I’m sick to death of it.

I was taught to cook by my Gran, my Mum was ill for several years after my younger brother was born so Gran ran the house until she was well enough to take over. We (my older sister and me) were expected to help with the meal preparation and basic cooking from being quite young. I continued to cook for myself and my parents/siblings through being a teenager until I got married aged nineteen. Then it was for me and DH, then DS and DD. I was widowed before DD left home then, through no fault of DD's she became a single parent with three children so I started cooking for five. I do the packed lunches too - sometimes I just open the fridge and stare at the contents trying to think of something different to cook or pack in their lunches!! I am a good cook (fortunately) but that does work against me when we eat out - my DD and GC all say 'that was okay but not as good as you do' so we tend to eat out only rarely!

I live alone and am not in good health, I was living on sandwiches and snacks & occasionally something like egg and chips. I tried the frozen meal deliveries and used them for several months but really didn't like them. Went back to sandwiches, egg on toast etc. Then looking out of my window I saw a meal delivery service going to the building opposite me, I took down the details from the delivery van and checked it out online. I am so glad I did. It is a local (ish) (Sussex) company and they deliver meals daily, 365 days a year. None is frozen, you can choose between hot or chilled, I opt for the latter as I tend to eat early evening, the meal is delivered on a china plate and they are really nice. I don't have to do a large grocery shop any more, just things like bread, butter, cheese, eggs etc for lunch/snacks.. All I have to do is microwave for 3 mins and then eat and wash a plate ready to be collected next day. Before you order anything from this company they send someone to 'interview' you to find out your likes and dislikes. Can't tell you what a difference it has made. I am now eating substantial balanced meals, containing veg etc, I don't often order deserts , they even deliver on Christmas Day. So glad I found this company.

Loathe, loathe cooking. It spoils my day. Waste of my life but I like to eat healthy food and not processed so there’s no answer to it.

So encouraging to read the messages. The main reason (if not declared out loud) that I put DH and self on the 16:8 regime was to cut at least breakfast from the tedium of 'three nutritious meals a day since 1971'. Just lunch and dinner...oh dear.

My problem is very similar NanKate except that I’m only cooking for myself now and it’s such a waste of saucepans to make a “proper” meal for myself.

grannyqueenie - love that!!

When my ex-husband left me 20 years ago, I was broken- hearted. One of the first things to bring a smile to my lips during that hard time was the thought that I no longer had to come up with an interesting meal every night. My sons were easy to prep for and now, as a retiree, I most often will grab some pistachios and a banana or throw an Amy's frozen dinner into the microwave. Now and then I will just throw all caution to the wind and eat half a bag of Kettle chips and a handful of cinnamon jelly bellies. The relief never gets old!

With you on that one. I used to enjoy cooking but now it’s become a chore, day in day out. There’s very little respite from it. My husband can cook but won’t cook. I feel I have to feed him a “proper” meal every evening and it really gets me down. It’s the trying to think of what to have every evening, the shopping, preparation and cooking. All those cumulative hours for something that is hoovered up by him in 10 minutes. I refuse to deal with the washing up (loading dishwasher) which he will do. I’d be happy with a bowl of soup!

Yes, I'm bored to tears now it's just me and DH. He is notionally semi-retired, but is out at work more than he used to be (go figure) doing consultancy, and at least 2 nights a week doesn't need a meal in the evening. He's developed a snack habit, and whatever I cook, he's in and out of the kitchen making sandwiches and getting cereal and cheese and biscuits all evening, so I feel as if I might as well not bother. Both my sons were fussy about food in different ways, so when they were at home, meal-planning was more like a catering exercise in how many suitable meals I could get out of the same ingredients.

All of which is not helped by my recent diagnosis of prediabetes, which means I have to eat according to guidelines for that, as well. If I could eat what I liked, when I wanted to eat it, life would be a lot simpler!

I like Framilode's term 'cooked out'. Yep - that's me, after 50+ years of cooking for the family (I once estimated I'd cooked approximately 17000 Sunday roasts - and still counting), I'm fed up 'of' it! I'm amazed when I look at all my well-used cookery books - gathering dust now. Nowadays I'd be happy to exist on Smith's unsalted crisps, Cox apples and an occasional Mars Bar....

Yep!! Hubby is cooking faffer - every pan/gadget used over hours of cooking to produce lovely meals.
Me? Throw it all in slow cook pot and get on with life..

Frozen food is your friend. I do a roast with all frozen veg, roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips, stuffing, Yorkshire puddings all put on a tray in the oven with a chicken or turkey breast, sometimes lamb grills, boil some frozen Brussels and peas. Easy. I don’t like cooking either

If I'm in the right mood I love to cook something fancy, or a batch of bread, or biscuits.

When it gets to the end of the afternoon I really only want to curl up with a cuppa, some toast and a good book. I'm really not interested in spending ages in the kitchen. But we won't have had a meal and I'd probably pick at unhealthy things all evening.

So I tend to try to choose meals that don't take too much work. However, my biggest asset in the kitchen is DH. Since he retired he does most of the prep and the washing up. And I know I'm very lucky!

I've never enjoyed cooking but manage to make half decent meals when I have visitors. Now on my own I cook the same things over and over again and am getting bored but can't be bothered to break out and make something different.
I'm really tempted to order those ready meals at least some days of the week.
www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-best-ready-meal-delivery-service

Nankate, homecooked food can be a joy. We have struck a sort of half way house....lazy I know, but there are loads of prepared things available.

Packet of rice and some fish=kedgeree
Cook range from Sainsbury small roast+packet of veg+ potatoes= Sunday roast
Fresh pasta+jar of sauce+ veg=pasta bake

and so on? maybe?

I started cooking at 8 years old and was well and truly fed up by the time DH retired, he took over the cooking and the housework and I retired.
Yesterday DS and GD visited so DH cooked 1.5 kilos of mince because he thought they would stay for dinner, they went home and it was frozen in meal size portions. Lazy meals taken care of over Christmas now ?

Oh, that cake looks good Jane. Will it freeze (sans chocolate)?

I love baking when I’m in the mood but everyday cooking got the better of me. Like NanKate preparing veg and thinking of something and that bloody roast which makes soooo much washing up.....

Luckily, when he had to take early retirement my lovely DH said he’d take over. I’d done the first 30 years, he’d do the second. The hidden advantage is that, since he knows what he wants to cook, he does the shopping too!

Problem is, what happens when he’s done his 30 years and wants to hand it all back? How will I cope? Occasionally he gets fed up or is too tired or busy and I have to take over and I really have to concentrate on what to do and how - and there’s still another 10 years to go!

That looks delicious ja - I'll give it a try, thank you!

kitty If you get fed up with Delia’s cake, you could try this Yotam Ottolenghi one.
I made it for a friend who is gf and just used extra ground almonds instead of the flour.
I didn’t bother with the chocolate icing either, but it’s a lovely cake
ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/clementine-almond-syrup-cake

Inkcog my husband cooks all the time as do other men I know.
Definitely the right idea Kittylester I do all the washing up which can be considerable as my husband never uses one pan where two will do. It's worth it though not having to shop or cook. I do sometimes feel guilty when I visit my family and can't be a traditional grandparent whisking up delicious meals. Soon passes though

NanKate,your post could have been describing myself and my husband.I used to do all the cooking but like you am just so bored with it now.My husband does all the cooking and thankfully loves doing it,he manages to make even a sandwich look like a feast and not a couple of pieces of bread thrown together.I would eat cereal or a sandwich or eat out as often as possible if it was left to me?The first job my husband took back after recovering from surgery a couple of months ago was the cooking.I don’t think it was because the food I made was awful but probably my general grumpiness at cooking times?

Where you are going wrong kate is not having as you cook.

With 5 children there was no option but to cook and it relieves the monotony to cook new things. And, since becoming gf I hate baking apart from Delia's all in one sponge.

I always double cook where possible so don't actually have to cook too often.

If you feel like that then there are shortcuts that work. I’ve had to resort to some of these as standing in the kitchen preparing food really hurts my hip.

Had visitors staying last week so bought a ‘three bird roast’ from a well known supermarket and just popped that in the oven in its foil tray (100% recyclable) later added some frozen roast potatoes and ready prepared veg.

Simples!

Compromise ??

I’ve never been very interested in food.

I think to enjoy cooking, you have to enjoy eating.

I like to cook, but only when I am in the mood

Same with baking, if I have a spare hour I like to try out new recipes of cakes, biscuits etc.

But, day to day cooking of meals can become such a chore, so we end up with the spag bols, chilli etc. Sometimes other half is quite happy with Beans on toast ! phew

I remember when I was younger, and Mum saying she was fed up of thinking what to cook every day. It is only as I grew older I understood what she meant.

So I know exactly how you feel NanKate We have roast Beef yesterday, and I find now juggling everything so it is ready at the same time a real pain! Then there is the washing up afterwards

You lovely Gransnetters I don’t feel such a lazy osity (don’t know if that is a real word) now. Many of you have described exactly how I feel.

When DH goes away, which is a rare happening, I down tools in the kitchen and like many of you live off sarnies, a poached egg, cereal fruit Greek yog and walnuts. In fact walnuts are my equivalent to other people’s crisps. We are lucky to have lots of cafes in our small town and I take myself off for a toasted sandwich and coffee and just read my book. The local Italian does some fab toasted paninis filled with Italian meats and veg.

Grannyq you gave me such a laugh.

Finally when alone I buy myself a pot of veggie Thai curry from Sainsbury’s and it is delicious and fresh, nothing like Vesta curries of the past.

I’m feeling decidedly chipper after your kind comments.

Finally in the summer when we had our 2 young grandsons staying at the end of the meal my eldest 8 said ‘You are such a good cook Nan’ the rest of the family burst out laughing. The meal was chicken nuggets, chips and peas !