Reply #16: I started cooking like this a few months back. [View All]

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I don't like to use anything boxed or processed if I can help it. I do make exceptions for canned tomatoes and, recently, a jar of finely minced garlic. I do use canned chicken broth and stock because I don't normally have enough time to make my own stock. That's about as far as I'll go with processed foods.

On weeknights I like to do soups and stir fry in a wok. I was off yesterday so I made red beans and rice which needs to cook for about four hours. On weekends I like to roast chickens, or use my smoker, or do other foods that need to slow cook for long periods of time.

I found you really have to plan meals ahead. I may need to soak beans overnight, or move frozen meats into the refrigerator the day before. When I first started doing this I had to really plan my grocery trips in advance. Now that I have a big list of favorite recipes I can buy mostly staples and have what I need on hand to make just about anything. I've learned just the right amount of vegetables to buy and how long they will keep.

It takes a lot more time and effort, but making meals from scratch is worth it. It's so nice to eat food and know exactly what's in it. Also, foods like this are so much more satisfying and my wife and I both notice we are not as hungry a few hours after a nice home cooked meal.