I recall having a conversation with a distant cousin of mine about his strange habits of daily cooking. Now, this happened over 15 years ago; he was designated as a “family health-nut” and I was simply curious about his strange habits. Unfortunately, I can not remember most of that conversation, but I do recall him saying that most cut-up fruits/veggies oxidize quickly and thus lose much of their nutritional value. He also told me that something happens to the cooked meats/grains (I think he said that they begin to grow bacteria, but not sure) and they (ideally) should be consumed quickly after cooking instead of staying in the fridge for several days.

Then some years back I recall meeting an acquaintance who (at 60+) lost a significant amount of weight on a modified paleo diet. She, too, mentioned that she is opposed to cooking a batch of food for several days, and that she cooks for one day only. She mentioned something about cooked food beginning to “rot”, but it fell on my deaf ears as I could not imagine the amount of time it would take me to cook daily.

Now, can anyone help me solve this mystery? Do the foods truly begin to collect bacteria/rut/whatever it is these folks mentioned? Should we (in the ideal situation …assuming plenty of time available) cook daily?

My only reference point is my now deceased grandmother who was violently opposed to cooking large portions for several days’ consumption. She would cook daily – soup for lunch and meat for dinner and eat VERY sparingly.
Of course, she never took a pill in her life and gave incredibly easy births to her 4 children...

I d cook big batches to save time and effort and freeze in separate bags.......

this way you can thaw a different bag everyday and have your variety.

Thanks, Lola; I agree on the variety issue. I am curious if something really DOES happen to the cooked meats/veggie dishes in the refrigirator? Do they, in fact, begin to collect unwanted bacteria?

I suspect yes......to a degree...but refrigeration goes a long way to slowing it down
(pease porridge cold...some like it in the pot, nine days old)

no longer than three days is fine.......depends on the food, though.......
I ve had things that were in the fridge longer without problems.
my nose is always my guide......if anything smells a bit off, that is my clue.

Well, most of the books I have read say cook daily using organic foods whenever possible. Stay away from frozen foods.

As much as I'd love to do that, I work, am back at school and have a 13-year-old son, so I will eat frozen food and leftover dishes in the fridge. I read the labels carefully and do not eat any leftovers more than 3 days old. Fortunately, there are many small shops here that prepare meals I can take home. The ingredients are not organic, but at least freshly made.

Suzanna

Quoted from hedonisticallyinclined

...most cut-up fruits/veggies oxidize quickly and thus lose much of their nutritional value.

That is what I have always understood and is why I don't usually cut up vegetables until I am ready to use them.

Quoted from hedonisticallyinclined

He also told me that something happens to the cooked meats/grains (I think he said that they begin to grow bacteria, but not sure) and they (ideally) should be consumed quickly after cooking instead of staying in the fridge for several days.

I have heard that yeast can grow on things like rice very quickly even when stored in the refrigerator and therefore leftovers should be thoroughly reheated.


Disclaimer: I have not researched this issue.

In most Asian countries daily cooking is part of our lives. Most households dont do big batch cooking for freezing. Refrigerators became widely available only in recent years..and add to that more women joining the work force, cooked food would be stored max for 24hrs. Our type of cuisine & cooking doesnt taste well after 24hrs. In India, food is given away to the beggars or the househelp, but that too the previous night's dishes. I cook everyday, in fact twice a day! I clear the leftovers for my bfast.

Accidental chef, I am intrigued!
This may be highly off-topic, but I am quite interested about both your menues and your time planning.

I have lived in Europe the first 18 years of my life and daily shopping was a way of life. However, LIFE was very different than in USA (much smaller commute, every neighborhood had stores where you could walk to: meat store, bread store, milk store, small market). The pace of life was somewhat slower (or, perhaps, it seemed somewhat slower to me). Of course, this was pre-cell phone/internet days. When I think of having to drive to my local store to get food on a DAILY basis, stand in line, look for a parking spot...it makes me cringe...

Maybe I should re-evaluate my outlook on things.
Please, do share more about your daily menus and lifestyle!
Thank you.

Well here in Denmark (Europe )
most people still cook every day- but less from scrap than they used to
I cook dinner every evening- BUT I always make enough so some could be used for lunch - espeicially by my daughter.
I bake every weekend and keep bread in freezer- but rarely put cooked food in freezer- I just think it does not taste good enough.
When I was a kid- my mum was a busy singlemum- and poor- so we often had the same stew or soup for several days in a row- and I HATED it- so today I always change my food:
like sunday evening: we had roastbeef- with roasted parsnips, green salad and horseradishcream.
Monday: Salad with roasted beets, lettuce, onions - cold beef. and a fruit salad for dessert
Tuesday- vietnamees beef soup with herbs- lettuce , ricenoodles and last roastbeef- cut in strips
- Bingo all gone- my daughter had had some for lunch- but she doesn´t mind eating the same all the time.

"Store Bought" frozen food is going to be the next thing people will have to come grips with. Just how/what do they use to freze it with eh?...Is it food-grade?

Everything on this world begins to decay after the moment of death.

Fortunately plants pickle themselves - so edible and still healthy no matter how it may first appear. Bear in mind many nutrients are water-soluble and/or change form though so nutritional profile will change.
Animal tissue - depends.
Seafood products undergo autolysis - thus it turns back into seawater in essence.
Land-based animal once killed putrefies. Ever wonder why meat will taste different freshly butchered versus eating some days later?

In an ideal world one would eat as they go - There are many things that have changed in our lifestyle since the introduction of energy consuming refrigeration and Pasteurization. Not all will end up playing out as good in the long haul.

Quoted from Schluggell

In an ideal world one would eat as they go - There are many things that have changed in our lifestyle since the introduction of energy consuming refrigeration and Pasteurization. Not all will end up playing out as good in the long haul.

well spoken  

I recall hearing that strict hindus are forbidden to eat leftovers.....
the accidental chef touched on this...

and in macrobiotic theory the woman is more highly evolved and therefore she is granted the task of cooking for others as that is a very spiritual role....if we thought this way we would be much healthier
(but the diet is not for Os)

(it is because we don't think this way that we buy frozen, canned, etc)

I often cook the double  need and refrigerate for two days; if I cook more I freeze it.
Clove, fresh thyme and wild oregano as cinnamom can preserve food from bacteria, mold and so on up to six or 8 days, so cooked food spiced with this can stay healthy also longer than tw days. I have been told that in 24 hours inh the refrigerator nothing bad can grow on your food.
However I cook something fresh for every meal twice 600 times a year at least
Take care  and relax
Maria Giovanna

Thank you, guys, for your replies. I am glad that I started this thread.

Daily cooking is fine if that works for an individual.  I believe that prep work, organization skills, cooking in larger batches, and freezing leftover foods can all save on time spent in the kitchen.

Alia

For the most part, I cook all the food fresh everyday.  It really depends on how much time I have.  If I know I have a really early morning the next day, I'll do most or all of my cooking the night before, but my preference is always for fresh food.

Victoria,
Do you buy meat only for one day ahead or do you buy in bulk and keep it frozen in the freezer, defrost and cook for the day ahead?

Thank you for your reply.

I tend to cook every day, but that's because my meals always follow the same basic layout of steamed veg + some kind of meat.
The meat is often out of the freezer, because that's the best way I've found of eating affordable good quality meat (I buy all ingredients organic and make them beefburgers every few weeks, and then freeze.), but sometimes if I'm feeling rich, some lamb or liver or beef that I bought that day from the butcher's.

I think if I were cooking for several people, I'd fall into the same pattern as my father: cook soup or a meal that is eaten over two or sometimes three days, rarely more. I come from a family that never froze anything other than ice-cubes and the occasional tub of ice-cream, so I'm always a bit nervous of freezers etc...

It's undoubtedly easier for someone living in the city though, where one can just stroll past the shops on the way home and get really good quality, often organic meat.

thanks, Esmerelda.
I really like your suggestion. I am not employed now, so this should not be a big issue, but I wonder how you incorporate this into your lifestyle if you work. (Do you cook more for dinner to bring next day as lunch? Do you buy lunch or cook it in the morning to take with you?) Logistics, logistics....

My biggest fear is getting bored with same old menu...that's when I know I'll want to reach out for something that's not good for me.

Quoted from hedonisticallyinclined

My biggest fear is getting bored with same old menu...that's when I know I'll want to reach out for something that's not good for me.

I don't get bored with feeling good.  

MoDon,

That's what I have to keep telling myself...unfortunately, my husband has not yet seen any major results (neither did I, frankly), so silencing our inner "child" is a struggle.

I make sure there s always fresh salad available, to either prepare a one dish meal, adding protein and certain veggies to my salad, or as a side, with a serving of protein and veggies.

to my salad I always add ground linseed, nutritional yeast, lecithin, chia seeds, and roasted pumpkin seeds.....olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and season with a good helping of my 'beneficial herb combo'......plus any given fresh herbs if available, like cilantro, parsley, basil,..........that s about it!!! (hope I m not forgetting something....ahh yes....a nori sheet, shredded inside, too! lol

can you tell why I m not the least hungry by dinner time?

I can never get bored of that!

Quoted from hedonisticallyinclined

MoDon,

That's what I have to keep telling myself...unfortunately, my husband has not yet seen any major results (neither did I, frankly), so silencing our inner "child" is a struggle.

You may not see any major results until make more progress with the true type O BTD. Don't worry if you can't do it overnight. Just work on making steady progress towards your goal and I think you will see health improvements.

As was discussed in another thread Re: my food allergies blood test you may have to work on eating protein and reducing all the high starch and sweet foods that are feeding the candida.