To be so stressed and exhausted by pandemic meal planning

[Featherstep]

Ok so I know we're lucky to have enough food and are all healthy.

But it's week 4 of lockdown and I am just so fed up of planning, sourcing, cooking 2 meals a day for 4 people, all with different preferences! Everyone's around all day, 4 year old DS is really fussy, and 7 month old baby is newly weaned and ravenous.

With shopping options so limited I want to make sure everything is used up in the best possible way... I did meal plan a bit pre-Covid but not to this extent and frequently went for top up shops (say for curry paste if we wanted curry.)

It just feels like a large portion of my brain is spent thinking about what to cook, making food and clearing it up (from under baby's highchair, especially). And doing creative things to make the leftovers last/ turn them into baby's next meal.

DH tells me to relax and not go crazy. He just doesn't get how tiring the mental load is. I am by far the better and more resourceful cook so I do take up almost all the cooking duties- I know this is my problem. But anyone else out there want to just share the frustration?? I just want to go eat a McDonald's by myself and not have to do a mental spreadsheet of how best to use up everything in the veg box!!

Cancel the veg box. Calm down. Take a step back. You’re blowing this issue out of proportion, try to take the pressure off yourself

Can you afford a service like hello fresh ?

With the 4yo you have to decide whether you want this to be the time he learns to be less fussy, in which case, you just give him the same as everyone else and he either eats it or doesn't. Or you pick meals you know he eats and then he always gets those. But don't waste mental energy worrying about whether he's getting a perfectly balanced diet or is going to eat what you make or whatever. This is not the time for that.

You're in a very fortunate position really. I do get what you mean though, I think about what we're going to eat all the bloody time too but sometimes I catch myself on and thank god we're not having to use a good bank.

I totally understand OP. I'm only cooking for myself but even I'm finding it hard, so I can't imagine what it's like with a family. I'm trying to only go to the supermarket once a week, there are still shortages locally, and ofc all my meals are at home now. Meal planning has become far far more stressful than usual.

Tell your DH it's his week next week.
Take a step back.

The world will not end because you do not make everything from scratch or utilise ever single last morsel of food in your kitchen. Sandwiches and soup for lunch are our staples right now and we make a home cooked meal in the evening. Stock up on some beige freezer food and throw that out with some veg on the side on the nights you can't be arsed.

I feel your pain. I'm sick of planning cooking and clearing up 3 meals a day. Especially when the little darlings don't appreciate it when they're with their dad I tend to live off cereal just to have a break from it all!

I know I'm lucky to afford food etc, but I'm also allowed to find it draining.

And mine won't eat beige freezer food or soup...

Should add, it's tinned soup BTW. If I'm feeling adventurous, I might make pasta for lunch

yanbu, with not being able to get out to do my own shopping, nor get a delivery for weeks, every loaf of bread, every breakfast has to be planned. I've spent so much time and mental energy ensuring we have a healthy balanced diet.

I know I am prone to be anxious especially around 4 year old not eating, so yes, I accept I am probably part of the problem.

I was thinking of trying the mindful chef next week to take some pressure off. We can afford it, and we are indeed fortunate. Thanks for the perspective...

Tonight I asked myself WHY am I cooking everything from scratch and just not give the baby a jar. I don't know, honestly. Same reason why I don't order a takeaway, I know my food is nicer and healthier. But I can't do this 14 times a week!

Yes it's draining..I have a 22 year old son who flits between all sorts of fads and non existent allergies so he now cooks for himself and lives on gluten free fish fingers and bulga wheat and pushes down tons of ice cream but says he has dairy allergies etc..!!

I’m with you op. I make 5 different breakfast and lunches and 3 different dinners every day. The kids and h are constantly asking for snacks and drinks too. The dishwasher goes on 3 times a day now. I spend 5 hours a week shopping, and about 5 hours per day on food in some way.

I'm with you OP. I really snapped at DH this week when he rolled his asked and asked what the weather was going to be like when I got to one meals I was planning for a weeks time.
As if keeping on top of what we have, when it needs using, what we can get, everyone's preferences, and trying to get something more nutritious than bagels in the kids, I now need to check it fits with the forecast as well 🙄

He's not usually inconsiderate but I think they're clueless as to just how draining it is. On top of working full time from home and home schooling the kids while he's out at work, I'm utterly knackered. Ready to get back to work for a break 😊

Plan at beginning of wk and get meals in. You don,t have to stick to the plan but I find it def helps. Children eat what you eat keep it simple. (ok may need adaptions for babe but at 7 month old.

Quit the weaning food, you don't even need the jars just give the baby the same food as everyone else has.
The 4 year old has the same as what you have and he eats it or he doesn't.
Why are you cooking more than 1 hot meal a day? It's not necessary.
What's your DH doing to feed everyone?
You're making this an ordeal when it really doesn't need to be.
Go with a loose list and get what you can, if you have a weird combo at the end of the week it won't kill you.

I also feel your pain OP. It’s just me and teen DD, but I feel like I am spending so much time preparing 3 meals a day and tidying after them.

I stropped 10 days ago and made everyone take a turn at breakfast

I stropped again on Monday and designated Saturday as cook for KatyMac day - exactly as she wants

With 3 adults in the house I expect chopping help at every meal - I haven't washed a dish since lockdown

But the ensuring enough food in the house - I cant trust to them, when they moved home for Covid they brought shopping in with them - I suggested large bags of fake mince, fake sausages, eggs, beans (as in tins of beans not baked beans) & cheese - so I got 1 bag of fake mince, one of sausages, 6 eggs & 3 small fancy cheeses! no beans no pulses nothing!!

Tomorrow is MY day off! no cooking (well I might bake a little something - but no cooking!)

I’m well used to meal planning, but it’s so much harder when you have to buy everything in one go. I never realised how much I rely on nipping to Co op for a few things, or having a takeaway when I can’t be bothered.
Why can’t your DH take a turn?

Our lunches and dinners mostly revolve around cold raw food because I just can’t be arsed to cook - perfect straight from the fruit and veg box!

Peppers
Carrots
Cucumber
Cauliflower
Olives
Tomatoes
Celery
Pear
Apple
Clementine
Kiwi
Cheese
Wrap
Chutney or some sort of dip

It’s like a picnic every meal time - my kids are eating far more healthily than they normally do as I’m not bulking out with bread pasta, rice and potatoes

You don’t have to cook!

Ugh, quarantine Quartermaster, I hate it. But I also hate putting good food in the food waste because someone forgot it was in the fridge. I think KatyMac has a point - throw a strop when it gets too much and take a breather.

Also the bottom layer of the veg box will always make soup.

Get fish and chips one night if you can find one open or buy supermarket pizzas and give the baby a jar it won’t hurt them for a night and it gives you a rest!

Agree with pp. simplify lunches - either sandwiches, soup or cheese and crackers. Only ‘cook’ once a day tea time - and everyone eats the same. Mash / chop for the baby but 4 year old is offered the same as you. My toddler is extremely fussy but we stick to just one meal for all of us otherwise we’ll be in a never ending circle of meal prep.

Also swap a couple of teas for easy options - we’ve got chicken nuggets and chips and veg / salad for one quick tea, pizza and salad for another, picnic tea etc - and also batch cook and freeze leftovers. This means most nights it’s just heating things up rather than cooking from scratch. Don’t make extra work for yourself