Tidying Up with Good Luck Bread: Realistic and Sustainable Meal Planning Tips
Like many of you, I’ve kicked off the new year by watching other people organize their homes on TV.
In case you haven’t tuned in, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo is a new Netflix series where Kondo, an organizational expert and best-selling author, teaches clients to declutter and organize their homes. This is not the first hit makeover show on Netflix, but this one is refreshing in a couple of ways. First, Kondo doesn’t do the tyding for her clients. Instead, she teaches them her method and the families do it themselves. Second, the show is not consumption-driven. Unlike Queer Eye, the charismatic guru doesn't just buy you a bunch of new stuff, she shows you how to transform your space by treasuring the things you already have. For these reasons, the show has already empowered many viewers to tidy up.
I’m enjoying the show, but it hasn’t inspired any major tyding at our place. (I have, however, benefited from a friend’s recent wardrobe tidying. Thanks, Kathleen!) At the risk of making you eye roll, I’ll admit that my clothing has been standing upright in drawers since I first read Kondo’s book back in 2014. When I was excitedly explaining the KonMari method to my friend Alex, she was a little concerned. “I don’t think this book is for people like you,” she warned gently. “Maybe just make sure Eric sees the Goodwill pile before you take it out...” It’s true; I already have a strong compulsion for getting rid of stuff. Once during a move, Alex intercepted a perfectly usable trash can I was trying to discard. (Throwing away the trash can meant I had nowhere to trash the other stuff!) She was right about me and the KonMari method. In a lot of cases, my habit of throwing things away doesn’t result in decluttering; it just sets off a cycle of consumption. Anyway, whether it’s virtuous or wasteful, things are already pretty tidy around here.
While watching the show, I’m kept wondering if this is really going to work for these families long-term. They now have organized homes, but they aren’t given any systems to maintain the tydiness. Kondo does teach her clients the first lesson in keeping any space organized: everything must have a place. But who puts the thing back in its place once it’s been used? And when? I predict that, in time, some or all of the chaos will return to the homes on Tidying Up. (And, even though Kondo does her best to involve the whole family in tyding, the burden and guilt will probably fall back on the women.)
In general, when we resolve to change our lives, it often fails for two reasons: we don’t have systems in place to maintain the change, and we attempt too much at once.
Which brings me to today’s lesson. If you’re looking to eat more home-cooked food this year, I want to offer a few tips for doing it in a way that is sustainable and realistic.
Tip #1: Cook Once, Eat (at least) Twice
Even though most of my meals are home cooked, I never cook 21 different meals in one week. Instead, I cook in batches. I often plan and shop for two batch meals over the weekend. I start by making a big pot of something to get the week started (this weekend it was a lasagna), then make another batch meal on Monday night (it’ll be pork dumplings and fried rice), and we coast on those alternating meals until Wednesday or Thursday night. Later in the week, I like to keep the meals relatively simple and incorporate leftover ingredients (see Tip #2!). By the end of the week, it’s all about the pantry (Tip #3). A bonus tip: planning and shopping on Saturday morning means that you save time and angst by avoiding the grocery store at peak times (Sunday afternoon and Monday evening).
Tip #2: Let leftover ingredients do the planning for you.
By the time Wednesday evening rolls around, it can be difficult to get creative with dinner. As with any creative endeavor, limits help. When it’s time to plan the mid-week meal, scan your fridge for something that you need to use up and go from there. That carton of buttermilk? Brine chicken with it. The leftover thing of zhoug from TJs? Spice up a pot of lentils. These ideas are definitely easier to come by the more you cook. If you’re new to cooking or find yourself stuck, take your leftover ingredient to the index of your favorite cookbook or blog. As an experiment, I just typed in “zucchini” in the search bar on Smitten Kitchen and found too many ideas to count. Not only does this strategy helps you tidy up the fridge and cut down on waste, it keeps your mid-week grocery list under control.
Another thing to consider- combine tips #1 and #2 by batching some versatile leftovers on the weekend that you can use later in the week. Cook extra grains, roast extra veggies, mash extra potatoes, etc. etc.
Tip #3: Build a pantry.
These days, all the hot cookbooks begin with a pantry or larder section. While they are fun to read, it’s best to start slow and build up your own personal pantry instead of stocking your cupboards with things you may not use. Start with foods that have a relatively long shelf life that you know you love to eat. In the pantry, think pasta, beans, and canned tomatoes. In the fridge, think eggs and condiments. When you’re all out of your batch meals at the end of the week, challenge yourself to stay in and stick to you pantry. You’ll likely develop some go-tos meals. For example, my friend Amy always has the stuff for pasta e ceci. I always have the ingredients to make tomato soup, and I’ve learned that almost everything that’s about to turn in my fridge tastes good in a frittata. (Throw some spaghetti in there!)
Finally, don’t take on too much at once. If you don’t cook a lot at home, start with just one batch meal or pantry challenge per week and build up from there if you’re having fun.
Remember, store bought is fine. Postmates is fine.
Tip #2 in action: leftover lemon curd swirled into rosemary & olive oil Ice cream.
