Help! Impossible meal ideas required!

[OldTinHat]

I've just been reading the thread where the OP has asked for healthy meal ideas because she's stuck in a rut. Some great ideas there.

Here's my problem...

I love food, but since starting a new medication last year, I'm never hungry and just don't fancy anything. A sharing bag of Doritos and a dip is easy and what I'll go for. Or a can of soup. Or toast and cheese or a bag of sweets. I'm massively overweight and have put on 6st in 5yrs.

I've been out for four birthday meals at different restaurants this month (one more to go this weekend!) and I just look at the menu and think 'nope'. It's just not enjoyable. I'm paying for restaurant meals solely for the social aspect.

My issue is that I'd love to get back into batch cooking for really tasty meals that I can freeze in portions. I live alone. But there are no recipes that get me excited.

I'm fed up of making bean chilli, gardeners pie, lasagne, veg curry, veg rice (batch cooked), jacket potatoes, salads, omlettes or buying a stir fry bag and chucking a few cashews at it. I'm not motivated to eat at home other than grabbing easy crap and yellow sticker ready meals which end up half eaten. I'll eat out because I'm in a social setting but just dont fancy anything. I look at recipes to make, but I'm not excited because they either dont freeze or they're just 'ordinary'. I always cooked from scratch when DC were at home but now I'm like, urgh, I can't get excited about a recipe anymore.

Anyway, if you have a recipe idea that will freeze well that's not any of the above, please would you share? I'd be really grateful.

Thanks for reading.

Why do you have to batch cook? If nothing is appetising why not get in things like frozen veg, frozen mash, etc then buy meat or fish and keep it relatively simple. Get herbs and spices and some pesto. A chicken breast or thigh spread with pesto and baked/air fried with couscous and veg makes a good meal. Minutes to prepare and tasty.

Hi OP, I'm also really overweight, heart goes out to you.

In your shoes I'd be trying to focus on getting enough fruit and veg in each day/week. The Zoe app guys say 30 different kinds per week, but if you were getting 5-7 per day I'm sure that would help loads.

To echo what PPs have said:
Box the salad bits in different tupperwares in the fridge/freezer, add to some lettuce in eatably small portions - won't go soggy that way
Freeze stir fry veg in portioned amounts - again won't go soggy
Freeze berries and/or chopped fruits - then add to plain yoghurt and sugar-free granola - a small bowl very filling and tasty

Bear in mind that "take with/after a meal" could mean after eating as little as a cup of food - it could even be a smoothie of fruit, plain yoghurt, a bit of nut butter, some plain cocoa powder, your choice of nut or cows milk...

Rather than focus on things not to eat, it's empowering to focus on eating nourishing things that do you good.

Wish you all the best!

Look at Gousto, their recipes are better than hello fresh in my opinion. The world cuisine type ones will freeze fine, we had an Ethiopian chicken dish this week which would freeze just fine. (Think rice or potatoes not pasta) I posted a coupon on the promo thread yesterday for a cheap box

Wanted to say this. If you can go days without eating, you will lose weight. A bag of Harubos or Doritios msy not be nutrient rich but you will easily lose weight if that's all you're really eating. No point in forcing yourself to eat, ever.

Don't mix the whole salad at once - store the chopped bits separately in your fridge then the salad won't get soggy.

If you're not driven by appetite or love of food then you need to look for some other motivator. There's a thing about eating 30 different plants a week for optimal health, or try clean eating (I hate that term though!) - find a way to challenge your eating so that you're motivated to actually eat well.

How about protein shakes or fruit/veg shakes (not my thing but you know what I mean). Slurp over a couple of meals with your meds. Could add interesting stuff like fresh ginger etc.

You're a bundle of contradictions. Two weeks between online shops but live on crap snacks and yellow stickers. Actually reasonably normal. Overwhelmed by eating out; as a dietician once told me birthdays are for eating cake and whatever meal you fancy. The problem is that most of us have 12 max people that fall into that category and the buggers refuse to space their birthdays out evenly.

Your freezer is probably the answer. You can now get frozen anything; butternut squash cubes, cauliflower cheese, broad beans, stir fry mixes ... Get a lot of frozen veggies to help make life simple.
If you are feeling good cook some carrots in miso or what ever and freeze in individual portions. Or whatever veggies you like.
You still fancy batch cooking even though you have some disabilities that make it a bit difficult, again you are normal.
Buy chicken thighs, marinade and put into individual portion bags , you can also keep some plain or breadcrumb some. Ditto salmon and lamb. Make some turkey meatballs and freeze them after a brief fry.
Make some sauces: katsu, red wine and cream ... Tray bakes are your good friend.

Make your freezer your slave; have protein, veg and sauce portions that can be defrosted in the microwave. Have bulgar wheat and also some of those grain sachets in the cupboard. Use the oven, grill or air fryer to finish things off.

With an outrageously organised freezer you are only ever 12 mins away from a meal you like. If you need to eat 4 meals a day to take your medication, make the portion sizes smaller so that you are not overwhelmed.