Real food. No fads. Just a few homemade staples that make the week ahead a little easier.
Some weeks are beautifully organised.
This wasn’t one of them.
My son has been sick all week, my daughter is now coming down with the same winter bug, and our newest family member, Sunny the Golden Retriever puppy, has decided that 5.30 am is an excellent time to begin every day.
For two hours he bounces, explores, digs, steals socks and generally reminds us he’s still a baby. Then he collapses into a snoring heap while the rest of us wonder where our coffee went.
Between sick kids, puppy training and trying to keep work moving, my usual Saturday garden day has become a kitchen day instead.
Not because I enjoy spending all day cooking.
Because Future Me will be incredibly grateful.
These are the things I make when life feels a little chaotic.
1. A loaf (or two) of sourdough
I’ve already baked one loaf this week.
Today’s loaf is number two.
Normally I’d have baked it days ago, but life happened.
A fresh loaf means:
- breakfast
- toast
- sandwiches
- soup night
- emergency “what’s for lunch?”
One loaf can quietly solve dozens of little food decisions.
2. Seeded crackers
These are always in my pantry.
Packed with seeds, they make a surprisingly filling breakfast or snack with:
- cottage cheese
- avocado
- boiled eggs
- hummus
- leftover roast vegetables
They travel well and keep for days.
Sometimes simple really is enough.
3. Energy bites
Dark chocolate.
Nut butter.
Nuts.
A few pantry ingredients rolled together.
These aren’t “protein balls.”
They’re simply something satisfying to reach for at three o’clock when you’ve already answered “Mum!” fifty-seven times before lunch.
4. Cookies for the kids
Every loaf of sourdough leaves me with discard.
Rather than throwing it away, I turn it into cookies.
They’re quick, inexpensive and disappear into lunchboxes all week.
Another regular favourite is ANZAC slice.
It freezes beautifully, contains no nuts, and survives being squashed into a school bag remarkably well.
5. A flexible dinner
Tonight it’s Mongolian hotpot.
Mrs E “Bitsa” style.
Not traditional.
Just using what we’ve already got.
Because that’s often how the best family meals happen.
Bonus job: breaking down a whole chicken
One habit that’s saved us a surprising amount of money is buying a good-quality whole chicken instead of individual pieces.
As soon as I get home, I break it down.
It gives us:
- Breasts for schnitzels, salads, nuggets or quick weeknight dinners.
- Marylands for tray bakes, slow cooks or hearty salads.
- Wings saved for homemade “KFC” nights.
- Tiny offcuts and tenderloin pieces into a freezer bag for homemade sushi or dumpling nights. You don’t need much, and they’re perfect for quick fillings.
- The carcass straight into the stock pot for bone broth.
One chicken becomes five or six future meals before it’s even cooked.
Nothing fancy.
Just using the whole bird.
A little lunch for me
While everyone else is sorted, I’m also thinking about future lunches.
This week I’m planning a lentil shepherd’s pie.
No meat.
Just hearty lentils, vegetables and mashed potato.
Something I can pull from the fridge, warm in the oven and eat whenever work allows.
Because if I’m feeding everyone else well, I should probably feed myself too.
Real life doesn’t always look organised
The garden will still be there tomorrow.
The weeds will wait.
The coriander can be sown this afternoon instead of this morning.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is spend a few hours stocking the fridge instead of chasing the to-do list.
Because when next week arrives—and it usually brings another surprise—there’ll be fresh bread, homemade snacks, a pot of broth in the freezer and a few simple meals ready to go.
And that makes everything feel just a little bit easier.
Sometimes that’s all you need.