Cooking - I’ve forgotten how!

I’ve surprised myself this morning. I said I’d make a fruit jelly for the little ones tomorrow. Not only can I not remember the last time I made one,I couldn’t remember the easiest way to prepare it!

I have just made too much stuffing I went on automatic pilot ! I now have the dish full for my Daughter and two foil dishes for the freezer , it is in the oven and smells wonderful ?

Ps going to sons for the dinner and won’t taste it till Boxing Day ?

From annepl -
"Me too. Lack of energy and get confused more easily. "
Just like me. I still enjoy cooking and baking but try to choose a day when I'm feeling relatively energetic and make big batches of things and put in the freezer.
Another part of having friends and family for meals is running round clearing plates dishes etc after one course and serving the next. Visitors do help (usually). Then I miss out on all the chat going on at the table.

Greyduster - yep I've done the tuna pasta bake without the tuna! Didn't realise until the family complained how bland the pasta was

So happy to see this... my friend and I (both late sixties) were commenting on how much less confident we are in cooking for guests. I truly think it’s an age thing....even driving now I am far less confident than I used to be when driving in unfamiliar places. I do regular cook Sunday roasts for the family but not happy cooking say for a dinner party. I could do it but I now I would be so stressed that it wouldn’t be worth it.

Its very comforting to read these posts. Good to know it's not just me.

I have always needed lists for everything. I have a Xmas spread sheet that is over 20 years old. Before computers, I walked round with lists everywhere. I am in awe of all those people who managed without them for so long. No wonder you are exhausted.

I'm just the same. I have a writing pad in the kitchen and write the times for each thing on it for a large meal. That way it all comes together.

I don’t like ready meals or take aways and I cook from scratch using fresh ingredients. Usually it’s just the two of us, and I’m getting a bit repititious but we don’t mind that. Stuck in a bit of a rut though. Must try harder....

I am good at doing Sunday roast, so that is my standard meal if we have to feed family. We never entertain otherwise. Just us two to cook for this year, as DH won’t eat anywhere other than home, so we will go to DD after lunch.
Ido cook from scratch every day but it is just very basic things. I get a bit bored of our menu and often fancy something different but have no inclination or skills to make it. Glad I am not alone.

Oh it's so good to hear this. I thought it was only me!

I don't mind the cooking but I sometimes get a bit fed up making the decisions on what to have. It might sound trivial and on the whole I do know it's not a big issue but I occasionally wish someone else would plan dinner. I also have days when I really do not like doing the food shopping. Anyone else have days like this?

I do think its more of a challenge to cook now. As Rabbitgran says people go out to restaurants and get ideas. They watch cookery programmes on TV. There are allergies and special diets galore. I cooked all of our family meals for years but they were pretty straighforward and everyone ate the same food. Now there are nine of us for the festive family get-together and even with that number we have one vegetarian, one vegan, one dairy free and someone who cant eat any type of seed including tomato pips - and everyone expects a choice of two or three desserts.

EllieB52, I can sympathize. My much praised potato salad didn't turn out so great the last time. The potatoes were under cooked and the entire thing was woefully short on salt! In fairness, I was a bit under the weather at the time, but I often fear I'm going backwards.

I used to love to cook, but these days not so much.
Our DD2 will be hosting this year and they live far away so we'll be staying until the week after. I'm always expected to contribute a dessert or two to the holiday meal or to cook a few favorites at some point during our stay. I'm just hoping I don't disappoint.

Agree with all that's been said, I tell my family that one Christmas it will be beans on toast or nothing......luckily my OH doesn't mind helping, but even if it's just the two of us, we tend to "graze" all day and not have "set meal times ". It doesn't bother me one bit but probably would surprise some !!

I also don't want to cook anymore but all the family expect it. I agree that expectations are higher now and I can find myself catering for meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans and gluten free people all in one meal. I get very stressed and cook far too much (badly) because I am so anxious to please everyone. I can tell that I am not pleasing my guests. It is hard, even with my new hostess trolley, to get everything ready at the same time. It's a nightmare and I am getting upset just thinking about it! I myself much prefer to eat simple foods now. I wish people wouldn't treat a home meal as though they are in a restaurant! I am not a professional cook just let me retire! Thank you for this thread.

Even though I am fed up with cooking and no longer relish entertaining, I really don't mind doing the Christmas Dinner (I have 9 adults and 2 children to cater for this Christmas Day) - I view it as just a larger Sunday roast, something most of us have cooked nearly every week for donkey's years! But, I just can't be bothered searching for new recipies and trying out new things, I have completely lost my enthusiasm, I am however still cooking every day, but it's the same old meals.

Definitely. Comforting to know that you are not alone.

I think GN can be so helpful at times Bluecat.

I can't tell you how grateful I am for this thread. I thought it was just me!

Me too. Lack of energy and get confused more easily. I used to love having people for dinner and trying new recipes for our friends.
Now I often buy my potatoes ready washed from M&S. And their microwave trays of vegetables.
Fresh vegetables though and meat/fish in oven is still easy to do....when there's only us two.
But for visitors and trying to do starter and sweet it would have to be bought from M&S and it would still be difficult.
It's very annoying. I miss being able to do it all Even baking scones is a big achievement now. I do have M.E. which is part of the problem.(been in bed nearly all day.)

I too burnt out with cooking for family and visitors all those years. Last Christmas I was cooking for 13. My husband had a tantrum when I refused to do it this year. I am 76, in pain waiting a year for a knee replacement, breathing problems. My experience is that Christmas is no pleasure at all for the one in the kitchen. No-one will even take responsibility for setting the table. Then later, no-one offers to put together a snacky tea; they say they're not hungry but snaffle it all up when I prepare it. Ain't going to happen this year.

So glad to hear it’s not just me. I do feel anxious about Christmas, in my head I know what I need to do but I don’t seem to have the same energy or motivation to get it done.
I have family and their dogs coming to stay so it won’t be restful and although I look forward to seeing them all I breath a huge sigh of relief when they pack up and set off back to their own homes.

Thank you for this - I thought it was just me! I feel exactly like Greciangirl although I'm about 10 years younger! Cooking for visitors actually makes me feel queasy. And I recently tried to knit for the newest member of the family - used to do it all the time - and couldn't remember any of the stitches.

I'm fortunate, my daughter and family,5 plus come often at weekends and have lunch with me so it is still second nature and I still am in my element when I'm feeding people, ( family and friends.).