1) Cheaper and way more fun!
2) I try to plan weekly. I purchase legumes and rice and non-perishables weekly or even bi-weekly, and proteins (meat, fish, chicken) on a 2-3 day cycle.
3) Protein + rice or pasta + veggies. Sometimes adding more protein and veg and cutting out the rice/pasta, depends on the dish.
A deeper dive than that? Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Mexican... turns out a lot of cultures like to eat variations of chicken and rice.
4) I'd guess I go for the mediterranean diet? Though all that means is that I use olive oil and eat lots of nuts...
5) Soak your dry beans in the morning. You can store tons more if you buy them dry and soaking them is a lot less hassle if you do it before work - you'll have beans ready for dinner when you get home. (Chili, beans and rice, daal, three bean salad, vegetarian tacos, lentil soup are all suddenly much easier to make....)
A deeper dive than that? Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Mexican... turns out a lot of cultures like to eat variations of chicken and rice.
4) I'd guess I go for the mediterranean diet? Though all that means is that I use olive oil and eat lots of nuts...
5) Soak your dry beans in the morning. You can store tons more if you buy them dry and soaking them is a lot less hassle if you do it before work - you'll have beans ready for dinner when you get home. (Chili, beans and rice, daal, three bean salad, vegetarian tacos, lentil soup are all suddenly much easier to make....)