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Original poster

Do you enjoy cooking?

75 replies

Helmlover1 · 06/02/2020 22:43

Just that really. I try to cook (mainly) from scratch as my partner was diagnosed with high cholesterol a while back so we’ve tried to cut back on convenience food, but sometimes it feels like so much effort and so time consuming-especially when the same meal with a jar of sauce would halve the amount of cooking time!

Was wondering how many MNers enjoy cooking or whether you see it as more of a chore?

OP posts:
squeekums · 07/02/2020 00:02

HATE HATE HATE it
I enjoy washing up more

I rarely cook from scratch. I choose food based on ease, taste and price

penguin246 · 07/02/2020 00:07

Whenever I have time off I get real pleasure from trying out new recipes. I feel like I have 'done something'. The rest of the time its a 2 week meal plan rotation.

Tillygetsit · 07/02/2020 02:46

Cooking is the only household job I really enjoy. I find it really therapeutic. I don't batch cook or plan meals...just do a huge shop once a fortnight and top up with milk bread veg etc. I plan what we'll eat the day before so I don't get bored.

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fullofpolroger · 07/02/2020 02:58

Love it! I enjoy the creativity, I like chopping, planning and presenting dishes. My family really appreciate my cooking which I love. I batch cook and use speedy dishes. All my family cook so they are happy to cook for me too if I need a break. They don't leave the kitchen as tidy though!

NewInTown08 · 07/02/2020 03:01

I cook everything from scratch and I enjoy it for the most part. Sometimes it feels like a chore if it's been a long day.
Now baking, I love! Just wish it wasn't so bad for my waistline.

Bezalelle · 07/02/2020 07:09

I don't like cooking but I love baking. This seems to work quite well Chez Bez, as DH loves to cook and used to be a chef.

BayandBlonde · 07/02/2020 07:14

I hate it so I don't cook at all, but no OH or kids to look after.

Grobagsforever · 07/02/2020 07:17

OP you're doing too much cleaning if there isn't time for batch cooking! Also shop online...

Pipandmum · 07/02/2020 07:20

No. I'm more of an assembler. My husband loved to cook but worked long hours so cooked mostly at weekends. I have about four or five dishes that I do (Nigella Exoress is my bible), but half the time I get those 'chicken in lime and chili marinade' type prepared things and just add some veg and potato in some form. If it was just me I'd have some soup and sandwich or salad. Just can't be bothered.

ReflectiveGingernut · 07/02/2020 07:20

I love cooking and trying new things - I've fallen into shit habits recently because I work late most nights, but it doesnt need to be time consuming or faffy. Most meals I make take less than an hour from start to finish because im always starving and too greedy to wait for my food.

Ohffs66 · 07/02/2020 07:22

I love cooking and do most things from scratch. Probably helps there is only me and DH and we mostly like the same things If I'm doing something like a lasagne, curry, chili or other things that can be frozen I tend to make way more than we need and pop it in the freezer. I love baking too.

AltheaVestr1t · 07/02/2020 07:27

I quite enjoy cooking sometimes if I choose some recipes and have a few hours and people to cook for, but mostly DH does the fun weekend cooking as he works long hours during the week. Weekdays I mostly solve the problem with savoury traybakes - bang everything in the oven at once on one pan.

sockittome123 · 07/02/2020 07:27

I like the planning, I like the appreciation, I like the outcome. I don't like precariously stacking things in my tiny kitchen, nor having to chip away at something that has inevitably stuck to my pan, nor wiping tomato or flour or egg white off the counter only to have to do it all over again with the next ingredient. Maybe I'm just messy, who knows? And also bloody slow...

elc19 · 07/02/2020 07:28

I love cooking especially from the Pinch of Nom book! X

greenlynx · 07/02/2020 07:34

I love cooking and cook from scratch most of the time. I can’t eat some things and very suspicious about additives, DD and DH has health issues and preferences so home cooking is only way for our family. My cooking is quite simple though and I often batch cook and use frozen vegetables a lot.
I actually don’t like someone cooking for me as I like things to be my own way - I’m quite controlling. Smile

ivykaty44 · 07/02/2020 08:06

I enjoy cooking, but sometimes I just want to throw a few ingredients into the oven and come back 35 minutes later & it’s all cooked

I make a meat free chilli con carne that takes 40 minutes. Chop onion and red pepper, put into backing tray/roasting tin and spread out. Sprinkle over paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder about a teaspoon of each.
Cook in oven for 10 minutes gas 6

Then add, tin black beans, tin butter or white beans, and a tin of chilli beans in sauce and tinned tomato. Roast for 35-45 minutes

I don’t peel potatoes to mash, jyst chop and add to boiling kettle water, add kale, and carrots. Cook till tender and drain put back into pan and add lid to keep steam inside, sit for 5 minutes. Then mash with mighty force or put through masher.

Salami and haddock are my other go to lazy meals, pop in oven and serve with microwave frozen vegetables & cous cous

DappledThings · 07/02/2020 08:11

Hate it. Fortunately DH does really enjoy it so he does all of it.

mathanxiety · 07/02/2020 08:14

I love it and hate it all at the same time. Always have.

user1493413286 · 07/02/2020 08:15

I don’t enjoy it and because I don’t I know I don’t put the effort into it so my cooking isn’t great. Even when I make something really nice I then think that was a lot of effort for how long it takes to eat it.

TitchyP · 07/02/2020 08:29

God, no I hate it. Such a chore.
First on the list when I win big on the Lottery is a private chef!

SallyWD · 07/02/2020 09:17

I love cooking. One of my greatest pleasures. I've always cooked from scratch. Home made food tastes so much better than the stuff you get in jars etc.

Stravapalava · 07/02/2020 09:20

I absolutely love it. I love trying new things and chucking stuff in to see how it turns out. I don't tend to follow recipes, just use them as a guide. Some of the best things I've ever made have been concoctions of what needs using up. My DH is gutted that he'll never get stuff he's loved again, due to the random nature of the ingredients!

Ragwort · 07/02/2020 09:26

Not really, I used to love it, even went to college to study Hospitality and did a few catering jobs and worked in a restaurant.

But now (aged 60+) I mostly see it as a chore and am just bored with it. I actually do like cooking for myself - no thinking about what everyone else likes, no avoiding certain things etc etc. Currently making a delicious coq au vin just for me tonight Grin. I agree that home made food is so much better than ready made or most restaurant food these days ... so I will continue to cook.

usernotfound0000 · 07/02/2020 09:31

I enjoy it, but I tend to only cook things that take 30-40 minutes max, I leave longer things for the weekend.

Rubychard · 07/02/2020 09:31

I would enjoy it more if the one or other of the kids didn’t moan at every mealtime

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