# I don't know what to eat



## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

I am getting tired of eating sandwiches and salads, but it's been so hot that I don't like to turn the oven on to cook anything. Suggestions?


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Canned salmon and tuna, beans/lentils (as a side dish, not as a salad)... fresh veggies with dip, and the list goes on and on.

Personally, I enjoy leftover chow-mien and pork fried rice dishes cold.


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## RadishRose (Jul 14, 2020)

Cook on top of the stove.


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## AnnieA (Jul 14, 2020)

Didn't your ceiling fall in on your stove?   If it's gas, I'd have it checked out before using it.   I use a small toaster oven and microwave a lot.  Hardly do stove top or regular oven cooking in the summer.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

In addition to... chicken and other meaty wraps, as they're wholesome and filling.

Leftover meatloaf, roast beef, and ham (cold), makes for a great meal when paired with a variety of fresh vegetables.

Also, potato salad and ham, one of my summer (hot weather) faves! Never grow tired of it.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

AnnieA said:


> Didn't your ceiling fall in on your stove?



No, it was more over the kitchen sink.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Also, potato salad



They sell ready-made potato salad in the grocery store deli, but I am always dubious about it, especially in the summer. Also, it looks soupy, like they put too much mayo in it. I guess they call it "homestyle" because you'd better say home after you eat it.


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## hollydolly (Jul 14, 2020)

Cold Pasta, tomato,  & tuna salad .. ?


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

debodun said:


> They sell ready-made potato salad in the grocery store deli, but I am always dubious about it, especially in the summer. Also, it looks soupy, like they put too much mayo in it. I guess they call it "homestyle" because you'd better say home after you eat it.
> 
> View attachment 113635


With homemade potato salad being so easy to make, I never buy store-bought.

Just make a little extra and you'll have delicious homemade potato salad for a few days to enjoy.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

I have also been dabbling with ramen noodles. I usually throw out the seasoning packet that comes with it (I find it too salty), or save it to flavor a soup or stew where it is diluted more. I find ramen very versatile - I can put all types of veggies in it (I particularly like spinach) and shredded cheeses and herbs. But even ramen has it limits of how many time a week I can eat it.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

debodun said:


> I have also been dabbling with ramen noodles. I usually throw out the seasoning packet that comes with it (I find it too salty), or save it to flavor a soup or stew where it is diluted more. I find ramen very versatile - I can put all types of veggies in it (I particularly like spinach) and shredded cheeses and herbs. But even ramen has it limits of how many time a week I can eat it.


Sounds delish!

While I know you're tired of eating plain old salads, you can always kick it up a notch and makde yourself salads that eat like a meal.

Adding seeds, fruit, shrimp, prawns, chicken (spiced and/or seasoned)... all sorts of ideas and endless possibilities.


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## Pinky (Jul 14, 2020)

If you like couscous, it only takes a few short minutes to cook it. Stove will not be on long. 
I like to add chopped cucumber/tomato/chives and chick-peas to it, along with a little balsamic dressing stirred in. Keep it in the fridge for a couple of days.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Sounds delish!
> 
> While I know you're tired of eating plain old salads, you can always kick it up a notch and makde yourself salads that eat like a meal.
> 
> Adding seeds, fruit, shrimp, prawns, chicken (spiced and/or seasoned)... all sorts of ideas and endless possibilities.



I do that also. Like a chef's salad.


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## Pinky (Jul 14, 2020)

How about a cheese/cracker/veg/fruit plate? It could be quite filling.
You could roll up cold-cuts too.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

debodun said:


> They sell ready-made potato salad in the grocery store deli, but I am always dubious about it, especially in the summer. Also, it looks soupy, like they put too much mayo in it. I guess they call it "homestyle" because you'd better say home after you eat it.
> 
> View attachment 113635


You can microwave potatoes-takes little time-and then make your own potato salad.


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## Camper6 (Jul 14, 2020)

Bake a potato in the microwave.

Then use it to make potato salad.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

Hot dogs and beans, a wide variety of frozen TV dinners, other frozen foods as well.  You also can buy various potato and macaroni salads at the deli.  If you have a microwave, you have unlimited resources to different food.  If you don’t have one, lol, buy one.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

Tater tots don't get crispy enough for my liking done in a microwave. The ones I have now say bake at 425F for 20 minutes. I find my preference is closer to 450 for 30 minutes. I like them one step away from a charcoal briquet.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Chicken strips with a ranch or other creamy refreshing dip, along with a serving of celery, cherry tomatoes, chopped peppers, etc.


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## Pinky (Jul 14, 2020)

Do you have a toaster oven, Deb? We got rid of our microwave and replaced it with a toaster oven that we use for baking/roasting.


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

No, I don't have a toaster oven. I took one from my aunt's house when I cleaned it out. When I brought it home and plugged it in, it tripped the breaker. I took it back and left it at her house. My old 20 amp non-grounded wiring probably can handle an appliance like that.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> Thought you wanted potato salad and are tired of sandwiches.  Now you are talking about frozen tater tots and turning on your oven in summer.  Since you are using your oven for tater tots, you are able to make other stuff as well, instead of sandwiches.  I am beginning to notice a familiar theme in all your threads.


Do you treat people IRL, as in face-to-face, Aneeda, the way you treat members here on the forum?


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## MickaC (Jul 14, 2020)

Have always had a toaster oven, they're great, sure cuts down on creating heat. I splurged on a air cooker, which is pretty much a mini oven, next to no oil, depending what you're cooking, does exactly what it's name says, moving air to cook, same as a convection oven, use microwave a lot for veggies, and some frozen foods.
This will make me sound like a hypocrite, but i do have central AC, but i still don't want to heat up the house anymore than i have to.
Lots of different kinds of salads, which i love in the summer, eat comfort food in the winter.
Great suggestions everyone.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

MickaC said:


> Have always had a toaster oven, they're great, sure cuts down on creating heat. I splurged on a air cooker, which is pretty much a mini oven, next to no oil, depending what you're cooking, does exactly what it's name says, moving air to cook, same as a convection oven, use microwave a lot for veggies, and some frozen foods.
> This will make me sound like a hypocrite, but i do have central AC, but i still don't want to heat up the house anymore than i have to.
> Lots of different kinds of salads, which i love in the summer, eat comfort food in the winter.
> Great suggestions everyone.


We have an air cooker, my husband cooks fries, CRISPY fries and CRISPY tater tots without using oil.  Because of my diabetes I don’t eat fries or tots much, but I have tried them and they are CRISPY and not soaked in oil so healthy as well.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Deb. I know you mention growing tired of sandwiches, and I totally hear you on that, I'm not at all a sandwich person even at the best of times, but one thing I have found that perks me up when it comes to sandwiches, is making hot sandwiches.

Toasted bacon, cheese, and tomato, Rueben's (corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread), tuna melts, and so many others.

Such a welcome change from the same-old, same-old.


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## Pinky (Jul 14, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Deb. I know you mention growing tired of sandwiches, and I totally hear you on that, I'm not at all a sandwich person even at the best of times, but one thing I have found that perks me up when it comes to sandwiches, is making hot sandwiches.
> 
> Toasted bacon, cheese, and tomato, Rueben's (corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing, grilled between slices of rye bread), tuna melts, and so many others.
> 
> Such a welcome change from the same-old, same-old.


Totally agree .. sandwiches don't have to be boring. Sometimes, just changing bread makes a difference too.


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

Or if you want to avoid cooking altogether:  how close do you live to McDonald's?


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Pinky said:


> Totally agree .. sandwiches don't have to be boring. Sometimes, just changing bread makes a difference too.


It's so true.

One of my favourite hot sandwiches is taking a firm bread (sliced thicker), add pizza sauce to each slice, layer on sliced tomato, top tomato off with Asiago cheese, and finish off the open-face sandwiches with a healthy sprinkling of flaked oregano. Into the oven on broil until the cheese melts, and OMG, so, so good!


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## debodun (Jul 14, 2020)

McDonalds' is okay once in a while, but I think their food in general has too much fat and salt.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

debodun said:


> McDonalds' is okay once in a while, but I think their food in general has too much fat and salt.


Agreed!

Dear husband and I do McDonald's once, maybe twice a year, and we're always thirsty after, and the fattiness of the burgers sits with you for a really long time.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> Or if you want to avoid cooking altogether:  how close do you live to McDonald's?


But their fries are not crispy and they don’t serve tater tots.  Sonic has tater tots.


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## JaniceM (Jul 14, 2020)

Aneeda72 said:


> But their fries are not crispy and they don’t serve tater tots.  Sonic has tater tots.


As I recall, they have onion rings and super milkshakes too.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

JaniceM said:


> As I recall, they have onion rings and super milkshakes too.


Really good hamburgers as well.


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## Aneeda72 (Jul 14, 2020)

We have a Kneaders bakery that serves bread ends.  But they are not the ends of the bread, just end of the day slices of bread.  It’s 5 dollars for a huge bag of all the kinds of bread that they have which is pre-sliced for sandwiches which they didn’t use.


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## Treacle (Jul 14, 2020)

I like to cook brown rice let it cool, add pieces of feta cheese and peas that have cooled after heating. Sometimes I might make  a side salad. The rice is filling and the feta is made from sheeps or goats milk - easier to digest than cows milk - or so they say! The only thing might be the salt content. Oooh just reading the above and writing my bit has made me a little peckish - well more than peckish. Hope this helps must go - food awaits.  Ok I know I wrote about the rice but I gotta do what I gotta do. ☺


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## Pepper (Jul 14, 2020)

Pizza!  Good for several days.


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## Knight (Jul 14, 2020)

debodun said:


> I am getting tired of eating sandwiches and salads, but it's been so hot that I don't like to turn the oven on to cook anything. Suggestions?


Buy some baby back ribs & steaks, go over to your neighbors when they have a fire at night & ask if you can use their fire to BBQ some meat for future meals.  Freeze the meat, thaw out & eat at room temp.  Before thawing what you might want go to your local market that has sides pre made pick out something that goes good with your meat choice.   That way no sandwiches & a variety of sides. Don't forget to chill red wine to go with your meal.


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## Ruthanne (Jul 14, 2020)

Perhaps order a nice Pizza.


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## JustBonee (Jul 14, 2020)

Buy a large watermelon


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## Becky1951 (Jul 14, 2020)

Check out Stouffers single size lasagna's meat or veggie, also stuffed bell peppers, baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, and that's just a few of their meals..they have a large variety and they are microwavable.


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## Pecos (Jul 14, 2020)

OK Deb,

Here is what you want: 
Chilled shrimp with red dipping cocktail sauce.
Cold potato salad
Cold shredded red cabbage that has spent the night in a vinegar marinate
A small amount of good ice cream to top it off 

and I don't know how to fix any of it, but I just ate this meal.
And no you cannot borrow my wife.


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## Aunt Marg (Jul 14, 2020)

Thought of you tonight, Deb.

We had Italian sausages with a side of homemade baked beans and an array of fresh vegetables (everything cold). So good!


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## Ruthanne (Jul 14, 2020)

Just make sure you eat!  Anything!


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## Kadee (Jul 14, 2020)

When we feel like something different and what I call a light meal I make a omelette
cooked on stove top finished off under griller .

our favourite is pre cooked (microwave ) a green veggie such as broccoli /  spinach add to partly cooked omelette with a little chopped ham /a couple of slices of tomato top with a little cheese and finish off under griller
In the extreme heat of summer I make a “roast  Chicken“ in   the slow cooker to save heating the house up it’s so tasty and lasts us quite a few days for a meal or a sandwich

https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/slow-cooker-chicken-recipe/tsjy4yty


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## Aunt Bea (Jul 15, 2020)

My boring summer go-to grocery list usually goes something like this: a box of Cheerios, milk, a rotisserie chicken, a bag of salad, a bag of frozen broccoli, a tub of cottage cheese, and a can of pineapple tidbits in juice.

Add a couple of frozen entrees that you can pop in the microwave and before you know it the week is over.


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## Ceege (Jul 15, 2020)

If you are cooking for one and had a day where you just want a quick easy meal, I find that rice is a meal saver.  Take a beef or chicken can of soup, heat it up with no water added, and put it on some rice.  It turns simple soup into a meal.
https://minuterice.com/products/white-rice-cup

I've done this with with left-overs also.  From meals I've cooked, take out, and frozen meals.  
Also, there's no reason why you can't dress up a frozen meal with a side salad or some applesauce.  
If you don't want to put a salad together, have some celery and/or carrot sticks with your meal and dip them into a ranch dressing dip cup.
https://www.hiddenvalley.com/products/bottled-dressings-dips/dip-cups/ranch/


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## StarSong (Jul 15, 2020)

I make up a fair sized batch of rice, break it into smaller portions and freeze it.  Thaw or microwave before putting it in salads.  Also use it to punch up soups, veggies, stir fries, etc.  Sometimes I MW some frozen veggies, add beans and or rice, and a little hummus.  Yum.  

My salads might have cut up fruit, or cooked, chilled sweet potatoes, or pasta, or beans, or whatever I can find in the fridge/pantry thrown in. With different kinds of dressing (some store bought, some homemade) and they taste entirely different from the previous salad I made. 

@debodun, you might also try looking in your fridge and pantry, type your main ingredients into a search box followed by "recipe for" and see what you come up with.


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## debodun (Jul 15, 2020)

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll get some ramen and eggs when shopping - a lot can be done with those. I probably should have mentioned that I have a limited palate (a.k.a fussy eater), and even then I am particular in the way it's prepared. I don't fancy much in the way of seafood, but I unfortunately, like pasta (if not in a cream sauce), most fruits and green leafy veggies. 

A perfect summer day today here. Temps in mid 70s, lower humidity, but it's not to last. Temps to slowly increase the rest of the week and another heat wave predicted for this coming weekend with the heat index in the triple digits. Back to sannies.


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## fmdog44 (Jul 15, 2020)

There are tons of microwave frozen entrees to choose from.


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