Self-Q Shopping and Cooking

What a weird and scary time this is. I know we’ve all heard enough of the details so I won’t repeat them, but I do have things to say about FOOD, of course. Most people have been trying to stay at home much more than usual, are not able to eat out as much (due to restaurant closures and sitting down to eat at one no longer being an option), and are trying to go to the store as little as possible. I want to share what I’ve been doing for meals with more stable or long-lasting foods.

I’m trying to keep things interesting, as we in my house LOVE going out to eat and I don’t want myself or my boyfriend to get too bored. My cooking style is really about knowing cooking techniques and having a basic idea of how to do things, and knowing what flavors that I like. Spices and seasonings are, of course, key in everything. I don’t talk about them here but it is essential to have a decent collection of seasonings that pair well with your favorite foods! I’d say the absolute must-have top five, for my taste, is black pepper, garlic powder, seasoning salt, a blackening or cajun blend, and ground cayenne pepper.

One of the most important things about stocking up on longer lasting food is to be realistic about what you’ll actually eat! Buy things that you know you love, or that you know how to turn into things you know you love. Must-have staples for me are pasta, soup, snacks like popcorn, cookies, and bars, rice, ingredients for tacos, and boxed mac and cheese. Buying meat fresh and then freezing it is also hugely helpful, as it allows you to keep meat usable for months instead of just days. I always have ground turkey, chicken sausage, and turkey burgers. I like to buy frozen vegetables but fresh longer-lasting produce, like potatoes, onions, and squash.

Now I’m gonna show you some of the dinners I’ve made, without recipes, with stable or frozen food!

• 

• 

Above is a sheet pan-roasted bowl of frozen broccoli (steamed in bag before roasting), potato, and chicken sausage that had been frozen. You can eat chicken sausages on a bun like a hot dog, of course, but they’re also great to cut up and roast to serve like this, or to pan fry and add to pasta! Served this with a delightful slice of frozen garlic bread 🙂

This was a fun one! Love getting creative, haha. This bowl is chunks of chicken baked with buffalo sauce, served over potatoes, sprinkled with cheese, and drizzled with ranch!

• 

• 

This is an all-frozen dinner. Breaded fish filets, sweet potato fries, and garlic bread.

If anyone reading this has been getting creative with stable foods or has any tips or must-have grocery items they want to share, you know the comment section is open!