How do you keep weekday dinners varied?

Answer 1

use different ingredients and / or cook them in different ways

Answer 2

By buying the freshest ingredients possible, that usually means travelling to a farm shop. Also, not buying ready made meals as they are not as nutritious as meals you prepare yourselves.

Try some adventurous fish dishes; some of the best fish bought was from Morrisons. As we are embracing more countries their cuisine should be sampled giving everyone the possibility of a different meal every night of the week. While your cooking skills get better and better and dinner parties would be a delight. No more travelling to the local takeaway or the supermarkets for the bland readymade meals.

Answer 3

One of the biggets trends in food is "quick fix" meals which is based on the principle that you buy, for example, a chicken and you prepare it one way on Sunday, a different way on Monday, and a different way on Tuesday. This concept is so boring I quit reading after Tuesday. I hate to think what you might be required to do to make a meal out of the carcass on Wednesday.

To keep things varied, I like to have a stocked pantry of different kinds of staples that could on their own become a meal or could be used to add new dimensions to everyday foods.

Too, I never make one week a fish week and one week a meat week and one week a poultry week. It's better to mix things up and have a variety of foods and dishes all the time. If there is a special night where you always have roast, by all means, save that night, but mix up the side dishes.

There are plenty of food sites out there that you can use to inspire or to find new recipes.

Answer 4

I usually I ask my 2 daughters or husband what they want for dinner. And no headache for me then because they have great ideas and they certainly remember what we had for the last couple of days.
And sometimes it's just me. I love variations and If the last time I made chicken with mash next time it's grilled with different vegetables.
Sometimes it's just my imagination and creativity working.
For example the other day I had a piece of turkey breast and not much else. So I sliced onions, fried them, thinly cut carrots and while that was frying I was rummaging through presses and found fajita powder mix. So I mixed fajita, 1tbs of flour, some chili flakes, dried parsley, pepper, added water. While that was simmering I realised I have some noodles. In boiling water they went....As a salad we had iceberg lettuce and homemade dressing(white wine vinegar, oil and salt). The kids loved it and my husband asked what sauce I put in it? when I shop for food I make sure that there is lots of different colours in my trolley. So when you open your fridge the ideas are just popping out.What will I cook tomorrow?I don't know but I'll ask my kids and will see. Something different, for sure.

Answer 5

My local Sainsbury's closed down. It always smelled funny in there. They've demolished now and they're building an Asda. Yay.
I work til 5.30 and don't get in til 6 so I prepare a meal each evening that my teenage daughter can see to the following day, so we don't have to wait too long before we can eat. Spag Bol, Chili con carne, lasagne (just take it out of the fridge and bung it in the oven).
All ingredients purchased at Asda.

Answer 6

By cooking for myself rather than buying convenience food and having a good supply of herbs and spices.

A chicken portion can become mexican tortillas, Jamaican jerk chicken, morrocan style kebabs, a curry (tomato based or a nice dahl with lentils), chicken pasta or a simple coq au vin. And almost all of them prepared quicker than it takes to microwave something.

I don't shop in 'meals' I shop for ingredients and then cook meals as we fancy them combining the ingredients in my cubboards/fridge. In the summer this is even easier as I have my herbs and salads growing.

Edit for Sainsburys - I also make sure I eat seasonally and use local shops where they can supply me with perfect seasonal ingredients and some knowledge on where they came from. Oh the joy of buying fresh herring when they are in season or the first british strawberries or new season british lamb! That way you can anticipate a new ingredient coming in, eat it at its best and then something else is coming in and your diet changes almost every week!

Answer 7

If you're cooking for a family during the week give each person 7 index cards and have them create 7 meals they each like on the cards. This keeps variety in the meals and everyone gets their favorites.

Answer 8

Simple - using different ingredients and a lot of imagination helps.
I try to include at least one meal from a different country, usually Italian or Indian, but also regional British dishes and meat free days.

Answer 9

At one point I made a list of every dinner my family likes, and I categorized them by main ingredient. When I get stuck for ideas or it seems as though we're eating the same five dinners over and over again, I'll bring out the list.

I look for new recipes, too, but we keep going back to our old favorites.

Answer 10

interesting question.
i make sure i have a variation of pasta!penne,maccaroni,farfalle,lasagne,cannelloni,spaghetti etc etc.....making sauce is no problem of thoughts! i sometimes do bolognese sauce with 2tins of tuna instead of mince meat! it tastes good!!!!!& it varies the flavour of the meal!!!we have pizza once a week.(i buy tesco's own cheese & tomatoe for 48p),then top it up wit various ingredients according to one's preference!
once a week i cook a roast!BUT dont have to be on a sunday, as my partner works shifts! so any day of the week is good for a sunday roast!
cooking is like art....all you need is immagination!!!!

Answer 11

By collecting the Waitrose menu cards. They sell really nice food in Waitrose.

M&S and Tesco are good. Anything but Sainsburys - even KwikSave is better than Sainsburys!