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I’m sick to death of it.

(165 Posts)
NanKate Sun 08-Dec-19 20:58:39

As some of you will know I don’t like and am not very good at cooking. In fact it bores me stiff.

Tonight when I started preparing the Sunday Dinner/Supper I could have thrown it all in the bin and had toast and marmalade or a sarnie. I also love bread and cheese and a glass of wine all taking under 10 mins to prepare.

My DH has always been a hard worker and at 74 is still beavering away. If I said I didn’t feel well he would just take over and cook the supper I know. However my excuse is boredom after 48 years of cooking and laziness. I just can’t take DH away from all his list of jobs because I can’t be ar* to cook !

DH likes a traditional Sunday meal, but would eat anything I gave him. All the faff over preparing veg drives me mad, when I told DH he said he would do the veg as he doesn’t like the boxes of veg I get from M and S and cook in the microwave.

So this thread is mainly to see if anyone else finds cooking boring, dull and repetitive.

Next Sunday I will tell DH that I fancy a carvery lunch and I know he will agree. If only we could go to the carvery every week.

Finally I wish Marydoll or Kitty would come and cater for us for a week or two. I am in awe when they rustles up cakes, casseroles etc. Mary even bakes bread for breakfast ???

Sorry to moan as I know some Gransnetters would like someone to cook for and eat with and I feel rather ashamed to be so lazy.

NanKate Mon 09-Dec-19 16:36:09

I feel a new GN Club has been started with all your encouragement.

What shall we call ourselves ? The can't be ars** club for reluctant cooks ?

DH cooks an excellent stir fry most weeks, so I don't cook every day.

He does like potatoes with the majority of his meals, I think that is from his Scottish background. When we go to a new restaurant he always asks me if they 'do vegetables' !

A glass or two of chilled Chablis, some French bread and Brie and maybe a few grapes, plus my book, is like nectar from the Gods to me.

I like your suggestion Kitty of alcohol whilst cooking but I suspect I would be under the table before the spuds were even cooked.

Millie22 Mon 09-Dec-19 16:36:36

NanKate
Forget about the cooking! let's look forward to the tennis in January.

Gonegirl Mon 09-Dec-19 16:37:21

When we are in our child bearing years, perhaps nesting hormones kick in. We feel a need to nurture our children.

We don't have them anymore. I no longer feel the need to nurture DH. Let him nurture himself.

Jaqui1 Mon 09-Dec-19 16:38:51

Very rarely ever done a Sunday lunch. Tradition Sunday food in our house has always been for 46 years beigals or black bread..smoked salmon cream cheese pickled cucumber and salads or a variant on this .. maybe smoked roe or herring or egg mayonnaise instead of or as well as the smoked salmon. Invite as many family to come as want to.. if they dont like bread theres crackers ..nobody ever complained. What a faff to do a whole roast dinner every week. Especially in the summer.

magshard20 Mon 09-Dec-19 16:44:21

You are not on your own, I used to cook and even bake occasionally, but now I would be happy to live on snacks and just go out for a meal once in a while with friends. My OH will gladly make something nothing elaborate but cooked food all the same !
Not sure if it is with getting older, I do wish that I had the positivity I had when younger, but it's left me.....probably never to return.

NanKate Mon 09-Dec-19 16:47:39

Millie I am with you on the tennis. On Rafa Nadal's wedding day in October I got a nice meal for two from M and S and we had a cocktail each to celebrate, followed my cream and caramel meringues. I know I am mad but that's me.

DH calls Wimbledon 'Salad Fortnight'.

QuaintIrene Mon 09-Dec-19 17:38:40

I learned to cook at a very young age. Stood on a buffet, making pastry, breads, cakes and later on, jam and chutneys. I really enjoyed it and I did most of the cooking later on. When my parents moved into sheltered housing and became frail I made meals for their freezer.
When I got married things changed big time. DH was the fussiest eater on the planet. I sort of knew but the reality. Humph ! From being a tot he would eat very little and only one thing, like braised liver or mucky fat tea cakes for weeks on end.
Now, don’t get me wrong I miss him terribly but not the food issues.
It’s hard to bake for one. I buy a cream bun occasionally as a treat and get ready meals if it’s something I fancy. But I do think that it’s difficult to balance a diet when it’s so easy to butter toast or scramble eggs. No peeling or chopping. I could do with a proper freezer if there was room for one. That’s another thing to go in my dream flat I shall get. One day !

inkcog Mon 09-Dec-19 17:42:16

Ah yes, pass me the smoked roe will you. Begone you roast tatties and slabs of meat.

craftyone Mon 09-Dec-19 17:47:20

I hate cooking now, for me widowed. There is no point in cooking a fancy meal these days, so I don`t. I have lots of plain food, lots of veg and so on, very healthy but I no longer do the sauces, roasts or gravy. I might do a casserole once in a while just for hm ready meals

If my husband was still alive, then yes, I would still enjoy it and be looking forward to that nice mealtime for two. If I needed help with prep, I would ask and he would do it

EthelJ Mon 09-Dec-19 17:50:04

I only enjoy it if I am cooking for someone who enjoys eating it. Unfortunately my DH has no interest at all in food and doesn't like to try anything interesting or different so when it's just us I find cooking very boring and long for someone to cook for me.

Framilode Mon 09-Dec-19 17:51:58

Apparently at the menopause the nuturing hormone disappears. I think this is the reason many of us were happy to give our children nutritious meals and now can't be arsed. My nurturing is done.

Barmeyoldbat Mon 09-Dec-19 18:15:47

Yes I get fed up thinking what are we going to have today and then cooking it. I don't do any cooking or planning on Mondays, Mr Barmey does it and he is not that good at cooking, but he does it without moaning. Tonight he is having chips, eggs and beans while I have cheese on toast and a yogurt.

If you don't like cooking are there any jobs you could swap with your husband, maybe there is a few jobs that you would.t mind doing instead.

Nannan2 Mon 09-Dec-19 19:02:02

I hate it too, but as my youngest boys are 21& 16 im still doing the drudgery sad

Nannan2 Mon 09-Dec-19 19:05:28

My sons have 'food issues'- youngest son is worst.very finicky.(not as bad as my daughters chap though,he only eats fish& chips!)grin

Lilyflower Mon 09-Dec-19 19:43:21

I love baking and cooking properly from scratch so I always do nice things at the weekend.

However, when the OH was out 12 hours a day working and I was teaching full time I used to cook convenience food in the week so that, if he was late and the food spoiled, I would not be emotionally ‘invested’ and upset. Now he is only working part time and nearby we stick to this pattern as it makes for lighter meals in the week.

On my own I am a bit picky and lazy. For lunch I have a Weetabix and an Activia yogurt as there is no one to tell me not to!

Lizbethann55 Mon 09-Dec-19 20:30:38

I don't particularly mind cooking, though I wouldn't go so far as to say I like it. I do it because I have no choice. My DH doesn't cook, ever. I do get depressed by the knowledge that absolutely everything I eat, I have cooked myself. I would adore my DH to cook me dinner one night. Especially as he gets in from work at 4.00 and I don't even finish til 6.00. But what I really hate is being the one who decides what we will eat. That is the worst thing.

Lizbethann55 Mon 09-Dec-19 20:32:41

Just another thought. Have you tried Wiltshire Farm Foods? A huge choice, frozen , delivered and ready to cook. Or those recipe boxes which are all the rage just now.

Evie64 Mon 09-Dec-19 20:53:15

I am going to admit to a dirty secret. blush Here goes. One of our favourite meals is a fish pie. Haven't been feeling too great lately and after being at work really couldn't face it. Stopped at the supermarket on the way home. Bought microwavable mash!!! Yes, I know, outrageous innit? Anyways, microwaved 2 cod fillets, flung them in the dish, added half a bag of frozen prawns defrosted under the hot tap, poured in tub of long life single cream, whacked MW mash on top, grated some cheese. Stuck it in the oven for 30 mins, sorted! Have to say it was delicious, but I'm still ashamed about the frozen mash potato. wink

Saetana Mon 09-Dec-19 21:26:59

I detest cooking but do most of it due to husband's health (and my fear of the abominable mess he leaves in the kitchen). Convenience is king in this house and if we want a roast dinner - barring Christmas when we both bite the bullet - we go for a pub lunch instead. I'm not a terrible cook, and nor is my husband, but we are both indifferent cooks and have never really enjoyed it - its a case of needs must for both of us.

MissAdventure Mon 09-Dec-19 21:45:19

Frozen mash is great! Never lumpy, either.

Grannyflower Mon 09-Dec-19 23:08:43

Oh I’m with all of you who don’t enjoy cooking. Done it for 44 years of marriage and still doing it. DH does not cook but watches endless cookery programmes so can advise me ?‍♀️ Trouble is my greatest hate is cooking for others but DH has set up about 6 days worth of entertaining his family and friends. He tells me to “just go to well down frozen food shop! I’m so stressed at the thought I’ve come out in a rash ?

Rielly62 Tue 10-Dec-19 00:10:54

I'm glad it's not just me. I hate having to come up with something to cook and eat every night. Mr R is Ill, has never cooked a meal, and never will.
I would be happy with toast and marmalade, or cheese and crackers many days, but he expects a cooked meal every night.
He does get a takeaway every week, (sometimes twice) to give me a break so I can't really complain.
Choosing something to have and preparing and cooking it just seems such a chore.

Keepsmiling467 Tue 10-Dec-19 01:42:48

Totally agree. Have cooked in the past for the growing family from scratch but find cooking a total waste of time. Who wants to spend hours over a hot stove to see your efforts demolished in less than half an hour ? Nowadays, it’s the slow cooker for meat, frozen veg, ready made mash and aunt Bessie’s Yorkshire puddings.

Purplepoppies Tue 10-Dec-19 06:01:01

When I have people to cook for I'm in my element. I'm definitely a feeder.... my eldest dgd (8) has said that my xmas dinner is the best thing about xmas!! Bless her.
Her mum can cook, but we all do things differently don't we.
I live alone, if I cook for myself once a week it's a miracle ?. I'm also in the cba camp . The up side of this is I'm losing weight so alls well ?

lovebeigecardigans1955 Tue 10-Dec-19 10:21:00

I'm less interested in cooking now. My dear late husband had swallowing difficulties for months before he passed away and so it was soup, soup and more soup until that became impossible.
I'm less adventurous and stick to quick basics and break out at weekends. That often means being self indulgent with instant bad stuff. My weight is fairly stable but wobbles a bit by a few pounds. I used to love cooking but not now.