I swung by the grocery store last night to pick up a few things I forgot last week. I’d had a really good paycheck because I managed to get overtime hours last time, but that’s gonna be very rare and I’m gonna have to tighten the belt a bit more.

I had forgotten oatmeal the last week and that really messed with my plans. I also can’t believe how expensive that’s gotten over the past few months.

But there are three major meal types that I can plan around in the next few weeks, using ingredients I have now until I can get other ideas from cookbooks (and I finish clearing out my kitchen and reorganizing cabinet spaces… getting rid of the meat and meat-based items is opening up some crucial spaces, that’s for sure).

1. Overnight oats: I had steel-cut oats in the cabinet, but they were too dense to be effective when I tried them out last week (great for crockpot overnight oats, though). The Old-fashioned oats combined with almond or soy milk and chopped fruit (or fruit preserves) will give me plenty of fiber and a healthy burst of nutrients in the morning, and be filling without overdoing it to boot. A little goes a long way, and I have plenty of preserves to use in them.
2. Salads: basic salads using spinach versus lettuce is my best idea. I get more vitamins, the mix lasts longer (as long as it is well-sealed, I don’t have to worry about the spinach leaves getting all slimy and icky… I HATE that texture), and I feel fuller because of the fiber. I’m finding flavor combos I like to make them taste a little different each time, and different veggies I can add with each iteration so I don’t get bored. Until I get better with warm salads, bean or rice salads, etc., this will be a good idea, especially since it’s so hot outside.
3. Smoothies: nut milks are going to be a major feature, but concentrated juices like lime or lemon work decently as bases, too. It’s just the added sugar with those that make me wary, but if I dilute them nicely and use them sparingly, it gives a nice twist to the taste buds without making for a heavy smoothie, too. And if I can get my hands on some watermelon with good deals… oh man, watermelon makes for an excellent base for many fruit flavor combos (just not orange… that sours your stomach terribly combining those, so avoid it).

These are the basics I can start with in the next week or so. Even at work I can get my hands on salads, so I can experiment there, too (it’s avoiding the meat after this week that’s gonna be a bit of a trial). I also have to figure out which greens (other than spinach) work well in fruit smoothies without making them bitter or bland and requiring something sweeter to make them palatable.

Lots to research this week and figure out before the next paycheck. I also still have several cans of sardines to eat up at home, so I’ll have oodles of protein to get me through this week til I figure out how to wrangle more protein out of my vegetarian food options. Can’t wait til I get my kitchen rearranged so I have space to properly cook and prep food again. Til then, using the cookbooks for ideas and I’ll check the menu at work to see what I can do to still get my free meal without cheating my vegetarian goal.