I don’t go out to eat at restaurants very often; I prepare my own meals. It occurred to me, though, that I very rarely actually cook “real” dishes. Breakfast might be something like instant oatmeal and a container of yogurt; lunch could be a salad with some sardines or tuna, and dinner might be beans and veggies, or a vegetable stir fry made with tofu or veggie burger patties.

But I don’t think that qualifies as “real” cooking! I guess I don’t really feel like taking the time to make gourmet meals, so I use convenience foods – although healthy ones – instead.

Do you cook a lot? What do you make? Do you cook nightly? Or do you make, portion, and freeze big batches on weekends? Also…are you cooking just for yourself, or do you have a family to cook for?

I cook 1-2 X per week. Chicken thighs. Enough for several days

That is a for sure every week as it is just me....

Only if my grown kids come over can I be coaxed into Salisbury steak or meatloaf.... Not too much of a red meat person.

We happen to have a restaurant in the family so once a week I'm picking up a salad or a wrap .

Otherwise deli meat. Chicken salad. Eggs. Yogurt. Soup.

I actually read that people who were successful at keeping weight off ate many of the same foods regularly.

That is my deal and I hope to continue.

December will be 9 years. Wow.

It's just a regular habit now thankfully.

Hope I can keep my band forever????

I love to cook! I cook SO MUCH MORE after surgery than before. I cook 5-6 days a week. I like the idea of knowing the exact ingredients of things as opposed to going out and never being sure. It keeps me honest I guess.

During 2010-2011 I was contracting and working alot. I also was single. I started going to my fav restaurant Fri and Sat nights. I struck up a good friendship with the staff and soon had my own menu and table. They would place my drink on table at 8.00 as walked in the door. I even had a parking space on the sidewalk out front for my roadbike, so it became that I ate there every night of the week ! And not many healthy meals did I order. I felt like a Soprano and looked like one after few months. What-ya-gunna-do ? . I put on so much damn weight. So here it is in 2015 and after reaching Bobby Baculari size I have sleeve surgery.

Honestly I cook maybe half the night's if the week the other nights I just let my hubby fend for himself and I eat soup or cereal

I used to love to cook, but after surgery, hardly ever cook since surgery

Can only eat a few ounces so a lot of preparation goes into something that can barely fill a saucer.

Plus, food just does not interest me anymore, and lack of hunger - appetite probably feeds into it also.

Both my wife and I work, sometimes long hours, so we simply pick something up on the way home.

Last night was Chinese, and even then threw 3/4 of it out...

We go out a lot, and always bring home plenty of food, enough for the next day...so that's 2 days without cooking right there....and if we go out say twice a week, then that's 4 days of food for me.

I should add I only eat one main meal a day.

I don't cook much.

But that's about to change. I'm two days away from retirement!

For those of you who do cook, have you bought any Oxo Tot Block kind of storage things to keep 2-4 ounce leftovers/diced protein/sauces in? Any tips or products you love?

I cook every day. Sometimes it's just something simple like scrambling an egg fr breakfast. Some days it's more elaborate like making beans from scratch. Grits, oatmeal, from scratch, not a mix. Once and a while I even pull out the food processor and make veg burgers from scratch. I'm not a fan of processed foods. It's enough that I supplement to keep my protein up. Also since I'm taking the time to chop veg, I count making a salad as cooking.

@@VSGAnn2014 - congrats on retirement!

I love to cook. I don' think that's something that goes away after surgery, at least it didn't for me. I'm a great cook, which also contributed to my weight gain. Now when I cook, it's usually something special for the family, otherwise it's just something small for myself. My husband and son don't really like many of the same foods as I do, particularly anything healthy like vegetables. I love vegetables but can't eat enough before they go bad in the fridge, mostly any lettuce or like items that you have to buy in a package like mushrooms or carrots, that sort of thing.

I have to admit that I still enjoy some not-so-good-for-me foods, but I can't eat much at all so when I do indulge, it's now one small slice of pizza (if that) versus 3-4 slices of pizza! Big difference.

Last night we had ribeye steak and mashed potatoes. I ate a very small portion of steak, about 4 small bites and two tablespoons of mashed potatoes. It was an indulgence, but I felt like I ate a TON of food and felt bad like when I would binge before the surgery.

It's always been difficult at our house to make what everyone likes. Now it's twice as difficult with my limitations.

@@BLERDgirl, can you share how you prepare veggie burgers from scratch?

Pre-op, I didn't cook -- had long fallen out of the habit.

Now, a year and a half post-op, I cook dinner probably 4 nights a week. We wind up with leftovers that get stored, labeled and put into the freezer. Makes future lunches and dinners a lot easier.

I'm still figuring out ways to cook ahead. My 2016 goal is to cook a variety of main dishes only 3 nights a week that builds up in the freezer a two-week rotation of different dinner meals.

This is taking a little organization.

@BLERDgirl, can you share how you prepare veggie burgers from scratch?

I'm not much of a recipe person. I have followed a few off pinterest, but mostly I just think Protein (bean, whole grins, TVP) + binder (egg whites, baked potatoes, tofu) + any veg & seasonings I like. Some come out really good like my sweet potato and black bean burgers. (Here's an easy recipe.) Some fall apart. If they fall a part I save the ingredients and make fritters with them in the waffle maker. Just make a savory batter and dump the ingredients in.

For me cooking is fun. I don't stress about making things too perfect. Thankfully I learned basics from my grandmother.