Tell me how often you cook ??

[bettyflinn]

I am really struggling with how often to cook to feed my family ! We are 4 people, 1 year old, 3 year old and two adults.

1 year old eats everything. I eat everything but try to keep it healthy/ low calorie. 3 year old is fussy and husband is fussy.

I'm cooking twice a day at the moment and it's really frustrating.

I need to work on a better routine. I work from home, just often cook in my breaks and it's annoying.

The evening meal will usually be two things at least. I don't want to cook twice a day. Or is this what everyone does ?

I think cooking once a day should be enough. The kids eat lunch at nursery etc. husband doesn't want to eat what I give my kids or what I eat. So it's still two meals. I'm tired.

3x a day, but if my husband wanted something different he’d make it himself, I’m not a short order cook. If he (or anybody) wants something specific he tells me when I’m making my weekly meal plan but otherwise everyone eats what I make.

Only dinner. I don't do special meals for anyone, though sometimes there are options within one meal, or sometimes dh and I have something fancier than the kids. We eat at the same time, which is later than average for most - probably about 7-7:30pm - and that's been the case at least since eldest was a toddler and youngest has never know anything different.

I cook evening meal, everyone eats the same. It's self service breakfast and lunch (no young children here)

I have zero patience for fussy adults.

If they don't like what is on offer then they can cook for themselves.

Husband does all the cooking thank god

oh and he cooks once a day, evening meal, which everyone eats or they make their own thing (frowned upon)

Is it textures or flavours? One of my DC was/is fussy and it has been a long road to get them to eat healthier alternatives. With them it was textures and flavours...so don't do something that had all different textures mixed together...make sure they can eat them separately, possibly puree veg sauces for meat and potatoes and then make it rougher puree etc until it is vvvvsmall chopped and well cooked veg so it's soft, then less soft...then go for raw a long time after!
If it's taste, then disguise it with something else, add some spice/herb etc. It's a journey with a fussy eater, but they don't get a different meal, just curtailed to what they should be able to eat and then I wait hours for them to eat it because they don't like chewing 😔
I once asked if they didn't like the food (as they had just gagged on something) and they said they liked the taste but not the texture...we just ended up laughing at their gagging and eventually after about 5 years the gag reflex seems to have subsided a bit!
Still on the journey...it doesn't stop! But they don't get different food.

I cook pretty much every day unless we eat out but I only cook dinner (DH cooks once a week)

Breakfast/Lunch we sort ourselves out.

I cook enough lunches and dinners for 4 days at a time. Gets a bit boring sometimes but it keeps me on my diet and it saves time.

I cook. We all eat. That's it. Don't cook twice, whatever happens, just don't do it.

Often she won't even try it. But will eat two plates of the same thing the next time I make it

Well, that suggests it’s not a taste/texture issue which is a good thing. It can be frustrating when they love something one day and turn up their nose at it another but I think it’s often an age/phase thing that they eventually grow out of. Sometimes they’re just exercising a bit of control and they know it winds you up !

I wouldn’t and didn’t offer an alternative in this situation, just told them to eat the bits they did like. Don’t make a fuss, let her leave it but if she’s hungry soon after offer it again. If she sticks to her guns I’d wait a while and then give her something she’ll eat yet isn’t a particular favourite as obviously you don’t want her to go to bed hungry.

When I’m cooking I cook one meal. I don’t mind small changes/additions where someone genuinely doesn’t like one part of the meal but I’m not cooking two or more separate meals in one evening.

I cook every day and hate it. I'm home most of the time so it's part of my job. I do 1 meal a day and don't think I ever had a day that someone wasn't moaning at me. But I refuse to make more than 1 meal. I make some adjustments for example DS1 cannot and will not eat fish so i would throw on a frozen chicken fillet for him. I sometimes will throw on some pasta and serve it plain as a second option if I know someone particularly hates something and its not one of our usual meals. I do try to accommodate everyone but its impossible. Mine are older, 15 and 10 so old enough to fry an egg or make a sandwich if they really need to.

Dh is fussy and as a child his whole family's meals revolved around his notions and funnily enough he is not so fussy now when faced with the option of cooking his own alternative.

We share cooking round my husbands shifts. Cook six days a week from scratch. 1 meal a day, 3 in the house will eat anything and like trying new things, 1 fussy 9 year old. Through trial and error we have found plenty of meals 9 year old will eat and sometimes adapt slightly. Example she won't eat marinated meat or fish but will eat it plain or choose veg she will eat or frozen peas with hers! On occasion I will do her a "picky plate" if we are trying something I know she really won't eat. Picky plate consists of little bits of everything she likes but with some nutrition included such as fruits, nuts, cheese, crackers.

My mother said "As a parent, your job to provide palatable healthy meals. It's not your job to make anyone eat them."

If I were you I'd batch cook something of your choosing and suitable for your 1 YO. Offer it to DH and 3 YO 'I've made this, do you want some'?

If they do, good. If not, DH can make his own dinner and hopefully 3 YO will have some of his. You are not obliged to cook your DH a meal of his choosing, especially when he is fussy and won't eat what you want to eat. If the 3 YO won't eat what either of you have made, give her toast, soup, eggs, cheese and cucumber, cereal, whatever.

Any leftovers, eat the next day or freeze for another time. A couple of times a week, have something really quick and simple like a cheese and vegetable omelette, stir fry or fresh vegetable soup and nice bread. Or raid the freezer for all the batch cooking in there.

Once a week mostly. I do six big meals for us on the Sunday. Typical Sunday cooking will include meatballs and roast potatoes, spinach pie, fish pie, hunters chicken, spiced chickpeas and homemade curry or pasta bake. I make enough to have leftovers for lunch and I do salads/rice as and when I need them. Works for us.

I have a 3yo and a 1yo as well, cook once a day. 3yo can be fussy but she doesn't get extra cooked for her, she eats what she's given or at least tries some, and then she waits until bedtime for supper. No way would I be cooking 2 meals!

3 year old aside that is MAD. DH cooks every day for us (I'm very lucky) and while he'll ask my opinion or sometimes make my favourite thing, by and large I just eat whatever he wants to cook or eat that day, because I'm very grateful that I don't have to cook.

Once or twice a week he'll make a big enough dinner to do us 2 meals and a portion each in the freezer, buying himself a couple of nights 'off'.

Your Husband needs to give his head a shake and sort his own meals if he doesn't want what you've made. 3 year old harder, but what you've made with a boring and easy alternate if they really don't want it? (Fruit, toast, porridge, pasta & sauce etc?).

Look at Ellyn Satter division of responsibility.

I know everyone is saying your DH should make his own meal but I would actually be really offended if my DP wouldn't eat what I'd made. It doesn't set a good example to the children either tbh.

Yes OP just make the one meal.

I used to be like this! I was cooking 3 different meals. It was exhausting. I said to DH that I won’t be doing it and it was one meal or he could have toast/cereal. I try and avoid meals I know he dislikes to avoid drama.

I cook a different meal for my 4 year old and for us every night. We don't eat until 9pm by the time we've finished work and he needs to eat earlier. Sometimes I try to do something similar or use our leftovers from the night before for his food but he's also very fussy so sometimes just has bread and cheese.

I cook ONE meal and have done since the kids were little.

My DH can sometimes be fussy, but tough sh*t. I'm cooking so I choose.

I always make sure there is ONE thing the kids will eat at least e.g. if I do a curry, I keep the rice in a separate bowl. Same for pasta usually.

My kid are expected to TRY everything. Not eat it all, just try. If they do try then they get the "exciting pudding" (ice lolly, cake etc...). If they're not willing to try then pudding is a banana or apple.

I now have 3 kids (ages 7 to 12) who eat pretty much everything.

If my DH doesn't like something, then he can pick it out. If he doesn't like the entire meal then that means leftovers for my lunch the next day (YAAAAAY!) and he can make himself some toast later.

I absolutely would NOT cook a separate meal for your DH! Surely he can sort himself some cheese on toast or a sandwich if he doesn't like the meal?!?!?

Once a day (if you don't count porridge or eggs or occasional bacon sarnie)
Everyone eats the same. DH and I might choose different things if DS is out or away but again we both eat the same thing.
I might do real fish for us and fish fingers for ds but everything else would be the same.

@theresalwaysguineapigcurry same 🤦🏻‍♀️ we're a family of 6 and I've cooked for the first time tonight in about 2 weeks 🥴