I don’t want to make meals, particularly dinner!
There are 4 of us in our home - my husband who works Mon-Fri and is gone for 12 hours a day, myself (I work 3 days a week) and 2 teenagers in high school.
I do a majority of the house chores, my husband does help a lot and I’m very lucky. The problem is that I just don’t want to cook dinner anymore. I absolutely despise having to do it. I’ve been a parent for 26 years this year and I’m sick of cooking. I used to like it but having to be the person who is always responsible for meals has worn me down to a proper hatred for the kitchen. There is no point asking the teenagers because they just won’t cook. They’d rather starve!
The problem is that I’m a bit old school and believe that dinner should be on the table when the husband gets home. I just don’t want it to be me! Lol. I’ll do anything else - ANYTHING!
I have no access to Uber eats or any sort of food delivery as I live rural. I’ve tried Hello Fresh but found it to be very time consuming and the quality has gone downhill.
My question is I guess, should I stop whinging and just suck it up and cook, or do I chuck in the apron. I mean, if you don’t want to to something, you shouldn’t be forced right?!?!
12 Replies
I would do one day of cooking. Get it over and done for, for the week. Freeze things like lasagne, spaghetti, slow cooked meals etc.
I loathe cooking too and I work 6 days a week so I always make simple shit. I buy pre made Salads and things like stir-fry, chicken kieve or anything I can chuck in the oven for dinner. If the kids don't like it, let them starve or make themselves tea. They are old enough to stand on their own two feet
You're looking for things that have little to no prep and theres plenty of things out there. Go for things that have had all the hard work done for you all you have to do is put it in the oven or fry it for a few minutes. The butcher usually has meals that are just ready to put in the oven or fry so do some IGA's in their fresh food section. Other things I get for a quick meal is chicken kievs/steak/sausages/chops, bag of chips and a bag of pre mixed salad, no prep at all its just whack in the oven and serve, easy. There are lots of meals that are easy that really need no effort at all but still class as a home cooked meal. Get everyone to take turns cooking, if the kids want to get a bit more creative and cook from scratch let them go for it just give them a budget.
choose a cooking day once a week, cook in bulk lasagna, Shepard's pie, curry, etc, then freeze in individual portion alfoil containers so they can be put in the oven and throw away the foil containers at the end. all that's got to be washed is the cutlery and your scmicko. Could even do it once a month. im with you on this, sometimes for weeks on end i just hate cooking. i also live regional and i just want everyone to fend for themselves lol
or see if you can buy meals in bulk from a meal making service in your nearest town. they'll cook, pack it and get it ready for your drive home to the freezer.
Get on Pinterest and look for easy meal ideas that can be made in bulk and frozen!
Give teenagers one night each, make it their job, no choice. You take 2 nights, one night fend for yourself (cheapo dinner) one takeaway, one night family roast/curry. If you feel it’s your job to put a meal on the table then bulk and freeze meals like spag bol and lasagne. If you can get over that, change things. I’m sure he can fend for himself if you’re not cooking that night. Knocking up bacon and eggs is always quick, easy and filling after work.
I loathe cooking too. I bulk cook using pre prepared ingredients like minced garlic, dried spices, frozen chopped onion & frozen diced veg.
E.g. A Bolognese takes about 30 min using these ingredients plus passsata & mince. Use premade noodles that need soaking in hot water instead of cooking spaghetti.
Sheperds pie, cooked with mince, gravy powder, slices & veg & frozen mash are quick & just chuck in the oven. I make enough for 3 & freeze two.
Stir fry packets with bags of fresh stir fry veg are easy. Also I use a lot of premade items like sausages, chicken skewers, quiche & serve with a bag of pre made salad, frozen or pre chopped fresh veg, steamed in microwave steam container. Frozen mash is very good - I add butter & powdered spices to change it up. The fresh pizzas from Coles/woolies & garlic bread are good too.
Also slow cooker is great - bulk premake into dump bags (takes a few min) & freeze. Thaw & then dump in cooker.
I also often cook meals to last two nights.
Really I just find quick recipes with few ingredients, alter to make less work & freeze what I can.
I know there's an outlay but bear with me.
Have you considered a thermomix? Know anyone with one?
Yes they can be a bit cultish with some users and I'd never really looked into it thinking it was just another gadget, but it's seriously handy.
I'm regional, before I got mine I didn't know anyone else with one. See if there's a consultant in your area to show you what it does.
This is me and lucky for me we have Uber eats where we live now. Unlucky for my waist line though 😂 I’m so over cooking!
I Sympathise with you - I despise cooking too
Croc pot or slow cooker everything in the morning. By dinner time it would have cooked itself . Get the kids to help load the croc pot in the morning. It's quick, simple and ready in 8 hours.
You tell the teenagers that they are part of the family, and as part of the family they need to start cooking dinner for the family one night a week each. If they refuse to cook then you refuse to do anything for them, no cooking, no washing, no nothing. Including no wifi, no data or SIM card for their phones, they can get a job to pay it all themselves. Also charge them rent and utilities. On the other days use a slow cooker. Put it on in the morning and will be ready for dinner time.
I hate cooking too. If I really don't want to, everyone eats cerial.