It’s 4:30 in the afternoon and I am standing in front of the fridge, my eyes gliding over the shelves and tongue clicking.

The contents are looking somewhat uncooperative.

I spend a few minutes wishing there was something in there that isn’t, and another minute contemplating take away. The takeout options in our area aren’t much better than the fridge options so that thought doesn’t usually linger long. Never mind the cost which almost always sucks out any joy I had in avoiding cooking.

I do have eggs.

Quietly muttering my gratitude for our backyard chickens and pushing off any residual wishful thinking for escaping dinner duties, I pull together a few potatoes, 2 onions and a piece of chorizo that was wrapped up in the back of the fridge.

It was remembering the canned tomatoes in the bottom of the pantry though that ushered in the mental shift.

With a little bit of sudden pep, I delegated 1 of the onions, some curry powder, a spoonful of mustard and that can of Italian diced tomatoes to Hilda the Thermomix. A little apple cider vinegar and a few other amendments to a recipe I had scribbled down in an old notebook according to what was in the pantry and what wasn’t, a relish was on its way. With Hilda taking care of that item, I left the diced potatoes on low to half steam- half simmer while I headed out to raid the garden and rotate the next grubbiest child through the bath.

I’m amazed at how often I end up standing in front of that fridge wishing and hoping like I do. Wondering where to begin. I’ve tried various meal plans, some worked better than others, some fell apart before I even began them. I’ve never been particularly fussed with pre-set-up meal packs either.  I’ve always felt they work wonderfully when life goes to plan- which it hardly ever does.

On top of this, and possibly to my shame considering the above situation, I’m not lacking experience in the kitchen. I’ve cooked for hundreds of people over the years, Thousands of meals. I’ve cooked for a large variety of people and events. It’s left me with a wonderful range of tools, recipes, and skills, AND a wonderful community of friends and family to lean on whenever I have questions or need new ideas. That’s a foundation for cooking dinner that boasts far more strength than most other home cooks.

And yet, here I stand, oh so often….

Where to start?

At least this I can say now; the question isn’t one of such a negative tone anymore. It’s grown over the years into more of a challenge. And with every season of life, the changing frustrations that come in the kitchen become an opportunity to learn something new. Like how to set up my kitchen and pantry in a way that is ready for that question. A question I now know I can lean into and come out victorious.

 And usually, that victory is won by something simple.

Like some eggs and a can of tomatoes.