Cook Four Things. Stop Trying to Meal-Prep Like an Influencer.

Short version stayed short on purpose. This longer note is for people who still feel guilty for not meal-prepping like a content creator.

I tried Sunday batch cooking in July. By Wednesday the fridge smelled like defeat and I ordered noodles with the energy of someone apologizing to their past self.

Chengdu wet markets reward frequent small trips. Buy for tonight. Maybe tomorrow. The system is not American suburban Costco logic, and fighting that will make you miserable.

Four things worth owning

• Rice cooker
• Eggs you trust
• One green you can stir-fry half-asleep
• One protein that freezes

Avoid downloading twelve Sichuan courses before you can boil noodles without the alarm. Learn one mapo-adjacent tofu. Repeat it. Invite one friend. That's culture too.

Done — and allowed to be done.