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Original poster

Do you cook something different for dinner every night?

81 replies

ErinAndTonic · 26/09/2023 19:12

Just wondering what other people do... I tend to cook a recipe either for myself or for my partner and I.. it always makes at least 4 portions once I work out the nutritional info etc. Makes sense as well to get multiple portions from the effort and washing up etc 😅 (this makes it sound like I don't enjoy cooking when I do - but I mean from a time perspective)

So often end up having 2-3 meals of the same thing in a week. Unless I freeze it. I also find it quite cumbersome to organise 5 different dinners every night (I wing it on the weekends).

I'm starting to meal plan, repeat more for breakfast/lunches and aim for more variety at dinner time and this led me to thinking I wonder how everyone else is doing it 🤔

If you have a dinner that's different every evening, do you tend to eat the same thing for breakfast/lunch?

OP posts:
Kashmirisky · 26/09/2023 19:13

Yes, I hate repeating meals.

AndStand · 26/09/2023 19:13

We have something different every day. Lunches are different too, but breakfasts tend to be the same/similar every day.

McIntire · 26/09/2023 19:14

A different meal every evening

I sometimes have the leftovers for lunch the next day though

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Eyelashesoffire · 26/09/2023 19:15

I freeze the extra portions. There would be a mutiny if I served up the same old leftovers day after day!

APurpleSquirrel · 26/09/2023 19:15

We have a different meal for dinner every night. I don't really eat breakfast; lunch is usually one of 3 different meals.
I couldn't eat the same dinner every night. I meal plan & try to include one brand new meal each week.

NoSquirrels · 26/09/2023 19:16

The only times we repeat meals are if something can be easily transformed into a new dish e.g. spaghetti bolognese on Monday, sloppy joes or chilli etc on Thursday. Otherwise leftovers are either eaten for lunch or frozen.

PerfectMatch · 26/09/2023 19:16

Usually a different meal every night. Leftovers are frozen, or if it's the kind of thing that doesn't freeze well then we'll pop it in the fridge and have it for lunch. Nothing wrong with repeating meals though if that works for you.

YourNameGoesHere · 26/09/2023 19:19

Oh gosh yes I have something different every night. Lunch and breakfast are often very similar each day so I'd lose my mind having the same meal multiple evenings each week.

I'm happy to freeze left overs but life's monotonous enough as it is without a little bit of change each evening.

YouveGotAFastCar · 26/09/2023 19:19

Yes. I hate the idea of having the same thing night after night. I know leftovers work for a lot of people and a bit of me wishes they did for me, but I can guarantee I won't fancy whatever I've got in the fridge to eat. I like having a choice and some freedom.

ODFOx · 26/09/2023 19:20

I make leftovers for freezing and also batch cook for the freezer. I don't mind leftovers for lunch the next day or two but DH is on his feet all day and autistic DS (who can eat the same thing for lunch and breakfast every day) want different dinners.
In your place I'd box and freeze portions for another day so you can mix and match more, if it bothers you.

sprigatito · 26/09/2023 19:22

We have something different every night, unless I'm on my own for a few days in which case I might just make a big pot of soup and have that. I do freeze extra portions though.

tulipsunday · 26/09/2023 19:23

Look like I am in the minority as happy to have the same meal twice in a row. Sometimes will change it a bit eg if a curry have rice one night, bread the other. Nice with the rush of work nursery pick ups etc to know dinner is sorted

bigbadbarry · 26/09/2023 19:26

We both WFH so leftovers for lunch is the rule here. I wouldn’t want the same dinner two days in a row

CompaniesHouse · 26/09/2023 19:30

It depends. DC sometimes prefer having the same thing in a row. I often cook later for myself without DC and I might have a phase of having something like stir fry each night, especially if I have some fresh bits or dressings that I want to use up. When I was organised enough to meal plan, I’d try and use “bases” e.g a ragu that would just need different herbs/spices for bolognaise, shepherds pie, chilli on different nights. Or a roasted veg tray bake that i could portion out into different types of meals (chicken and roast veg, Mediterranean veg pasta, veg and feta omelette, etc).

CompaniesHouse · 26/09/2023 19:33

Leftover rice is another good one: brown rice as a salad base for lunch, fried rice in a stir fry for dinner, Mexican rice stew. You just need to make sure you cool the rice down quickly and evenly before you store it as leftovers.

mashed potato - I always cook more and then an use it again for fish cakes (when DC used to eat them), or roll it in egg/batter/ breadcrumbs to fry as a kind of croquette.

AlisonDonut · 26/09/2023 19:35

Sometimes like chilli and rice one day, and chilli and chips the next.

Sometimes like pizza one day, using the rest of the dough for a flatbread the next.

I like to minimise work when I can.

KissKiss29 · 26/09/2023 19:36

I also have things 2 days in a row. Well since I have a baby and a toddler at home I have been. I get some time off the next day so I prefer it.

SanFranBear · 26/09/2023 19:36

Different every night.. I'd be bored stiff otherwise! I meal plan so can sometimes use up ingredients over a couple of meals but that's quite rare. I also cook something brand new every Monday to try and add to my repertoire! Can take quite a few recipes before I fond something me and the DC like - and there have been lots of fails - but I really enjoy cooking!

WhatAPalaverer · 26/09/2023 19:39

Leftovers get eaten for lunch generally. If there’s leftover meat from a roast I’ll curry it the next day. Im happy to eat the same thing for several nights but the rest of them moan!

trevthecat · 26/09/2023 19:40

We sometimes have the same thing 2 nights running. Especially if it's a pie or similar

Arou · 26/09/2023 19:40

Leftovers are king in my house. Usually make a massive batch have one for the night I cooked (e.g) chilli and rice, next day chilli and taco boats with guac and sour cream and freeze 2 portions ready for the week after. I slowcook and batch cook curries, bolognaise, chilli, and pulled pork. I take out what I want throughout the week and top up when I cook next and cook massive batches lol. So not cooking more than once during the working week and we can just chill out and save on washing up. We both have busy jobs and long commutes - the slow cooker and big batches have saved our sanity 😅

HelenFisksBrownSuit · 26/09/2023 19:40

Variety is the spice of life.

Saschka · 26/09/2023 19:43

I eat similar things for breakfast/lunch every day. Big latte and an apple for breakfast, toast at weekend. Soup and roll, M&S salad or bagel for lunch.

For dinner, I have a repertoire of about 5-6 things I rotate each season, and we will eat them on alternate days, or DH will eat the leftovers the following day for lunch. I don’t really mind eating the same thing two days in a row, if I then don’t eat it for another week or two.

avocadotofu · 26/09/2023 19:46

Yes definitely

RedAndWhiteCarnations · 26/09/2023 19:46

Yep, one meal each night. I’d find it extremely boring to eat the same stuff time and time again.

However, I still do the same thing than you. We just freeze leftovers for another week.