Im fed up having shite dinners

[ssd]

Am mid 50s, working on my feet all day. Im just tired. There was very limited choice and i didnt enjoy what i made.

Oh well.

Hello OP, while I really do empathize with you as I am often tired too when the time is to cook dinner, I am really not sure why you posted. Did you just want to share or did you ask for advice?

I totally feel you. I work in a kitchen, in retail. I have to be at work for 6 am. I don't work 8 hours, but it's busy and if I get a break it's about 10 minutes for dinner. Then when I get home, I have to cook tea.
I am lucky, that I have a child I have to feed, as when he is at his grandparents, I tend to not really cook. Just something quick like pasta.
But sometimes, I don't feel like cooking, which my partner takes to mean take away. No I would rather he cook, as we don't have much free cash for takeaways. He will occasionally cook. But it's everything with chips and beans, (you would think he is a child)
It is tough as once at home, yoy just want to chill and get the annoying customers, out of your head, then its the last thing you want to do, is mess around cooking. Omelet makers are great, cheap to buy and don't take long to warm up. But an omelet everyday, will get boring. Could you batch cook some stuff on your day off, then freeze. All you would have to do is take out in the morning, then heat up after work.

It's tough. I go between really enjoying planning out meals and cooking to hating it all but still being responsible because I'm a control freak and don't trust anyone else to get what I fancy eating. And when you enjoy doing it more than half the time, it's harder to explain that this time you can't be arsed.

If you are mainly catering for yourself then I would keep in stuff that you like and is quick and easy. Eggs are great if you like them. Omelette, scrambled eggs, french toast etc, just keep some chopped veg and bread in the freezer and some cheese. You could make a batch of baked potatoes and freeze them and then just microwave and add beans/cheese/tuna etc. Also nothing wrong with a tin of soup and a sandwich or homemade is even better. I make toasties in the frying pan as it feels like more of a meal when it's a hot sandwich.

Start thinking about what you are going to have on the commute home then the job is half done and you can come in and quickly make something and then chill out.

I do 4 Gousto meals a week. It's the deciding I hate the most so somehow just clicking on a month's worth of meals at a time is much easier.
Then it cuts down on the going shopping element too.
I choose a lot of the 20 minute or prepped in 10 options.

COOK
Tasty, straight from the freezer and they deliver.

Sounds good!

Well aren't you charming.
The OP is on her feet 8 hours a day working in retail and probably having to deal with a/holes and unpleasant members of the public. She's obviously physically and mentally knackered.

If that's in reply to my post. Then feel free to find it hilarious that someone who lives by themselves can actually get more than one meal from a chicken!! I don't waste half it once I've finished eating the breast plus I find buying a full chicken more economical than buying a pack of chicken pieces. Same with a joint of beef. I can get a couple of roasts, a couple of beef and sweet potato curries and a few beef and onion sandwiches or cold beef and chips

About time you grew up and started taking responsibility for yourself. Plenty of us work in excess of 8 hours day and manage to feed oursleves after a long day.

@mynameisbiggles , what a nasty and totally unnecessary post. The OP was just venting after a long and tiring day, as she is perfectly entitled to do.

@mynameisbiggles never stood in front of the fridge and wondered what to eat? Or had a bowl of cereal or toast as you CBA cooking? I often do because chronic illness and FT work and my brain and body are done, thinking about and prepping food is the last spoon that I don't have

ODFOD

What is the matter with you?

May I suggest not cooking as an alternative. Put slices of deli turkey or chicken or that salmon that's ready to eat from pack on a tray with all raw stuff - tomatoes, baby carrots, tub hummus, sliced peppers - starch could be crispbread or nice sourdough slice or bowl of rice from one of those microwavable sachets. Consume from lap tray while watching Netflix. I believe the Swedish call it a "Smorgasbord". Healthy dinner doesn't have to involve any labour.

Your health is everything.
Especially for 50 plus ladies.
The menopause hits, state pension at 68 if no work based pension.

This, something I've not had to plan, shop for, peel and chop and wash the pots for.

I agree. I often have salami, cheese, smoked salmon, rye bread, crackers etc for dinner. Lidl and Aldi do little tubs of cous cous, potato salad, pasta salad for very reasonable prices. It's quite easy to eat like this in summer...tougher in winter

I hear you. I batch cook, or make 2 portions of whatever I'm cooking
Or soup
Or eggs

It's a poverty trap. Many minimum wage jobs and zero hours jobs have no work based pension.

where are you getting the smoked salmon from?

I love the stuff but it's too expensive to eat regularly

My current favourite thing is to just roast a tray of veg and meat. A one-tray meal, all goes in at once at 175 degrees for 60m, turn once.

If any of the veg don't survive this, I don't include them next time. Only chopping, no parboiling.

Delicious.

@Chouetted

I get it from Lidl or aldi....the gravadlax one. Can't remember the exact price buts it less than £3 in both shops. Not a huge packet but it's a nice treat

@Chouetted

I get it from Lidl or aldi....the gravadlax one. Can't remember the exact price buts it less than £3 in both shops. Not a huge packet but it's a nice treat

@Chouetted

I get it from Lidl or aldi....the gravadlax one. Can't remember the exact price buts it less than £3 in both shops. Not a huge packet but it's a nice treat

I buy a chicken and bacon most weeks anyway. When I can’t be arsed I throw a bit in a frying pan, chick in some cures of bread until crunchy and put it on lettuce. I call it Caesar Salad. No bread if I’m low carbing ( run out of bread). Tasty and requires little thought in either shopping or prep.