantry. Want a burrito? I just made some burritos this weekend that I froze for weekly consumption at a later date. I also have frozen flour and corn tortillas that I can make into snack food in the time it takes to fry and season them. I have 2 potatoes just waiting to be turn into chips or fries for one, as I'm just me. The things I make sure to buy fresh are veggies. Labor day, I decided to make some roasted tomato salsa. I had some canned chiles in my pantry and I used them, as I've found that fresh peppers vary wildly in their heat and that's a constant I want to control.

Do you see my point? Look at how wildly my cooking differs above. Bread, chili, salsa, pasta... That's only the half of it. I also do soups, paninis, grilled foods, simmered foods, woked foods and make it a point to try any recipe I come across that suits my fancy. Why? I can tell you. We all need to eat. By trying a new food or cooking something I wouldn't do in my normal diet, I learn things. Techniques, regional variances, national dishes, connections. It helps me nestle into the rest of the world. How? Well, an empanada might be the same as a pastie, or a pot pie, or a hot pocket. When I taste the difference, I taste the different pallet of the culture.

So, I guess you can tell by reading I like food, and I enjoy the connections we can make by sharing them. That can also come from a convenience food addict to folks such as me. Ketchup, a sliver or two from a bottle of red pepper in oil, a green one from the store or a canned version, some garlic and onion powder with a hint of red pepper flakes and a pound of ground beef will make sloppy joes.

Read about food. Become interested in it. It's one thing we all have in common and can share with little bias. Try new things and don't be afraid to fail.

This coming from a guy that tried a three day sour rye bread and thought it was dead, but it expanded into the most active and very flavorful bread I've made. My whole wheat experiments?? Not so successful, heheheh.

How's that for a treatise on food and my opinion? Hope you understood and it made you think.
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9-04-2007 @10:50PM Storm said... Forgot to say a minute ago... a friend of mine used those frozen meatballs all the time -- so maybe it's just a taste thing... but I tried them -- and wouldn't feed them to a... (okay... maybe I WOULD feed them to a dog -- but that's IT...)

My suggestion for those who have a time problem... mix up a HUGE batch of meatballs on the weekend (or whenever you get some time off) -- freeze them yourself... (single layer, not touching on a pan until slightly frozen... then you can put them in a ziploc bag together) -- mix your meats for an even better flavor... beef and pork together... some may even wish to add veal...
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9-05-2007 @8:15PM Storm said... Mitchell asks...
Kraft Mac&Cheese 7 minutes
Roast 3 hours
tell me which one is cheeper and which one takes less time
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If you'd invest in a crockpot (around ten bucks at your local dollar store... sometimes less!) -- you can put a roast in there in the morning... open a bag of baby carrots and sprinkle over... open a couple of CANS of small round potatoes if you don't want to take a moment to cut up and dump in a few raw ones (don't even have to peel -- just wash)... maybe open a packet of onion soup mix and pour over... and a little liquid -- water will do... perhaps a dash of pepper? And on with the lid and set it on low and six to eight hours later, your house is smelling WONDERFUL and you might even want to open up a CAN of biscuits to go with it! [smile]

Good Luck... it's all about what YOU like anyway... my brother could put away an entire box of Kraft Mac'n Cheese at one sitting... but I MUCH prefer the "homemade" type my Mom made... it's definitely worth the few extra minutes to ME!! ;)

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