Sunday dinner ... Guilt.

[Rabbitheadlights]

Asking really to find out what the hell is wrong with me? I make a roast on a Sunday EVERY week and not just a basic one either, Rain or Shine, hell or high water in sickness and health.

But my kids don't really care they can take it or leave it.

So why if I don't do it, do I feel this weird guilty type feeling, asthough I'm letting them down somehow? It's ridiculous!

Or people have different tastes. I like a good roast every now and then but would be bored having one every week. There are only so many variations on meat, potatoes and veg that i can muster up enthusiasm for.

I hate eating a big lunch and prefer an evening meal. Roast and all the trimmings is lovely but doesn’t need to be every Sunday!

A Sunday roast was traditionally a time for families to get together and talk, over the most lavish meal of the week- with the leftovers lasting for days.

A pretty good tradition, I think, but kids haven’t grown up with it, and times are different now.

I'll do them pretty regularly in the winter (nut roast as we're veggie) but not at all in the summer, when we prefer a much lighter meal

I’ve not been a slave to preparing a Sunday dinner for years now. I hate them and also don’t cook a traditional Xmas dinner, which in my mind is a glorified Sunday lunch.

don’t feel guilty, I don’t anymore 🤗

I usually do a roast on Sundays - even for just 2 people.

It's the one meal I don't have to think about, it's easy to prepare, & timing it is a doddle

Tom add, I have dinner at dinner-time - not lunch.

Your Sunday dinner routine is habit & it is a hard one to break.
We rarely have Sunday dinners but it still feels weird that we don’t have one every weekend as I grew up having one every weekend.
Personally I struggle physically to cook anything more than a chuck it together pasta bake, due to ill health, these days so my partner makes the Sunday dinners when we do have one.
Maybe switch it up a bit for the rest of the year & see if you can get used to not having a Sunday dinner every Sunday.
Of no-one is that bothered about it why not put your feet up instead 💗

I was like this. I felt a Sunday dinner had to be provided.

Now my kids are older I don't even provide them with weekday dinners, I just let them get on with it.

The guilt bit is the whole "woman work" thing that we can't shake off. We feel we have to conform. It's a nice warm fuzzy feeling when we manage to tick subconscious life boxes we didn't even decide we wanted.

That's why I've given up on guilt about these things.

Don't give up on the roasts! Your Sundays sound idyllic and if I had your abilities in the kitchen we would have a roast every week instead of once a month. I think your children would miss the roasts if you stopped doing them.

Start a new tradition. How about Wednesday nite desserts?

I'd never heard of it either and I was definitely young once, maybe it's something more local to you and not known nationally?

I used to do this because my parents did it, but that was in the 70s! Now because people are working or running etc on Sunday it’s not practical. Cut yourself some slack. Do it 4-6 times a year if you miss it. But don’t stress about it.

I never cook a roast on Sundays as we are too busy! The children usually have sports matches or competitions, or if not then we might go out for a long walk or bike ride. I often do a mid week roast though, which they love but no more than various other meals.

Waste of a Sunday. Cut it down to once a month or until a family member asks for one

As a kid l woke every Sunday morning to the smell of the meat being cooked and my mum peeling potatoes .I did the same and my kids ( now adults ) talk like l did about how comforting that was. You’re making memories so l’d say carry on !

This.
We weren't brought up by parents who did a Sunday roast. My mum wanted a day with no faff and if she or anyone else wanted to go out on Sunday there was no expectation that you would stay in instead. I have never cooked a roast on a Sunday.

Woman work. So very true. When my father was coming to the end of his life my mum announced that she wouldn't be making Christmas cakes for everyone that year. I only like the icing and marzipan, can't stand the cake part. My husband prefers shop bought Christmas cake from Sainsbury's and my brothers didn't care. She could have stopped 20 years before and no one but her would have cared. She worked full time for years, coped with my father's Parkinsons and did everything else. Making cakes, mince pies and pickling everything was a self inflicted waste of precious time.

Bloody hell, how long did your meat cook for? Or did you husy wake up really really late? On the rare occasion DH cooks a roast the meat doesn’t go in until about 4pm, when we’re home from clubs/activities etc.

I do find this strange and old fashioned. With school, work and all the kids activities, Sunday is the only full day we get to spend as a family. I would much rather go out as a family and do something we all enjoy. The kids also are of an age that they want to spend time with Mummy. Why would I spend half that day in the kitchen instead of spending time with my family? Reminds me of when my eldest was a very clingy and refluxy baby. When first weaning I spent loads of time with the aim of 'doing the best for my baby' boiling loads of vegetables and blending them. The whole time she cried and screamed because she just wanted me to hold her. It was very stressful for us both. I soon realised that that wasn't best for my baby' and the shop bought variety was fine. It was more important to be there for her. Time is precious, don't waste it doing a roast they don't care about.

I enjoy cooking a roast dinner , find the logistics of timings fun !! Doesn’t make me a martyr or a exceptionally great mum , pretty sure I’m not either🤣
I don’t make it a special Sunday meal - just do it when I like .
I completely love all the prep and work of the full Christmas lunch, I share it all with my family and it’s all part of the day .
Do what you love

We don't have a roast every Sunday but do like them!

We still go out as I'll use the slow cooker. All veg prepped in the morning? Beef in red wine shoved in the slow cooker, out for the day then shove the roasting trays in the oven with the veg on.

If we had a big day out though we wouldn't bother.

My teens love a roast but they are a bit weird and prefer healthy things than junk food if given a choice.

How about continuing the tradition of a family meal on Sundays, but not do something as labour intensive as a roast? And get your kids used to helping as soon as possible.

Just me and DD most of the time but I'll often do a roast chicken because I can then use the leftovers and also make a soup but I'll often just do smash potatoes and veg with it .

I personally do not like roast dinner and would very rarely eat one and enjoy it. So I do not cook them at all.