Not like to Cook

I understand what you're saying. I was the same way at one time, but now I do enjoy cooking. Not to say that you should change, that's just what happened to me. If you are able to eat out and get take out often, why not? Enjoy it. If you do want to have homecooked meals, have you tried places like Dream Dinners? I've heard good things about them and a couple of my friends use them regularly to prepare healthy meals for their families. In fact, they go and do the prep themselves about once a month as a "date" night. That way, they can make the meals healthier than the standard fair and spend fun time together.

Its not so much that I hate to cook as its that I'm a lousy cook. So, I cheat a little bit. I will buy chicken from el pollo loco, then prepare side dishes at home. At the supermarket I buy the preseasoned meats or I go to the meat counter and get the chicken kabobs and carne asada.

One of the things I want to try are those places where you go once a week and prepare all your meals in advance. http://www.thymeout.com/home.html

Duty calls...
~N.

Being a mother is really a thankless job. It's hard for me too. In the beginning I did it all but everything was taken for granted and I became bitter about it and started doing the bare minimum to keep the house going which only made me feel bad about myself. I don't know what your background is but I always had jobs that made me feel valued and kept me motivated and being a SAHM is not the same. After some soul searching I am now in the process of going back to work. Not everyone is meant to be the domestic mom and there is nothing wrong with that. If you are working outside the home I think it's the job of both parents to cook and clean and not just the mom so keep that in mind. Like I said I don't know your background or living situation but maybe it's time to think about adjusting your life so you are more fulfilled.

I've always loved to cook so I guess I shouldn't have an opinion really but I do! I answer questions on a cooking site and you are not the only one that feels the way you do. What motivates most of the people I talk to is the need to keep their family healthier. Many health and weight issues pop up when you are eating out or bringing in all the time. It's easy to put together a menu that can be made in 30 minutes or less that is easy, quick and more nutritious. With a weekly or monthly plan of quick recipes the pressure is taken away and you can do it without stress - as long as you make it to the grocery story once a week! Now, for the personal stuff...really, life can't be 50/50 or at least it shouldn't be. We are the caretakers of our family. We may not always like it but we become responsible for taking care of these types of things. My suggestion: act like you like it...take it on as a resolution to make a better life for your family by making sure they are not putting junk into their bodies...and you may just learn to enjoy it!

I like to cook, but I HATE to clean up which is just as bad because I'll avoid cooking so I don't have to clean. But I think you're right, you should find some way to enjoy or at least tolerate cooking- you shouldn't force yourself to do something you absolutely hate, but there has to be a way to make it more enjoyable. And as far as your daughter being picky goes, you kind of have to ignore that. At this age kids start to become more picky, but if you give in and give them only what they want then the STAY picky and before you know it you still hate to cook AND you're fixing three different dishes to accomodate everyone. Whatever you cook/ eat your daughter should eat. And if she refuses to eat it, fine, she'll be hungry (I'm pretty free with snacks because I almost always have only healthy snacks, but if my 21 month old refuses to eat a meal I make her wait 90 min before she can have a snack). No kid has EVER starved themselves to death, I promise. And if you are firm it will pass and you'll have a good eater. But don't translate this to mean you have to make them eat- if she chooses not to eat something the best thing to do is just let her down from the table. If you try to MAKE her eat it you'll end up with a power struggle, and that's no good.

Back to hating cooking- find the SIMPLIST recipies you can, and if you can afford it I would still go out or get takeout when you want (healthy choices for your child's sake, though). I don't know what you like, but anything from Rachel Ray is really good and fast to make. And if it makes you feel any better about cooking, enlist your hubby to help clean up- it helps me a lot!

Keep it simple, get a crock pot to cook in and a steamer and use your grill. Micro fresh vegees with nothing on them and cut a head of lettuce into quarters with dressing on it. Get a good hearty bread to go with it.

Hi L.,

I do feel for you. BUT, Now that you have a child, home cooked meals is essential to your child. I used to love cooking but now it is not one of my favorite things to do. Maybe share to responsibility with your husband if that is an option. It is something to accept (unless you can afford to hire a cook). I wish I did not have to cook all the time but it is something we have to do to keep our family healthy. I know this is not what you want to hear but what else can you do? My daughters best friend was raised on fast food and take out and she would LOVE to eat at our house because that is when she was able to eat home cooking. At the age of 9 she was on slim fast and now at 15 she is soooooo skinny it worries me. They mostly have frozen foods at home because her mom never cooks to this day. So maybe take a day to prepare meals that you can prepare and just warm up through the week. Good Luck and hang in there.
C.

I hate to cook but I love to eat!!! Since my mom handed down some wonderful recipies I have to cook to eat some yummy foods. Have you heard of hiring a personal chef? If you could
afford to eat out you can afford a personal chef. They sit down and plan your meals with you then come to you house once a week and cook all your meals snacks etc. they clean the kitchen package ,label everything and freeze or refrigerate...these are gormet chefs!!! NOt as expensive as ypu would think. otherwise crock pot, and bbq are good ideas
try to cook enough food for two days ...leftovers!!! eating out is not bad as long as its not fast food. Restaurants are basiclly home cooked.!!! And yes the wife /mom role is a part of it and sometimes a struggle. I watch food network for inspiration!!!

I HATE cooking also. It is so hard for me to get the motivation to cook, because I despise it. I've read all of your responses hoping for some help for myself, and I just wanted to let you know you are not alone in this! If we could afford to eat out all the time, that's what I would do, except when it comes to my kids. I am extremely picky about what they eat. No sugar, no processed or refined foods, no preservatives, basically no ingredients that I cannot pronounce or don't know what they are. They have a very simple diet (and are quite happy with it!). They are 3 and 2 years old. They developed some picky tendencies after turning a year old, but they eat basically the same foods all the time, so it's all the stuff they like and it's pretty well-rounded (I've heard that young children have very simple palates anyway and don't like a lot of variety or strong flavors). If you want details on their "menu," I would be happy to give it to you. Just let me know, otherwise I won't bore you with all the details. I don't do a whole lot of cooking for them. Most of their meals are assembled pretty easily and quickly (I had to do this because I am home alone with them most of the time and they wouldn't let me cook a meal for them anyway. For someone who hates cooking, to try to do it with 2 toddlers hanging on you - no way!). The one meal that I like to cook for them is homemade macaroni and cheese. It is very labor-intensive so I only make it when my husband is home and can run interference with them.
As for meals for my husband and I, I do a lot of frozen stuff. We order meats and some sides from Omaha Steaks. Their prices for meats are pretty reasonable and they are absolutely delicious. My favorite steaks anywhere! I also love the frozen lasagna from Costco - and it boasts "no preservatives." They have a lot of other delicious frozen meals, too, you just have to be careful - they're not always so healthy.
Life (in the home, at least) isn't so easy when you don't like to cook! I'm right there with you. When the kids get older and don't need ALL of my attention, I plan to cook more. I just know that is is healthier for all of us than going frozen or take-out all the time (though I will still want my eating out "treat" at least once a week!) and I want us to be a family that sits and eats dinner together everyday. So I will do what I have to do to make that happen.
I hope you find some solutions that work for you!

I'm blessed to have hubby who loves cooking... however, does none through out the week... Anyways, we do a lot of BBQ on weekends (lunch for the week) and buy tons of frozen veggies at Wal-Mart (prices are sooo cheap) and the menu is pretty similar always: meet, some quick starch (mashed potatoes -boxed of course, rice -rice cooker), and veggies. I consider this healthy and really don't cook a lot. When I'm tired, i scavanger hunt the refri, open a can of beans, prepare a quick rice, mix everything, wrapp it in burrito.. and i keep going for another little while. Summing up. Helps a lot having protein cooked in advance. Good luck... or should I say Good eats? ;)

Hi Lillian,
I don't really care to cook but, feel I have to in order to keep the budget in order. If it were just me, I would eat salads and sandwiches, but my husband likes a meal. I BBQ a lot and then I have less mess to clean. Except I am out of gas right now and have to find the energy to remove the stinkin tank and exchange it for a new one.

I try to cook extra food the night I cook and the following night we eat the left overs. If there is chicken left over, sometimes I will make a chicken salad for sandwiches the next day and hubby and baby are fine with that.

I don't like to cook either and I pretty much suck at it too. But I'm learning the best I can and right now I go with meals that require very little ingredients. Casseroles seem to do well because I can use the left overs for my hubbys lunch and don't have to make anything for that. For instance, a great recipe that seems to be a big winner around here is frying a cut up chicken breast. Then tossing it with green beans and a can of cream of chicken (or whatever you have) and then putting it in a baking dish and then put stove top stuffing on top which takes hardly any time at all to make and then layering cheese and french fried onions if you like. Then bake it at 350 for 25 minutes. You just have to find a few easy recipes that your family likes and stick with those. Watching the food channel has helped me out a lot too!