Guys only, people who are in college living with yourself

[flyingpig]

I want to know, what do you cook for meals everyday? What is your budget?

Do you cook Western only or Chinese only?

Tell me everything.

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I live with myself!

I eat a ton of pork chops and turkey meat loaf. Brown rice every day just about. That plus many frozen veggies (not to include broccoli). The only fresh produce I really buy is spinach leaves for sandwiches and carrots.

My budget is not a real problem, but I am frugal by nature (on some things). Pork shops are dirt cheap, and frozen veggies work better for only one person. I used to go to the grocery store every day after work and buy what I want to eat for the next day and dinner that night. That is a good way to save money if you make sure that you don't buy more than you can/will eat.

I think I spend around 40 dollars a week in total.

Okay well more than that. I eat out every day I have class because I have nowhere to keep food for hours on end and no time to come home for lunch. SO probably 4 days a week I will spend about $6 on a flatbread sandwich or something.

 

[flyingpig]

How do you cook your chops? Microwave? Do you have to wash the meat?

 

[QuarkCharmer]

I usually just let them thaw the night before in some coke or beer, then I wash them off some and dip them in a bowl of bread crumbs and some moz. cheese to bread them. I then cook them in a pan with no oil on medium for about 5 minutes each side while pre-heating the oven to about 350 (f). Once the outsides are cooked I re-dunk them in the breading if I have any left and pop them on a tray in the oven for about 40 minutes. I would really check the temp with pork though, you don't want worms!

It's a good way to make them. You can change it around a little by using different bread crumbs/cheese. I like Italian bread with moz. cheese personally.

I don't ever microwave anything. I make hot sandwiches and such in a skillet or pan and oven meats like porkchops. Everything else I grill outside on a gas grill which is also cheaper than your oven to operate. I suppose you would have to use it regularly though, but I am using that thing every other day so it works for me. I have to practically force myself to eat anyway so the grill smells make me hungry.

 

[flyingpig]

Thaw beer or cola? That's disgusting

 

[Pengwuino]

Ever since starting this major, I can't live with myself.

 

[flyingpig]

Ever since starting this major, I can't live with myself.

Why? You eat fish?

 

[Adyssa]

I cook for myself, day in day out. Sometimes I'm motivated, other times, not so much. I'm not vegetarian, but I don't eat much meat (mostly because it's expensive, also because I enjoy vegetables quite a lot).

On a good day I'll cook a curry or stir-fry in the wok (buy the paste/sauce, add chilli/garlic/onion, 3-4 vegetables, and sometimes meat - chicken/lamb/kangaroo mainly). I usually do Thai curries (red/green/penang) so coconut milk, fish sauce, palm sugar and kaffir lime leaves are on hand. I'm quite partial to indian as well, and I'll do a tikka masala, or korma. With rice in all cases, very occassionally I do hokkien noodle stir fry. These are really easy to cook, a Thai curry takes me 30 minutes from prep to eat.

About once every 3 weeks I will do a roast - lamb usually, with roast vegies, this is super easy, I buy a marinated mini roast, cut up potatoes and pumpkin, coat with oil and all kinds of herbs and spices, chuck it all in a roasting tray in the oven, make a quick gravy and steam some greens on the side. Takes 2+ hours though (my oven is a horrible piece of ****).

I also do the meat + 3 veg thing about once a week, beef/lamb/pork steak (pan fried) with steamed veg (microwave).

When I'm tired and can't be bothered, I keep some quick-pasta in the cupboard, and some sandwich fillings in the fridge. When I'm really dog-tired I just crack a bourbon and skip dinner. lol

I work at a green grocer so every second day I buy a bag of vegetables, I'm quite partial to most of them, favourites at the moment are cauliflower, zucchini, beans, capsicum, corn on the cob <3, carrot, mushrooms and broccoli. I mix it up, my rule of thumb for any given meal is 3-4 veg, all different colours. Keeps it interesting and makes the plate look nice. :)

In summer I BBQ a lot, easy and fun with some friends over.

Expense wise, a curry/stir-fry costs me under $10, or a bit more with meat (serves 3). A roast costs me about $20 (serves 3) and basic meat+veg is under $10 too unless I treat myself to a decent cut. I don't keep track of my food budget really, but I guess I spend about $50 a week on meals I cook plus a bit extra for lunch at uni, breakfast cereal, bread, milk etc.

 

[Pengwuino]

Wait, why is this thread guys only? Are you implying only girls know how to cook?

BAN HIM!

 

[Pythagorean]

Chicken with grilled onion and grilled green pepper, wrapped in a toasted flour tortilla with sour cream and green salsa. That was my bachelors cuisine.

Then there's always eggy in the Ramen or eggy in a hole, or just fried spam.

Now that I have a family though, I only eat local veggies and meat. And ice cream.

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I really oscillate; last week I cooked a four hour Ethiopian meal one night and a slow cooked chicken and chorizo bake another night. Yet just now I ate six bramley apple sausages with mayonnaise. Go figure.

Also, why is this guys only

 

[Pengwuino]

...you ate six sausages?

 

[Ryan_m_b]

I was hungry and had leftover BBQ supplies

 

[Pengwuino]

One thing I've been wondering is when people say they ate ramen and cup 'o noodles for years on end during graduate school working as a PHD student, was that because they REALLY had to make their food money go a long way or was it because they just don't know how to cook?

 

[flyingpig]

Now if I just eat rice and chow sum...that would reduce to $30 per week.

 

[Topher925]

I eat a lot oatmeal with raisins and whey protein along with tofu based stir fry. They are both cheap and very healthy. I generally don't eat meat when cooking home. Also on the list is cereal, canned beans, veggie burgers, granola bars, and greek bread. Also a lot of fruit, especially strawberries, I love strawberries. Oh and yogurt...with granola.

 

[turbo]

I was able to get out of the dorm after my freshman year and into a small attic apartment. Weekends, I would cook batch meals to keep me in food the rest of the week. Pea soup or lentil soup, baked beans, spaghetti, New England boiled dinners, etc. I would also bake my bread on weekends.

It is not difficult to learn to cook, though there are lots of tips and tricks that can make you a really good cook. Dried beans, peas, rice, pasta, etc, are all lots cheaper than processed foods made from them, so it doesn't need to cost you much to eat well. I was friends with a couple of very pretty young ladies who lived in a rented house across from my apartment, and every couple of weeks or so, I would invite them to my place for a meal. Nothing fancy, usually - spaghetti and garlic bread made from my home-made bread were a hit with them because neither of them could cook a lick and they both craved home-made food instead of pizzas and subs. They would bring a couple of bottles of wine and I'd feed them. It worked out. They let me have a key to their house, and I would sometimes go there after class to study where it was quiet. Apartment living isn't always optimal for studying. Cooking can be a great ice-breaker.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

How do you cook your chops? Microwave? Do you have to wash the meat?

Here's a tip from a girl:

Don't microwave meat with the bone in. My girly intuition says something bad will happen. Also, marinating in coke or beer is really good. Make sure you do thawing in the fridge. On the counter=possible food poisoning. But try not to freeze meat. It's always way tastier if you don't. (but don't let it sit around in the fridge either!)

Okay, that's probably already too many tips, right?
k bye!

*runs away from guy thread*

 

[Dembadon]

How do you cook your chops? Microwave? Do you have to wash the meat?

Please, please, PLEASE don't ever cook meat in the microwave. If you don't have a grill, cook it in the oven. If you don't have an oven, cook it on the stove. Buy a George Forman grill if you have to. Also, buy a thermometer and learn how to use it.

Pork goes well with sweet things--fruits/sauces/etc. Cut up some pears or peaches and have them with your 'chops, or you can look up a simple recipe for a sweet and sour sauce. None of this will take much effort on your part and will be relatively inexpensive when compared with alternatives like eating out or microwave dinners.

As an aside, I don't understand the reason for the gender limitation on this thread. Arcana's tips are excellent.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Please, please, PLEASE don't ever cook meat in the microwave.

Do hot dogs count as meat? Because they come out fine in the microwave, right before I drop them into my spaghettiO's. :P

(Hey at least I select nice hot dogs and don't just eat the spaghettiO's with the "hot dogs" already in them!)

 

[Pengwuino]

Do hot dogs count as meat? Because they come out fine in the microwave, right before I drop them into my spaghettiO's. :P

(Hey at least I select nice hot dogs and don't just eat the spaghettiO's with the "hot dogs" already in them!)

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

You don't like spaghettiO's?

 

[Dembadon]

Do hot dogs count as meat? Because they come out fine in the microwave, right before I drop them into my spaghettiO's. :P

(Hey at least I select nice hot dogs and don't just eat the spaghettiO's with the "hot dogs" already in them!)

Heck yes they do! I boil them if the grill is out of commission.

I guess it's time to admit my aversion to microwaves. I've never liked them and will always condemn their use for anything other than frying CDs.

 

[Pengwuino]

You don't like spaghettiO's?

I love spaghettios. I just don't love how you abuse them.

 

[turbo]

Do hot dogs count as meat? Because they come out fine in the microwave, right before I drop them into my spaghettiO's. :P

(Hey at least I select nice hot dogs and don't just eat the spaghettiO's with the "hot dogs" already in them!)

Are you bad? Do you make Kraft macaroni and cheese and mix in spaghetios and slices of grilled hot-dogs? If not, I'll bet you'll try it this weekend.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Heck yes they do! I boil them if the grill is out of commission.

I guess it's time to admit my aversion to the microwave. I've never liked them and will always condemn their use for anything other than frying CDs.

Eh, I don't like them boiled very much. I guess I used to but not really anymore. I understand about microwave aversion. It does really ruin the quality of almost everything. There's just no denying the time-saving of it though.

Here's a living alone tip: Buy a toaster-oven. Cook your single pork chop or your single cupcake or whatever in it. Good for frozen chicken nuggets too. And melting cheese on toast. It's a lot more efficient than heating up a whole giant stove for one little thing. Plus it's easier to monitor your food to make sure it doesn't burn. Also less clean up. Just a really handy cooking appliance.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

I love spaghettios. I just don't love how you abuse them.

Adding hot dogs is abuse? You don't like hot dogs?

 

[Pengwuino]

Adding hot dogs is abuse? You don't like hot dogs?

I like hot dogs... it's just...

you're not doing it right, let's just leave it at that!

 

[Dembadon]

...

Here's a living alone tip: Buy a toaster-oven. ...

Best advice in the whole thread.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

Are you bad? Do you make Kraft macaroni and cheese and mix in spaghetios and slices of grilled hot-dogs? If not, I'll bet you'll try it this weekend.

Ew no. why would I mix orange cheesy food with red tomato-ey food? I'm perfectly happy putting more microwaved hot dogs into my kraft mac n cheese and leaving it at that. (Okay sometimes I add real cheese, but that's it.)

And just in case you're wondering, on the third nights YES I EAT RAMEN.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

I like hot dogs... it's just...

you're not doing it right, let's just leave it at that!

Because I microwave them or because I put them in my spaghettiO's? I NEED TO KNOW!

 

[turbo]

Ew no. why would I mix orange cheesy food with red tomato-ey food? I'm perfectly happy putting more microwaved hot dogs into my kraft mac n cheese and leaving it at that. (Okay sometimes I add real cheese, but that's it.)

And just in case you're wondering, on the third nights YES I EAT RAMEN.

Oh, sure! You say that now... I have seen so many incidents of food-abuse...

 

[turbo]

I have a show under contract. Is "Food CSI". I hope there will be guns and tussles, though none fatal to me. ;)

Note: bribe writers.

 

[Pythagorean]

Also, why is this guys only

well, duh, obviously females are never single and can't cook (because they're always being taken out to eat).

 

[Pengwuino]

Because I microwave them or because I put them in my spaghettiO's? I NEED TO KNOW!

because you put them in spaghettios!

 

[flyingpig]

I don't understand why would you thaw raw meat (that maens red raw) in cola? blood + cola = death?? why is it bad that I put the meat in the microwave? The bones aren't metallic? I mean okay it's like 1% iron?

 

[Hepth]

I don't understand why would you thaw raw meat (that maens red raw) in cola? blood + cola = death?? why is it bad that I put the meat in the microwave? The bones aren't metallic? I mean okay it's like 1% iron?

You don't drink the cola after...Im sure the acidity helps tenderize the meat while the syrup/sugar sweetens it a little. Just a cheap marinade.

You can cook raw meat in the microwave but its horrible.I also condone microwaved hotdogs in the kraft mac'n'cheeze.

Or put frozen broccoli in with velveeta sheels and cheese. Both amazing.