S/O Your typical night's meal

[Deleted]

Do you make multiple dishes (main, side, etc)?  Or are you a one-pot wonder?  Do you aim for cohesiveness, or are you more liberal in your pairings?








I'm generally a one-pot wonder, though when we have something like a wrap or pasta I'll try to have a salad on the side.  But I just toss the veggies on our plates, I don't make a bowl of salad.  When we do multiple dishes, Jake has to take over or I'll just put things I like together instead of thinking of a cohesive meal.

[TrickyBob]

Well we all know my answer.

I make main/side/veggie. I grab whatever I have on hand, I don't particularly care if it goes together.

[Dezi]

I usually do a main dish, side dish and a veg. Recently though I've realized that I'm spending far too much time in the kitchen and need to start cooking some easier meals. I may have to look into this casserole thing.

[cheeseandcrackers]

Usually a protein and veggie on the side.

[gretchenindisguise]

Typically we're protein, side, veggie. In cases of spagetti - it's all in one.

Last night was shrimp, couscous and brocolli.

Tonight we'll probably have carne asada with peppers and onions.

[rex]

I would say 80% of the time I do main dish/side/veggie and the rest of the time it's a one pot deal (not a casserole).

[CityLights]

Usually a main with a side and/or veggie. I do one pot or slow cooker meals about once a week as well.

[vicky]

I'm really traditional as far as the food groups go. I need to have a meat, a starch, a veggie and a dairy. The foods need to match. Like if it's a Spanish dish, the sides will be Spanish, too. Italian with Italian, etc.

H likes to mix and match and it grosses me out.

[daisyheadmaizie]

Pretty equal mix between: Meat or protein, starch, veggie or one dish style meals (soup, stew, pot pie, casserole, crockpot)

[celeste]

I switch between one-pot dishes (sometimes served with bread or over rice/quinoa) and main/side combos. The side is frequently salad, but we also eat a lot of roasted or grilled veggies. Sometimes the side is a starch. I rarely (read: never) make more than one side.

ETA: I definitely think about what foods or flavors go best together. I'll even make different salad dressings depending on what the main is.

[VeryViolet]

We usually do a main dish and a side or two. Tonight however is taco night. Taco night is the greatest night at our house.

[mrsgoontz]

It is pretty 50/50 for us. We will either do a one dish meal (burrito bowls, spaghetti & meatballs, soups) or a main dish with two sides (veggies and rice/quinoa).

[darthnbjenni]

We do a lot of cereal and fruit for dinner. I try to stick to making one main dish, and zapping a frozen bag of veggies.

[KKD]

We mostly do protein/side/vegetable. The girls don't like their food mixed together, and H almost always and I sometimes like to have a big salad with the protein instead of the sides, so the separate components work best for us.

[eb777888]

Almost always sides and it's always a side salad. I usually throw in another green like asparagus, broccoli or green beans.

[walterismydog]

I like to make lots of sides. Like 4 different veggies. I don't always make a main dish.

This is new since I am now on my own. COOKING FOR ONE SUCKS.

[olives]

Main dish and a veggie side.

[dcannie]

usually a protein and sides. i go through phases w/ sides. last year we had roasted asparagus w/ goat cheese 3-4x a week, now i'm in a sauteed spinach w/ garlic kick.

i like things to mesh (if we have burritos the sides will be beans and rice) but sometimes i really want my side of the moment and i'll make sauteed spinach with something random like pot roast or lasagna. 

eta: tonight we are having pizza (tombstone, fancy!) and...sauteed spinach. i can't get enough right now. 

[Deleted]

I usually make a protein with either a starch or veggie side dish. Sometimes I like to venture into an all vegetarian dish but H likes his protein. 

[rageragerage]

Main and a few sides. DH doesn't do well with crap mixed together.

[Deleted]

A protein (with a starch or fruit if it's just grilled meat or something with zero complexity)

A veggie

[Captain Serious]

We almost always have a main, a starch, and a caesar salad. I prefer mixed, but caesar is all I can get my husband and kids to eat. Most nights, we also have a side of cooked vegetables. We use frozen because it's easier and quicker than fresh.

[textbookcase]

I do a lot of one-pot dishes...chili, spaghetti, soups, etc. If I don't do that I do a protein, veggies, and starch/grain.

[Deleted]

95% of my meals have to be 3 items. Protein, carb and veg.

[murdock]

We're mainly protein/veggie.

[daisybuchannan]

I usually have a main and then veggies. The veggies are usually the same rotation.

[Cioccolato]

Usually protein/starch/veg combo. Pasta/salad, pizza/salad and soup/salad/bread are the normal exceptions.
Tonight we had elk steaks, roasted fennel & carrots, and rösti. Last night was creamy tomato soup with grilled cheese croutons, salad. Tomorrow will be bratwurst with pretzel buns and sauerkraut, green bean salad.

Besides this week, we usually eat 90% vegetarian.

[Deleted]

It varies. Tonight we are doing chicken tacos with a side of Zataran Spanish Rice. It's the only boxed rice we like. Tomorrow I am doing spinach spaghetti with homemade ground beef sauce and a side salad. If I can't come up with anything I do a protein (fish, chops), roasted veggies and some sort of starch like baked potato, cous cous, etc.

Oh and I'm big on the side salad, which takes minutes to throw together, and I've mastered an awesome homemade balsamic vinegrette. No more store bought salad dressing.

[litebright]

I'm all over the place. 

I tend to do one crockpot/one-dish meal per week; usually it's because I have a class for DD1 right when I'd be cooking on Wednesday nights, so the only way to juggle that and not have starving, cranky kids is to have something that can be ready right when we talk in the door. 

Most nights it is a main dish and 1-2 sides, usually a veggie + starch. Plus I chop up some fresh fruit for the girls. Some nights I make fish for DH and the girls, and something else for myself, and we share the sides (I can't stand fish). 

I like to try new recipes, and sometimes I get overly ambitious with that and try multiple new recipes at the same meal, and that can end rather badly or half-assed. 

Other times, like last Friday, I set things on fire. DH brushed off the charred crumbs and salvaged the broiled salmon.  Luckily that doesn't happen very often. 

[hisno1girl]

Typically it's a main dish (meat) w/veggies on the side and a salad. I don't eat starches like pasta or potatoes anymore but I will make them for DH a few nights a week.