Cooking is wearing me out

knitandsew

OK, so I know how to meal plan, cook from scratch etc but I'm finding it exhausting even though I love baking and cooking.

The other thing is that to my dismay and even though they have always been fed homemade stuff my family dream of living off frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets. I know this is just a normal reaction (I remember wanting cheap meat pies over my mum's homecooked stuff) but it's very discouraging.

Feeding nutritious homemade meals is very important to me.

But right now, I feel so discouraged I almost want to go buy a truckload of readymade stuff and just feed them junk

maman

Not sure exactly what's wearing you out. Is it the nagging for junk or are you cooking from scratch every evening after a day's work?
I'd suggest you have some simpler midweek meals (like sausage and mash or something from the slow cooker) and batchcook some HM ready meals that you only need to warm up.
I wouldn't ban all 'junk' but make them treats like Saturday evening.
Not sure of the make up of your family but any chance of help?

Owain_Moneysaver

It's not compulsory to cook every day.

A frozen pizza once a week won't kill them.

PasturesNew

I don't bother.... there are ways to shortcut what you're doing and still get something that's not a quick fix at the end of it.

There's middle ground between what you're doing and what they want. e.g. frozen veg is just as nutritious as standing and chopping stuff.... and bought pizza doesn't automatically mean it's bad.

Slinky

As a child when we visited my friend's house we often came away with a loaf of her mum's homemade bread. It rarely made it home, we'd devour it warm in the car on the way. I met up with my friend years later and she told me how the kids had longed for shop bought bread.


The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.


I get fed up with cooking for scratch most nights. Let them have some junk occasionally, it won't harm in moderation.

rach_k

I would let them have frozen pies and pizza for a few weeks and then see how they feel about fresh home cooked meals. We've just had the kitchen done and have been living off mostly microwave foods for what feels like forever. At first it was a novelty and the food was okay but by the end we were all missing 'proper' food, even the 5 year old!

jackyann

I feel for you! And agree that you should spend a bit of time analysing what is bothering you - not to dwell on it, but to work towards a solution.
Also agree that the grass is always greener etc......

I suggest that if you can afford it, you consider making some cooking simpler, with the occasional ready made sauce etc.

Regarding the kids' attitude, depending on their ages, get them to take some responsibility. I suggest a meeting at which you have a discussion along these lines:
1 ready made / take away meal a week, on a busy night, to help you - maybe take turns at choosing?
Kids to cook one night (Saturday in most familes) and can choose what to cook, but it must involve some simple cooking not just re-heating. You will have to help / supervise / direct but I found this very useful (sausage & mash very popular!)
A tip I mention often on here: every week everyone writes down their choice of meal for the following week. You don't get to choose if you moan about any of the meals, although politely explaining genuine dislikes & constructive criticism after the meal is OK.
By dong this I have brought up 3 excellent cooks & one competent one.
good luck!

Slowly57

knitandsew wrote: »

OK, so I know how to meal plan, cook from scratch etc but I'm finding it exhausting even though I love baking and cooking. Feeding nutritious homemade meals is very important to me. But right now, I feel so discouraged I almost want to go buy a truckload of readymade stuff and just feed them junk

Tell your family that preparing nutritious homemade meals is very important to you but that you feel tired and discouraged. See what happens. You are not a robot hun - your feelings matter xx

Nomoonatall

knitandsew wrote: »

OK, so I know how to meal plan, cook from scratch etc but I'm finding it exhausting even though I love baking and cooking.

The other thing is that to my dismay and even though they have always been fed homemade stuff my family dream of living off frozen pizzas and chicken nuggets. I know this is just a normal reaction (I remember wanting cheap meat pies over my mum's homecooked stuff) but it's very discouraging.


Feeding nutritious homemade meals is very important to me.

But right now, I feel so discouraged I almost want to go buy a truckload of readymade stuff and just feed them junk

Get a takeaway every so often and buy shop bought sarnies. Save your energy and save on the washing up!

Even beans on toast is healthy (and lovely). Don't try and be a Stepford Wife...I've seen the film, it doesn't end well!

Look after yourself and take it easy. x

Caterina

I feel for you, I used to be just like that when the kids were little. It's hard to keep up when you lovingly bake yet another batch of lovely organic bread only to hear the children whinge that they want "real" bread, meaning sliced white (it happened to me!).

I agree with the others above, try to simplify your cooking, involve the kids, introduce the odd shop bought meal, they won't get ill on the odd frozen pizza! Give yourself a break and remember that what you are doing is well worth doing, they will thank you when they grow up. Mine do, and we laugh about when they would turn their noses at yet another bowl of "hippy slop", healthy beans and veg stews. Now they love them.

warby68

Been there, done that.

Just mix it up a bit - the odd freezer meal won't do any harm and give you a break. Add a few very simple meals to your repertoire, and let others take a turn cooking once in a while.

Most things , no matter how virtuous, become a slog if you don't ring the changes or take a break now and then