Accepting store bought, busy me

Yes, this is a pic of my actual fridge!

I think we've all done it. If you say no, I'm sure you're in denial ...

Hands up if you've done the sneak in a pre-made item of some kind into your trolley, almost as though it was a packet of tampons ... and then when your friends ask for how you put a meal together you hesitate or lie about using something store brought ...

As kitchen cooks why is it that we feel the need to always make things from scratch? Why do we feel embarrassed that  we grabbed something to save time after a long week? What, honestly, are we fearing? That our friends will screw up their noses at your "laziness"?

Cooking ladies and gents - This is not the fifties where we have to out-do the other home makers! IT IS OK TO GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK.

We live in an age where most of us work full time while being home-makers. And yes, being a full-time Mum IS a full time job. As much as we would like to think that we can all be the ideal home maker, with our pristine houses and dinner on the table for the other half to come straight home to, this isn't quite reality.

I'm not saying everyone is like this. I'm sure there are some of you out there reading this and thinking 'Well, my house is always clean - and dinner is always ready on time with everything done from scratch ... I really don't get it' ... Whoever you are, I applaud you. They must find out how you do it and then make pills for the rest of us!

During the week everything I do seems to be almost on a schedule. Some of you may not know that I work full time in the city - so I'm looking at 12 hours from the time I leave home til the time I get home. This is usually why you see me cooking like crazy on the weekend, because during the week it's "Get in and feed people" mode so that I can have at least a moment's rest before having to go to bed. So my dishes during the week are all about quick and easy, as you can probably tell from a lot of my recipes.

As a foodie, who promotes home cooking, I especially feel the pressure to make things from scratch, use organic amazing foods, and most importantly be an advocate for the home cook. For the most part I actually do make everything from scratch, as a lot of things are very straight forward to make. The only killer is time. I just never have enough of it. Would I like to make my own puff pastry? Hell, yes! But I just don't have the time unfortunately. When my Mum had me, her first child, she still managed to make puff pastry from scratch ... and then others joined me. Unfortunately my Mum had to realise that things like that were a thing of the past!

I will admit it ... I do use store bought things sometimes. There, I said it. It's out!

I always have a pasta sauce of some kind in my pantry, and there is also a marinade or two in there for sure, for those days when I'm hungry, tired and just want to sit and not think for a while. I will always have frozen puff pastry in the freezer, and I don't make my own pesto or sausages. And you know what - it's ok! I just still try to keep things healthy and always read the back for ingredients (some things sneak in there!).

I'm not saying go out and stop cooking - I'm saying it's ok to cut corners and give yourself a break from time to time. Not everything has to be chef-organic-fantastic (if you know what I mean!), just healthy. I just think that it's ok to sometimes take advantage of what the store has 'made for us' and give ourselves a much needed break.


Is what I'm saying all to familiar to you? Tell me below!

Steph xo