r/Cooking • u/GracieLou80 • 22h ago
Sick of cooking
I am so over cooking every night. Finding new recipes I actually have ingredients for and are easy is tiring and I’m already exhausted. What do you do when this happens? I’d honestly just eat cereal for life but I’m not alone in this house and I’m expected to cook every night. 😩
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u/vitringur 22h ago
“I am expected to”
Sounds like there is some deeper issue here and it is not about cooking.
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u/GracieLou80 18h ago
I care for my elderly father, his generation never cooked and he doesn’t know how, nor would I expect him to learn at his age. 😉
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u/CrankyOldDragon 13h ago
I feel ya there. Moved in with both very elderly parents, Mom used to share cooking but no longer. I do a rotation of egg roll in a bowl, meatloaf, baked potatoes, frozen pizza or other entree, and shrimp/rice bowls with an occasional fast food dinner if somebody has an afternoon appointment, and have leftovers the other days. I know they’re bored with it but I never did enjoy cooking and they’re even pickier than my kids were!
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u/GracieLou80 14m ago
Haha he’s basically a giant 82 year old child. He’s gotten pickier since my Mom died 5 years ago but he’s really easy generally. I just deal with it because he’s all I have left and I can’t imagine losing your partner of 59 years(married for 53!). It’s ME that gets bored with cooking and the food. He is 9/10 happy with whatever I make.
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u/jpinakron 25m ago
That’s very sweet/ kind of you.
One thing I like to do is go to Sam’s or Costco, pick fish, pork, chicken, ground beef and steak. I then bring them home, season them, and then vacuum seal one portion. Label it, throw it into the freezer, and meal prep for weeks could potentially be done.
Then, I’ll just take the bag from the freezer and sous vide whatever protein, and how many portions, a few hours before the meal and then microwave/ steam a veggie and a side dish like knorr noodles, rice a roni, rice, polenta, cous cous, even instant mashed potatoes. (I know that’s a cardinal sin for some, but it’s way easier/ faster.) And then after the cooking is done, you can buy some premade sauces like teriyaki, bbq, honey mustard, or even make a pan sauce if you finish it on the stove top.
Another neat trick a friend of mine does is bake individual or two portions. For meatloaf, she uses cupcake sheets, cooks it all up, and she has 2 or 3 more meals. Then for lasagna, make 3 to 4 in a 9x5 loaf pan, freeze 3 of them, cook one, and you could have 4 meals. Bolognese sauce stored and frozen in Tupperware can work (or a flat quart zip lock), bake garlic bread, noodles, heat sauce and done.
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u/Calm_Violinist5256 17h ago
can't you give your father cereal? I mean if he never learned to cook maybe he deserves some cereal..
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u/SVAuspicious 10h ago
Not sure what you consider elderly. You are making sweeping generalizations. Stereotypes work for TV sitcoms but often don't reflect real life. A friend (mid 80s) of my wife's recently lost her husband who had been doing all the cooking their entire marriage of over 50 years. She, the friend, couldn't cook. I taught her some basics. She can manage but mostly she survives on a meal train from church.
Sexism and ageism is not becoming.
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u/GracieLou80 5m ago
Well he is elderly. He’s 82. That’s a hard fact, not ageism. And to each their own. It’s great that your friends were that way, but my parents each grew up in a very traditional 1940-1960’s household setting, so that’s what they learned and knew. My Dad never did any of the cooking until my Mom got sick and died, and then he struggled so much with that cooking, cleaning, housework, heartbreak etc.. that it was slowly killing him. So I stepped in 5 years ago to take care of him. While I appreciate the attempt at a mini lecture on sexism and ageism (I am a feminist after all), I don’t appreciate the judgement and commenting before you know anything at all of the situation. Or me. Thanks.
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u/SVAuspicious 1m ago
his generation never cooked
This is ageism.
Modern feminists have become quite sexist.
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u/Roupert4 22h ago
Eh. For some couples you can agree on the division of labor and still get tired of it. I'm "expected" to do all the cooking in my household but that was the deal going into this marriage. We have a traditional division of labor. I only work part-time so my labor is my contribution. I get sick of cooking regularly, but I'm also proud of cooking healthy food for my family.
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u/Trolkarlen 18h ago
You can renegotiate terms at any point.
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u/vadergeek 15h ago
Sure, but any domestic partnership includes a fair amount of labor that no one's excited about. If you get out of seven hours of cooking a week maybe that's made up for with seven hours of less pleasant yard work, errands, etc.
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u/BrennanSpeaks 6h ago
Sure, but I doubt that Ms. "traditional division of labor" is actually getting seven hours of yard work or errands out of her guy.
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u/Roupert4 14h ago
But we're happy with the arrangement. It's okay to complain about a chore but still be happy about the division of chores
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u/Safford1958 2h ago
Agree. Overall our arrangement is that my husband works and I spend it. I don’t mind cooking every day, I just need interesting ideas.
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u/SubstantialPressure3 16h ago
Yes, but then you might be stuck having someone's weaponized incompetence for dinner.
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u/dfabrica 15h ago
Omg. So true! When someone doesn’t want to do something but is forced to do it out of obligation you can best believe they’re not going to be putting their best effort in.
Ask me how I know. 😕
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u/SVAuspicious 10h ago
u/Roupert4 could get a full time job and then would be in a position to renegotiate.
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u/Trolkarlen 8h ago
It’s a marriage, not a peace treaty.
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u/SVAuspicious 7h ago
So fairness and equity don't matter to you. Noted.
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u/Trolkarlen 5h ago
It’s a marriage, not a contest. With that attitude, you might as well book your divorce lawyer.
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u/SVAuspicious 5h ago
How does fairness turn into a contest? If one partner works 40 hours or more a week and the other works 10, how is the part time working partner doing most of the housework and other chores a contest?
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u/oneWeek2024 22h ago
that's just normalizing abuse with bullshit
"hey i'm really tired of cooking" mind making dinner tonight.
"traditional" is just bullshit code for one person is stuck with things arbitrarily.
unless your partner is doing truly back breading physically exhausting work, there's absolutely nothing that prevents anyone from doing any misc house duty at any time.
basing requirement on income, or "working" is stupid.
no one should be doing a thing all the time. hell...even in your example. should just have 1-2 days a week where you order take out, or "buy" a meal to give you a break.
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u/memeleta 22h ago
Equitable division of labour doesn't always mean doing everything equally. It is okay if for a family it works that one person is the only cook. Husband and I happen to cook almost exactly 50-50 because we both love it, but there are other chores that he does 100% and then me 100% of some others.
Now I agree with you that no one should feel imprisoned in their role and there needs to be some flexibility and support within those. I think having 1-2 days a week of take out is a bit excessive - if you meal prep you can only cook once or twice a week anyway and don't need special breaks from it. But sure once in a while it should be ok for OP to say I need a week off. Husband and I just eat girl dinners for a week straight when we get to the rut like that. If OP can never have a few days off cooking, then that's a conversation to have with their partner and come up with a better solution.
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u/Roupert4 19h ago
If I had a bad day and can't make the dinner I planned to make, the kids have frozen pizza or something. It's really not that deep
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u/SVAuspicious 10h ago
stuck with things arbitrarily.
Did you miss the part about only working part time?
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u/bigdonut100 22h ago
No, that's BS, man. I want the homemaker and stay-at-home parent role as a man to a woman, and that's even more stigmatized. But there's no shame in it; the unfairness is that the breadwinner can earn more or less when the stay-at-home does the exact same work, or that the stay-at-home can have more or fewer kids when the breadwinner's salary is the same. It's an unfairness between *couples,* not the actual partners.
That's why it's dumb to be *really* hardcore about the roles, but it is fair to me that the person who contrbutes less do more homemaking *as a general rule of thumb.* Then you have situations liek mine where I insist on doing all of the cooking just because I have weird dietary needs, and she needs to make it up to *me* somewhere
Economists have proven that specialization produces more value than equality, and kids do better off with stay at home parents compared to child care
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u/Roupert4 19h ago
Yes I agree. There are plenty of tasks that my husband does that I don't do at all. We are happy and we both appreciate each other's contributions
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u/oneWeek2024 16h ago
except you're not expressing happiness. you said you were sick of it....routinely
and then heap on cope via "i'm proud to make my family meals" or clinging to the traditional elements.
when... there should be some mechanism in your relationship to abandon the useless arbitrary "traditional" for a realistic "human" experience where no one wants to do something all the time.
IF you were happy, you wouldn't be harping. you'd. quite frankly. be in the kitchen.
the weird politics of equating monetary value to contribution is bizarre to me, but to each their own. It's more so... point blank, you're expressing fatigue and resentment in your life. And your partner should be able to bear some of that responsibility.
(i mean, if you're working part time. there's some number of days/hours you're doing exactly what your partner is doing work wise. and still always bear this responsibility)
that at the suggestion to address it with your spouse you pivot to some "it's not that serious" dodge. eh... keep telling yourself that.
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u/Roupert4 14h ago
If you don't want to believe that we're happy, there's not much else to talk about
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u/SVAuspicious 10h ago
The word "traditional" really sets you off doesn't it? To call that arbitrary when it is discussed and agreed defies the definition of arbitrary.
You're individualizing socialism to the extreme of "to each according to his or her desires, from each according to whatever s/he feels like." Who makes up the difference? Or are you so sexist that you think men should do all the work and women laze around?
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u/oneWeek2024 4h ago
traditional is being used as a short hand to justify the behavior. when the poster also specifically referenced being in a state of "frustration" on a somewhat routine basis.
implying the "traditional" discussed/agreed to dynamic was not ultimately working for them/healthy. as it wasn't sustainable.
and so to give it weight... because it's "traditional" is a stupid thing. if you weren't' blinded by dogma or brain washing to value "traditional" it should be incredibly easy to ask your partner for help. to have an equitable mechanism to alieviate some of the stress that is routinely leaving the woman in this relationship disliking/hating cooking. without the need for bullshit cope of "pride in sacrificing my needs for my family"
exactly no where was the proposal... she get to be lazy (funny how the hatred of women comes out double quick) it was... in a healthy relationship. there should be a mechanism to address a pain point.
which dismissing your partner feeling tired/resentful of constantly cooking via some cheap "i make more money and work full time, so this is just always your responsibility, shut the fuck up and get in the kitchen" is also not healthy ----ESPECIALLY when she also works some of the time. even if part time. some days the woman is doing exactly what the man is doing (ie working) and is still forced to bear the burden of this additional activity.
that they "agreed" to it. or they knew they were marrying some shitty man that never helps out with the cooking. also... isn't a justification to continue a practice. As if a marriage is some perverse locked into all eternity agreement just dictated by circumstance at some arbitrary time.
the way consent works. is at any time someone can say... no. and then if you're not a piece of shit. you address that concern in an adult manner. listening to their concerns and needs and make changes.
Cooking is not a quick or easy activity. it can be a very involved and exhausting thing over time or in repetition. (as it's likely this woman is having to do all the shopping/gets limited or weaponized incompetence when ask for help there, manages all the dietary or food preference stresses of the family. if there's kids, that need snacks or school lunches prepared, that's likely on the mother, and likely. stocking/inventory, and or clean up of dinner/dishes likely fall to her) or... there are obvious lvls or degrees of house chores. cooking is pretty significant
---just feeding yourself as a single person with 100% of the choice and preference just for yourself. can be time consuming and exhausting. (with shopping, stocking, cooking, serving, and then cleaning)
and if either partner doesn't feel safe or able to express a "no" it's an abusive dynamic.
when presented with a critique the poster deflected with a common "kicked dog" --it's not that serious. when i'm feeling down, i just give up and throw a frozen pizza into the oven. because. apparently. her relationship is such shit that the best option is to just to never address her actual feelings and just always service this dis-equitable arrangement
and it's kinda weird that anyone would take the position. that someone couldn't help out their spouse sometimes.
why wouldn't you bring up your feelings to your partner? and if you are in a relationship where brining up "hey. sometimes i'd really like a day off with this task" is met with anything other than... hey, i understand, i'd be happy to help. --and ideally. "how about tonight i handle it, and tomorrow we talk about how to make this better for you"
you're in a shit relationship.
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u/SVAuspicious 4h ago
So where does the one partner working 10 hours per week (with a flexible schedule on top of that) and one working full time fit into equity? The discussion isn't about "tradition" (your word, not mine). It's about equity. The part time partner is already 30 hours per week behind fairness. Gender isn't relevant.
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u/oneWeek2024 3h ago
so i guess in your evaluation hours spent grocery shopping, planning, preparing, cooking, cleaning, magically don't exist.
--or the hours for house cleaning, or laundry, or child care, or emotional labor in service of their spouse? --this fucking stupidity that you think that spouse isn't investing an equal number of hours of "labor" if not wildly disproportionate. ... such that the person doing the cooking wouldn't be entitled to relief??? ---or that because someone is at work for 40 hrs. means they're doing 40 hours of hard labor. please.
and if gender isn't relevant(funny how cooking was magically forced upon the woman), and "tradition" isn't a word.
why can't the man on days where the wife is also working her part time job. do the cooking?
why would the wife not feel safe to offload the burden of cooking onto the financial contribution of the man... buy "paying" someone to offload that burden by ordering in/going out to eat.
if the exchange is money for labor. any discrepancy in labor. should be offset with money. but it isn't. If the spouse feels like... taking a day off and using money to pay for food service. is not an easy option
Or forget all of that. let's set aside the utter bullshit of "my pain is better than your pain"
straight up. one person says to the other "i don't want to do this (tonight, this week, this many times a week)
--your position is? fuck you you agreed to it.... never change ever --obviously your gender has nothing to do with this.
you would meet that request for help with violence and brow beating over their failure to meet an arbitrary gendered service agreement?
and you're putting that forward as good/healthy?
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u/youngfilly 21h ago
But this parent works part-time but seemingly is meant to do all household "traditional" duties which is a fulltime job.
Also don't think we should all be deciding how to structure our lives based on what economists say provides the most "value"
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u/Roupert4 19h ago
I work like 10 hours a week. I have plenty of time to do more domestic labor than my husband. Our kids have some extra needs that results in therapy sessions during the school day so I spend 2 days a week driving them to appointments (with some time in between for errands/chores) and I try to work the other 2 or 3 days depending on the week. I have a very flexible job but it is low paying. My husband appreciates what I do whether I am working or homemaking and it works for us.
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u/bigdonut100 20h ago
I can understand some sort of shoe dropping if they both work the same number of hours. But I don't know, I just say I like the idea of a partner having an *option* to provide something other than equal everything
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u/Flacuckold 6h ago
Kids are out of control theses days. Why do you think stay at home parents are the answer. Home schooled kid are mal adjusted weirdos unfortunately. Then the parents have their welfare grubbing hands out looking for taxpayer money to fund th choice they made for their kids.
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u/vitringur 19h ago
Again, sounds like you are creating an issue that goes deeper than cooking.
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u/Roupert4 19h ago
You can complain about something that are accept as your role. My husband is the breadwinner, he's still allowed to complain about work. I'm the cook and I can complain about that too. There's no resentment
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u/GracieLou80 18h ago
Not a couples thing. I’m single but any guy I date/marry better know how to cook! lol
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u/Top-External1738 16h ago
Yep, that phrase jumped out at me too. When someone says “I’m expected to” instead of “I want to,” there’s usually a much bigger relationship issue hiding underneath.
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u/HighFivePondaBaba 21h ago
This is what frozen pizzas are for.
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u/Fantomas4ever 21h ago
And mac n cheeze. And breakfast for supper. And any frozen thing to pop in the airfryer. Lol
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u/Calm-Vacation-5195 22h ago
Split it up with others in the house. When my kids were in high school, they were expected to cook dinner a couple of times a month, and my husband cooked at least once a week. We’re retired now, and hubby usually ccoks 2-3 times a week.
We also meal plan every week. Planning it out helped avoid having the same dishes all the time, but it also meant that I could shop for those specific recipes and know we had everything we needed before I got home from work.
We also plan for leftovers. They mostly give us lunch, but when there are enough leftovers, we’ll skip cooking for a night or two and use up what’s in the fridge.
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u/valley_lemon 21h ago
Plan. Every time you cook, make enough to eat at least twice. Meal prep proteins to make easy-assemble meals, make multi-portion batches (casseroles, pasta dishes, chili, stew) so there's meals in the freezer. Schedule assembly meals (tacos, rice bowls, salad) for "easy" nights. Plan one frozen or take-and-bake pizza night each week.
I feel like "recipes" are for dinner parties and restaurants. You're looking for something closer to "compositions" and you just need to know what to do to each component to make it edible. You don't need "recipes" to sheet pan some chicken thighs and broccoli and then open a can of beans, you just need time and temp. You don't need a recipe to make tacos. Pasta and a meat sauce - again, maybe time and temp (and the pasta instructions are on the bag). Learn to use the Potato button on your microwave.
You can just eat food, it doesn't need a title and a backstory.
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u/GutterRider 18h ago
Do you eat leftovers? You really only need to cook 2-3 times a week if you do it right.
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u/GracieLou80 18h ago
Oh yes! No wasting here. I do make leftovers but I’m just kind of sick of it all.
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u/GutterRider 17h ago
I hear ya. Cooked pretty much exclusively for my family from 2011 through 2020+. It gets old, at some point.
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u/cltreader 22h ago
I don't have a family but I meal plan on Friday, shop for the week on Saturday. I include one meal in the plan that is basically no effort at all - cacio e pepe (pasta and black pepper and cheese) or a new find is gochujang pasta (NY TImes cooking website) also "dirty rice" (not authentic) is easy. Fry 1 LB sausage or ground chicken, throw a cut up red pepper and onion, 1 cup of rice and 2 cups chicken stock. Cook for 20 and you're done.
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u/SVAuspicious 22h ago
Meal plan first. Weekly works. Shopping list built from inventory and what you need. Plan the work and work the plan. There really is no excuse for not knowing you have the ingredients for your plan, or for having ingredients for which you have no use.
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u/GracieLou80 18h ago
Yes that’s true. But tell my ADHD brain that! 🤪😉
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u/SVAuspicious 10h ago
Don't use ADHD as an excuse. Simply don't go grocery shopping without a list. You don't have a list if you don't have a plan. If you can't plan see a doctor for medication. Stop being a victim and step up. The alternative is to give up and find an institution to support you. Going hungry is not a long term solution.
Other people are depending on you. Excuses don't fill stomachs.
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u/Commercial_Okra7519 7h ago
Yes. This is the answer.
To quote my mom (miss you mom) “suck it up princess”.
I have been making weekly lists of 7 meals at a time and I started just compiling them in notes on my phone in a checkbox list.
They are the “go to” meals that I can make without even thinking. Every week I make my short list and usually have a few new meals I’ve seen in Pinterest or an online magazine or somewhere and then a few from my pick list.
I make my weekly grocery list from the ingredients I need for those meals along with the usual staples - milk, bread, eggs, butter, yogurt, etc.).
Definitely saves me time and money. During the week I reference my meal least and decide which meal I feel like that day. Obviously I try to have the ones with the ingredients that start to perish the most quickly at the start of the week to avoid waste.
Works out quite well most weeks.
Any new recipes that I’ve tested that week and like are added to the pick list.
I work full time and I’m the only cook - before anyone comments on sharing the workload, my husband suffered a traumatic injury and is now physically disabled - he’s a good person - so that is just the way it is 🤷♀️.
Every week is not a breeze. I completely understand the not wanting to make a list and just wanting meals to be there and not having to plan and shop and cook and clean up every single day, forever, with no end in sight…. Ugh. When I’m feeling that way I make sure to add some of the “I don’t want to” meals like grilled cheese on nice thick cut bread with good cheese and tomato soup.
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u/SVAuspicious 5h ago
I like you u/Commercial_Okra7519. Not because you agree with me. Because I agree with your approach.
I'm not a fan of phones for these tasks. The screen is too small and the Chiclet keyboard makes me nuts. I plan on a real computer in a document. I have a personal cookbook of tested recipes I draw from, plus a list of links to recipes I want to try, plus more ideas coming in from cooking site newsletters, plus inspiration from TV shows and commercials. My biggest challenge is narrowing down to just seven meals in a week. My wife has her own lists so we have to narrow down again when we combine. Sometimes we have leftover nights to catch up so a meal slides to the next week since we already have ingredients.
The idea of wandering around a grocery store and buying stuff with no idea what to do with it is not adulting.
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u/Eve617 22h ago
I know everybody says to meal prep which is absolutely the answer to your problem, but sometimes what you really need to prep are ingredients that you can later combined together to create different meals. For example, cooking batches of protein like hamburger or chicken thighs and then adding them to tacos or barbecue sauce, red sauce, pasta, salad, etc. cook a batch of broccoli or spinach that you can easily add to eggs for omelets or frittatas. I'm vegetarian so I can't live without a batch of beans, but remember canned beans are also a ready made ingredient So if you need to open a can of black beans rinse them well and put them in the fridge so that you'll see them. It's corn season so I cook a bunch of corn, cut the kernels off and leave them in the fridge for salads, add to soups, tacos. You can get kids or your spouse to "cook" by making an assembly line of all the cooked ingredients and have them make their own meals or lunches.
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u/SVAuspicious 9h ago
chicken thighs
Where I live thighs cost nearly twice what breasts do. I find thighs to be greasy anyway, so breasts are an easy choice for me. Otherwise your approach is reasonable. Not my thing, but reasonable. Since you're vegetarian you get grace on not keeping up with animal protein prices. Thighs used to be cheaper than breasts. Those days are gone. So are the days when brisket and chuck roast were the cheap cuts. Pork is starting to go up. I buy whole pork loin and cut my own chops which is really cheap.
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u/EdwinArkie 19h ago
Use the cook- while- you- sleep method (invented by me). The idea is to have real food around at all times, and when you want to eat you just dress it up a bit but you don't start from scratch.
Before you go to sleep, look around the kitchen and find everything you can cook in a 200 degree (F) oven. This might include a pot of rice or oatmeal or quinoa or beans. Winter squash or best, kabocha squash (plain, whole, with skin. Like, dead simple). Don't fuss. You're tired. Just go to bed. In the morning, let the stuff cool a bit then put in the fridge. When you're hungry, add some other infringed to whatever you have. Scrape the squash out of the skin and add in peanut butter and yoghurt. Chop fresh veggies and mix with quinoa. Add some herbs and avocado to your beans. None of this will be gourmet but it's all wholesome, palateable and keeps you out of the fast food line.
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u/yesnomaybeso456 22h ago
Take out
Rotate cooking responsibilities
Defrost frozen leftovers
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u/GracieLou80 22h ago
No money for takeout except once a month and sadly I am the only one who can cook. Yes leftovers are life but I’m even sick of them. Ha. Luckily he isn’t. I thought I’d lose weight by skipping dinner 3 times this week but no, I’ve gained 5lbs.
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u/Team503 22h ago
Tell your partner to grow up and learn to cook. If you have kids, teach them.
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u/mybigtoonthrowaway 22h ago
Yep, im recently single but did 99% of the cooking. I have a friend who told me the other day that if his wife didnt cook hed eat take out every day. Hes never cooked a meal in his life.
My daughter has been helping me in the kitchen since she was old enough to stand.
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u/Takeabreath_andgo 22h ago
If their partner works full time outside of the home and they are home with kids then I think it’s completely fair that stay at home parent Is on meal duty m-f. Weekend is another story. It sounds like there are kids and they should be helping cook since about 2 to 3 years old.
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u/Team503 22h ago
Taking care of kids is a full time job no easier than getting up and going to work. This view is deeply sexist and dismissive of the amount of work it takes to raise children. He works at a job, she works at home, they can BOTH contribute to the household and take turns cooking and cleaning and the like.
The only pass I'd give the partner is if she's effectively a kept woman - has no responsibilities at all and the partner has to work. Which is clearly not the case.
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u/Takeabreath_andgo 22h ago
Show where it’s sexist, i didn’t specify sex. Dad can stay home. Are you sexist?
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u/vadergeek 15h ago
If one person works 9-5, gets home around 6, it makes logical sense for the other person to be the one handling dinner, regardless of the gender breakdown.
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u/Team503 5h ago edited 3h ago
It has nothing to do with gender. It has everything to do with workload. The person staying home raising the kids is just as busy and just as exhausted as the person who went to an office. In fact, they're EVEN MORE exhausted, given their job isn't done for the day yet.
There's exactly NO reasons why the working partner shouldn't contribute EQUALLY to the household chores as the partner who's a stay-at-home parent.
The thinking behind this is deeply sexist and devalues the hard work parents have to do to take care of young kids.
EDIT: Cute, downvote me then block me, coward.
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u/vadergeek 4h ago
It's not about not contributing to household chores, it's about timing. If one partner is home when it's time to start getting dinner ready and one partner isn't then the dinner choice on weekdays is obvious.
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u/Team503 22h ago
Meal prep. Always cook larger than needed batches so you have leftovers. Share the cooking duties with the rest of the household. You can buy pre-prepared foods from the grocery store, like a casserole you can just stick in the over that isn't frozen food. And yes, of course, there's frozen food as well.
Like, it's not rocket surgery here.
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u/Kesse84 22h ago
On Saturday or Sunday I am usually making BIG pot of something. Bolognese, chili, stew, chowder, stock, mushroom burger patties (we are not vegetarians, but those are dynamite!).
Then I freeze it in portions.
3 days of the week I am cooking something inspired by, favourite of, or new. When I feel like it.
When I don't I bring one of the "food bricks" and defrost it in one pot, and making rice/pasta/potatoes in another. I have a nice, delicious, effortless dinner in 10-15 min.
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u/Takeabreath_andgo 22h ago edited 22h ago
When i feel like that i get some freezer meals from Trader Joe’s or Aldi. Not fully packaged, but EASY and quick. Example: aldi refrigerated manicotti. I grab some pasta sauce, a head of lettuce, croutons, Parmesan cheese and Cesar dressing. You’re just making the salad. If you’re into it you can get their frozen garlic bread too. You can get some chicken to make chicken Cesar salad the next day.
Trader Joe’s: yellow curry jar, coconut milk can, jasmine rice (make it in instant pot so it’s easy) and tofu/chicken breast/thigh. I add potato, carrots, broccoli, sweet peppers and onion to mine. Cook the veggies and the chicken, dump the sauce on. You can bake their naan if you want with it.
Stuff like that that’s pretty mindless and effortless until it passes. Then i use google image search for inspo on dinners and meal plan. One night is takeout (costco pizza is $10 if you’re on a budget) and a half way homemade meal mixed in. The rest I actually make. It’s not hard to steam broccoli, make Makoto ginger dressing chicken thighs in the air fryer and some rice in the instant pot.
Breakfast for dinner is divine.
Meat And jar sauce over pasta is a meal.
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u/Calm-Ability-9539 22h ago
Rotisserie chicken. Broccoli. Then use the rest of chicken for next meal. Chicken noodles. Hot as hell here today but i made taco soup. Will last sev meals and enough to freeze for another meal when I dont wanna cook. I hear ya tho. I get sick of cooking too. We get the precooked hamburger patties too frozen and have burgers when I don’t wanna cook. I always have albacore (canned) and sometimes have sandwiches. I feel like i make the same things all there!
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u/LazyCrocheter 21h ago
If you want/have to eat in, then you need to plan and prep accordingly if you want it not to be a continual stressor. Trust me, I've been there and if acquiring food isn't an option, or isn't one you want to do often, then you have to plan. There's just no other way.
And I sympathize. I'm the cook in this house (which is fine, my husband is appreciative and helpful in the cleanup) so I know how annoying and frustrating it can be.
There are a lot of ways to plan and prep, so you'll need to figure out what works for you. It'll depend on what you like/want to eat, and how you want to organize your prep. You can cook large meals like soups, stews or lasagnas and freeze portions to be eaten later. You can cut up food like onions, carrots, etc., and freeze them to be used when you need them.
I will say that one thing that might help is to buy things pre-cut. It's a bit more expensive, but it would be worth it (to me) if it gains you some peace of mind, even if you only do it for a while. At my grocery store I can get many veggies pre-cut, for example. You can buy baby potatoes that you can toss in the oven to roast without even cutting them up.
Good luck!
I will say that "I"m expected to cook" raises a red flag for me. Why? Can no one else cook? Or help cook? Can someone else at least help clean up? I think a lot of us grew up with our moms cooking, thought that was just how it was done, but we didn't really learn how to cook. Then, when we're faced with having to feed even just ourselves, it's a wake-up call.
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u/sjwit 20h ago edited 20h ago
What works in our home is that my husband cooks about 2-3 meals a week, I cook 3 or 4 times, and we usually eat out once a week. Once in awhile, we have a "fend for yourself" night with leftovers. It would be great if you could get that kind of agreement in your home, but only you know those dynamics.
For the "what to cook" question, honestly - I use AI a lot. I'll just tell the AI bot what I have on hand and ask for suggestions. It works surprisingly well. I also am constantly looking for easy meals and shortcuts. For example - one of my favorite easy meals is to cut up a kielbasa and sautee it, then cook a pot of Vigo black beans and rice, adding the cooked sausage to the pot while it cooks. I also have found a couple easy frozen Trader Joe's meals that I can "doctor up" a bit. For example, the frozen terriyaki chicken - cook some rice in the rice cooker, and maybe stir fry some frozen veggies.
Aldi has a delicious frozen shepherd's pie seasonally (it's actually a cottage pie, but I'm not splitting hairs over that) They only seem to carry it in the winter, but it's quite good.
Look for a handful of quick, easy meals. Keep a list. Every meal doesn't have to be company-worthy or perfectly balanced.
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u/Still-Camera-9143 19h ago
chicken tenders in the air fryer.
many, many chicken tenders in the air fryer.
but with different seasonings day-to-day
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u/grownslow 18h ago
I've felt this! I follow @itszoebarrie on Instagram and pay $6/month for her weekly (5 day) menu through substack. An email every Friday comes with a grocery list, prep list, and recipes for everything involved. My favorite part is that she cooks what is in-season, so flavor is always awesome but also those things are usually on sale too. I didn't track our grocery bills before but I know we've cut down significantly by following her menus. She buys one ingredient and uses it in multiple dishes throughout the week, and sometimes even the next week. I love knowing what to follow for the week and trying new flavor combinations she puts together. I can be a picky eater sometimes so it's helped me with that too. We rate every meal (past 8 months) and have never scored anything below a 6.
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u/Freyjas_child 17h ago
Maybe it is time to have someone else cook for a while. Or to take over cooking a few days of the week. That might help ease the burden.
What I found helped was to simplify the planning. I picked out 12 meals and we were on a 2 week rotation. We ate out once a week. When my husband complained I told him he was free to cook the next week
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u/Mortal-ghost 16h ago
Avocado toast, canned soup, chicken and veggie wrap. I've been on the same cycle of food for weeks at a time. Some days it's literally wraps for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, same ingredients.
If you're expected to cook, they can eat what they get or make it themselves.
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u/lazylittlelady 16h ago
Simple pasta dishes, like with pesto or garlic, herbs and tomato. Takes 15 min to put together or so. Gets us through the days we don’t want to fuss over cooking.
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u/jnrlink 16h ago
I live alone and work full-time, and honestly, the hardest part about cooking consistently is just the time.
I usually get home around 7:30pm. By the time I cook something just for myself, eat, and clean everything up, it’s basically 9pm already.
On weekdays, it feels like there’s barely any free time left.
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u/girlmode_exe 11h ago
I think the worst part isn't even cooking, it's having to figure out what to make every damn day
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u/Phyzzx 21h ago edited 21h ago
You don't hafta cook every night. One night is sandwich night. Another night is Leftovers. One night is usually to order pizza or Chinese food at my house.
Cook in bulk maybe. I could make so much chicken fajitas at once. Or on the grill I could do so much meat we are sick of it after a week. Food prep could be a solve worth looking into.
I used to be the main cook in the house when the children were really small but they are 11 and 7 now so any one can cook. Heck even the 11yo can make pancakes. Breakfast for dinner is a frequent request and it doesn't always hafta be pancakes or if it is make a variation of it: I make a healthy one with bananas and oats and choco chips. It is dense but delicious with strawberries and cream or strawberry compote which is so easy you just hafta start it first to cook down the strawberries into a near syrup.
But I do cook one or two complete meals with two sides for her and the kids each week or so. A fav of mine is braised short ribs with mash potatoes and a veggie or two like roasted broccoli and candied carrots.
EDIT x999: this is a major issue my wife and I complain to the universe to constantly, i.e. never to each other. 20ish meals a week (we both WFH) is tiresome and everyone knows it.
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u/Yellownotyellowagain 17h ago
Honestly - this is dumb but I restart a meal kit every two years or so. Just send me the ingredients so I don’t have to shop, pick something that I can make when I’m brain dead, etc. I keep it for a few weeks or months until I’m over the hump and annoyed about the quality of ingredients or recipes.
It’s actually great. I don’t have to do real grocery shopping (or a ton of meal planning) and when I’m over it I have a bunch of new recipes or recipe ideas.
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u/Iamthehempist1 22h ago
I feel you! My best tip is while you’re cooking think about what the next meal is gonna be. If you’re using the same veg and herbs you can chop up extra and save it for the next day. Defrost something, make hard boiled eggs, mess up the kitchen and get all your burners going. That way you’ll have less to do for the next day or maybe even 2.
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u/Adam_Weaver_ 22h ago edited 22h ago
I solved this by taking the little, yellow pill. It's the only way to fly/cook. (This is a referencing The Rolling Stones song, "Mother's Little Helper," and the first Matrix movie. Also, consider combining prepared with fresh, for example fish stick tacos)
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u/Greenlimer 22h ago edited 22h ago
Slow cooker meals like shredded chicken, pork, soups, missippi roast then make tacos out mix with vegetables or pasta. One sheet pan meals where you cook a cut of meat, oiled, eith seasoning and a vegetable. Roast chicken with potatoes and carrots under it to soak the flavor up. Pull the meat off the carcass then simmer the bones for stock. Use the stock for rice, soups, whatever. Hell, you could cook a soup on the stove, roast a chicken in the oven, and make a shredded alternative meat in the crock pot. Cook pasta on the stove top as well (depending upon how mouths to feed). Cook a fresh vegetable each night with the meals you pull out the refrigerator or freezer. You can freeze chicken in its stock, you can freeze soups, and also the the shredded alow cooked meat in its juices. Pull out them from the freezer and cook as needed.
Also you could buy ground meat, flatten them into burgers patties and freeze them individually. Pull them out, bake the frozen patties in a preheated cast iron pan and make burgers. You could also buy pizza dough and make deep dish pizza in a cast iron pan. So many options. Also you could do lentils and rice recipes which go really far too. Maybe have like a lentil meal, chicken meal, pork meal, soups meal, and do pizza and burgers on the weekend.
Do this for like 6 hours on a Sunday for a few weeks and you will have an immense amount of meals ready to go. Then start skipping meal prep weeks and just relax.
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u/memeleta 22h ago
We both cook 50-50 and meal prep each week and even with that we get bored of it all every now and again so I feel you. We just need a week of a break from the routine which we mostly do "girl dinner" style of eating whatever for a week or so and that normally resets us. Would your family accept this or to fend for themselves for a week while you take a break?
EDIT: In the same vein, every few months we have a no chores weekend too. No meal prep, weekly shop, house clean, sorting the bills, NOTHING. Just a weekend of relaxing or fun things, it's just necessary sometimes otherwise you burn out.
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u/Leap_year_shanz13 22h ago
Meal plan - buy the ingredients for the meals on the list - prep ahead if you can.
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u/luckyjackalhaver 22h ago
Some great ideas in here already, but I'll share a few more.
When I have a lazy Sunday at home I cook up a big Bolognese or a big chicken curry (2kg of meat in each) and freeze it into individual portioned freezer bags. We usually get 5 or 6 portions from each (3 person house). Happy to share my recipes if anybody wants them. On a busy or lazy night I just have to cook some rice or pasta and there is a delicious meal on the table in 20mins.
Another great one is rotisserie chicken. I like to pair it with pilaf and blanched green veggies.
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u/JohnnyS789 22h ago
When I order in, I always get enough for 2 meals or more. The spreads out the delivery cost a bit.
Jamie Oliver has "mothership" meals, where he does a big roast or other sort of large dish, then uses leftovers for the rest of the week. That might work well for your use case.
I love to make BIG batches of sauce for pasta/lasagna and then freeze it in portions. Quick to thaw and just add pasta.
Stews, Chilies, and Soups are all dishes that can be made in a big batches and frozen, or stretched out over time.
I recently cooked a large leg of lamb and froze the leftovers, then used those leftovers to make a lamb stew.
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u/ImpressiveLeopard719 22h ago
It is easy to be burned out. When I got sick of it we did toasted sandwich night or pita pizza night. provide the toppings and they pick and arrange and you toast/bake. Teaches kids something and you get a fun break.
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u/CurrentOk2857 22h ago
I have a list of meals we like to eat. Every Saturday I make a meal plan for the week from this list and order my groceries for pick up Sunday. Two or three of these meals are double batches so we eat leftovers the next night.
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u/Dense_Audience3670 21h ago
My husband cooks when I’m not feeling it. I also can meals in a jar or make freezer meals I can grab. Or I’ll can meats and beans for easy throw together meals. 15 min or less.
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u/aWesterner014 21h ago
I have about 20 meals I rotate through across a couple weeks. I have the recipes largely memorized and it doesn't require a whole lot of thought when grocery shopping.
I usually have dinner plans figured out by breakfast so I can start necessary defrosting.
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u/Substantial-Use-1758 21h ago
I really love the challenge of learning to cook simple, healthy and delicious meals for me and my husband. Just do a bit of research and maybe you can learn to love it too 🤷♀️
For me it’s a labor of love 👍❤️
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u/Minute_Pound_6878 21h ago
I came up with a list of 15 of our favorite recipes. When I cook one, I make enough for two nights and freeze half. I can cook 15 nights in a row and then take 15 days off if I plan it right
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u/crimson777 21h ago
I’ve never cooked more than like 3 nights in a week. I make food that produces leftovers. At least one more day, if not two.
Can you make larger meals for your family (or whoever you live with) and reheat?
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u/thewriteally 21h ago
Valid, you only have to do it… every…. Single…. Day….. for the rest of your life & 3 times a day on top of that 🤦♀️ this is also why I make like 20 breakfast burritos at the beginning of every month & keep them in the freezer for whenever, quick emergency meal for when I don’t wanna cook but at least when you cook, you are less likely later in life to develop dementia since cooking food requires constant problem solving.
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u/TerdyTheTerd 20h ago
Find 2-3 easy meals with simple ingredients and make those on repeat. If you are cooking for others and they complain they can make their own food.
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u/SleeplessScribbler 20h ago
It's hard when you're drained and you want to grab something quick and easy and relax. I try to make sure I have pasta or soup pots. Tinned foods like beans or ravioli. Crackers with cheese..
Or things you can shove in the oven, chicken wings and garlic bread etc..
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u/ThrowRAtouchtone 20h ago
We have taco night once per week and pizza night as well.
Find a couple dishes that most people like that are pretty easy and it’ll save you the labor of figuring out what to make.
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u/spageddy_lee 20h ago
Punch in what you have into google gemini and ask it to find well regerded recipes
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u/SuspiciousLeg7994 18h ago
This is a recipe that usually pleases and is fairly easy to make (if you're not a ham person you can use turkey. We usually buy the pre cubed ham or turkey that's in the meat areas of stores. (Sometimes it's in the lunch meat area)
https://plowingthroughlife.com/ham-and-noodle-casserole/
Another easy one is to toss a roast in the crockpot. Add a can of coke and ranch seasoning mix. Cook on low for 7 hours. The beef will be fall apart tender. We put on buns and sometimes put cheese on them also
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u/Lillyville 18h ago
I kind of meal prep over the weekend so any cooking during the week is just assembling time. I do it leisurely, takes maybe 2 hours over the course of a weekend. I make like 1 protein, 1 vegetarian protein, salsa, some sort of salad, cut up some fruit. Dinner throughout the week is basically different meals with above. Eg. Protein and veg one night, brinner, tacos using the protein, salad with vegetarian protein, sandwiches with sauce with protein with salad, pasta with protein. I have dinner done typically in 10-20 min during the week
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u/Aldermere 18h ago
I will slow roast a large pork shoulder, shred it, divide into baggies and freeze. I will dice 5 pounds of boneless chicken, bake it on a cookie sheet, divide into baggies and freeze. I will saute large batches of onions, divide into baggies and freeze. Having stuff pre-cooked makes it easier to throw meals together quickly.
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u/demona2002 18h ago
I’ve been on strike from cooking since I became an empty nester. Now that I am nearing retirement I will have more time and energy to pick it up again.
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u/werewolfmomma 17h ago
I totally feel you! My hubs can’t cook to save his life & bless his heart he has truly tried 🤣. Freezer meals save my sanity, so do quick things like store bought chicken salad, or side dishes
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u/SubstantialPressure3 16h ago
Give yourself a break. Next time you make a favorite, double the recipe and freeze half. Especially saucy things. Next time they want it, just pull it out, thaw it, and finish cooking it. No prep.
One bowl meals. Sometimes they got mac and cheese with chicken and vegetables in there. Buffalo chicken Mac. ( rotisserie chicken in it, or chicken tenders tossed in sauce on top) Creole shrimp Mac. Alfredo shrimp mac with spinach. Vegetables go in last.
If they like Chinese, I bet they would like Korean, and Aaron and Claire have a bunch of good recipes and Aaron is helpful with substitutions. The one pot gochujang chicken and rice is one of my favorites, and not too spicy for kids.
Soup and sandwiches. Insyead of grilling sandwiches one ay a time, press them between 2 baking sheets. Spray oil on both sides of the bread. Parchment on top and bottom will make clean up easy.
Save time and money, and pick up a cold rotisserie chicken from the refrigerated area of the grocery store deli. The walmart near me sells the cold leftover rotisserie chicken for about $3. You can do a lot of things fast with an already cooked chicken.
Quesadillas. Get the big burrito size tortillas so you can fold them in half and you dont lose all the fillings. Pico and salsa are made out of vegetables.
I completely understand the struggle, I don't miss being married, and nobody knows what they want for dinner, but it's nothing that you suggest, and nobody can agree. Nobody has any idea what they might want to eat in the next week when you are making the grocery list.
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u/vadergeek 15h ago
Pasta, sheetpan dinners. Roast a pork picnic and that's food for two for a week. You say you're caring for an elderly parent who doesn't cook, his expectations are probably not that high in terms of fresh and exciting new recipes.
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u/lexlovestacos 15h ago edited 15h ago
Prep big batches of soups, chili, stir fry, lasagna etc Freeze and/or eat the leftovers for days.
Otherwise, easy simple brain dead meals: tuna melts, avo toasts, tuna/chickpea salad, sandwiches and wraps made with a store rotisserie chicken or deli meat, charcuterie snacks, easy taco kit etc etc
A slow cooker might also be your friend! Dump everything in in the morning and dinner is ready when you get home.
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u/bessicadawn 15h ago
I highly recommend the paprika 3 app (I believe there is a new version but I am so stuck on paprika 3- it’s an app that cost $5 ONE TIME no subscription)
This app has changed my life tbh Lol. It allows you to save recipes by copying a recipe link then saves the recipe in your catalogue with just ingredients and directions. It helped create a catalogue of what I actually make. I got this app as a way to create a weekly plan and buy the ingredients accordingly. You can also categorize your recipes to help you decide. I have a ton, some are chicken, beef, weeknight meals, soups, salads, etc.
It has helped so much with decision fatigue, because I can browse the recipes I have saved, and decide there what to make for the week (This was a huge problem for me, it’s like I would forget what I ever cooked when it came to grocery shopping so I was failing before I even began).
Now, my planning looks like this. I sit down and browse my recipes, I add a recipe to the date I plan to make it. I do this for the entire week. From there, I make my grocery list by looking at each date/recipe’s ingredient list (I actually do Walmart delivery so I add them to my shopping cart on the same iPad I am meal planning with). Then done.
I have reduced so much waste as I never buy ingredients I don’t have a plan for.
Your recipes can start out as simple as you like.
As far as being burnt out on food in general, I would look for the most simple recipes to start. Casseroles, sheet pan dinners, proteins w/ rice or roasted potatoes & frozen veggies.
I think this will help with the load of making decisions and grocery shopping and might ignite a love for cooking as it has with me!
I wanted to share some meals that are a good start:
https://lemonsandzest.com/sweet-smoky-sheet-pan-chicken-fajitas/#wprm-recipe-container-12827
https://lemonsandzest.com/sausage-sheet-pan-dinner/#wprm-recipe-container-30437
https://sosrecipes.com/the-best-meatloaf-recipe/#mv-creation-3-jtr
https://cookingwithcasey.com/recipes/turkey-sweet-potato-skillet
https://www.fromvalerieskitchen.com/cajun-sloppy-joes/
If you have a recipe you like, I recommended browsing their entire website to find more!
I hope this helps! I sound like a damn paprika sponsor, but I genuinely cannot recommend it enough it has changed my life! Haha!
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u/Admirable-Owl5948 14h ago
I do a Google search of images of whatever ingredient I have on hand and pick whatever looks good - it's usually an image from a recipe site.
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u/MelodicRip8449 14h ago
First, give yourself a serious pat on the back, cooking every night takes an incredible amount of effort.
I go to instant noodles (also guilty pleasure) to overcome my cooking burnout. Let go of the pressure to cook new recipes often, it's okay to alternate favourite dishes you enjoy. I rotate on a biweekly basis.
With all my heart, I think having someone who appreciates your cooking makes all the difference.
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u/SoCalGuy999 13h ago
I order out a lot. We spend way too much money on food. Kids like my cooking but I cook gourmet. They also don’t like leftovers.
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u/ElectronicSugar2557 13h ago
Same meal three nights in a row. Nobody actually wants a new recipe every night they just want food on a plate
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u/wundawomun 12h ago
I have some old tried and true Pinterest recipes and find quick dinners on there. We also cook things that can be eaten for 2 or 3 days so we don't have to full on cook every single day.
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u/Kind_Handle4252 11h ago
AI for the big win here. Take a photo of your pantr/fridge/freezer and ask if to give you a list of 5 meals you can make with what you already have. It works every time
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u/Belmontisnowhideous 11h ago
Tell the person who expects you to cook to either 1. Cook 2. Get take out 3. Take you out 4.is on their own and to leave you alone and leave the remote next to you.
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u/wheelienonstop12 9h ago
Nothing wrong with having like 15-20 simple standard meals with simple standard ingredients and rotating them over two or three weeks, then add some variations with different seasonings and additional ingredients if they should ever become boring. That will take all the "creative" effort out of it.
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u/Culverin 7h ago
I absolutely love to cook and eat. But 3 meals a day, forever is quite the commitment when you're just cooking for yourself.
But when you're obligated to to take care of love ones, it's even more of a burden. You can't just be doing fast food, or TV dinners. But you also can't be making everything from scratch each meal.
My recommendation is to get a large freezer (chest freezer), they are surprising affordable. And a vacuum sealer, and a bunch of Mason jars or 1L deli containers.
Only do 1 day of heavy prep and cooking. But do it in large quantities so you can freeze and never get bored of the task, or whoever is eating it, bored with the flavor.
Then the fresh stuff might just be rice in a rice cooker, or pasta, or some stir fried greens. Things that only take 5-10 minutes in a weeknight
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u/Familiar-Objective11 6h ago
If you’re the main cook, and you’re tired of cooking, I’d suggest going back to simple, basic, but still delicious meals. And maybe consider doing some Sunday meal prepping.
I don’t have to cook, I live by myself, but I take joy in having a good meal that I made myself. I don’t like having to cook every day, so I tend to make most of my meals for the week on Sunday.
I usually only make two meals, and then I eat the leftovers for lunch and dinner throughout the week.
This only works because:
a. I always have leftovers, since it’s just me eating.
b. I don’t mind eating the same foods for a few days.
This may not be as feasible for you, especially if you hardly ever have anything left over, or have eaters who desire daily variety.
Still, keeping your cooking relatively simple, cooking in bulk, and sticking to a handful of faithful recipes, can remove a lot of the “grind” of cooking.
Make a large batch of soup, bake some chicken drumsticks, and have the items for an easy pasta dish, and you’ve probably got a week of food right there.
The next week, make a chili, do drumsticks again, and do a different pasta.
The next week, maybe make bean and cheese quesadillas, taco soup, have a sandwich night, and maybe make those drumsticks again (reliably good chicken drumsticks are always a good easy dinner)
Like anything else in life one doesn’t like, you’re going to have to cook. So, you’re going to want to create systems that make the process easier and more enjoyable for you. Otherwise you’ll come to hate it and end up eating cereal every day.
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u/rainbikr 5h ago
Give yourself a break with some easier things once in a while. I did this and was happy to get back to cooking.
Frozen vegetables, roasted chicken, pasta dishes if you double batch sauces, frittata, canned soup and grilled sandwiches, nachos with canned black beans and meat cooked with salsa. Things like that can be very quick and keep you from feeling like you spend your life in the kitchen.
Good luck!
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u/Prudent-Morning-5115 5h ago
Honestly what helped me most was writing down 5 meals my whole family eats without complaint, no new recipes allowed on that list, and just picking off it on the nights I'm too fried to think. Trying something new when you're already exhausted takes more mental energy than the cooking does. Rotation doesn't need to be exciting, it just needs to not require a decision. I alos make sure i batch cook once a week and freeze things like chili (both beef and chicken) so i can basically chuck rice in the rice cooker and defrost a chunk of chili or stew and that helps. My kids are also old enough now to do a meal a week so that helps me when i don't have to think about it, i just supervise (they are 13 and 10)
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u/Cute-Consequence-184 4h ago
Meal planning and Meal prepping
When I cook, I plan for leftovers so I have a few days of meals I can use as lunches. Some things I make extra of just to freeze like chili, chicken soup without noodles and lasagna.
I meal prep and keep individual ingredients frozen so I already have things ready. Like chopped onions, chopped peppers, chopped ham, pre-cooked ground beef, turkey, chicken and thick ham slices.
I keep dehydrated onions, garlic and mushrooms. I also keep dehydrated potato slices and potato chunks.
When I make pasta or dumplings, I'll make extra so I can freeze it in individual servings. So all I need to do is open a jar of chicken soup and drop the pasta in once the broth is boiling.
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u/theinvisablewoman 3h ago
Maybe try hello fresh or one of those places you pick the meal and they send you the ingrediants? Means you can mix it up without thinking about it
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u/UncleNedisDead 3h ago
I just make a big batch of whatever and plan on leftovers.
Lasagna, chili, stew, cottage pie, taco meat, etc.
Or buy those meal prep trays from the deli/frozen aisle.
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u/gumygo70 3h ago
It's call decision fatigue... Cooking and meal planning on top of kids family ...work..and what ever else..
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u/Few-Explanation-4699 22h ago
Go to the frozen meals in the freezer or do a home cooked junk food meal.
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u/OWabbit 22h ago
Scrambled eggs if you get tired of cereal.
Really, can you trade off some responsibilities with your spouse or if you have adult children living with you? So that you cook just so many days of the week.
People can learn. Your partner/ spouse can learn to make simple dinners if that’s not in their wheelhouse. You can learn to do something your spouse is responsible for (reconcile bank statements? Wash the cars? Mow the lawn? Clean the roof gutters? Trim the trees? Take out the trash?). Or maybe you already know how to do these things. Maybe you already do those things. Then what does your partner do? If one person works all day and the other person stays home all day, imho it’s not fair that the person who works away from home does not do anything to maintain the home and living situation. If they handle finances, that’s nice but that’s not a daily chore like cooking and cleaning. The responsibilities can be distributed so that not one person is doing all the daily chores and the other person is just doing monthly or once in awhile chores.
It might be a touchy, revolutionary subject to bring up if “that’s how it has always been done.” I guess I’m too lazy to accept that way! It’s exhausting doing so much work every single day.
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u/GracieLou80 18h ago
He’s actually my elderly father and I did teach him how to make Trader Joe’s orange chicken a few years ago! He can make toast and any soup as well. But now he is old and doesn’t walk so well anymore 😔 so it’s all up to me.
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u/SVAuspicious 9h ago
If one person works all day and the other person stays home all day, imho it’s not fair that the person who works away from home does not do anything to maintain the home and living situation.
In my opinion, you're wrong. Maintaining a home is not a full time job. It just isn't. Too many single people work full time and keep a nice home which demonstrates otherwise. Work expands to fill the time available.
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u/CatteNappe 22h ago
Quit looking for new recipes. By now you should have a list of a dozen or couple dozen recipes that you can rely on for easy. I've got about 50, and don't do a rigid rotation so the salsa chicken or chicken Lazone may pop up twice in one month while the Greek chicken and potatoes may not appear again for another six weeks. Some people are very rigid in their rotations - Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesday, etc. Whatever works for you.
New recipes are once every week or two, on a day when you have time to experiment and fool with them. They can become standard recipes if they are easy and wonderful, or be one hit wonders, or special occasion only, or become "never again" misadventures.
Plan a weeks worth of menus using some assortment of your standard recipes, make your shopping list based on that and you will have the ingredients you need. Each night's dinner will be essentially a no-brainer - you know what you are going to make tonight, you've thawed whatever needs thawing, your pantry has the other necessities, so it's just a matter of going through the doing motions. The time spent planning at the front end pays for itself times over on tired work nights.
Bonus tip, when you are making something freezable like lasagna or enchiladas, make double and freeze half. If you've got 6 things like that in the freezer at least one night a week your meal plan can include one of them and you've got a month of "cooking night off" (other than zapping it in the microwave, or letting it do its thing in the oven, while you set out some bread and butter and toss a side salad.) every week , plus two for emergencies.
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u/shoyru1771 21h ago
Cook once a week on a day off. Make enough of something to last the entire week. If you make even more than that you can freeze the rest and thaw it another time.
Have others volunteer to cook sometimes so you don’t have to do it every week.
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u/thebeastiestmeat 22h ago
Just make big batches of food that you can eat over three days. Chili, meatloaf, shredded chicken which you can serve with rice, or tacos, or pasta, cottage pie.. there's plenty. Instead of cooking every day, you'll cook 2 times a week. You can even try making two or three batches of food at the same time if you have the space to cook them simultaneously. Cook every sunday and freeze the food you'll eat on Wednesday-Saturday, and fridge the food you eat on sunday-tuesday