Category Archives: Eating

Chomp it up.

Taking the bite out of Thanksgiving prep

Works for Me Wednesday logo

I know that yesterday I claimed to be a top-notch procrastinator, but today I’m working against the grain. (Although to be truthful, most of the things on that list still aren’t done.) I’ve put together two of my side dishes for tomorrow so far this morning, and I’ve managed to do it without taking a single nibble. For me, this is a major accomplishment. I owe my success to one thing: Chewing gum. Yummy creamy cheese and syrupy sweet potatoes just don’t taste right with a side of spearmint. I’m hoping it also keeps me away from the pumpkin pie that I’ll be making when the kids take their nap.

Visit Rocks in My Dryer for more Works for Me Wednesday tips!

Every week should be bookended by chili

Menu Plan Monday logoI’m trying to get as much as possible prepped before Thursday, when we’ll have 19 people in our house for the Eating of the Food. Fortunately, I’m only in charge of side dishes. I’m making sweet potatoes today and most everything else — spinach gratin, corn cobbler and a pie — on Wednesday. Which is why we’re not having work-intensive meals the rest of the week.

Monday: Chili and grilled cheese
Our friends our going out of town for Thanksgiving, and they have a large pot of leftover chili to use up before then. So they’re bringing it over tonight. I’d planned to have grilled cheese and tomato soup; I’m going to forge ahead on the grilled cheese.

Tuesday: Sandwiches
I’m not sure what kind yet. Maybe PB&J.

Wednesday: Pizza

Thursday: Thanksgiving

Friday: Chili
We’re going to go pick out a Christmas tree on Friday, and we’re having a little tree-trimming party with the fam when we get it set up. I’m guessing it’ll be cold out there Friday, so the chili will probably be a warm and welcome treat.

The trouble with lunch

Works for Me Wednesday logo

Back when I was a worker bee, I ate a lot of frozen-food lunches. I stopped doing that when I started staying home, because a sandwich costs less and I could make them fresh.

That worked fine for quite awhile. But then I started getting a headache toward the end of the day and realizing that, hey! I forgot to eat lunch again. So I started buying the frozens again a few weeks ago. For some reason, it’s easier for me to remember to eat when I have to microwave something. Probably because it’s hard to maintain one’s enthusiasm about PB&J after the 312th consecutive day of them.

Naturally, though, I have a problem with frozen lunches, too. The meat in a frozen meal? I can’t handle it. It makes me a little queasy just to think about it, much less eat it. So I limit myself to the vegetarian options most of the time.

And there aren’t scads of them to choose from. But here are a few of my favorites:

  • Amy’s has a great array of vegetarian options, such as mattar paneer and cheese enchiladas. The brand is one of the more expensive ones, though. Fortunately, our local organic discount emporium has them pretty regularly.
  • Ethnic Gourmet’s Gujarati Vegetable Curry
  • Lean Cuisine’s butternut squash ravioli is delightful.

    This was a very rambley way of saying that frozen lunches work for me. What’s your go-to lunch?

    Visit Rocks in My Dryer for more Works for Me Wednesday tips!