Back to the kitchen

There are many things no one ever tells you about pregnancy. I'd heard many times that having children would change my life, but no one told me that it would happen before my child was actually born.

Morning sickness crushed me and my personality like a sledge hammer crushes a Kinder Egg. Things I enjoyed and took pleasure in suddenly held no interest for me. Cooking was no longer a pleasure but a chore and I wasn't even keen on eating. Chocolate and chocolate covered items sat in my fridge uneaten for several days which is several days longer then it has ever survived in my presence before.  Instead of cooking I ordered takeaways and reheated microwave meals. Yesterday I realised I couldn't remember the last time that I'd switched on the oven.

Sometimes I would go into the kitchen and look into my cupboards. I would stare forlornly at my various tins and packets of pulses and the herb and spice collection and dimly recollect that there was a time when I used to be able to magically combine all of those things into something called 'food' but that the skill had left me long ago. It was a bit like standing by the sea and having a vague ancestral memory of once being able to breath underwater.

Luckily however, and I'm crossing everything, touching wood and praying to the Universe as I type this, the worst of morning sickness is behind me. My urge to cook has returned and I mean actual cooking, not just heating up a jar of pasta sauce.

Last night I ordered my online shopping which by the wonders of modern technology will arrive in a few hours. This time unlike the last few months I actual had the strength and inclination to menu plan rather then randomly putting things in my basket. (Seriously it was bad, one night I had to serve my husband half a pizza with a side of popcorn).

I've even had the energy to be mindful of a budget so I've tried to create a menu that is cheap and will feed us for the whole coming week.

In order to help me stick to the menu and keep me away from the takeaways I've decided I'll post it here so that the fear of public humiliation will keep me on the straight and narrow.

Lunches

• Lentil and Chickpea Soup (two portions)
• Carrot and Lentil Soup (two portions)
• Potato Salad - mustard based
• Potato Salad - curry based
• Houmous Sandwhiches
• Home made white bread

Teas

• Baked potato with beans and salad (two portions)
• Chilli
• Lasagne
• Macaroni Cheese
• Frozen pizza (when I need a cheat night)

Sides

• Corn on the cob
• Spinach
• Roast carrots

Breakfasts

• Eggy bread
• Scrambled egg
• Hard boiled egg
• Toast

Non sugary snacks

• Natural yoghurt
• Popcorn
• Crackers
• Bread
• Left over potato salad
• Fruit

In theory apart from topping up some of the vegetables we shouldn't have to visit a shop for a whole week. Let's see how that works out in practice!