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When I'm home alone, I tend to eat in a "clear out the fridge" style: I look for things that need to be eaten, supplement with things that have a bit more life in them, add something I really like, (if there is any of that) put it all in a bowl and hey presto! dinner.
This is often a combo of wilting salad veg, cheese, hummous, fruit, tuna, egg, maybe some sweet biscuits or chocolate.
Naively, I thought this was my own invention so I was surprised when Briony recently asked what I'd eaten and when told, described it as a "girl dinner." I asked her to repeat herself and on the second go round, I realised that of course it's not my invention, it's what every alone-and-with-a-fridge-to-manage woman would do. Girl dinner is just the latest term for it and apparently I was right up there with the best of TikTok trends and didn't know it!
Before writing a post about it, I had to do a quick google search and I found out that internet commentators are describing girl dinners as: low on effort, low calorie, decadent, glorifying diet culture, small, resourceful and also nutritious. I guess it depends who is commenting and what kind of girl dinner they are reviewing. Some compare the "girl dinner" to charcuterie, tapas, "picky bits" or snack plates.
I'm not at all sure that those commentators are talking about the same "girl dinner" I am. Mine are very, very far from a carefully thought through charcuterie board and look more like the good half of a bruised apple, the bitter inner leaves of a lettuce, a few cheese slices, a drying cucumber, fermenting kiwi fruit and the dregs of a mis-matched salad dressing that I can't stand having in the fridge any more (semi dried tomato pesto dressing, anyone?)
To make me think it's fun, I add a glass of ginger beer if we have it. Or maybe a tea. I might throw half a punnet of blueberries on top.
Do you eat girl dinners? what's your easy go-to?
Oh yes I eat girl dinners. Often. Himself is an avid carnivore and I am vegetarian. He views vegies as the garnish you put on a plate to make the meat look better. So if vegies are getting tired it is up to me to consume them.
ReplyDeleteI am not certain I like the phrase girl dinner though. I will think about it.
PS: This is EC. I forgot to check who I was commenting as.
DeleteWhen I see "himself" I know who it is.
DeleteNeither of us qualify as girls so crone crunch might work
In the spirit of reclaiming "crone" , ya know?
DeleteI love crone crunch. That, I could embrace.
DeleteWhen I'm eating alone I might have something crisp based, maybe a crisp sandwich. My alone meals are never healthy! Good job I'm not alone or I'd be the size of a bus.
ReplyDeleteSx
A crisp sandwich!! I just don't eat enough of those
DeleteI loved this post. Such funny prose. I would get the last bit of meat, broccoli, carrot sticks, the quarter cup of green beans, apple, cheese, brownie, last of the tuna salad. The best part is that it would not have to be heated!
ReplyDeleteCrunchy crone? Okay, I confess.
I'm glad you liked it!!
DeleteI think girl dinners or crone crunches are unheated by definition but I also think we know I'm no expert 😆
My go-to is a cheese or peanut butter sandwich, with cucumber. Not as interesting as your fridge scavenging! My first thought when I saw that picture was it looks like at least three meals. And the term girl dinner is a new one on me....
ReplyDeleteNick, I don't really think the photo is a good example. It looks more like food for friends than a single persons dinner. I found a better picture but couldn't copy it, sadly.
DeleteI do love a cheese toastie
I was slightly peeved when I heard on the news about girl dinners, and that they were considered unhealthy. Why is it suddenly new just because young people are doing it, and why is it unhealthy just because we don't spend an hour cooking it? I've been eating that way since my husband died, and it's the only way I get any fruits or vegetables because I no longer cook most of the time! I would like to say I do as you do and base my meals on what needs using up, but one thing I have learned about myself is that if I try to do that I end up not eating at all (or eating chocolate instead). I need variety and I have to want the things in front of me if I am to eat healthily at all. I consider that a major character flaw but I'm trying to accept it about myself. Planning and cooking meals is a trying thing for me; the only thing worse is having to do it for just me.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I can eat to use things up is because I don't do it all the time. You have enough on your plate and deserve to eat meals you want to eat and if you don't have to cook them, so much the better!
DeleteNo. I do not eat "girl dinners". I eat "man dinners" just like King Henry VIII. However, I must say that I do not like wasting any food that happens to be in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteOf course you eat man dinners! Yorkshire man dinners
ReplyDelete