How to make less ‘girl dinners’
Who said we should know what to cook for dinner for the rest of our lives?
We learned about girl dinners on TikTok. The term “girl dinner” is an internet trend and it refers to a meal that typically consists of easy-to-prepare options and surprising variations of making and pairing food. Zimbabwean girlies joined this trend with Cerevita, noodle recipes, and other unconventional food combinations.
A “girl dinner” is not a specific type of food but a casual and relaxed approach to evening meals. It’s a light-hearted social media trend where people share what they’re having for dinner.
https://www.tiktok.com/@the_kitchen_zone/video/7256349947115703557?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7291566169185945093
As a wife who came into marriage with only girl dinner meal options. Here are a few tips and tricks that have helped me to make less girl dinners.
Develop a meal plan
Coming home after a long day needs to be simple and relaxing. Being at school/work is mentally exhausting. The decision-exhaustion of making decisions all day makes it hard to want to also get home and start thinking about what to have for supper. Having a meal plan or menu helps take away the need for trying to make a choice every single day. It’s all laid out on your kitchen fridge or in your mind. You already know what to cook and when.
Freeze and chop your veggies
We went to the Pomona Farmers Market and we got fruits and veggies for the month based on the meal plan/menu. The menu/meal plan helps as a guide to the quantities required. This helps to avoid wastage and underbuying items. You can buy ziplock bags or recycle your bread plastics. Wash your veggies and pack them into plastics before placing them in the freezer. Don’t put everything into the same plastic because you’ll have to freeze and thaw everything every time you cook. By the time you get to the last serving, it would have gone bad.
Get appliances that make cooking easier
From non-stick pans to air-fryers, get appliances that make cooking easier. Invest in a herb chopper to help you with your meal prep. We are Zimbabweans so tomatoes and onions are a staple in our meals as the basis for gravy and soup. A herb chopper can help you make your fresh ginger and garlic for cooking. It will finely chop onions and purée tomatoes. Having high-quality cookware will improve the cooking experience and the dishwashing as well.
Invest in ready-made meals
You can make these frozen meals yourself. Pick a day when you can cook large quantities and pack them into lunch boxes in smaller portions. I wouldn’t recommend freezing more than four at a time because of our load-shedding situation. If you have the means, you can hire a chef to prepare frozen meals on your behalf and deliver them to your house. You’d need to discuss with them beforehand the menu that suits your preferences. Cooking large quantities at one time saves you time and electricity.
https://www.tiktok.com/@queen_khanyiii/video/7258698542976355589?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7291566169185945093
Buy quick and easy-to-make food
You have an opportunity to buy healthy when it comes to these quick meals. Swap out the sugary cereals for sweet potatoes or salad packs. They are called ‘leaf packs’ at the Pomona Farmers Market. They make salads easy to make because half the work has already been done for you. When you come up with your menu/meal plan, make sure you have two options; one for high-energy days and another one for low-energy days.
When all else fails you can order your meal on Dial-A-Delivery and several other platforms.
Can we just take a minute for those of us who had moms or dad’s growing up that cooked home-made meals EVERY NIGHT. My mom didn’t like to cook, but she fed us 7 days a week. We ate out rarely. Thank you mom, for cooking and teaching me how to cook.
— jooliagoolia (@jooliagoolia) March 22, 2020
Girl dinners are a rite of passage into adult womanhood. Who said we should know what to cook for dinner for the rest of our lives? I don’t know how mothers managed to cook full meals 7 days a week. I’m lucky if I can even cook 3 in one week. This trend challenges the traditional expectation that women are responsible for elaborate home-cooked meals. They are the epitome of “to each his own”. Girl dinners also represent prioritising self-care and enjoying a simple meal without judgement. I know when I lived alone, it didn’t make sense for me to cook elaborate meals for one person.
What’s your favourite go-to meal for girl dinner?
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https://www.tiktok.com/@tee1o1/video/7341447380140625157?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7291566169185945093
