It is "Pathetic," but it's Kinda Funny, Too...
January 15, 2009|
CopingArmyWife is a new poster around here (welcome!). I've been reading her comments. One of them was a perfect reminder that during a deployment, it's often the little things that get you down. Because, as we know, the little things are always connected to the big thing.... Although her comment on this post wasn't meant to be funny, it made me laugh.
Heh.
And yes, it is "pathetic," but the mental picture of this tiny piece of chicken floating around in a big baking pan cracked me up because I've been there, done that. During one deployment, it was Progresso soup that finally "defeated" me. Night after night after night of soup. Truthfully, all you really need is this. I think it'll get anyone through a deployment just fine. The bonus is that nothing gets lost in the "pan." My thighs are so happy I didn't know about that while my husband was deployed. Otherwise, it would have been dinner four nights a week. Waaayyyy better than soup....
CopingArmyWife, welcome to SpouseBUZZ. We hope your time here helps make the deployment a tad easier.
Welcome to the "Single Serving Club!" Some days I don't even bother to make dinner. Other days I make a normal portion, eat one heaping portion myself (typically without side dishes) and pack the second serving for lunch the next day. You can do it!
Posted by: Erin | 01/15/2009 at 20:55
Hey Andi, thanks for including me in your post. That chocolate cake recepie looks fantastic. Im totallly into baking and now I can make cake for one!! (I'll get another mug out if a friend wants some hehe(.
After I wrote that post about the "floating chicken" I too realized that it was funny. The chicken actually did slide around the pan when I took it out of the oven lol. But I learned something after I thought about what I wrote. That pan was meant for more than one piece of chicken. I needed to find ways to not look at a piece of chicken and get sad. So, I went to the store today and bought some new cookware that is the perfect size for making a 1-person meal. I figured if we upgrade the size of our cookware when our family size grows then I should be able to downsize my cookware when my family size decreases. It worked out great for dinner tonight. I made lasagna for one! And I divided the rest of my dried pastas into single serving ziploc bags. Im going to go through the rest of the food tomorrow. Its easier to see sigle serving sizes of pasta than to see it in a big box.
I need to adjust things around the house to work for me...for one person. Everything was adjusted for 2 people when my husband and I moved in together.I think its important to be comfortable in our everyday lives even if it means temporarily shifting things to accomodate a single life. I dont feel bad about it either. Deployment is a hard enough thing to get through and if I can make things in the house easier by cutting back on sizes then I will definitely do that. When my husband comes back I can look forward to getting the big cookware back out and not dividing the pasta! Thats right...Im thinking positive :)
Posted by: CopingArmyWife | 01/15/2009 at 23:26
Tried the "mug cake" last night! I was amazing! And too easy.
I am impressed with how you are all coping with deployment cooking for one. I was pregnant the first time my husband was gone. I began eating for 3! His, mine, and something for the baby! Between that and fast food, I was a mess. The freezer is your friend. Once I realized I didn't have to eat everything now, I got a better handle on portion control.
Posted by: Ann - AF spouse | 01/16/2009 at 02:29
I am having to get used to the single portion thing again. Last time he deployed, I had a beautiful large kitchen, a great oven and two freezers. Now - in a rental, an oven that's either 350 or 500. and a freezer that holds very little. I'll need to get back into the "cook on weekends and freeze portions" routine.. and since the last one gave up, get a new vacuum sealer (also good for sending cookies in care packages)
Welcome CAW -
LAW
Posted by: liberal army wife | 01/16/2009 at 06:15
I'm not a milspouse but I cook like one. Cook for one I should say. I've found that the George Foreman grill is my best friend. You can marinate chicken a hundred different ways, grill it and serve with veggies and rice. It works great for fish also. If you look, there are a ton of things out there that come two or more to a container but are packaged individually.
Plus there is always Cheerios for dinner. :)
Posted by: Mare | 01/16/2009 at 08:32
Since it was just me, I also would offer to cook for other people. I would make like a big lasagna or something and then trek over to a friend's house and throw it in her oven. One time I made chili and then gave a bunch of it to my friend and her kids. I wanted to eat good foods that I normally like to make, but I didn't want to make them for just me to eat every day.
Posted by: Sarah | 01/16/2009 at 13:00
I'm new, and love reading your experiences. I have endless admiration for the humor everyone shows during stressful times.
The main thing one has to do when cooking for one is get enough fiber! So veggies and fruits with each meal are good. If you can't, then take Citrucel once a day. Comfort foods (though we love 'em!) can lead to a long term feeling of malaise!
Posted by: Kanani | 01/17/2009 at 16:56
Hahaha
I usually end up cooking a lot and having leftovers for days.
Posted by: Tsoniki Crazy Bull | 01/18/2009 at 17:10
Heh. Maybe Sarah could share her mini bar pan...?
Sly ~ you are evil with that cake recipe. I'm taking it to our Military Ministry meeting at church and "spreading the love".
Posted by: HomefrontSix | 01/19/2009 at 15:35
I enjoy reading the experiences of people here. I'm not a milspouse, but I always learn something new about life in this blog.
Posted by: liza | 01/20/2009 at 05:26
This is my hubby's 3rd deployment,and my eating habits have improved,I also struggle w/ a eatting disorder /annorexia,the first deployment i lost a lot of weight way too much the second was better but still not great.So now i face another deployment hubby will be in afghanistan by april09 >.whats best for me is too eat in public if possible,the simple act of eating alone makes me sad,and less likely to feed my self properly>.so any group activitysor resteraunts or even on base cafs r the best places,i'm eatting and i'm not really alone>.if anyone else faces my same challenges email me we will chat!
Posted by: Navy Nikki | 01/21/2009 at 16:46
When my husband's gone, it's just me and the dogs. I always end up picking up a fruit and veggie tray at the grocery store for lunch and finishing it off for dinner. The first time my husband left I lived on nothing but 5 grain Wheat Thins and Havarti with dill.. I kid you not. I seriously had two hot meals the entire 5 months he was gone!
Posted by: Jodys_Smudge | 01/23/2009 at 14:36