Saturday, May 9, 2009

A call for polygamy

I'm sure my pictures of me making pasta the other month didn't fool any of you into thinking that I've turned domestic. I'm still as apathetic to open a recipe book as ever. I suspect the past couple months of unexplained weight loss (which by the way I am now remedying) has less to do with stress/pseudo-parasite/transition to marriage and more to do with actually having to buy and make my own food.

Reasons I don't like to cook:

1. Too boring to do all by myself
2. Too much effort and time for something consumed in 7 minutes
3. I actually don't know how
4. I don't know what tastes good in the recipe books
5. I never have all the ingredients I need
6. When I cook, I'm never hungry

As you might have guessed, this leaves a frightening position for my future/current family--especially since Stephen's attitudes are all to simmilar to mine.
Solution?. . . binge cooking.

Binge cooking is pretty much cooking once a month, a month's worth of meals and then freezing them and eating when so desired in the next six months.

My dear sister Sarah told me about the idea before my mission and I've hung to it as my only hope. Today I finally tried it out with her and her next door neighbor Becky and found it to be an utter success.

We made 24 meals (8 for each of us) in the last two days. Yesterday we went grocery shopping and did the prep work by cutting up the vegetables and meat and today we just put it all together, cooked it, and put it in plastic bags and those tin foil lasagna thingies in the freezer and we were done. We'll probably make more next time, but we just wanted to see how it would work first.)

As for my list of reasons why I don't like to cook, all of them pretty much disappeared. While doing this wasn't necessarily cheaper, it isn't more expensive and it is better quality than constant cold cereal and canned green beans. After we split the prices, it came up to $39.69 which for 8 fancy family size meals isn't too shabby.

Yes, we rotated as one took care of the kids (which at one point was more than 10 over at the house and seeing that the two smallest freak out at my slightest attention this usually fell on either Becky or Sarah), the other did the dishes, and the other put the food together. We talked, shared ideas, gave tips and by the end I was ready for Stephen to take at least two more wives, any volunteers?

9 comments:

hosander said...

I hate cooking also, it is the worst.
Thus, my husben has agreed to do it all, and we are all better off because of it.
Just don't ask what the baby and I eat for lunch everyday.

joseph and brianna said...

ha ha Rachel I sure miss you! You are hilarious! I wish I had someone to do the cleaning around here :) ha ha!!!

Ruth said...

I like the idea of making meals together. Very cute. You'll have to tell us how they taste.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog link on Kjell's blog...and it seems that I found it just in time. I also hate cooking, but I'm trying to be heroic and learn how to make it manageable since I have more free time this summer. You'll have to tell me how this works out for you!

I love your new haircut!
Lindsay Call

Jared said...

Hmmm. The very thought of preprepared frozen meals is highly offensive to my native epicurean temperment. Still, I realize that not everyone is a food bon vivant, and I certainly understand the predicament of the ever-busy graduate student. I suppose it's better than Chef McDonald or Monsieur Boyardee. Whatever floats your boat. You're both welcome at my table anytime. =)

Jared said...

ps-- I hope you know I'm just kidding (mostly). We eat a lot of beans and rice, and we usually end up eating the same thing for a week until we both get sick of it and need a change. I love great food, but it is difficult to find time to prepare it--especially something new every night of the week. Oh, and the last line above is a hint to come visit us. =)

Stephanie said...

hi i always wanted to try the freezer prep thing just especially for when i have a baby my husband will be able to have something to eat and we can save mula. call me next time i want to come join the fun!! oh and let us know how they taste!

Rebekah P. said...

Haha! Rachel, you're the best! Miss you! Good luck feeding yourself. :D

Lisa said...

I love it! Maybe we should try this method. You're great, Rachel. I think you should start your own news column. I'd be a regular reader!