To wonder who these wonder women are who 'cook from scratch' every day

[MGFM]

Following on from all the threads about supermarket shopping and how to make it cheaper etc, I just can't get me head around all of the families 'cooking from scratch' everyday.

Is it just me that thinks that cooking from scratch everyday is an absolute nightmare? Are people confused about what cooking from scratch actually means? Are all these people who do this SAHM/SAHDs? Are they getting up at 5 am to put the meal together to heat up in the evening. I just dont get it.

I am currently on Mat Leave but when I was working full time and getting home around 1645/1700 every night, the last thing I wanted to start doing was cooking from scratch.

And what does cooking from scratch even mean? I enjoy sausage, mash, peas and gravy. The mash is from scratch...does that count?

I tend to cook from scratch at the weekend....a big pan of chilli which can cook for a few hours, or spag bol and then will freeze the left overs but I dont start cooking this on a thursday night for example.

Anyway, If I am being unreasonable and it is actually pretty easy to be super mum/dad and cook from scratch, can I please have your recipes?

Thanks! -

My husband cooks from scratch for us nearly every night. He doesn't usually start till 7 and we eat late. I cook for the kids and sometimes for all of us. Except one day when the kids have supermarket pizza means are home made. But will make pasta sauce and freeze portions so sometimes just need to grab outbox the freezer.

I cook from scratch but because I'm a salad freak it's just a matter of cooking one meat thing and chopping and throwing veg in a bowl.

I cook from scratch, use slow cooker a lot, lots of pasta sauces, risottos, casseroles. Am a full time mum so I do have the luxury of time and generally knock our dinner together late afternoon while feeding the toddler and we then eat about 8-30. But I did cook from scratch pre-baby when I worked. Always have.

I do most of the time. Fish pie after a day at work though seriously 😂😂 And honestly we have pizza once a week.

It was slow cooker chilli today but I prep it the night before and stick it in the fridge. Pasta stuff's easy, Cajun chicken/ salmon. Chicken legs, fish, curry I can do fairly swiftly. Rissotto in the pressure cooker/ stir fry are easy but DC act like they are being poisoned.

I often do huge pans of chilli, bolognaise, stew all from scratch and freeze. Then just defrost, make burritos, pasta bake, all quick and still home made. Tonight the kids have had grilled salmon, mash and broccoli- the mash was out of the freezer but again home made, if I am making mash I do a whole bag of potatoes then I always have some in the freezer.
Tea tonight took me about 12 minutes to make.

But don't think I'm a saint. I'm having warmed up curry from last nights takeaway

I cook from scratch every day that I am at home. Just for me. Used to when the family was here, too.
It is easy if you plan what you are going to have and have the basics always in the fridge or cupboard. Any excess goes into the freezer for a day when I don't get in until later.
It would never occur to me to buy ready meals. I would just go out, if I wanted a decent meal and either hadn't been shopping or did not want to cook what was available (rarely happens).
How long does it take to make a cauliflower cheese and a bit of salad (or to grill a steak or chop for any meat eaters around)?

I cook from scratch. I even peel potatoes.
I from home which makes it easier for me.

My instant pot upped my cooking game enormously. We don't eat meat, but cooking dried beans was such a faff. I can now easily make cheap and simple meals so actually want to cook more!

How long does it take to make a cauliflower cheese and a bit of salad (or to grill a steak or chop for any meat eaters around)?

Meat is expensive so I don't eat much of it. However I couldn't be arsed making a cauliflower cheese from scratch - way too much faffing around. I also don't eat a lot of the things listed - casserole, chilli, risotto, curry etc.

I cant think of the last time I didn't cook from scratch when I've cooked.

What exactly counts as not cooking from scratch? Is it those meals you literally peel the top bit of plastic off and then whack in the oven and pre-made spag bog jars or would you also include things like bangers and mash there when all you do is boil and mash potatoes and shove some sausages in the oven?

It's all cooking - maybe not from scratch but is involves some level of preparation/cooking.

I love spag bol but I tried to make it once and it was fucking rank! So that's off my list 😁

Sausages in the oven are dry too

I do it, I work part time so on work nights I get something I've cooked from scratch and frozen or something fast like fish fillets with some flavourings and veg or a quick pasta (example, prawns with a quick sauce made of lemon, butter, garlic and chilli and some green veg like spinach and some herbs chucked in, mixed with pasta). Also DH can help by washing up as I go and peeling potatoes, getting food out if I'm putting DS to bed etc. Also this time of year slow cookers are excellent at making an evening meal easily. I really like cooking though, have a bit of music on, a bit of wine to drink... it's nice.

Cauliflower is the deviles food.

*devil's

I admire anyone with the inclination to do it - I couldn't rustle up a 'quick sauce' if my life depended on it

I do use some chopped frozen veg like carrot, onion and celery mix or spinach to help, but I prefer fresh peppers and broccoli, cauli etc.

lol I know! I can make tom sauce, but it isn't quick and I follow a recipe

I don't have 'staples' in my home - My fridge is empty, my freezer is empty and my cupboards are empty (well they have some tins possibly but I haven't opened the doors for a few years)

I buy food on the way home from work.

Your chilli and bolognese could be cooked in double/triple quantities.

Put a piece of lamb in the slow cooker in the morning with a tin of tomatoes, some olives, garlic from a tube, chopped onions and peppers from a bag in the freezer. When you get home, take out the bone and pull the meat apart. Probably enough to feed eight people again. Put rice or mash on when you get home.

Same as above using chicken quarters.

Pork for pulled pork in the slow cooker. When you get home remove skin, shred meat, and seasoning like garlic, soy sauce, chilli sauce. Serve it with bagged salad and bread.

Salmon pieces cook really fast. Serve with cous cous with pesto served into it and salad.

Frozen cauliflower in an oven dish. Pour homemade cheese sauce on (quick recipe on YouTube). Back for 45 mins. Serve with jacket potatoes started off in micro and finished in oven.

It isn't hard. Just different. Very simple quick prep.

Another who cooks from scratch- work full time and generally home at 6.30.

Parents always cooked fresh, as did grandparents so wouldn't want to do things any differently- it's just something I prioritise over other things. Shop bought stuff tastes horrible to me.

How do people know what they want to eat that night? I think that's an issue - I have no idea what I am going to feel like until I finish work

Shop bought cauliflower cheese is so tasteless. Doesn't take long to make a cheese sauce, pour over blanched cauliflower and bang in the oven. So tasty too

I don't like ready meals either - it's too much faff!

I got an air fryer for xmas. Salmon takes minutes and is still an orangey pinkey colour. Put some rice on the hob. Cook frozen peas. Done.