Food For Thought

Olly Mann uses what's in the fridge and cupboards to break out of a food rut with new meals

- Daniela Alfieri

HAVE YOU EVER found yourself stuck in a food loop?

I have, and it's very dispiriting. I realise there are worse things in life to be stuck in-lifts, tenancies, sewage-but, if you take plenty of pleasure in food, as I do, then coming to terms with the fact that you are often only eating what you are eating thanks to sheer lack of imagination can be really quite sobering.

Let's turn a blind eye to breakfast. I mean, I'm busy: I've got two young kids to get uniformed up, teeth brushed, stuffed with cornflakes and out the door; a puppy, cat, chickens and goldfish to feed; news bulletins to catch up on, showers to take, caffeine to imbibe. It's a wonder I manage to consume anything at all in the mornings so I'm content enough to rotate through my ingrained repertoire: granola, eggs on toast, crumpets, smashed avocado, blueberry smoothie; croissants and waffles at the weekend. Breakfast is simply about variety, convenience and a pleasing familiarity for me.

However, I recently realised that my lunch and dinner menus had become similarly rigid, and, really, there’s no excuse, is there? I work from home; I’m surrounded by a large selection of supermarkets, farm shops, and street markets; and I cook from scratch most days. The only reason I wasn’t varying up my menu was because I couldn’t be bothered to put the work in. Like someone who wears the same clothes every day. Or watches soap operas. I don’t want to be that person!