How cooking extra at dinner gives my family two meals, and why it suits us.
I bring bekal from home almost every day. People sometimes ask if I do it because I like eating alone, or because I’m proud. My answer to both is no. Here is how it works in our house, and why it suits my family right now.
It starts about every two weeks, at the hypermarket or sometimes the market. I push my own trolley, and I bring a basin for the wet things so nothing drips on the way home.
We buy fish, chicken, squid, vegetables, fruit, dry goods and kitchen basics. Usually I’m the one who does this big shopping run. The list comes from my wife. She’s the one who cooks, so she knows what she’ll make.
I can’t cook. My part is the trolley, the basin, and helping put everything into the fridge.
At dinner, we cook more than we need, on purpose. One round of cooking gives us two meals: dinner tonight, and my lunch tomorrow. It’s planned before anyone starts cooking.
The lauk changes almost every day. Tom yam, ayam kunyit or sotong kunyit, ayam masak kicap, paprika chicken with vegetables, fish curry, chicken curry, lala masak halia.
In the morning, my wife or I pack it. Rice, lauk and some vegetables, like kangkung belacan, sawi, terung or timun, whatever we have that day.
If there are no vegetables, I take a fruit instead, like an apple, a banana or a pear. The fruit goes straight into the bag, not into the container.
Some of my containers have one compartment and some have three. I put a spoon and fork in, and wrap a rubber band around it so the lid stays shut on the way. Then it all goes into my red-and-white cloth bag.
I’ve done this for a long time now. Alhamdulillah, I still do it today. On a day with no bekal, I keep it simple. I buy something I can afford and eat that.
So why do I do it? I have three reasons.
The first reason is money. Every month, our grocery budget goes to fish, chicken, vegetables and the things we need in the kitchen. After that, what’s left is limited, and prices keep going up.
I can’t buy lunch outside every day and also fill the fridge. For now, I pick the food that’s already at home. It saves a little, not a lot, and I won’t pretend it’s more than that.
The second reason is control. At home, I can ask for less salt, less oil or more vegetables next time. I also decide when I eat and where.
The third reason surprised me. Bringing bekal almost every day made me more grateful. Grateful for the rezeki, and for the effort that goes into every container. Not everyone can cook like that, let alone pack it to bring along.
So when people ask if I bring bekal because I like being alone, or because I’m proud, I say no to both.
These days I’m more open than I used to be. Some days I bring bekal and eat alone. Some days I buy food and eat alone. Some days I go out and eat with friends. Bekal has nothing to do with who I eat with. It’s simply the choice that fits my family right now.
I also want to be clear about one thing. I’m not telling you to bring bekal.
This is my routine, and it works for my family. Your family, your background and your evenings are different from mine. If you’ve been thinking about starting, maybe one part of my routine will help you build your own.
The idea under all of it is small.
Leftovers are an accident. Cooking extra on purpose is a plan.
Leftovers happen by chance. Some nights there’s extra and some nights there isn’t, so you can’t count on them. When you cook extra on purpose, tomorrow’s lunch is decided before anyone is hungry.
For us, it starts with my wife’s list, a trolley and a basin. It ends with lunch in a red-and-white bag.
One thing that worked
The problem: Whoever cooks in your house often has to wash up before they can even start.
What I did:
1. Before she started cooking, I washed and dried the wok, the pots, the rice pot, the pans, and the spoons and forks. They were ready on the tray.
2. I took on other house jobs too: the laundry, mopping, vacuuming and ironing.
3. On nights she looked too tired to cook, I didn’t push. I said, “Tonight we don’t cook. Let’s eat out,” or I ordered delivery.
How I know it worked: Things at home have been running well so far, and I still do this today.
If someone cooks for you, clear their path before they start. You can start tonight.
That’s all for this week.
See you next Saturday.
Cheers,
Farhan Terubos
One true story from my own week, every Saturday.
Written for people building something of their own around a full-time job.
