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Original poster

DH phones on his way home from work and asks what you’d like him to pick up for dinner...

69 replies

Mondayponderings · 18/05/2022 17:11

Near enough every day DH does this (he’s the cook in the house) and I’m always absolutely stuck.

Give me some inspiration, if someone was to offer to stop and pick up ingredients to cook a meal what would you pick today?

OP posts:
YankeeDad · 18/05/2022 19:16

Maybe he is asking because he assumes you would prefer to choose even though he is cooking. Have you tried answering his question with something like "What I would enjoy the most is if you were to decide on something that you would be happy to make and that you think we would all enjoy"?

NoSquirrels · 18/05/2022 19:22

Tabitha005 · 18/05/2022 19:05

This is my and DH's go-to 'Saturday film night' food! We make a big pile of nachos and whilst we're making them decide what film we're going to watch - it's one of my favourite things to do.

OP, as far as I'm concerned, if your husband is willing to cook whatever you fancy, I'd make it my purpose in life to come up with a veritable STACK of delicious recipes to keep him busy! Weekday dinners in our house are often things like:


  • smoked haddock chowder

  • turkey chilli

  • 12 minute carbonara - as long as it takes a pan of spaghetti to cook!

  • quartered roasted chicken or chicken legs with grilled artichoke hearts (the tinned ones from Sainsburys), sautéed potatoes and lemon mayo

  • grilled mackerel fillets with mini roast potatoes, feta, black olives and sun-dried tomatoes

  • prawn/fish curry (there's a truly amazing Asda recipe I've recently found - Google 'Asda Vietnamese style cod and prawn curry' to find it)

  • white fish fillets roasted with a minted pea puree, chorizo and feta or cod loins wrapped in parma ham

  • minute steaks, French fries, garlic butter, side of mushrooms

  • halloumi burgers - I fry the halloumi in my new uber-non-stick pan so the outside of it gets that lovely caramelised thing going on, then slap it in a soft bun with a ton of mustard mayo, hummus, salad leaves and sliced tomatoes...mmmmm

  • mushroom risotto with plenty of freshly-grated parmesan

  • chicken Milanese with caprese salad. I buy big chicken breasts from the local butcher then whack 'em with a rolling pin between two sheets of cling film until they're fairly thin, dip them in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs or polenta (sometimes a mix of both) and shallow fry them for about 4 mins on each side on a medium heat before sticking them in the oven for another 15 mins on about 160 degrees - they're also really good sliced up and eaten cold with salad the following day

Show quote history

Stealing all these Smile

RowanAlong · 18/05/2022 19:33

That sounds amazing!!! He asks you what you’d like to eat, and cooks it for you..every day? I would so love that life!

I’d be buying a monthly cooking magazine, poring over the delicious meals and ordering salmon stir fry or halloumi with lentils or chicken curry with salad .. (dreams)

MiddleParking · 18/05/2022 19:34

doitwithlove · 18/05/2022 19:02

I meal plan to make life more organised for myself. Food to me is something I enjoy and what I need at certain times of the day.

I do not understand people who say I may not fancy the meal planned for that day!! Maybe it is just me 🤷🏼‍♀️

Same here. We always choose and shop for Sunday/Monday-Thursday’s dinners at the start of the week (Friday and Saturday are a bit more spontaneous). I know what meals I like, by the time I’m hungry enough for dinner I’d fancy any of them!

moomintrolls · 18/05/2022 19:35

Right now I wouldn't mind a cottage pie.

As the main cook in the house I would so love my husband to say 'I want bolognaise for dinner' etc. but he never does, so I either cook what I would like at the time, but if I don't feel like dinner cause I've snacked or whatever then I don't feel like cooking, so lack inspiration.

I go on INstagram a lot and watch very short, sometimes sped up videos, on recipes and save them for what I'd like to make at a later date, then try it out later.

If you use search on Instagram and carry on scrolling you will come across the most delicious looking food with ideas for every day.

puppetcat · 18/05/2022 19:35

why can't your DH decide?! Why should you decide all the decisions around what you have for dinner? Another part of the mental load...

sleepnightmare · 18/05/2022 19:38

Ask for home made moussaka or something equally faffy to make everytime he asks. He'll soon stop.

DrBlackbird · 18/05/2022 19:40

PMK for meal ideas…

Original poster
Mondayponderings · 18/05/2022 19:45

This was meant to be fairly light hearted...

With 3 DC with busy days, impromptu friend dates, extra rehearsals, music lessons, sports clubs, missed busses, hobbies/lessons involving pets and a husband that is in the forces and can arrive home at 1600 or 2000 depending on the day we just find meal planning not very cost effective.

We have a roast on Sunday, a nicer dinner that we tend to research on a Saturday and eat all together on a Friday, normally DC’s choice but mon-thurs tends to be picked up and chosen on the day depending on who’s in.

DH does like to “swing by” (visit the shops) as my Parents call it but with 4 DD’s in the house I don’t blame him!!

woudl you believe it after all that we went for a pizza, albeit a posh Zizi’s one, now to pour a glass of red or not?!

OP posts:
KohlaParasaurus · 18/05/2022 19:48

I'd say, "Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" My DH's contribution to dinner is that he eats whatever I make and says thank you.

In the OP's situation, some of the time I'd ask for a loaf of fresh crusty bread with a couple of interesting cheeses and some olives or tomatoes, and at other times I'd ask for labour-intensive dinners like moussaka, lasagne, and lamb tagine.

Goldenbear · 18/05/2022 19:49

Bag of cheeseball crisps tonight but DH away for work so I rarely eat with him in the week. Have cooked pizzas for teenager and youngest so not interesting.

Yesterday was better, air fried Chinese chicken, home made batter, chicken, fresh chilli's, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar and soy sauce for sauce in pan on the hob, combine and serve with rice or noodles.

Vegetable sausages and mash and asparagus night before.

Original poster
Mondayponderings · 18/05/2022 19:49

Also DH is just trying to be nice and include me in the decision making, as much as I don’t always instantly know what I want I’d hate for him to never ask and not have a say on what we are eating...

I mean who wants pie and chips when they’ve been craving seafood linguine all day?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Mondayponderings · 18/05/2022 19:51

@KohlaParasaurus this is my absolute go to but definitely needs a glass of wine so try to limit when I have!

OP posts:
RibNSaucyArseCrack · 18/05/2022 19:52

Only on mumsnet could a man who phoned his wife, asks her what she fancies to eat and then cooks it for her be seen as an asshole 🙃🤣

Stravaig · 18/05/2022 19:56

Oooh, could he pick me up a tub of Haagen Dazs Belgian Chocolate ice cream please? The current tub has emptied itself again.

boopedoopie · 18/05/2022 20:04

I love a homemade Nando's.. a spiced pork chop with veg and garlic roasted couscous with a side of beetroot is always a winner ..

boopedoopie · 18/05/2022 20:05

Oooh and salmon marinated in soy and chilli and ginger with new potatoes and tender stem broccoli

userxx · 18/05/2022 20:44

puppetcat · 18/05/2022 19:35

why can't your DH decide?! Why should you decide all the decisions around what you have for dinner? Another part of the mental load...

But he's stopping for the ingredients and preparing it, why shouldn't he be helped out.

bloodyunicorns · 18/05/2022 21:22

Meal plan at the start of your week! Then you know what you will be eating every day.

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