Do you even Crock-Pot bro? DFD Cooking Thread

[ChrisoftheNorth]

We did Blue Apron for a while. The recipes were the best of the ones we tries: Plated (had no flavor), Hello Fresh (not bad, but not super adventurous).

We liked it because for the price, you can't beat it going out...and it's simpler than coming up with stuff on our own all the time. Problem was...portion sizes are fine for just that meal, but no leftovers for lunches, and the menu started to get repetitive. Not the same recipes, but the same ingredients cooked in similar ways.

Once the butcher shop opened locally, we just go there and buy fresh meat, then hit the market and buy fresh veggies to go with it. Way better quality, recipes don't need to be complicated because the stuff tastes so good, cheaper, and supporting local.

[troyguitar]

I just go to the grocery store. It's less than a mile away.

[SAWCE]

Does anyone here actively do Blue Apron or any of those other similar services? Michelle and I want to start cooking together a few nights a week, but $50/week for two two-serving meals seems like a lot. Sure it's cheaper than going out to eat two nights a week unless we do fast food, and its convenient to not have to think about what you're gonna make or buying some things in excess that you only need a very little amount of for a meal, but it's still expensive for what it is.

If you use one, which do you use, or what's the cheapest one you've found?

We do Hello Fresh every week for three meals. We order the two person package and supplement a little meat if my daughter is with us. $60/wk.

Advantages:
1. No meal planning for three nights a week, that's a big deal to us ain't nobody SAH in our family.
2. Good size to the meals but NO WASTED FOOD. But no leftovers for lunch doe.
3. Good quality food, interesting flavors but nothing over the top for spice haters.
4. Cheap compared to eating out.

A nice alternative to trying to plan 6ish meals at home every week. We eat out twice a week and make our own stuff or simply skip dinner on the other two.

Disadvantages:

1. On busy weeks we've tossed a meal before, Johnny W style.
2. Not cheap compared to meal planning yourself.

It's really a convenience, you're not going to save money over going to the grocery store.

We did Blue Apron for a while. The recipes were the best of the ones we tries: Plated (had no flavor), Hello Fresh (not bad, but not super adventurous).

We liked it because for the price, you can't beat it going out...and it's simpler than coming up with stuff on our own all the time. Problem was...portion sizes are fine for just that meal, but no leftovers for lunches, and the menu started to get repetitive. Not the same recipes, but the same ingredients cooked in similar ways.

Once the butcher shop opened locally, we just go there and buy fresh meat, then hit the market and buy fresh veggies to go with it. Way better quality, recipes don't need to be complicated because the stuff tastes so good, cheaper, and supporting local.

Thanks guys. I'm leaning towards just coming up with our own recipes or pulling stuff out of a cook book or something. I have a decent one called Table for Two that I like cooking out of. We've been talking about cooking together on Tuesdays and Thursdays (nights I'm not at the gym after work) so if we each pick a meal on one of the nights, I really only need to come up with one meal per week... We'll try that for a bit and then see if we actually want to spend the extra money for the convenience of these companies.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

We found that simplifying recipes was key. Infamous LOVES cooking, but not after work when she's tired. She does fancy stuff on the weekends, but during the week it's just a piece of meat and some veggies (steamed or whatever).

If you buy high quality stuff, you don't really need complex recipes. Just season and enjoy. Faster/easier than any alternative we've found.

We're cooking pork chops with green beans tonight. I'll steam the green beans, pork chops get some basic seasoning and into the cast iron they go. 20 min tops, and we're eating...and it's tasty.

[SAWCE]

We found that simplifying recipes was key. Infamous LOVES cooking, but not after work when she's tired. She does fancy stuff on the weekends, but during the week it's just a piece of meat and some veggies (steamed or whatever).

If you buy high quality stuff, you don't really need complex recipes. Just season and enjoy. Faster/easier than any alternative we've found.

We're cooking pork chops with green beans tonight. I'll steam the green beans, pork chops get some basic seasoning and into the cast iron they go. 20 min tops, and we're eating...and it's tasty.

See and I like eating like that anyways. SImple is key for me. It's more just something for us to do together.

[ChrisoftheNorth]

We found that simplifying recipes was key. Infamous LOVES cooking, but not after work when she's tired. She does fancy stuff on the weekends, but during the week it's just a piece of meat and some veggies (steamed or whatever).

If you buy high quality stuff, you don't really need complex recipes. Just season and enjoy. Faster/easier than any alternative we've found.

We're cooking pork chops with green beans tonight. I'll steam the green beans, pork chops get some basic seasoning and into the cast iron they go. 20 min tops, and we're eating...and it's tasty.

See and I like eating like that anyways. SImple is key for me. It's more just something for us to do together.

Yep, and you can when it's simple. I'm usually put in charge of the and she does the veggies however she wants. We both get home hungry and tired, so the fastest way to fix that is key.

BUT

Cooking together with Blue Apron was fun. I'd start on step one, and she'd do 2 and so on. We did enjoy it as an activity and the way it's laid out is much simpler than a normal cook book. Not to mention, you don't have to go buy all the different ingredients that go into it.

[SAWCE]

See and I like eating like that anyways. SImple is key for me. It's more just something for us to do together.

Yep, and you can when it's simple. I'm usually put in charge of the and she does the veggies however she wants. We both get home hungry and tired, so the fastest way to fix that is key.

BUT

Cooking together with Blue Apron was fun. I'd start on step one, and she'd do 2 and so on. We did enjoy it as an activity and the way it's laid out is much simpler than a normal cook book. Not to mention, you don't have to go buy all the different ingredients that go into it.

Yeah following instructions isn't a strong suit of hers.. so just winging stuff might be better.

It will probably devolve into each of us just taking a turn to cook each of those nights, but at least then we'll still be sitting down to a meal together.

[4zilch]

Sno and I don’t do well in the kitchen together.

[Sno]

Sno and I don’t do well in the kitchen together.

But our kitchen is so not laid out for two working at once. We would do much better if we had island space. All of our counter space is between major appliances.

[wap]

I just go to the grocery store. It's less than a mile away.

Same. None of that shit. We cook on the weekends and love leftovers during the week. Although, since wifey stopped working she's cooking more during the week.

[NEEK]

I have taken it upon myself to teach my boys to cook. Every Sunday they cook dinner. It has been a pretty amazing experience.

[wap]

I have taken it upon myself to teach my boys to cook. Every Sunday they cook dinner. It has been a pretty amazing experience.

[Calvinball]

We have a number of easy, low cost, go-to meals that we can plug in. Grilled cheese and soup, breakfast for dinner, big salads, etc. Then we mix in other meals that will generate a day or two of leftovers and we’re solid.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[troyguitar]

I have taken it upon myself to teach my boys to cook. Every Sunday they cook dinner. It has been a pretty amazing experience.

I never cooked anything until I moved out on my own, turns out it's not that hard - at least if you don't care about looking good on pinshit. Artsy stuff is obviously a challenge. Tasty stuff is simple

If you can pass chem lab then you can cook.

[NEEK]

I have taken it upon myself to teach my boys to cook. Every Sunday they cook dinner. It has been a pretty amazing experience.

I never cooked anything until I moved out on my own, turns out it's not that hard - at least if you don't care about looking good on pinshit. Artsy stuff is obviously a challenge. Tasty stuff is simple

If you can pass chem lab then you can cook.

No, it is not that hard. But for children who have never used an oven, BBQ, etc it can be a bit of a challenge. They embrace it and while admit it is work, they also say it is easy as long as you pay attention.

Lots of millenials do not know how to cook.

[wap]

I never cooked anything until I moved out on my own, turns out it's not that hard - at least if you don't care about looking good on pinshit. Artsy stuff is obviously a challenge. Tasty stuff is simple

If you can pass chem lab then you can cook.

No, it is not that hard. But for children who have never used an oven, BBQ, etc it can be a bit of a challenge. They embrace it and while admit it is work, they also say it is easy as long as you pay attention.

Lots of millenials do not know how to cook.

He does seem to be learning

[troyguitar]

I meant that it's good to get them involved, my parents didn't do that at all. The most I ever regularly did at home was microwave stuff. I think I peeled some apples for pie a few times too, but didn't know how to make the rest of it.

[Calvinball]

I meant that it's good to get them involved, my parents didn't do that at all. The most I ever regularly did at home was microwave stuff. I think I peeled some apples for pie a few times too, but didn't know how to make the rest of it.

Ditto, I did some real basic stuff, mostly heating up things (soup, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc).

It’s weird because my parents love to cook, but when we were young my dad was usually at work til 8 or 9 and my mom worked nights, so weekday dinners were super quick and easy.

When I was a little older I probably just had no interest, being a surly teenager and all.


Sent from the Beer Depository

[SAWCE]

I meant that it's good to get them involved, my parents didn't do that at all. The most I ever regularly did at home was microwave stuff. I think I peeled some apples for pie a few times too, but didn't know how to make the rest of it.

Ditto, I did some real basic stuff, mostly heating up things (soup, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc).

It’s weird because my parents love to cook, but when we were young my dad was usually at work til 8 or 9 and my mom worked nights, so weekday dinners were super quick and easy.

When I was a little older I probably just had no interest, being a burly teenager and all.


Sent from the Beer Depository

Hey big boy

[Calvinball]

Ditto, I did some real basic stuff, mostly heating up things (soup, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc).

It’s weird because my parents love to cook, but when we were young my dad was usually at work til 8 or 9 and my mom worked nights, so weekday dinners were super quick and easy.

When I was a little older I probably just had no interest, being a burly teenager and all.


Sent from the Beer Depository

Hey big boy

Haha I guess I got autocorrected. Supposed to say “surly.”


Sent from the Beer Depository

[SAWCE]

Hey big boy

Haha I guess I got autocorrected. Supposed to say “surly.”


Sent from the Beer Depository

It said surly. I just wanted to call you burly.

[Calvinball]

Haha I guess I got autocorrected. Supposed to say “surly.”


Sent from the Beer Depository

It said surly. I just wanted to call you burly.

:massles:


Sent from the Beer Depository

[rockchops]

Well my mother is an awful cook. I didn't realize it until I was probably around 13 and 14. That's when I just started cooking on my own and making my own meals.

Btw sawse ever think about taking a cooking class together? Could be fun and makes it a bit more special. Then there are the other 6 days I guess.

[rockchops]

Will be fun to clean up

[Calvinball]

Will be fun to clean up

Eeks!


Sent from the Beer Depository