I have been in a rut off and on the past several years and basically….I just don't want to cook dinner a lot of nights. Am I am the only wife and mother out there that feels like this? Probably not!! It is a common issue and I could talk for days about the “whys” behind it—-but why bore you to death, LOL. The answer that is needed is what to do when you are sick of cooking dinner! I have had this thought on my brain for a while now and I think I have a few ideas!
What to Do When You Are Sick of Cooking Dinner
Cut Back on Cooking
I realize that my family still needs to eat dinner. It seems to be one of the most important topics on their minds EVERY day….what's for dinner?? Honestly, though cutting back on cooking is one of the only ways I can get through the trenches when I really don't want to cook dinner.
We may have sandwiches for dinner….or cereal. No one is going to croak if a home cooked meal isn't on the table at 6pm. My family will survive an extremely simple meal once a week.
Share Responsibilities
Sharing responsibilities isn't practical in every family, but it can work in most homes. My husband works a lot of hours and it wouldn't make sense for me to ask him to cook dinner when he gets home at 7pm! I can ask him to take something else off my plate so that I am not so overwhelmed and then making dinner won't seem so bad.
If you have older children it would be very feasible to ask them to make dinner once a week. It will help them learn their way around the kitchen and chances are they will enjoy it.
Simple Meals Make a Difference
One reason I get burned out in the kitchen is because I try to make dinner “to big” sometimes. I make dishes that take too long and require too many ingredients. I don't want to spend all evening in the kitchen cooking.
When I take a step back and focus on putting simple meals on the table that don't take a ton of prep work it works so much better. One of my favorite simple meals is making a Baked Loaf Sandwich!
Crock Pot Time
If I am really stressed about dinner….chances are I have not been using my crock pot and pressure cooker enough! These devices are so great for saving time cooking that they are no brainers. Planning ahead for the week and scheduling at least one or two easy crock pot meals really helps me put dinner on the table. I love making Smoked Sausage and Potato Casserole in the slow cooker when I am pinched for time. We also have some family favorite electric pressure cooker recipes!
Go Out
I am going to be honest here….sometimes we just GO OUT to eat. No one is going to pull the wool over your eyes and make you think that I am Martha Stewart in the kitchen. I love my family but I don't always want to cook for them. They can usually tell from my expression if it is a MOM'S OFF KITCHEN DUTY night. The budget for eating out is different for every family, but with a little creativity I think many families could dine out once a week and not break the bank! Check out these 10 Awesome Ways Families Can Save Money When Eating Out.
Meal Planning
I know it isn't glamorous, but meal planning really does help me when I am in a cooking rut. I typically know which nights will be hard for me to get into the kitchen. If I can game plan for those evenings it will help me. My Stay at Home Adventures has a great post about the Benefits of Meal Planning and even a free printable to help get you organized!
You Are Not Alone
I don't trust anyone who says they never get sick of making dinner. I think it happens to the best of us. If you stop and think about how many dinners you make….it may blow your mind. I am approaching 20 years of marriage. If I cooked one meal per day for 20 years…that is well over 7,000 meals I have made. I think that would wear anyone down!!
I have told you what to do when you are sick of cooking dinner. What tip is your favorite? How often do you cook each week? What is your favorite EASY meal?
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[…] and have to eat out. My friend over at Life is Sweeter by Design recently talked about how sick she is of cooking dinner and sometimes I get like that too and the only solution is eating out! There are tons of […]