Oftentimes I don’t get home until well past 7pm.
I am often ridiculously tired and the last thing I want to think about is making dinner for myself and my partner. This isn’t because I don’t love to cook or that I’m lazy, it’s that almost 98% of the food I eat is homemade. It’s not just because I believe that the path to health and longevity is through whole foods and movement, but because I also suffer from extreme food allergies and sensitivities.
I don’t cook from a box and I order take out very, very infrequently. I cook. Not just when it’s convenient, not just when I have unlimited time to play and design, but every fucking day.
When I’m tired, when I’m overwhelmed, when I’ve been up since 4:30 am and it’s fast approaching 8 pm and I just walked through the door.
I cook.
I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one trying to stay healthy while working long hours for what often feels like not enough money. Trying to pull off Gwyneth Paltrowesque feats of culinary enlightenment after a 16 hour day is, well, just not what I want to do. So I’m gonna be honest – it’s just not happening, at least not exactly.
We, the mere mortals, have to take a different approach.
The answer is simple: planning in advance
Setting aside 1-3 hours, on the same day every week, will allow us to come home late without having to worry about whether there’ll be something nutritious for us and our families to eat.
Eating delicious food that makes us feel good also gives us a little bit of pleasure, and a little bit more time to relax.
Sunday is usually my cooking day, when I see my last client at 2 or 3 and I’m home by 4ish, but you have to pick the time and day that works for you. I am fortunate that my amazing partner has done the arduous task of going to 5 different stores to buy all the different foods I need (very honestly, I’ve had partners before who do not help out in this way, and it makes the process about 50 times harder and longer.)
So, all in all and by and by my message is this
You can have the life you want, with the foods you want to eat and the time to make it all happen. It’s about planning and prepping (and having a partner or a family to help is even better).
Here’s an easy 3-step guide:
1. Have a running list of foods you and your family like to eat. Keep a dry erase board on your fridge and as foods run low or out, right them down.
2. Everyone has at least 2 favorite meals that they can make in bulk, make sure to keep your fridge and pantry stocked with these ingredients. In my house we always have frozen organic chicken thighs and ground bison.
3. Figure out a schedule and stick to it. Routine will make everything better.
Tune in next week when I talk about some of my favorite recipes!
