Have you ever experienced cooking fatigue? It’s when a person feels exhausted and overwhelmed by the experience (or even the idea) of cooking. You may just feel “over it.” You are tired of looking up recipes, writing down the ingredients, and making the drive to the grocery store. Sometimes it’s the process of preparing all the food. Other times it can be managing the kitchen—too many things on the stove at the same time or trying to keep the counter clean while using the correct measuring spoons, cups and bowls. It can be a lot. The thought of it alone might make you resort to having a bowl of cereal for dinner. Life happens. We understand. So, what can we do when cooking fatigue hits us? We can prepare ourselves for a different plan when our initial one doesn’t work for us.
Keep it Simple
Mealtimes include more than just the food. Mealtime can be a time to rest and recharge and surround the table with good company. On days that you feel overwhelmed, stick to some tried-and-true recipes and make meals a breeze. These are the meals that don’t require a lot of prep, nor a lot of ingredients but are still nutritious and delicious. They are perfect for when life is busy or you just don’t feel like looking up a recipe or making a stop to the store. Some examples include our 2 Step Chicken or Asian Linguini Salad or Avocado Breakfast Bruschetta. Once you have made a recipe a few times, you can remake it on autopilot without relying on the recipe. Another idea is to have meals in mind that you can make by simply using a microwave. Low equipment recipes are a great option when time is limited or energy is low. By having a few recipes as “go to meals” you can ensure that you and your loved ones will have a delicious meal, and you can take the time to rest and focus on other priorities.
Slow Down
Sometimes cooking just feels overwhelming because you have so much else going on. Many of us spend long days working, followed by traffic and then tending to our families. By slowing down and having healthy snacks on hand you can take a breather and decide what will work best for your family. Sometimes this means breakfast for dinner. Having pancakes, chopped up fruits and veggies, and eggs can be a real treat to unwind from a long day and require less time in the kitchen. Other times a rotisserie chicken with a bagged salad kit and a wrap are the perfect combination for a quick and satisfying dinner. Slowing down and being ok with keeping it simple can be ideal for a mealtime reset.
Plan and Enjoy the Process
Some of us may not be the kind of people who can walk into the kitchen, open the cupboards and throw an amazing meal together. The kitchen can be overwhelming, especially when you are not confident in your cooking skills. Making a plan could boost your confidence. Having an idea of what your daily meals will be according to your daily plans can be a time saver. Trying a new recipe on a busy day may not be ideal. Perhaps save the new recipes and kitchen experiments for days that you know you can spend more time in the kitchen without the pressure of feeling rushed. On your busy days, go back to your tried-and-true recipes or maybe serve up some leftovers.
Enjoying the process is not always easy. Making cooking enjoyable can be trial and error. Try incorporating music or a podcast while cooking to make the process more welcoming and inviting. Keep a meal plan such Meatball Mondays, Taco Tuesdays or Fish Fridays as it makes it easier to rule out what to make on those days. Using a slow cook recipe such as American Beef Stew or one pan sheet meals such as Chicken with Red Onions and Oranges cuts down on stress and time. The journey of feeding ourselves and others is lifelong. We may not always enjoy it or get it “right”, but we can always pause and adjust and rediscover the journey by making small intentional changes.
Did you find this blog post helpful? Please click the heart button!
