Stuck in a rut with meals

[Redruby2020]

Hoping for some advice/ideas, as I read many great things on here of what people are having for dinner etc.
I need to get back in to dropping take outs/junk too much bready stuff anyhow.
But in terms of dinners that will be wanted by myself and my DS. He will try or have other things elsewhere.
I guess he has got used to what he can have at home.
Plus I don't want to really steer away from carbs for him, he is slim and needs them.

Not a huge issue for me that i would want to cut them, certainly the bad ones yes.

I don't make dishes more basics then add potatoes veg/salad.

I can easily buy cafe lunch of certain things and think yes I can make that once a week, on top of a few other things and that builds up a weeks meals ideas.
But then I start thinking oh I will use a jar sauce and then think it's bad as i should be making things myself, from scratch.
I have never been good at or done much.
So I feel lazy, but that is not going to help me pull my finger out and do something.

I feel like now i don't know what is acceptable we are not supposed to eat this or eat that.
And where people get their ideas from when they say oh tonight we had such a such I'm like ooh that's nice, I think it's great they have a variety.

I can quite happily have jacket potato with something as a filling and salad a couple of times a week.
But my DS doesn't like the skin so I feel it's a bit wasted.

I think about making things then think of too many things and I'm making it too complicated.
My idea was to start with one thing I want to make and do my usual meals and focus on one thing at a time to make.

I see people online in videos who are bigger than me and less able bodied chopping cooking different meals daily and I'm like wow! You put me to shame.

For example even though I've tried my mash never tastes nice, I have never made an omelette.
I think with me where I am an over thinker I think it through too much what it entails etc.
And not being as organised as i could be with shopping/getting things in so I have them which means planning meals ahead.

Greatful for any input but not rude comments thankyou!

My idea was to start with one thing I want to make and do my usual meals and focus on one thing at a time to make. This is a great idea, start small and work up. Jacket potatoes and salad etc are also a great dinner so don't beat yourself up!

Try some traybakes. They are usually very easy, just shoving the ingredients into an oven dish and popping into the oven Budget traybake dinners - BBC Food. They usually feed four, so if it's just you and DS you could either freeze half and have it for dinner next week, or have it for lunch the next day.

Do you have a slow cooker? Dump and go recipes are very similar to the above, you shove all the ingredients in and come back to a hot dinner! 60+ Dump and Go Slow Cooker Recipes - Real Food Whole Life.

Does he like pasta. You don't really need a jar but you can. Onion, garlic paste, mince, herbs and tin tomatoes.
You could get the filled pasta with some sauce too.
Cottage pie. Onion mince. Mash on top brown in oven with veg can be just frozen if easier.
Chicken curry nothing wrong with korma paste or sauce with rice.
Stew cut up thighs chopped veg, stock, gravy to thicken. Could have dumplings too.
Pie potato and veg shop bought or easy to make your own pie with ready rolled pastry just on the top.
Sausages, mash and peas with onion gravy.
Frozen fish, fish fingers or fish cakes with chips or wedges with peas.
Chilli onion mince chilli powder kidney beans tin tomatoes with rice.
Wraps with chilli or enchiladas with chicken onions and peppers.
Pizza
Stir fry
Look at the sachets section at the supermarket to give you ideas.
How do you make your mash do you add butter and milk. I wouldn't have thought this could go wrong.

I feel I'm stuck in a rut too. Made a stir fry last week which I don't usually do and it went down surprisingly well with the kids and had lots of veggies in it, so will definitely be doing that again. I tend to make a big pot of bolognaise every few weeks and freeze half for an easy dinner another evening. Other than that, we would usually have things like salmon, smoked haddock, pasta carbonara, quiche, chicken and potatoes and veg etc. the kids like omelettes and I don't know why I don't make them more often so might try that again this week.

Like the sound of the traybakes posted by a previous poster, definitely going to try this one. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chickenanddricebakee97733

Forgot chicken thighs skin on with bone in quite cheap. Roast in oven for 40 to 50 minutes depending on size. Roast potatoes for same time turning occasionally. with veg and gravy.

Oh these are great suggestions thankyou! Plenty to consider and choose from, and try adding 1/2 meals in and go from there.

It's also because I should be losing more weight. But with me i don't obsess over calories makes my thoughts worse.
As long as it's not takeaway and not too processed, keep an eye on portions. Dinner is the least of my worries where food is concerned and weight/food issues.

I have lost weight still eating these meals. I have cut out sugar, biscuits and crisps snacking in between meals and having skimmed milk instead of whole milk. I still do have a treat at the weekend so not too boring.

How old is your ds? I would start by picking three favourites each and try to recreate them. Look at restaurant menus for inspiration then just google the recipe with the word simple in front.

Alternatively look at 5 ingredient recipes. There are loads out there.

If you find it all a bit overwhelming just focus on improving for where you are now. So for example, if you would usually buy a take away curry an improvement would be making a curry your self with a ready made curry paste (that's not the same as using a jar of sauce). Or make the paste yourself but use frozen, ready chopped onions and garlic purée.

I think your idea of just adding one thing to your reportoire a week is a good one. And it doesn't have to be complicated. As a PP has said - chickent tray bakes are brilliant and very easy and you can adapt them by your preference. I would suggest also exploring different sides or carbs with them - eg rice, new potatoes, noodles etc.

If you do want to know how to make mashed potatoe (and it freezes well I find so doing a larger batch is a good idea). The trick really is to use plenty of butter, a generous amount of salt and some milk. Peel and chop potatoes into even sized pieces. I keep them relatively small (2-3cm square), boil in salted water. Once cooked through, drain, return to the pan add generous amount of butter and a bit of milk and put the lid back on for it all to warm through/melt. Then mash with a masher, adding more milk/butter and salt to taste.

What about soup, especially as you seem to be looking for lunch options? You can make a big batch and it would do you for a few days and/or be frozen. I sometimes do soup and a toastie for dinner, especially on day we're all rushing around as I can make the soup and the sandwiches a bit earlier then just put them in the toastie while a bowl is heating up for whatever person is eating.

Another great one for exploring is mince. Most people have cooked mince in some form, so it's not so hard to find new ways to do it. Small twists to turn your bolognaise into a cottage pie, or adding flavours associated with Asia to make it a different type of dish or making meatballs. I once did a mince version of a philly cheese steak as a pasta bake that I found a recipe for! It was super easy and DS loved it but the rest of us weren't so excited so I haven't done it again, but it shows how varied you can be!

Oh, and another thing that I think can be helpful is to consider whether some convenience food is worth it. eg, I sometimes buy the Del'Ugo fresh pasta and have it in the fridge for DH/DS to have as a substantial snack when they get back (DH works morning shifts, very physical job. DS teenage boy!). They usually just have it with pasta. Works really well and from memory, it's one of the brands that's processed but not UPF.

My sister buys fresh soups from M&S for her lunches on days she WFH.

I buy lots of frozen veggies - chopped onion, garlic, sofrito mix, ginger, mixed berries, peas, corn, spinach - as a really conveninent way to speed up cooking and/or quickly add additional nutrition.

An omelette would be a great thing to start with. You can add vege, cheese, whatever. My ds likes pepperoni in it.

Easy quiche - ready rolled shortcrust. Use it to line a greased quiche tin. Stan it all over the bottom with a fork. Add some jarred red onion chutney. Grated cheese. 3 beaten eggs. Cook on a baking tray that you’ve reheated so you get a nice crisp bottom without baking the pastry blind first.

Mmm the quiche sounds lovely!
When you say stan did you mean stab 😃 otherwise I was thinking ooh what is this new turn stan i haven't heard of.

I agree re small steps

Tin of chickpeas (rinsed)
Handful of frozen cauliflower
Handful of fresh spinach/or 2 or 3 cubes of frozen
Patak's curry paste (or Spice Tailor kit if on offer!)
Rice (cooked in a steamer)

The curry will taste better if made in advance, if possible

Ha ha yes, sorry! Stab it!

Once you’ve tried that, you can fiddle around with other fillings. I never bother with baking blind.