Understandably, when you eat the same thing over and over through the week, your taste buds might start to become bored.
You’ve been there, I’ve been there, we all have.
Standing in front of an open fridge, staring at the same old ingredients, and sighing at the monotony .
Meal prep can be a great way to save money on groceries and ensure that you’re eating healthy.
However, when you start to lose interest in your meals, you can become burned out.
When that happens, you probably won’t keep up with the lifestyle. But since meal prep and planning can add so much to your life, you want to do everything you can to avoid getting bored.
This article will give you some tips on how to stay interested in your meals throughout the week.
How To Avoid Getting Bored With Your Meals
Remember that time you made spaghetti five nights in a row? It seemed like a great idea on Monday, but by Friday, even your dog was giving you judgmental looks.
It’s easy to fall into a pattern of repeating meals because, let’s face it, life gets busy.
But here’s the thing: variety isn’t just the spice of life; it’s the secret to loving your meals!
Add in Color
Sometimes all you need is a fresh dose of color to resume interest in eating your meals.
After all, humans typically eat with their eyes first.
Try cooking with many different colored vegetables and fruits. Then place those different colors throughout the week.
For example, focus your first two meals on greens.
Then, around the middle mark, perhaps fresh it up with some reds or purples. Utilize color to make your meal’s appearance fresh and exciting.
Make Backups
Perhaps you cooked a lasagna on the weekend.
Most of the leftovers are gone so you don’t really have anything for the week.
However, that doesn’t mean that the last portion should just go to waste.
Instead, you make a backup meal out of it.
Place the lasagna in the freezer. If at any point during your week you’re sick and tired of your current meals, then you have your backup mea-in this case, lasagna-to break up the monotony of your week.
Try Something New Each Week
If you become bored quickly, you should try out a new recipe each week.
This is a great way to further enhance your creativity in the kitchen.
It can also keep your taste buds alive and excited.
The more recipes that you have, the greater the variety of your meal plans.
Add Sauces
A quick way to make a meal more exciting is to add a different sauce to it.
You can have the same meal every day but it can taste completely different each time depending upon what kind of sauce you use.
When in doubt, make a new sauce and include it into your meals.
Plan Ahead
Planning – it’s not just for business meetings or weekend getaways. When it comes to meals, a little foresight can take you from predictable to extraordinary.
Start by mapping out your meal calendar. Maybe you love Mexican on Mondays and Thai on Thursdays.
Assigning a theme can infuse excitement into your weekly menu. Plus, it’s a great excuse to try making that massaman curry you’ve been eyeing, right?
Take the guesswork out of grocery shopping. Craft a list based on your meal plan, and ensure it includes a variety of colors and textures. You eat with your eyes first, after all.
Experiment with Ingredients
Hunt down the exotic fruits and veggies aisle, and go wild. Ever tried starfruit, or made a salad with watermelon radish? Your Instagram is begging for it.
Don’t play it safe with protein choices either. If you’ve mastered chicken, why not give tempeh or bison a spin?
Mix and Match
There’s a reason buffets are endlessly amusing the power of choice! Apply the same concept
You can also have a base ingredient night. Pick something like quinoa, and let each family member choose their toppings.
Get Creative with Recipes
Here the thing, recipes are more like guidelines than rules. (Don’t tell the chef I said that.) The point is, have fun with them!
Experiment by swapping out ingredients. No green beans? How about asparagus? Let your pantry inspire you rather than confine you.
Incorporating cultural and regional influences into your recipes adds layers of flavor and history to your meals. It’s like traveling without the jet lag.
Explore New Restaurants and Food Trends
Okay, so this isn’t about cooking, but hear me out. Sometimes the best way to revive your cooking enthusiasm is to let someone else do it for you.
When you try new restaurants or cuisines, you’re not just giving yourself a break from dish duty, you’re also gathering inspiration.
Plus, keep an eye on those food trends
Food is all about variety, and it is the spice of life.
With these tips, your meals can go from boring to mind-blowing in no time.
