To not want to cook any more, ever?

[gaelicsheep]

I used to quite enjoy it. Now I don't have the mental or physical energy for it. I never feel like eating what I've cooked, DS turns his nose up at more and more things. If it wasn't for DD (7 months) I really think I'd be just leaving DH to make beans on toast.

I started a thread similar to this a few months ago.
Jusst get so bored of thinking what to cook, preparing it all only for people to turn up their noses.
I used to enjoy cooking, now I would quite happily lie on super noodles for the rest of my life.

Cooking meals is a chore for me as well, I feel a ridiculous amount of relief when I've decided what's for tea and don't have to think about whether we've had it recently, what I have to get together for it, blah blah fucking blah.

It's crap when the DC don't appreciate it, I've taken to getting DD1 to have school dinners so I can avoid the inevitable whining about what I'm giving her, she just has a sarnie when she gets home then.

It's a necessary evil though isn't it?

If you used to enjoy it, what is it that's changed?

Could having a look on the internet for recipes inject a bit more of what you're missing?

I was living on baked tates/beans when I met DH, and I felt crap.

The difference eating a proper balanced diet made was amazing.

itÄs such a grind. Roll on summer and the salads

I'm too bloody tired AgantZigzag. I'm back at work full time next week and it is the last thing I want to do when I get home. And since having DD I've totally lost all interest in food. I'll eat to stop myself passing out, and for her (I'm bf), but I don't enjoy it any more. I had a thread on that a while back when I was barely eating at all. DD is that difficult that there is no way on this earth that DH can do more than heat up a pre-prepared lunch, even if he was inclined to cook, and I have no inspiration or desire any more to plan ahead. Feel like crying.

I think it goes in cycles. I have times when im sick of it and just cba cooking. I find a new cookbook or the old goodfood mag gets me back into the zone.

Tried to cook something in bulk for DD for lunch. Just a lentil thing, nothing fancy. I was late getting started so she was waiting hungry while it was cooking. Put the whole lot in the blender (meant to mash it) and what was worse ended up blending up the sodding bay leaf as well. Whole lot went in the bin.

I cooked for my DH and 2 ungrateful children for years, juggled a job. Hated every second of cooking NEVER EVER EVER liked cooking! All that bloody effort - five minutes of scoffing or, even better, I'M NOT EATING THAT - and a mountain of washing up.

Now they either cook for themselves or starve. If I cant cook and prepare my meal in 15 minutes I dont bother - eg stir fried courgettes, mushrooms, baby corn, cous cous and prawns - v. healthy imo!

a slice of wholegrain bread with cheese and tomato or ham and some cucumber. Nothing fancy. Banana for desert. Finished.

NOt worth the hassle IMO

Stir fry is a godsend....quick and one pan so less washing up!

Sounds like you need to take some pressure off yourself, could going back to work be a large part of it?

Go for easy options for tates/meat/veg combos, pre-prepared veg, easy to cook or ready made tates, and like northwest says, it's not necessarily a permenant lull and you'll never get back to how you used to feel.

Cooking is such a mundane, ordinary thing that not much importance is put on it, but if you don't do it you realise what a huge task it actually is day in day out.

And you need to take care of yourself, you're going to run yourself into the ground if you're not eating properly and doing all the other stuff you've got on.

I'm worried about DD getting too much bread - so much salt. Ditto to cheese, although she has some. She can't have ham yet, can she?

Think I might be suffering from some kind of Annabel Karmel induced inferiority complex?

Yes going back to work is a big part of this. Plus every time I cook it is accompanied by a month old whinging or crying, unless daddy is holding her.

I find the slow cooker really helpful for when i have a lomng working day out of the house too. You just chuck some stuff in the crock pot and leave for the day. Come home and dinner is done. I dont ever do any of the pre browing either and its always worked out fine.

If DS turns his nose up just take the food away. Don't make him a replacement.He'll soon learn.

a 7 month old whinging - in case anyone thinks I'm weaning a 1 month old!

Yes we're doing that with DS. It isn't helping.

I get like this and buy a few ready meals or easy things to stick in the oven that are prepared. Just cook veg to go with it.

I buy

Cauliflower cheese
Pizza
Quiche
Chicken Dippers
Garlic bread
Ready cooked chicken

and then we make more of an effort at the weekend. DH says I shouldnt do the above but he is not the one walking in after a full day at work and starting dinner/homework/sorting children/packed lunches!!!

I'm essentially doing easy options with lots of veg-omlette/oven chips/spinach salad

baked potatoes/cheese/beans/broccolli

shop bought pizza/quiche with carrot sticks/cherry tomatoes or green beans

meat and veg in slow cooker with rice

sausages/mash/veg

pasta/nuts/pesto/peas/chees

I just can't be bothered-they eat loads of fruit and veg and have fruit and yoghurt for pudding.

I've gone back to work and now understand why that when my mum did this we went over to findus crispy pancakes!

So when buying ready meals would you give your 7 month old food from a jar? I never did that with DS. Had to for DD today after lunchtime disaster. The alternative was half a wrap and cream cheese which doesn't seem enough.

When she was younger DD1 had a banana if she refused her meal, it's got everything you need in it and is as bland as fuck

After a couple of days, she was much better and now eats most things I give her, sometimes in under an hour

Turn it round so it's your DSs choice not to eat. If he doesn't want to then that's up to him, but you'll hear no more of it.

He'll soon be wolfing it down if he's hungry enough and it's between your meal or a banana.

Right - so you're not eating, you're very tired, and something which used to bring you a degree of enjoyment doesn't any more?

Are you sure you're not depressed?

I've got a lot of baby-friendly recipes I could share with you - but I'm not sure that's really the issue?

Yes I would give a jar.

When you are so damn tired and juggling life and your children are tricky eaters, ready made food and a jar for the baby will be fine!

Go to M&S and buy some of the kids ready meals there and get organic baby food if it makes you feel better but life is hard work and that is what M&S was invented for.

And have a large G&T.

I had PND but I'm sure it's more or less better. I am just dog tired. DD is up all evening and still wakes 3 or more times between midnight and 7. I have been eating better. The last couple of days though the insomnia (believe it or not!) has returned, ditto the loss of appetite. Think it might be the worry of returning to work and even less sleep.

Recipes would be really helpful.

yes get some jars in it. You're worn out, it isn't the end of the world if you are not whizzing up fab cooked meals every night. Just give them something healthy, it'll balance out over the week.

Kids ready meals? I didn't know about them! DD is a terrific eater by the way, she wolfs almost anything you give her. That is as long as she's not been waiting so long I have to bf her, then she isn't hungry for the meal.

I think modern women are a bit hard on themselves when it comes to cooking. Back in the day, it was a lot more simple. There wasnt the expectation of a meal that took ages to cook and use a lot of ingrediants(although some did, for sure). meals were smaller portions too. A bit of fish under the grill with a few green beans, 2 small squash and new potatoes would have been fine for a meal.