@bible2 Ask around! You might be surprised! I have a couple really good friends who will do it occasionally, but also a couple acquaintances who want to do it once in a while as well. My bestie tries to come over once a month because she struggles to dinner her large family (3-4 adults and 6-8 kids). She doesn’t really know how to cook so she is learning at the same time.
@de_maria I feel this in my soul. Usually I meal plan, shop, cook. My husband cooks on his day off but half the battle is planning. I have 3 kids (2,4,6) and work from home and their all home since it’s summer. Lately I’ll have a meal planned out and just the thought of cutting vegetables or something makes me want to cry. I also feel like I’m in a meal planning funk.
@de_maria Honestly I’d have your husband plan out meals for the week (main & sides), print any recipes you don’t have, go through the ads, do all the grocery shopping, and any prep that can be done ahead of time. He can do it on a weekend day when he’s home. I think he needs a wake up on how hard it is to do… you need a full on break on top of this but he also needs to understand the amount of work that goes into cooking.
@bridgetbride Man, having to do the plan, shop, and cook just really sucks. I’ve been in that rut the last month or so because of how my husband schedule has worked out…..I’m so tired of cooking dinners. Even if everyone is appreciative it is so stressful.
@cink Yes it’s hard. My husband works 4 16 he shifts and has 3 days off. Thankfully he’s got picky and does all the cooking when he’s off. We also try to prep freezer crock pot meals. With his schedule and not being home 4 days it makes more sense for me to do the shopping and list because when he’s off there’s so much other things that need his attention that I either can’t go alone or period.
@bridgetbride Yup, almost exact same here. Husband works 4 10s overnight, 9pm-7am. So he’s sleeping when we’re awake most of the week too. We definitely prioritize things I can’t do alone for when he’s off. Lately that has been grocery shopping though because I’m 35 weeks pregnant and we have a 14 month old, so I can’t really lug the groceries up to our apartment total solidarity with you. We got this!
@cink Yes I’m grateful my husband never complains, doesn’t expect a meal, and would honestly eat whatever I made even if it’s the same every night. If I say I just couldn’t tonight so I threw together whatever that’s cool too.
@de_maria It is helpful if you both grocery shop together on weekends and write down/plan meals in advance to make a shopping list. I made a list of meals I feel comfortable cooking and we choose from that list. Sometimes we (rarely) try something new. I agree that being solely responsible for planning and cooking meals while caring for kids is exhausting. That's why it would be helpful if you got your husband on board with the responsibility.
@de_maria I’ve had this same conversation, lol. Dinner is a constant thought and I hate it sometimes. My husband works long hours so I never know if he’ll be on time or not. I’ve stopped asking Sometimes he’ll be late and he’ll call and say “what’s for dinner?” I’ll say “the kids ate and I’m not hungry so you’re on your own!” lol.
@babrowngyal I should probably do this more. Just start cooking at a certain time- that’a also just difficult because if I wait til he’s home then at least he can help me keep the kids out of the kitchen an impossible task.
@de_maria The summers are too hot where I live, but the rest of the year, the kids have to be in the backyard from 5pm to 6pm, no exceptions. I can keep an eye on them through the kitchen window to make sure they're still alive, but they're not to set foot in the house while I'm fixing dinner.
And occasionally I'll be done cooking by 5:30, but the rule still stands so I can sit at the table, drink some wine, and scroll my phone for a few blessed moments of silence
@de_maria Cooking is so freaking hard, especially at the end of the day when you're worn out. I also hate cooking because it means adding to the mess and dishes in the kitchen I probably haven't had the mental strength to clean up all day.
I haven't cracked the code but here's what helps me: I always do cook once, eat twice. All my meals are big enough for two dinners. We eat out once a week. And then I keep a stock of some frozen stuff like pizzas, chicken cordon Bleus, etc, for nights I just can't. And for nights I really just can't....it's cold cereal or snack stuff and fruit, I tell my husband he's on his own to scrounge. I have also demanded that my husband help with the dishes. He is in charge of cleaning out the dishwasher (I don't mind loading) and I will hound him until he does it. That helps me not worry as much about adding to the dishes. I'm in the process of getting him in the habit of cleaning up dinner once we're done eating, too. Though he's not always home for the initial meal. I wish you luck and I hope you find some solutions!
@de_maria SERIOUSLY! Figuring out what to cook every damn day is exhausting. Working around everyone likes and dislikes and then factoring in what I’ve made too recently and what someone is burnt out on. It’s the mental fucking Olympics.
ETA: not to mention, the cost of groceries now being a major deciding factor
@vvshinedownvv My husband's the primary cook; I'm the shopper; teen does dishes. Teen & I each cook at least one dinner a week. But I shop by value & type of food not specifics. We've had a lot of pork & chicken lately, beef only when it's on sale. He's put beef on the shopping lists, I've explained price hikes, and it repeats.
Well, my husband asked to do steaks on the grill for Father's Day. I managed to drag them to the grocery store: "I'll get veggies & bread & cheese, teen you go for ice cream & chocolate sauce, dad you go pick out whatever beef you want.
He came back with pork...and hasn't put it on the list since
total solidarity with you. We got this!
Sometimes he’ll be late and he’ll call and say “what’s for dinner?” I’ll say “the kids ate and I’m not hungry so you’re on your own!” lol.