Some good ideas of mine come as a result of a careful, thoughtful search for a reasonable solution to a real life problem.
Other times I trip over a good idea like it was a shoe in the middle of the floor.
That’s kind of how “desperation cooking” developed for me. It didn’t arise out of some moment of brilliance, but it came around totally by accident when I went through a busy stage when I just could not seem to get to the grocery. I might have run into the store briefly a time or two for necessities during that time, but real grocery shopping didn’t happen, and I found myself scrounging around through freezer, fridge, and pantry in search of things I could put together to make a meal.
And it turned out to be a really, really good thing, for a couple of reasons!
For one, it forced me to use foods that had been forgotten in my pantry and freezer.
It is so easy for foods to get pushed to the back of the cabinet or buried in the depths of my freezer until they are past their expiration date or covered in freezer burn. That’s a waste of money and good food!
Secondly, it inspired a little creative cooking!
Suddenly I was faced with the challenge of creating a tasty, hearty meal with random ingredients like pork chops, canned tomatoes, and a strange mix of frozen vegetables. (Think Chopped, but without all the weird ingredients you’ve never heard of!) When creativity is forced, it’s really pretty amazing what I can come up with in the kitchen.
The truth is, I don’t do any more in-store grocery shopping than I absolutely have to do. (Read my take on the pros and cons of online grocery shopping HERE.) But even shopping on my laptop from the comfort of my own home takes time, especially for a careful meal-planner like myself. Planning my meals for a week and then checking to see what ingredients I have and what I need to add to my list saves time and stress in the long run, but it still takes a lot of time upfront. If life becomes chaotic and I’m not able to do it when I like, I have learned that I don’t have to stress or make 12 daily trips to the store to help me survive a few more days.
I can turn to “Desperation Cooking” if need be. And, actually, I’ve learned that doing it intentionally, even only 2-3 times per month, can really help keep random food items from piling up in my pantry and freezer. It means less waste, and a lot more creativity in the kitchen!
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