21 Jan Inside the Fridge welcomes Min and Tim, the couple behind the Adventures of MJ and Hungryman

Meet Min and Tim, the couple behind  mjandhungryman. Aren’t they cute? 

This Austin, TX couple eats, cooks and blog together about healthful tips and recipes, restaurant reviews and their exciting life together. (along with their pup, Kona) MJ’s cooking talents were not innate-instead, they were born out of love and a calling to keep Hungryman healthy after being diagnosed with a heart condition. Min just finished her Master’s degree in Human Nutrition (Congrats, Min!) and says it’s now time for her to get a “big girl” job. Keep up with MJ and Hungryman here:  Twitter: @mjandhungryman, Facebook: mjandhungryman, Pinterest: mjandhungryman and Instagram: mjandhungryman.   Let’s take a peek….

Where do you shop for food? H.E.B is literally right down the street from where we live (3 minutes tops) so that’s where I do my weekly shopping. Trader Joe’s (recently opened) is located a bit farther away so I go there biweekly or stop by on a whim if I happen to be in the area. For produce, I go to the Cedar Park farmers market every Saturday morning. Costco is where I do my bulk shopping (frozen chicken breast, beef, seafood, nuts, quinoa, etc), and I have been going there once a month as of late.

Do you love food shopping or dread it? Why? Love it, but only when I don’t have to fight a crowd and engage in merciless cart wars. I’m an early bird so I like to go first thing in the morning when I can shop in peace. It’s quite therapeutic ;).

What is your weekly food budget?  It really depends but, on average, I end up spending around $60. That covers all but 1 or 2 meals out of the week.

How many times a week do you eat out?  We eat out at most twice a week. It’s just the two of us, and I make every effort to pack both of our lunches everyday. Tim sometimes gets jealous of his coworkers who go out to eat or order in, but most of the time he’s perfectly fine with what I pack him (or so he tells me…)

How do you plan your weekly meals? Create a spreadsheet or fly by the seat of your pants? I am definitely a planner. Usually by Friday I have my meals for the next week planned out and a grocery list written down. Fortunately, both of us don’t mind eating leftovers for days so normally I plan for 3 meals per week that I cook from scratch. I also make sure I have some roasted vegetables, cooked whole grains, and fresh greens that I can quickly throw together for a filling salad.  

What is the most coveted food in the fridge right now for each member of the household? Why? Me: Peanut butter! And it literally is MY jar. My husband is a bit scared to open it, and I don’t blame him. You can see all kinds of marks – fork, knife…finger. Tim: Sriracha. Sometimes my feelings get a bit hurt when he squirts it on top of my proudest creations, but the man just needs a bit of a kick at all times. In that way, he’s just like my parents who need Tabasco/sriracha/gochujang (or kimchi) on everything – pizza, spaghetti, you name it. I am not of that crowd.  

What is the oldest item in the fridge right now?  Be honest..it’s okay.  I keep a lot of Asian condiments in the fridge, and for some reason, I have a tendency to buy the largest size available. My ginormous container of gochujang, or fermented Korean red chili paste, expired 2 years ago. Oops.. But since it’s fermented, has it really gone bad?  

Min’s Chicken Bulgogi

Do you believe in leftovers?  Absolutely! To the point that my life depends on it. I do all my cooking over the weekend, so come busy week days, it’s all about reheating or throwing things together at the last minute. Plus, our grocery bill would be A LOT higher than $60 if I didn’t believe in them. No doubt about it!  

What cooking utensil/piece of equipment/appliance do you live for? I absolutely LOVE my Vitamix!  I make smoothies, hummus, pesto, almond milk, and anything else you can possibly imagine.

How have your cooking/shopping habits changed over the last 10 years? I didn’t start cooking until I got married, which was 7 years ago. Before that, I purchased mostly prepackaged items and depended on cereal for sustenance. Now, about 70% of my groceries consist of fresh produce and wholesome products with minimal ingredients. I’ve always been a nutrition label reader, but instead of focusing on the amount of calories or fat in a product, I now pay careful attention to the ingredient list.

If one person could cook for you tonight, who would it be?

My mom. She’s hands down the best cook I know, and no, I’m not biased ;). Since she spends most of her time in Korea now, I don’t get to enjoy her delicious creations all that much anymore… until last week that is. Mama Koo is back in the States (time for my happy dance).

What words of wisdom or advice do you have for other folks who are doing their best every day to fill the fridge? Try to get in the habit of meal planning and prepping. I know it seems daunting at first, but trust me. It gets easier with time. Not only that, it will become second nature to you. Focus on quality rather than quantity. Love your produce drawer and fill it up with fresh fruits and vegetables. If you can, wash and store some of your favorite, go-to produce items (e.g. baby carrots, celery, cucumber, etc) in a container and place at eye level inside the fridge for easy access (and a friendly reminder). Make use of leftovers. As you can see from the picture, my fridge would be so, so sad without them.

Thanks Min and Tim! Next time I’m in Austin, I’ll be over for leftovers!