Do you find yourself stuck for recipe ideas this lockdown? Are you running out of new meals to try out? Are you sick of having the same old boring rotation of meals each week?
Good news, I may have some solutions for you!
During this pandemic many of us have grown tired of cooking the same old meals each week and have wondered what we could do to change things up. I’ve gathered a list of different options you can try out to have some fun with food
DIY RESTAURANT KITS
If you miss the restaurant experience and the delicious meals that come with it, this solution may be for you!
Many restaurants nationwide have been looking for a way to keep plates in front of their customers and have arrived at the convenient DIY kits! Everything you need to make their special meals that you have been missing the most comes in these handy boxes. Including instructions, pre-measured portions and everything else you could need to make that exciting experience happen. Whether they are for two, four, or more, these kits can help spice up your evening!
Here are some of your options for delivery or collection in Dublin:
Feeling Fancy?
Etto
Etto offers kits ranging from vegetarian menus for one to Côte de Boeuf for two.
Order here
Oliver Dunne Restaurants
Offering 13 different meal kits Oliver Dunne Restaurants has something for everyone. From date night meals to finger food!
Order here
Locks
Fancy Steak or Cod for two this week? Locks is for you!
Order here
Missing Mexican?
Boojum
Are you missing your weekly pilgrimage to Boojum? Soothe that itch with their DIY Mexican Fajita Meal Kits!
Order here
777
Offering Taquito party kits and Veggie meal kits, try out 777 at home!
Order here
Uno Mas
With weekly menus going online on a Sunday for the following week, make sure you get in on time to et your meal kit from Uno Mas.
Order here
Pondering about Pizzas?
The Dough Bros
Looking for a replacement to those bland Dominoes takeaways? The Dough Bros have got your back!
Order here
Uno Pizza
Looking for a delicious pizza so good you can’t believe you made it at home?
Order here
Blues for Burgers?
Bujo
Hankering for a hamburger?
Order here
Box Burger
Want a scrumptious beef, chicken or vegan burger at home? Try Box Burger from Bray!
Order here
COCKTAIL KITS
Additionally, if you’re looking to add cocktails to these dinners, you have some options for kits too! Here’s what I found in Dublin:
Anti-Social
Missing night outs in Anti-Social? At least you can have their cocktails in the comfort of your own home.
Order here
777
Are you sorely lacking on 777 Margaritas to go with your Mexican Fakeaway? 777 have you covered.
Order here
MEAL SUBSCRIPTION BOXES
If you’re looking for something that is a little more financially sustainable than the restaurant kits, but you still want a similar experience you could try out some of the various meal subscription boxes that re available in Dublin. These are quite like the restaurant kits but more affordable and something that you could have a couple nights a week. Here are some examples that cater to low calorie meals, those wanting no addititves in their food, and those on a paleo diet. Weekly rates range from about €20 to €80 depending on your choices:
MINIMISE FOOD WASTE
The meal and restaurant kits also have the added benefit of minimising food waste as you only get what you need! But, if you’re looking to use up leftover ingredients in your fridge or cupboards, there are some tools online that can help give you ideas. You can simply enter the ingredients you have in the fields provided and they will generate recipe ideas that you can make with what you have left! I’m sure, especially lately, that we’ve become very aware of just how much food gets thrown out. Let’s try to minimise that. Here are some tools that could help:
WEEKLY MEAL PLANS
If you find yourself popping into the shops to pick up ingredients a couple of times a week perhaps you could try out making a weekly meal plan. This could help you making unnecessary trips and limiting your exposure during shopping trips. I like to make a list of meals I want to make and list the ingredients of each, it helps me make sure that all of the ingredients get used up and I only buy what I need weekly! There are some weekly plan ideas below:
LOOK FOR INSPIRATION LOCALLY
Due to there being a 5km limit on our travel, it has allowed us to explore our home areas much more. When I’m stuck for ideas for dinner, I like to try pick out a key ingredient that I can find fresh and locally and build the dinner around it. For example, nearby I have found pop up fishmongers with delicious prawns, local farm shops with the best bacon, lamb, eggs and veggies and lovely local butchers! By finding such delicious ingredients it can be easier to get inspired to form a meal just for this treat.
Let us know how you get along with these tips and please let us know what we missed!