12 Ways To Stop Dinner Choice Overload
Cooking for yourself opens a whole world of culinary possibilities, which is lovely but can also be overwhelming. One person takes to an online food discussion forum to ask other home chefs for help, not deciding what to eat, but how to decide what to eat. This difficulty is something many people have thought about, and respondents offer several solutions.
1. Prioritize by What Will Spoil Soonest
The most common answer is to use necessity to help you decide what to cook. Check what you have, and find a recipe that uses whatever will spoil soonest. There’s sure to be a variety of recipes you can use whatever produce it is you’re looking to use, but focusing on specific ingredients narrows things down considerably.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.
10. Cook Based on Energy, Time, and Patience Level
Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it is also work. One person says they use their patience to indicate what to cook, e.g., if they’re frustrated, they will steer clear of baking. Time is also significant for many; cooking won’t be enjoyable if you feel rushed. And if you’re exhausted when you come home, sometimes you want something easy to satisfy your hunger.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.
9. Use What’s Seasonal
Many people recommend picking out recipes that highlight seasonal vegetables. There’s no better time to eat specific fruits and veggies than when they are in season, so picking your meals based on the best ingredients makes life simpler and creates some delicious meals.
10. Cook Based on Energy, Time, and Patience Level
Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it is also work. One person says they use their patience to indicate what to cook, e.g., if they’re frustrated, they will steer clear of baking. Time is also significant for many; cooking won’t be enjoyable if you feel rushed. And if you’re exhausted when you come home, sometimes you want something easy to satisfy your hunger.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.
8. Experiment
One way to pick what to make is to do something new regularly. One cooking lover says they have a regular rotation of things they like, but they take every opportunity to experiment with fresh foods and recipes. They say they’ve had a lot of fun with vegan recipes, particularly creating nut cheeses, and old recipes from the early 20th century.
9. Use What’s Seasonal
Many people recommend picking out recipes that highlight seasonal vegetables. There’s no better time to eat specific fruits and veggies than when they are in season, so picking your meals based on the best ingredients makes life simpler and creates some delicious meals.
10. Cook Based on Energy, Time, and Patience Level
Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it is also work. One person says they use their patience to indicate what to cook, e.g., if they’re frustrated, they will steer clear of baking. Time is also significant for many; cooking won’t be enjoyable if you feel rushed. And if you’re exhausted when you come home, sometimes you want something easy to satisfy your hunger.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.
7. Limit Your Choices
One respondent says they limit their choices to a 91-recipe list that they rotate regularly throughout the year. To pick which dishes they make from the list, they use time and availability of ingredients. It’s a specific system, but it works great for them.
8. Experiment
One way to pick what to make is to do something new regularly. One cooking lover says they have a regular rotation of things they like, but they take every opportunity to experiment with fresh foods and recipes. They say they’ve had a lot of fun with vegan recipes, particularly creating nut cheeses, and old recipes from the early 20th century.
9. Use What’s Seasonal
Many people recommend picking out recipes that highlight seasonal vegetables. There’s no better time to eat specific fruits and veggies than when they are in season, so picking your meals based on the best ingredients makes life simpler and creates some delicious meals.
10. Cook Based on Energy, Time, and Patience Level
Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it is also work. One person says they use their patience to indicate what to cook, e.g., if they’re frustrated, they will steer clear of baking. Time is also significant for many; cooking won’t be enjoyable if you feel rushed. And if you’re exhausted when you come home, sometimes you want something easy to satisfy your hunger.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.
2. Make Something With What’s on Sale
Sales can be a great help in decision-making. Whether buying ingredients to make something you love for less money than usual or trying something new, many cooks say that they use sales to guide their purchases and recipe choices.
3. Pick a Theme for the Week
Multiple home cooks say they use themes to help them decide what to make. Some say they pick a broader theme for a week, like a specific country’s cuisine. Others like to do themed days of the week to get something significantly different each night but don’t have to think about what kind of food they’ll have.
4. Do a Cooking Challenge
One person suggests completing a cooking challenge. Many online cooking challenges give different prompts for each week, helping you narrow things down but still allowing creativity and personalization.
5. Sign Up for a Community Supported Agriculture Box
As you might be able to guess, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are small local farms supported by their communities. These farms grow food that isn’t shipped across the country and instead finds its way into people’s homes just a few miles from the farm. Many of these farms offer boxes that can be delivered to your home, which several home chefs say are great for supporting the local farm and helping decide what ingredients to use.
6. Pick Out Recipes From Cookbooks at the Start of the Week
Like picking a theme for the week, picking one cookbook and selecting several recipes for the upcoming week is a simple way to make it easier to decide what to cook. Of course, how much easier depends on how big the cookbook is.
7. Limit Your Choices
One respondent says they limit their choices to a 91-recipe list that they rotate regularly throughout the year. To pick which dishes they make from the list, they use time and availability of ingredients. It’s a specific system, but it works great for them.
8. Experiment
One way to pick what to make is to do something new regularly. One cooking lover says they have a regular rotation of things they like, but they take every opportunity to experiment with fresh foods and recipes. They say they’ve had a lot of fun with vegan recipes, particularly creating nut cheeses, and old recipes from the early 20th century.
9. Use What’s Seasonal
Many people recommend picking out recipes that highlight seasonal vegetables. There’s no better time to eat specific fruits and veggies than when they are in season, so picking your meals based on the best ingredients makes life simpler and creates some delicious meals.
10. Cook Based on Energy, Time, and Patience Level
Cooking can be a lot of fun, but it is also work. One person says they use their patience to indicate what to cook, e.g., if they’re frustrated, they will steer clear of baking. Time is also significant for many; cooking won’t be enjoyable if you feel rushed. And if you’re exhausted when you come home, sometimes you want something easy to satisfy your hunger.
11. Keep a List
Some home cooks recommend keeping a running list of recipes that you think are interesting. Whether you see them online, in a cookbook, or discover them socially, you’ll always have the list to fall back on when deciding what to make. However, this advice seems a bit dangerous given that one of the people who makes this suggestion acknowledges they have “several hundred” recipes on their list, so it may not be the most helpful for narrowing options.
12. Follow Your Cravings
Many people who cook for themselves say that their first guide on what to cook any given day is what they are craving, and then allow things like time and available ingredients to narrow things down. As one person puts it, “I listen to my belly and give it what it wants.”
Source: Reddit.
13. 10 No-fuss Meals Home Chefs Crave on Lazy Days
Every chef, whether professional or at home, has those days when they crave simplicity over sophistication. We’ve curated a list based on popular demand for those laid-back moments. Dive into these 10 no-fuss meals home chefs reach for on their laziest days.