Need some advice...

[Merope215]

It looks like I'm going to interning at an environmental group this summer in D.C. I have a good friend who goes to school with me who's going to be working at the CIA (!), and we're planning on living together with a friend of hers in an apartment over the summer. My problem is that I don't know how to handle the food situation. I'm ovo-lacto, but I don't really eat dairy or eggs much (I use subsitute products whenever I can, but since I eat in dining halls, avoiding them altogether isn't easy). My friend, though, is one of those omnivores who really, really likes meat - I've seen her eat some vegetarian meals, but mostly she's one of those people who feels like meat is really essential to a "good" meal.

I was wondering if anyone else has ever been in this kind of situation before. What would be the best way to go about handling the cooking and the groceries and such? I don't really mind cooking things with dairy and eggs in them, although I'm planning on avoiding them as much as I can, but I really can't do meat. On the other hand, I'd rather not have to cook every meal we eat this summer. Does anyone have any ideas on how I might be able to manage this? I'm sorry if this seems like a stupid question, but it's the first time I've had to cook much for myself and other people, and I really don't know how to handle the meat issue. If anybody's ever dealt with this kind of thing before, I'd really appreciate hearing about it. :shrug:

[sbj405]

1. I've never cooked meals for a roommate

I think you'll see that once you are there and working, you guys will be on different schedules and be doing your own thing re: food. I would recommend getting your own cookware. I once came home to my roommate cooking ground beef in my new frying pan, I've never been so disgusted.

[Lorien]

6. I agree

I've had 14 roommates over my lifetime, and never cooked for any of them. Just make sure you rent a place with a kitchen that has a good bit of storage space.

Good luck!

:hi:

[Maru Kitteh]

2. I'd like to second the above poster re: cookware

It absorbs the taste of dead animals and just........ yuck.

Anyway. I would say on the occasions that you do find yourselves sitting down to eat together make meals like tacos and stir-frys where you can let the roomie cook their own meat to add seperately.

[Merope215]

3. Thank you both

And wow, is that disgusting about your frying pan!

[Warpy]

4. When roomies cooked meat

I just filled up on mashed potatoes, salads, cooked veggies, bread, and whatever else was on the table. My only problems came on nights when one of them would do stuff like a New England boiled dinner (where all the veggies were cooked with the meat and tasted like it) or a meat stew. Those were the nights I'd growl at them and eat a peanut butter sandwich in full martyr mode. Fortunately, it was an incredibly rare occurrence, since long cooked foods like that weren't something that hardworking people had time to do.

[LeftyMom]

5. Have a emergency standby on hand

a few frozen Amy's pizzas, some sandwich stuff or a can of soup might be a good idea in case your roommate makes something you would rather not eat.

It sounds like the two if you will be really busy, so you'll probably want to stick to relatively fast options anyhow.