How do you stay inspired?

[Astrid]

I get inspiration from different places:

Cooking shows: sometimes I will just see a dish and go "ooh, I have those ingredients" and decide to make it. There is something about watching someone else make it that can be more inspiring than flicking through a recipe book
Magazines: The new Taste one is looking good so far. Really like the 3 meals using similar ingrediants section. Great way of seeing how versatile some ingredients can be.
Meal plans other have one: Every so often (often for weight loss) I will follow a produce meal plan. Can be very hit and miss with how nice some of the meals are, but great for pulling out of a rut and coming away with a few new dishes.

Like Rouge, can't do full on meal planning any more. We chop and change too much. Had too much wasted food as plans would change (not home to cook meal, not well that night etc). I like to think of one dish I really want to cook, so specifically get those ingredients (good for those meals where is needs to be really fresh), then buy the generic food items that are very versatile. Just seeing what meat is one special at times can get you thinking about different things to cook

[LimeSlice]

Rouge's food boards. And her Facebook.
Pretty much covers it.


I love old cookbooks. My Edmond's gets a good workout, as do old menus from work.

I am missing my Food Channel badly since ditching the Foxtel, but I have recently been given back my mum's entire AWW collection - so I have a few things to tide me over now.

Also, I tend to cook a lot simply made up as I go. I don't meal plan.

[JLeigh29]

I should clarify about my meal planner - it's more just a guide that I use to give me the basic idea, then I combine it with what I have on hand or what's on special. I probably stick to it 5 out of 7 nights. e.g Tues is a busy day here, so Tues is 'easy' night - frozen fish, omelettes, takeaway etc. Wed is grilled meat (so could be steak, chops, sausages, schnitzel...whatever), Fri is homemade pizza or BBQ (my fave night as I love BBQ veg, or is it because DH does the BBQ?!), Sat is seafood (except tonight it's fresh pasta and sauce ). We also have a salad night (in summer), a chicken night and a 'rice' night - risotto, Pilaf, stir fry etc (but I don't always do rice with it).

I also love Taste - I spend hours browsing each week and have so many recipes bookmarked!