Husband says he's 'relieved' when we have a ready meal instead of me cooking

[Coralinea]

My husband and I sometimes cook from scratch, and sometimes have a ready meal (for the oven, such as a fish pie).

I've always really liked cooking. If we cook anything from scratch, it's normally me who cooks, and we normally eat a bit later (closer to 8pm than 7pm) because of the prep. I like making things like curries and pasta bakes, and I experiment with new things.

The other day, my husband said he feels 'relieved' when we have a ready meal, because we eat earlier and there's no clanking around of pans and extra washing up (though we have a big dishwasher that does most of this).

AIBU to feel really annoyed he said this, and to feel like I just don't want to cook for him anymore? I feel like if it's not ready before 7.30, then he's annoyed it's 'late' and would prefer a ready meal.

That seems fairly late for a meal at home, but I guess it depends when you get home from work. Maybe you could compromise by sticking a quick readymeal in for him but cook for yourself ?😉

You have a lovely hubby OP, don't let go of him

Tbf 8pm is pretty late to be eating (although accept its normal in some cultures)

Which if you gets home first? If he does perhaps he could take over the cooking/meal prep

I cook 90% from scratch, and then all the cleaning up afterwards. The older I get the more of a faff it becomes for me. I used to love cooking, but now I hate it. It’s such a chore for me. But obviously you love cooking, so it must be upsetting to hear your husband say that, given that it sounds like you do all of the cooking.

I wouldn’t want to be eating that late at night. or have a load of cleaning up to do after either.

Seems a lot of faff. It’s weird that you have taken this so personally. Can’t both you cook some quicker recipes for mid week dinner?

I would point out that dinner might be ready earlier if he helps out a bit more in the kitchen.

We eat about 8ish most nights (except when activities necessitate a later dinner). Does he have any reason to need to eat earlier?

This thread is already mad. Why is eating between 7.30 to 8.30 late?

It's absolutely normal.

That said, family patterns run deep and I have several in wider family who think eating at 6.00pm is late.

You need to talk about what is normal for your family, and work out a compromise.

Surely batch cooking is thr best of both worlds here.

Tasty healthy food
You get the joy of home cooking
Most of the prep and washing up happens on the weekend
Weekday meals are quick as it's just freezer to microwave

agreed with @Mumoftwo1312 meal prep/batch cook

We eat late, but dh always has a salad beforehand. We (not just me) also cook from scratch. Days we don't want to cook we order something.

Pasta bakes could be made the night before and then just cooked on the night. I will often do this. My dh likes to do the midweek cooking but when it gets to gone 7pm ( he doesn't get in from work until 6.30 some nights) it is too late. I'd rather just have something quick like a stir fry or Jacket potato.

Do the experimental cooking at the weekend and easy stuff after work. It doesn’t have to be a ready meal. It could be a re-heated meal from the freezer as PPs suggest, or an all-in-one-baking-tray meat/fish & veg meal, or a quick pasta with sauce, or sausage & mash etc. Jamie Oliver’s good for quick everyday meals.

The answe might be a slow cooker?
You can get some that have timers that do all the work while you are out or asleep overnight. Then just vegetables and/sides.
I love mine

Let him sort his own food out in that case, and just cook for yourself. He clearly doesn't appreciate your cooking so he can buy his own ready meals and bung them in the microwave if that what floats his boat.

We haven’t eaten before 8.30 in the week in years due to work hours.

What time does he eat lunch, maybe he could push it later if he’s desperate to eat earlier? Or maybe he could have a quick snack when he comes in?

People think eating at 8 is late 😮 I can’t abide eating any earlier than 7:30. Is this 1975?

That was my reaction too. We ate at 6.30 tonight for various reasons and I wasn't hungry at all. It felt like a late lunch. We normally eat around 8.30.

When I went out to work and knew I'd often got home late I used to cook the day before and then eat the meal earlier the next day.

There's nothing morally better or culturally superior about eating late. I know the Spanish blah blah.

Some of us have to eat lunch early because of work shifts and are chewing our arms off by 7pm.

If I was expecting dinner at 7 and got it at 8pm, I'd prefer a ready meal.

We do have frozen and canned foods like sausage rolls and meat pies for those nobody feels like cooking days.

We eat for 6ish means dishes are done after and we can all relax after that I hate eating late

8pm?!
I like to have my tea in front of The Chase

I was going to suggest that.

Lol I was thinking the same, all this faux horror at people eating before 8.30pm! Gosh, you're all so continental and sophisticated 😂

by the time I finish work, I don’t end up eating until 7.30/8 and by then I’m starving. But if I’m not in work, I wouldn’t eat that late. Can’t blame him for being hungry. Prep on the weekend for stuff you can throw in the oven on a week day