| So many times people ask, "I just don't know what to | | | | week. Perhaps you already are a planner and have on |
| cook anymore." This is not unusual for it is common for | | | | your schedule when to workout at the gym, take the |
| all of us to prepare the same meals over and over; it's | | | | kids to their activities etc. Making the time on your |
| just easier, isn't it? In fact, many times the reason for | | | | calendar to plan meals will reward you with less stress |
| preparing repetitive meals is because that's all your | | | | and healthier meal choices. Knowing ahead of time |
| family and friends will eat. However, if we keep | | | | what you will be eating can take that last minute |
| feeding people the same flavors and foods over and | | | | "What's for dinner?" pressure off. Think about the |
| over, our taste buds never get to experience other | | | | times you sit around waiting for something. This may |
| delightful flavors in the culinary world. We eventually | | | | be a good time to peruse a new cookbook or |
| end up in what I call the "Recipe Rut." | | | | magazine. As a personal chef, I have to spend time |
| Recipe Rut usually starts when you first begin | | | | planning many weekly menus for clients. This practice |
| homemaking. That is, you've bought your first house or | | | | has made it much easier to get me through my |
| rented your first apartment. You now have your very | | | | weekly meal planning as well. |
| own kitchen to play in and so you go and experiment | | | | Another way to help you get out of eating the same |
| with recipes to please those you love. Over time you | | | | things is to be sure you have a well-stocked pantry. |
| collect a few favorite recipes that are memorized and | | | | An organized pantry and a shopping list shortens the |
| therefore do not require any serious planning. Then, of | | | | time it takes at the grocery store so you can be on |
| course, the job becomes more demanding, we take | | | | your way to a world of interesting meals. As you |
| on more responsibilities and we just don't have time to | | | | become more in tune with various ingredients, having |
| be creative in the kitchen anymore. Food becomes | | | | them on hand can make putting dinner together a snap |
| simplified and repetitive out of necessity and the | | | | as you will do your "shopping" in your pantry and not at |
| pleasure of eating is reduced to those recipes that we | | | | the grocery store! |
| were able to keep in our memory banks. | | | | Every pantry should include basic items so that you |
| Now don't think that cooking your favorite foods is a | | | | don't have to buy them each time. A typical list of |
| bad thing. It isn't. This is how food traditions are created | | | | pantry items will vary depending upon your style of |
| and fabulous recipes are tweaked and passed along | | | | cooking. However, there are many basic spices, oils |
| to future generations. Why, without cooking the same | | | | and condiments that all pantries should include. These |
| thing twice, we really can't decide if it's a keeper. So | | | | pantry lists abound on various cooking sites and |
| we really should have a recipe repertoire of family | | | | magazines. There are even magazines that provide |
| favorite dishes. However, if you've decided that you're | | | | shopping lists for the recipes that month. That should |
| sliding into the Recipe Rut, you may want to spend just | | | | make it real simple, right? |
| a little of your free time learning something new; even | | | | Planning you meals will be the biggest hurdle to get |
| if it's just one new recipe. | | | | over. But once you start doing it, you will begin to find it |
| There is a plethora of resources for new and exciting | | | | interesting and motivating to come up with new recipe |
| recipes either on the internet, in magazines or in your | | | | ideas. There are tools out there that can help you. PC |
| local bookstore. But finding new and interesting recipes | | | | Software programs that help you manage your |
| isn't always the most difficult part of getting out of | | | | recipes and shopping lists as well as internet sites with |
| Recipe Rut. The real challenge is being organized and | | | | planning tools. To learn more, search for "meal |
| planning meals ahead of time so that creating new and | | | | planning" on the internet and you will find there is an |
| exciting dishes isn't such a chore. | | | | abundance of tools that can help you get organized |
| To put together a weekly meal, that is, 5 entrees with | | | | and out of your Recipe Rut. |
| sides, it would take roughly one hour of your time each | | | | |