Do you cook a lot?

[arivecchi]

I feel like a freak reading cooking threads here because I rarely cook - maybe 2-4 times a month. DH prepares himself lunch or dinner on the weekends and evenings (sandwich, cereal, etc. - nothing fancy). The nanny cooks for the kids during the week and they basically have things that are easy to serve/prepare during weekends (oatmeal, pancakes, sandwiches, cereal, meatballs, veggies, yogurt, fruit etc.)

[dotgirl]

My husband went to cooking school, so we cook a fair bit - we have "no cook night" on Tuesdays, and Monday is usually "do something with leftovers", but other than that, we cook.

Because we both work, we try to structure "fast" items (like french dips with left over roast beef, or eggs and toast) for week nights, and "slow" items (like roasts or anything time consuming) for weekends, and it works out pretty well for us.

[lizzywednesday]

We've been cooking a lot more since I got pregnant because of weird smell issues (perfume could trigger nausea/vomiting during my 1st trimester) or ingredient sensitivities (no HFCS, processed cheese or zucchini through whole pgcy; sensitivity to strawberries b/t months 4 & 5, etc.) though we both cook.

I really like it because we've actually been using our groceries!

[lchang25000]

Yes, I cook every weeknight (Mon-Thurs) and sometimes on weekends. DH loves to cook, so on weekends, we cook together or he cooks. I figured he deserves a nice home cooked meal since he works so hard for the family during the day. Plus, I enjoy cooking. :)

[hellokitty]

I cook a lot. We don't really eat very much pkg'd or processed foods, so I make most things from scratch.

[DebbieJ]

I cook almost every night. We do eat leftovers 1-2 times a week and Friday nights are usually frozen pizza.

[egoldber]

I cook a lot. We don't really eat very much pkg'd or processed foods, so I make most things from scratch.

:yeahthat:

In fact, lunch is probably the meal we out out the most or have processed foods just because they are generally easier to pack. But I try not to with the kids, it's mainly my lunch that suffers!

We also get take out or eat lunch out maybe once on the weekends.

We do lots of easy meals that keep well for leftovers: soups, stews, chili, meatloaf, etc. We also make all our own bread, rolls, pizza dough, etc.

[fivi2]

Yes, but it kind of depends on what you mean by "cook" ;)

We only eat out once every 1-2 weeks. The girls and I almost never eat lunch out (we do picnics a lot, but not many restaurants). dh will cook breakfast (pancakes or eggs and biscuits) on the weekends. The rest of the time I prepare our meals.

But most of what I make is pretty easy. I rarely spend all day in the kitchen.

eta: we don't do a lot of packaged dinners, but most of my meals are simple - tacos and a salad or something.

[C99]

Before I went to work FT, I cooked every night or almost every night. I enjoy cooking, but baking is really my passion in food prep.

Now that I am back to work FT, the answer is "it depends on the week." Some weeks, I cook a lot and some weeks, I don't. It depends on how busy I am, and how much prep I do over the weekend. If I make a menu plan, I can cook 4-5 nights each week. I actually just started asking our nanny to do some food prep in the evenings to help me get dinner on the table faster when I come home. (Her major in college was home economics education.) Like dotgirl, my weekday meals tend to be simple and easy -- either crockpot simmered or a combo of pre-packaged (albeit not the yucky stuff with HCFS, transfats, etc.) and homemade. Last night, we had bacon-basil-avocado pasta, a family favorite that plays on the hot pasta-cold salad combo.

I don't count throwing a frozen pizza in the oven and nuking some frozen broccoli to be cooking, but YMMV. ;-) I do that or something similar 1-2 nights a week. We tend to go out for weekend lunch or brunch because I like eating out, but hate eating out with 3 kids at their crankiest, which is usually dinnertime.

[m448]

Yes I do. Pregnancy messes up my olfactory abilities and my palate so it throws me for a loop but I manage. Otherwise I've been cooking since I was a teen and grew up around tons of cooking as a kid. I grew up watching the galloping gourmet, julia child and jacques pepin on public television before the bus would pick us up for school as early as elementary school.

My cooking facilitates my cravings with higher quality food on a reasonable budget. Also it allows me to feed my kids things without worrying about questionable ingredients (other than sugar, butter and flour LOL).

[Melaine]

Yes, but it kind of depends on what you mean by "cook" ;)

We only eat out once every 1-2 weeks. The girls and I almost never eat lunch out (we do picnics a lot, but not many restaurants). dh will cook breakfast (pancakes or eggs and biscuits) on the weekends. The rest of the time I prepare our meals.

But most of what I make is pretty easy. I rarely spend all day in the kitchen.

:yeahthat: (seems like we are often on the same page)

I do cook a lot, but usually keep it very simple. It's pretty common for me to cook the main dish and then have steamfresh veggies on the side or a salad. It's not like I am preparing tons of dishes every meal. We also eat leftovers pretty regularly.

We still eat out or get take-out about 1-2 times a week.

[m448]

To clarify though I go through jags where I cook and bake up a storm (thankfully usually doubling meals) and then days/weeks where I don't want to step in the kitchen unless we're talking about chocolate. ;)

[mamicka]

:yeahthat: (seems like we are often on the same page)

I do cook a lot, but usually keep it very simple. It's pretty common for me to cook the main dish and then have steamfresh veggies on the side or a salad. It's not like I am preparing tons of dishes every meal. We also eat leftovers pretty regularly.
:yeahthat:

[elektra]

I was totally thinking about posting something this morning like, "are you a good cook?"
This as I was cleaning out last night's casserole dish.
I have been trying to cook more. It's really a struggle for me since I am not a good cook. I have been doing stuff from my Trader Joe's cookbook, because they are easy and there are a lot of shortcuts using some of the packaged stuff. I do not shun stuff in a package! But a lot of the Trader Joe's stuff does not have preservatives, HFCS, etc. and I do try to get things as close to "all natural" as possible. However some (much?) of the TJ's stuff is from China so I really can't win! But I am still trying.
We eat out or get takeout 5x a week at least, counting weekends. (So like 5 meals a week out of 21, which is way better than what we have done in the past.)

[pinkmomagain]

I cook almost every night for dinner. Occassionally if things are getting hairy with afterschool activities we'll do takeout. Nearly every weekend we eat out for one dinner. I'm a SAHM and feel like it's part of my "job" responsibility to feed the family. If I was a WOHM, I'd definitely be doing more takeout and quickstuff due to the time crunch!

[mommylamb]

I only cook a couple times a month, tops, and when I do it's only on the weekends. DH cooks dinner every night during the week. Truth be told, he's a much better cook than I am anyway. If I try to help, he usually tells me to either chop something, or go sit down and play with DS.

We used to split the cooking pretty evenly (ok, he probably always did more than his fair share), but when I got pregnant, I was so tired that I could barely stay awake to eat, let alone cook. Ever since then, he just got into the habbit of doing it all the time. He likes to cook anyway.

DS's daycare also provides breakfast, lunch and AM and PM snacks. They actually do a phenominal job. Yes, there are times when the kids get processed stuff, but they also often cook things from scratch. And, they are about to start doing "cooking activities" with the kids.

[arivecchi]

I definitely do not fit the BBB mold when it comes to food. Yes, I buy packaged items, I do not look at their origin, I do not buy organic. I avoid WF and TJ like the plague. Way too expensive. I usually shop in a rush. I still think the kids's food is healthy though. I just would never have the time to do so much cooking/shopping while working FT. I would ratehr spend my weekends and evenings doing other stuff! Maybe that is selfish, but I cannot help it! :ROTFLMAO:

[AnnieW625]

I cook probably 3 to 5 nights per week. I try to make casseroles so we'll have left overs or so I can freeze it easily. DH doesn't like to cook because he's lazy so he has dish duty. I like to cook for the most part too.

[willow33]

I love to cook and do probably 5 nights/week. The other two nights we do pizza or leftovers. I use my slow cooker quite a bit which saves time. It's definitely more challenging now that DD is awake and cranky during prime cooking times. We do lots of stir-frys with shrimp/chicken and veggies. If I know a meal needs a lot of prep time I will try to cut veggies/marinate meat while DD is taking her afternoon nap so it's easier to put it together once she's awake and wants my attention.

[egoldber]

I avoid WF and TJ like the plague. Way too expensive.

TJ is actually inexpensive compared to many grocery store items. For the same items, WF is not any more expensive. That is milk is the same price at WF and TJ and Safeway only the WF and TJ milk does not have hormones.

It is extra work to make multiple stops, but luckily my DH does 90+% of the grocery shopping. :tongue5: Plus, TJ is about 2 blocks from my younger DD's daycare and WF is next to the library we go to.

Interestingly, we probably ate out more when I was a SAHM! When I was home all day with the kids, eating out was my treat to myself. Now that I am WOH full time, the last thing I want to do is make an extra stop for takeout or to go out to eat again. Plus my younger DD is a beast in restaurants and it's just not that fun for us to take her out.

Also, I typically am working on dinner while older DD is sitting at the island working on her homework, so it's very much a family time for us.

[shawnandangel]

I cook almost every night. We do eat leftovers 1-2 times a week and Friday nights are usually frozen pizza.

:yeahthat:I could have written your post!

[trales]

I really like cooking, I make my own refried beans in the crock pot, soups, make my own bread.

Some of my meals are really simple, I can a lot in the fall and use them all winter.

It is a balance, some meals take about 15 minutes to "cook". some take all day. It really depends on my motivation.

The more I cook the faster I get.

[egoldber]

The more I cook the faster I get.

This is really, really important. I cook a lot and have been cooking a lot for over 20 years. ( :eek: ) I very seldom need or follow a recipe. Once you've made meatloaf or lentil soup or chili over 100 times, then you don't really need a recipe. It's like any other skill, it takes practice. I can assemble a meatloaf in less time than it takes me to call Dominos. :ROTFLMAO:

[Indianamom2]

I always plan to cook....but I don't do it often. I have to do better. We eat out A LOT. It's nothing fancy (sometimes just Subway), but I would rather cook real meals.

Our problem is timing. DH is rarely home before 6:30. The kids bedtime are at 7:00 and it gets REALLY ugly if we tinker with that. Usually, I will fix something for DD#1 to eat before DH gets home. Then we put the kids in bed and eat sometime around 8:00 or later. At that point, after dealing with the kids almost all day completely by myself, I'm just too tired to cook and clean up.

I think until DH has better hours (read: a different job!) I need to give up my idea of what a family dinner should be. Sandwiches would work just fine too...

Honestly I don't know how my mom did it when we were little. Well, we ate closer to 5:00, but still.....

[SnuggleBuggles]

I do cook a few times a week. The other days I more assemble things (can of this, bag of that...). We eat out 1-2 dinners/ week.

Beth

[Moneypenny]

I avoid WF and TJ like the plague. Way too expensive.

I've never been to WF, but I find TJs to be really really cheap! For example, their prices on dairy are the best in town (and that is comparing TJs organic to the regular grocery store's conventional!), their peanut butter is super cheap, etc. Now, I don't have time to run to TJs every week, but once a month or so I'll stop by and pick up some things for the pantry really inexpensively!

[arivecchi]

TJ is actually inexpensive compared to many grocery store items. For the same items, WF is not any more expensive. That is milk is the same price at WF and TJ and Safeway only the WF and TJ milk does not have hormones. Please educate me. :) I used to shop at WF a lot before kids and would spend like $75 for 6 items everytime I went there, so I stopped. I just could not justify it. What kind of stuff fo you buy there that is not outrageously expensive? Can you recommend cookbooks for really easy/quick meals. Maybe I will be more motivated if I know it won't take up too much time and effort. ;)

[mousemom]

I think I'm somewhere in between. On weekends, I always try to cook something to put in the freezer for weekday lunches or dinners and/or bake something for snacks. I especially enjoy baking, so that's fun for me. But during the week when I'm working, we do rely heavily on packaged meals and frozen pizzas. I drive myself crazy looking at all the questionable stuff on the ingredient lists and would love to be able to afford to buy more natural stuff. (There is no TJs, WF or Costco near us for that kind of stuff.) I also wish I had the time to cook more from scratch, but as long as I'm working FT it just isn't going to happen.

[elektra]

TJ is actually inexpensive compared to many grocery store items.
This is what I have found too.


the last thing I want to do is make an extra stop for takeout or to go out to eat again.
Delivery! The Thai place knows my order, and I don't even have to give them my address. They know my voice! We get Thai 1-2x a week. DD likes "Bad Thai" LOL.


Also, I typically am working on dinner while older DD is sitting at the island working on her homework, so it's very much a family time for us.
This sounds nice. In our house, it's me scrambling to get everything cooked, in the oven, whatever from 5-5:30 with DS whining or crying to nurse at 5:30.

[arivecchi]

Our problem is timing. DH is rarely home before 6:30. The kids bedtime are at 7:00 and it gets REALLY ugly if we tinker with that. Usually, I will fix something for DD#1 to eat before DH gets home. This is part of the problem for me too. The kids have had dinner by the time I get home (around 6:30). DH gets home even later (past 8). I guess I have no excuse for the weekends though. :rotflmao:

[Happy 2B mommy]

Yes, I tend to cook most things. A weekly menu is something like this: Soup night (usually eat 2 days), a cassorole night, a pasta night, an egg dish/taco/pizza night and a roast beef, pork or chicken night (2 days or leftovers are used up in the cassorole or tacos). Throw in a leftovers/sandwhich night and 1 night of takeout and thats it. The soups can be easy or more labor intensive. The roasts can also be really easy or challenging.

I also try to have 1 or 2 nights a week be meat-free. Lunch is really easy sandwhichs/pasta/ mac-n-cheese or leftovers. Sometimes a frozen entree. Sometimes we go out as a special treat.

[elektra]

Please educate me. :) I used to shop at WF a lot before kids and would spend like $75 for 6 items everytime I went there, so I stopped. I just could not justify it. What kind of stuff fo you buy there that is not outrageously expensive? Can you recommend cookbooks for really easy/quick meals. Maybe I will be more motivated if I know it won't take up too much time and effort. ;)

I think WF is more expensive but TJ's is not. For instance for Christmas, DH got some organic free range cut of beef from Whole Foods for our main dish. It was $150! So like $11 a pound or something.
Here is the cookbook I have been using from TJ's. http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-All-Things-Trader-Joes/dp/0979938414/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267035451&sr=8-2
It is PERFECT if you are not a cook (like me). If you enjoy cooking, like making things from scratch, or are very skilled in the kitchen, then I don't think you would like this so much.

[alirebco]

I cook about 5-6 times a week. One night we might have leftovers and the other, we'll go out - on a Saturday.

I really like to cook but I also like the fact that I'm controlling what goes in our bodies. We eat very healthy - 95% organic and tons of veggies and fruits. We belong to a CSA and we get our meat from Polyface Farms (the farm featured in Food Inc). I also have IBS so there are certain ingredients that I avoid (soy, sesame, almonds, etc) that are triggers for me.

It's also a money thing - we spend a lot of money on groceries and you can spend so much money going out to eat but the food isn't nearly as good, fresh or healthy.

ETA: Whole Foods, or any grocery store, will be more expensive if you're buying a lot of packaged food. DH also doesn't get home until 6:30-7:30 most nights but dinner is always served at 6:15/6:30 for DS and I and then DH will just eat when he gets home. DS goes to bed at 7:30 pm but I think it's important that someone eats with him even if it can't be the whole family.

[LarsMal]

I go through spurts. I'll cook every night one week and then burn out and do easy meals the next. I don't have a lot of pick-up options because of DS's food allergies, so I'd say I "prepare" dinner almost every night. Sometimes it's just pasta with veggies and maybe turkey or chicken (DS is allergic to beef and pork, too).

[egoldber]

whatever from 5-5:30 with DS whining or crying to nurse at 5:30

It is sooooooo much harder with an infant!!!!!!!!

When I mean WF is not any more expensive, I mean literally for the same items. I don't mean the very expensive specialty items that WF also specializes in. ;)

So if I compare things I could buy anywhere....gallon of milk, 1/2 gallon of soymilk, organic apples, conventional bananas, house brand crackers, Yobaby yogurt, etc. Those items are no more expensive at WF than they are at Safeway.

[sste]

We are exploring ways to get around cooking - - we both like to cook and dh is a very good cook. But, we are having trouble managing it.

Next week I am going to one of those places where you assemble meals and freeze them. Will report back here!

[slworld]

I am not much of a cook & don't like cooking either. I cook pretty much one full day over the weekend to get a few dishes done. Of course they don't last through the whole week so I will need to cook atleast once during the week. Both DH & I pack lunch and I send lunch for DS too (snacks are usually processed foods). We usually do take out once a week (very rarely twice).

ETA - I would love for us to eat together but DS has dinner at 5:30pm (pretty much as soon as we get home) and is in bed by 7pm. DH & I just can't do dinner so early. Maybe when his bedtime pushes out we can do that.

[hannah]

Yes, I cook about 6 times a week. I really try to meal plan on the weekend and do my grocery shopping then. We usually have left overs once a week and then i cook the other nights. I do a lot of freezer cooking which I find makes my life easier with picking meals and planning menus. I always have stuff in the freezer that I can just thaw and put in the crock pot or bake or throw on the grill. I stay at home with DCs so I make my freezer meals during the day at quiet time.

[hellokitty]

Oh, one suggestion I have is cooking double batches. Like, if I make meat loaf, I make two of them and we eat one for dinner and then the other one goes into the freezer for days where it is crazy or I feel lazy and don't want to cook. This has helped me a lot to keep my freezer stocked with enough meals that I don't fall into the, "let's just get take out" trap.

[egoldber]

Like, if I make meat loaf, I make two of them and we eat one for dinner and then the other one goes into the freezer for days where it is crazy

Yup. Or when I make a big crockpot of soup or chili, I'll freeze one or two meals worth of it. So we eat it a couple nights this week and then in 2 weeks have it again.

Also, when I brown ground beef for a reciple, I'll freeze a cup of it to put in pasta sauce another night.

[jenfromnj]

Please educate me. :) I used to shop at WF a lot before kids and would spend like $75 for 6 items everytime I went there, so I stopped. I just could not justify it.

I tended to do the same thing at WF before DS, but I bought a lot of prepared food and "fanicer" stuff like nice imported cheeses and wine, etc--that was what made it pricey for me. For things like milk and bread, as PPs have said, WF isn't so bad. And around here at least, TJ's is less expensive than the regular supermarket for many things, including produce, nuts, milk/yogurt, etc.

[g-mama]

I cook a real dinner 3-4 nights a week. The other nights, when we have soccer practices, we do a frozen pizza or something super easy like that.

Our problem that is really bothering me lately is how often we eat out on weekends. I've gotten to feeling like that is my "time off" from cooking and dh NEVER cooks, and is happy to go out to eat both because he likes to and to give me a break. However, we've gotten to where we're sick of eating out - we're bored, only so many places we can go that are kid-friendly places where our picky younger two will eat the food, the wait times are so long at many restaurants, not to mention how expensive it gets. It's hardly enjoyable anymore, but I get tired of cooking, too. :(

[salsah]

funny you ask because i was just thinking about posting a thread about how much time people spend cooking. since having kids, i put food on the table, but i don't cook (unless making dinner for a friend who just had a baby). my kids are too demanding to let me do real cooking. so i make things that take little or no prep and do not require any attention while cooking. frozen veggies steamed, pasta, baked fish or chicken, etc. occasionally i make things that take a little more time (like rachael ray's 30 min recipes that take me an hour to make), but not often. when i cook for someone else (for a friend who just had a baby, or the rare occasion that we entertain for dinner), i do it on the weekend when dh can watch the girls. same for browning ground beef to freeze or making pancakes for breakfast. during the week, breakfast is cold cereal, oatmeal, baked oatmeal, bagels, etc. lunch is sandwiches, frozen chicken nuggets, frozen pizza, etc. dessert is fruit.

just last night, i was debating with my sister if we should have some people over for dinner or just coffee/tea and dessert. when my sister said just dessert, dh replied "invite them over for dinner, let her cook, let us eat." i have to admit, i served him chips and dip for dinner last night. :bag

[AnnieW625]

I think WF is more expensive but TJ's is not. For instance for Christmas, DH got some organic free range cut of beef from Whole Foods for our main dish. It was $150! So like $11 a pound or something.
Here is the cookbook I have been using from TJ's. http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-All-Things-Trader-Joes/dp/0979938414/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267035451&sr=8-2
It is PERFECT if you are not a cook (like me). If you enjoy cooking, like making things from scratch, or are very skilled in the kitchen, then I don't think you would like this so much.

How do DD like the recipes from it? I have been thinking about getting it.

I also find that Trader Joe's can be cheaper than the market and unfortunately because it's such a trendy place to shop people automatically think it's more expensive. In college when I was shopping for myself I spent about $30 a week there and found the items to be very good quality.

I do also agree with Egoldberg about the price of basic items at Whole Foods they are very similarly priced to the national chains and I have bought them there in the past. Most everything else (except maybe the wheat free pasta I have gotten in the past, which I find reasonably priced there too) is laughable in price. I would say that if we could afford it I'd like to buy more of my meats there, but even then we don't eat nearly as much meat as we used to (since DD doesn't like anything but ground beef) this summer when it's time for grilling I may not have a problem buying some nice tri tips from there.

[arivecchi]

We are exploring ways to get around cooking - - we both like to cook and dh is a very good cook. But, we are having trouble managing it.

Next week I am going to one of those places where you assemble meals and freeze them. Will report back here! Please do! Also, is it just me or are groceries in our area outrageoulsy expensive? We go to Dominick's because it is super close and we get a lot of discounts with their discount card. The other shops I am aware of are TJs, Costco, WF, Jewel and Treasure Island. Do you find that any of them are cheaper?

[sste]

It is a wierd situation in this area where there are a ton of grocery stores but no one place that is terrific for weekly shopping. We end up going to TJs weekly plus whole foods or treasure island (closer to us than dominicks) weekly plus costco once per month. My favorite for price and quality is the LP farmers market but obviously seasonal.

I think the Dominicks near costco *may* be a little cheaper than the fullerton one. Not sure though.

Stanleys is cheap but it spoils quickly. Its usually not worth it for us since stuff ends up going to waste.

I have recently found that I save money with Peapod Grocery Delivery. The items are priced OK, not great and there is a delivery charge. However, the savings comes from meal planning and dramatically reducing food waste -- when it is on the computer screen I can see much more clearly what I need and DH cannot give in so easily to impulse buys! You can save lists or build the new list from last week's list. Quality is on par with dominicks. Lots of coupons, I got something that was first six weeks of delivery free and there are good specials.

[boolady]

I tended to do the same thing at WF before DS, but I bought a lot of prepared food and "fanicer" stuff like nice imported cheeses and wine, etc--that was what made it pricey for me. For things like milk and bread, as PPs have said, WF isn't so bad. And around here at least, TJ's is less expensive than the regular supermarket for many things, including produce, nuts, milk/yogurt, etc.

This is the key, I think. Anywhere you go, processed or prepared foods cost more than cooking yourself. Add to it that WF is using organic or local or exotic ingredients, and their prepared food is very expensive. Their staples are much more in line with other stores.

[arivecchi]

It is a wierd situation in this area where there are a ton of grocery stores but no one place that is terrific for weekly shopping. We end up going to TJs weekly plus whole foods or treasure island (closer to us than dominicks) weekly plus costco once per month. My favorite for price and quality is the LP farmers market but obviously seasonal.

I think the Dominicks near costco *may* be a little cheaper than the fullerton one. Not sure though.

Stanleys is cheap but it spoils quickly. Its usually not worth it for us since stuff ends up going to waste.

I have recently found that I save money with Peapod Grocery Delivery. The items are priced OK, not great and there is a delivery charge. However, the savings comes from meal planning and dramatically reducing food waste -- when it is on the computer screen I can see much more clearly what I need and DH cannot give in so easily to impulse buys! You can save lists or build the new list from last week's list. Quality is on par with dominicks. Lots of coupons, I got something that was first six weeks of delivery free and there are good specials. So you don't find that TJs is cheaper like PP have mentioned? We go to the Dominick's on Division. I didn't realize different Dominick's stores had different pricing.

[boolady]

I love to cook. Love it, love it, love it. Would make a career out of it if I could, and may try to do so one day down the road if the economy would suit such a venture. That said, WOH, and getting home between 5:45 and 6:00 at night, I don't cook like I used to. We still aim to cook at least 5 nights a week, and usually do. On Sundays, I will often cook Sunday's dinner, which will hopefully yield leftovers for another night and/or lunches, and will try and prepare a meal for Monday night, like a casserole or get the components ready for the Crock Pot. When I have the time and am not rushed, cooking is my "creative" outlet.

I know a few people have mentioned the cost of groceries, and I had been thinking like that for a long time, and have been contemplating this issue since reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (I know, I'm late to the game:)). Barbara Kingsolver points out that people in the U.S. expect groceries to be far less expensive than people in other countries, and that the amount of income we spend on groceries is far less than other comparable countries, where people really value cooking and fresh, local ingredients. She presents an interesting question-- why are we so unwilling to spend $$ on what we put in our mouths, given the direct link to our health? I think it's a very interesting question, and I am grappling with it myself.

[sste]

I think TJs IS cheaper than Domnicks for alot of things (milk, yogurt, cereals, rice, nuts/dried fruit, frozen gourmet foods, juices). So, many things that you can store - - we often stock up there. *But* I find that just eating from TJs, which we do some weeks, I start to feel like I am not eating real food - - at least in the midwest the produce is not the freshest and usually less flavorful. Also, you can spend a ton at tjs if you are not disciplined with prepared food, bargain wine, and gourmet items.

Also, not sure the dominicks differ in their pricing but I notice the one by costo is pretty busy and my frugal neighbors shop there so I am wondering . . . you could just phone and ask if pricing is the same.

[Ceepa]

For me I really don't relish cooking. I enjoy it irregularly but feeding myself and my family several times a day every day of the year becomes burdensome, to tell the truth. I am the type who eats to live, not lives to eat. When it was just me I would eat simple food with very little variety. I joke that I'm like a cat, can eat the same bowl of food every day. Of course, I can't serve DH or DC the same thing all month so I cook, but the fact that it is a daily requirement makes it "a task" to me as I plan it, buy for it and prepare it.

[C99]

Please do! Also, is it just me or are groceries in our area outrageoulsy expensive? We go to Dominick's because it is super close and we get a lot of discounts with their discount card. The other shops I am aware of are TJs, Costco, WF, Jewel and Treasure Island. Do you find that any of them are cheaper?

I like Dominick's, but think it's among the most expensive groceries of the big ones in Chicago. Getting a deal is mostly about planning and prep, and keeping a watchful eye on convenience shopping. You have to know which stores have the best deals and on what. There have been a bunch of threads on this on NPN if you are a member there. I shop at TJ's, the Family Fruit Market (like Stanley's), Whole Foods, Jewel, Dominick's and Aldi, pretty much in that order. The price of organic milk is comparable at TJ's, FFM, WF, Jewel, and Dominick's. My kids eat organic yogurt tubes and Clif Z-Bars by the box; they are cheapest at WF. I buy free-range meats and organic apples, and rBST-free butter, all of which are cheapest and most readily available at TJ's and WF. For deli meats, FFM is the best deal. I stopped shopping at Costco for everything except coffee. I haven't renewed my Costco membership this year and probably won't until I need to buy another car... Nothing is ever cheaper at Dominick's (even with the discount card), but it's a block from my office, so I go there on occasion. At Aldi, I buy lemons and packaged oatmeal. At Jewel, I shop the catalina deals--this week, it's GM stuff. For frozen convenience meals, dry pasta, organic low-sugar jam, PB, sunbutter, HCFS-free cereal bars, Gorilla Munch, TJ's is the cheapest.

[almostmom]

Just curious - what do you eat if you don't cook and DH just cooks for himself?

I do cook a fair amount. I like it, and like to eat lots of veggies (also belong to a CSA almost year round, so lots of veggies to cook), so it is the only way. We order out once a week (if I could afford to do it more, I probably would!), and sometimes when DH isn't home, I pick at the kid's food and don't make myself anything else. Cooking is usually simple during the week - tofu and broccoli with sauce, roasted root veggies, turkey burgers from the freezer, quesadillas, salad. We both work, so one cooks while the other puts the kids to sleep.

[khalloc]

Either my husband or I cooks about 5 nights a week. The other nights we might get pizza or a rotisserie chicken just for ease. We both enjoy cooking, but also both work full time so its usually not something that complicated - grilled chicken, some kind of steamed veggie and then a carb for the kids (fries, rice, pasta). But we both are capable of making more gourmet things, its just a matter of time.

[newg]

I cook meals for us most nights...we try to do leftovers at least once a week.....and we'll do take-out or frozen pizza 1-2x, depending on how tired I am and how unmotivated DH is to cook.........
I don't LOVE to cook..(I would much rather be eating than cooking!).......but I enjoy making healthy dinners for us, so as the SAHM I have tried really hard to keep healthy food on the table for us.........I am not a "natural" cooker like my sister is, but I am getting better........like pp mentioned, it's all about practice and repition.
I am starting to enjoy it more, but I am just so tired now with this pregnancy that I have been doing some pretty quick, simple meals at dinner. I do use some pre-packaged items (turkey meatballs, frozen veggies)...but I try to make sure those items are as healthy as possible.

[AnnieW625]

Please do! Also, is it just me or are groceries in our area outrageoulsy expensive? We go to Dominick's because it is super close and we get a lot of discounts with their discount card. The other shops I am aware of are TJs, Costco, WF, Jewel and Treasure Island. Do you find that any of them are cheaper?

FYI, Dominicks I believe is part of the (trying to remember what I see on their gift cards) and a big box of 18 oz Cheerios or Corn Flakes (Corn Flakes have HFCS in them:() at my Vons is close to $4, I think. The counter part at Trader Joe's called Joe's Os is $2.00 (max), and the Trader Joe's Organic Corn Flakes (only other brand I'll eat besides regular Kelloggs corn flakes) are maybe $2.50 for what would be almost $4 in the store. Barbara's Puffins cereal is also cheaper at Trader Joe's. Of course some things are cheaper in other parts of the country so what might be cheap for me may not be as cheap for you, but in general I do find that TJ's is still cheaper for many items.

[gatorsmom]

I cook from scratch about 2x per week. When I do, I make sure to double or triple the recipe. I'll reserve that dish with a salad or rolls the next night or so. My famiy is fine with left overs that they like- but that is key!

I really don't like cooking. But I think it's one of the only ways to get some healthy meals into my family without paying the high price of prepackaged food or takeout. Also, I know the food I'm cooking is healthier with no preservatives added.

[mommylamb]

I definitely do not fit the BBB mold when it comes to food. Yes, I buy packaged items, I do not look at their origin, I do not buy organic. I avoid WF and TJ like the plague. Way too expensive. I usually shop in a rush. I still think the kids's food is healthy though. I just would never have the time to do so much cooking/shopping while working FT. I would ratehr spend my weekends and evenings doing other stuff! Maybe that is selfish, but I cannot help it! :ROTFLMAO:

Like the other PPs, I find TJ to be cheaper than a lot of regular grocery stores. But, like you, I never go to WF because of the expense. I like the wine, cheeses, and fun foods I can get at TJs, and those would be the things I'd get at WF anyway. Their meat and fish are way too expensive for me.

I'm also like you in that I think I buy less organic stuff than a lot of the other BBB moms. I get it sometimes, but not if it's way more expensive than conventional. We do have a CSA in the summer, and most of the food from that is organic (though my farm is not USDA certified and certain crops are not organic). As it is, after our mortgage, our grocery bill is probably the second biggest bill for us by a long shot.

[caleymama]

We do lots of easy meals that keep well for leftovers: soups, stews, chili, meatloaf, etc. We also make all our own bread, rolls, pizza dough, etc.

Same here.

Cooking dinner is pretty evenly split between DH and I (probably actually more DH than me). We don't do a lot of complicated things, though. Maybe only 1-2 nights a week where it's something that really needs a recipe and lots of prep. It helps that DH's work schedule allows him to be home in the afternoons and evenings, so it's easy for cooking to be a shared venture and for us all to sit down to eat together. We'll have homemade pizza maybe 1x a week (DH makes the dough), soup or chili (especially in cooler weather), pasta w/ sauce (sometimes homemade, sometimes jarred sauce) or homemade baked mac and cheese, meat (usually venison of some sort from the freezer or chicken) with rice/cous cous/potatoes, burgers on homemade buns & oven baked fries, breakfast for dinner (homemade waffles or pancakes, eggs, etc.). . . often with salad and or veggies and bread or biscuits (DH makes them). Maybe 2-3 times a month something in the crock pot. I really need to give DH credit for all he does to make it easy to throw dinner together. Whether it's putting together a batch of sourdough biscuits from the sourdough he's been nurturing for weeks or making the pizza dough, or spending the weekend making & freezing loaves of bread or batches of stock or soup or chili, he really does a lot.

ETA: We also eat, between lunch and dinner, a lot of sandwiches (PB or sunbutter, grilled cheese, fried egg, etc.) or pieced together meals incorporating a bunch of easier things (quesadillas, PB on whole grain crackers, cottage cheese, fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, english muffin or bagel pizzas, cheese toast, salad, and so on). It seems like more often than not a lot of our lunches and dinners aren't very labor intensive!

Also, DH grills a couple of times a week during the summer. Grilled pizza = yum!

[crl]

Well, I'm a SAHM so I think of cooking as part of my "job." If I worked outside the home I'm sure we'd outsource meals a lot more often! That said, I cook dinner 6 nights a week on average. Often from scratch, but a couple of times a week I'll use convenience foods like frozen breaded fish from Trader Joes paired with easy vegetables/potatoes/fresh fruit. I also bake a couple of times a week typically--cookies, muffins, quick breads, etc. I occasionally bake our bread as well, but not most of the time. On weekends I usually also cook either breakfast or lunch--the other meal will be out or cold cereal or left-overs. I also pack DS' lunch, but that's more assembly than cooking really.

Catherine

[WatchingThemGrow]

I'm in the "lives to eat" category. LOVE tasty food, enjoy cooking it. CAN NOT cook with the 3yo, 2yo and 8mo underfoot. I currently do once a month cooking for our main dish, so not real cooking on a daily basis. Usually some fresh or Steamfresh veggies plus some kind of pasta/starch and maybe a salad 6 nights a week. We end up eating with the IL's or out once a week, but it is never planned. I wish I knew which night I didn't have to try to "cook" because it would lower my stress level.

Across the street from me is a cooking school where Ina Garten and every other famous cook has done a class. I need to get over there and take advantage of it more.

I've recently gotten into Healthy Bread in 5 min a day. Yum. I need lessons on how to manage cooking fresh stuff for our family b/c I want it to be more automated.

[KrisM]

I "cook" nearly every night. Sometimes the cooking is just heating though. I make big batches of stuff and freeze and reheat as needed.

DH grills out about once every other week in the winter and more often in the summer. Once or twice a month, he'll bring home pizza.

Lunches on the weekend are easy, but I do those unless I'm not home.

We eat out for dinner every couple of months...very rarely.

[infocrazy]

My issue is that DH and I are offshift so dinner is just me and the boys. I usually have the sitter give them a big snack of veggies/fruit/yogurt or the like around 4:30 so it buys me a little time to make something when I get home.

I am definitely in the kid food rut though. I was hoping that I would start using the crockpot more so DH could take dinner with him or as lunch the next day...but that did not happen.

I have done the meal assembly places before, and while it is nice. I find that a lot of times the stuff from their menu that I would choose is either not something my kids would eat (DS1 doesn't like cheese which actually kills more options than you'd think), or is so simple that I feel like I should just make it at home...but don't.

This is definitely a resolution during my leave to correct, but I don't think adding a newborn to the list is going to make it very easy to change!

[arivecchi]

I like Dominick's, but think it's among the most expensive groceries of the big ones in Chicago. Getting a deal is mostly about planning and prep, and keeping a watchful eye on convenience shopping. You have to know which stores have the best deals and on what. There have been a bunch of threads on this on NPN if you are a member there. I shop at TJ's, the Family Fruit Market (like Stanley's), Whole Foods, Jewel, Dominick's and Aldi, pretty much in that order. The price of organic milk is comparable at TJ's, FFM, WF, Jewel, and Dominick's. My kids eat organic yogurt tubes and Clif Z-Bars by the box; they are cheapest at WF. I buy free-range meats and organic apples, and rBST-free butter, all of which are cheapest and most readily available at TJ's and WF. For deli meats, FFM is the best deal. I stopped shopping at Costco for everything except coffee. I haven't renewed my Costco membership this year and probably won't until I need to buy another car... Nothing is ever cheaper at Dominick's (even with the discount card), but it's a block from my office, so I go there on occasion. At Aldi, I buy lemons and packaged oatmeal. At Jewel, I shop the catalina deals--this week, it's GM stuff. For frozen convenience meals, dry pasta, organic low-sugar jam, PB, sunbutter, HCFS-free cereal bars, Gorilla Munch, TJ's is the cheapest. Thanks for the info although now I am :dizzy:. I guess I can give TJ's a try although it is more inconvenient. Maybe I will shop there next time and compare. I'd never heard of Aldi or FFM. Hate the TI near me with a passion so that is out and I don't have a Jewel near me.

[arivecchi]

I just want to say :bowdown: to all you mommies who cook so much. I just don't think I have the energy! :20:

[alien_host]

Does reheating count? ;) I try to make dinner 5-6 days a week. Although in the summer that might just be a salad, bread or it might be just reheating something I made a big batch of. We might have grilled cheese and soup another night. I don't make gourmet meals every night that's for sure! Summer seems easier since I can get DH to grill a more often.

We get take out maybe once a week, usually Chinese or Indian after DD goes to bed. Maybe a pizza every other week. We eat out at a restaurant maybe every other week.

I enjoy cooking but have a hard time sometimes just having everything I need to make a recipe. I need to plan better, but I don't like deciding on Sunday what we might want to eat the following Friday.

[salsah]

This is really, really important. I cook a lot and have been cooking a lot for over 20 years. ( :eek: ) I very seldom need or follow a recipe. Once you've made meatloaf or lentil soup or chili over 100 times, then you don't really need a recipe. It's like any other skill, it takes practice. I can assemble a meatloaf in less time than it takes me to call Dominos. :ROTFLMAO:

i completely agree with that. the more you practice, the faster you get, the easier cooking is. you can also improvise with ingredients better. i always need a recipe, the exact ingredients listed, and it always takes me longer than the recipe estimates.

also, the more you cook, the more you can justify investing in kitchen tools that help get the job done faster or better or easier. i can't justify buying a food processor or stand mixer if i don't even know what to do with it or will only use it once a year.

[carolinamama]

I started doing weekly meal planning about 2 months ago, thus I cook almost every night. Some nights though I just plan to take out a casserole or soup from the freezer that I made previously. It has been so nice because I have avoided that scramble for dinner around 5 o'clock plus we aren't eating out much at all. I do most of the prep in the mornings when DS1 is at school or in the afternoon during DS2's nap so it isn't so crazy. I plan our menu with foods that can be atleast prepped earlier in the day. I also make extra to freeze if it is that type of meal so I have a night or two each week where I just reheat - ie two baked zitis, extra meal of soup. We eat very simple foods for lunch - leftovers, sandwiches and the like and I don't make breakfast beyond cereal or oatmeal.

I enjoy cooking and had gotten out of that groove 4.5 years ago when I had DS1. I can't tell you how I've enjoyed collecting ideas and recipes for our family meals. It's like I forgot how much fun it is for me to have a finished product most nights.

[slworld]

i always need a recipe, the exact ingredients listed, and it always takes me longer than the recipe estimates.


Thats me. I cannot improvise to save my life. I am just not creative that way. I also cannot just eyeball stuff ... I have to measure it.
Also like another PP mentioned, I am in the "eat to live" category. Not that I don't have foods I love but they are very few. If I enjoyed food more, I would probabaly enjoy the process of making it cause I would be looking forward to the end product.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I cook a lot. We don't really eat very much pkg'd or processed foods, so I make most things from scratch.

:yeahthat: And with 2 adults eating, we often have leftovers. DH cooks on the weekends, sometimes. He likes to make a big b-fast on the weekends, and often makes dinner....

[okinawama]

Ya, 4-5 times per week. We are "doing" Dave Ramsey, and I 'd rather spend my money on other things rather than going out (that's what we do if I don't cook).

[vejemom]

I cook pretty much every meal from scratch. I also make most of our bread and sweets. But I really, really love to cook and thus find it very relaxing. And I often have enough leftovers from a given meal to eat for 3-4 more meals.

[kijip]

Yes. We cook nearly every night. Now we have been painting, reorganizing furniture and the garage, and redecorating so it's been a few days of sandwiches and take out (limited time) and already my pants feel tighter. Take out is bad for the budget and tends to be bad for the nutrition factor (it's all fine in moderation, but there is a limit as to how much noodle bowl, teriyaki, fried chicken and pizza one can or should eat!)

We do not grocery shop much. Since I went to work in October, we get all our food from:

CSA box
Amazon Fresh (delivery service, a hair more but NO going to the store at night.)
Costco (worth it, 1-2 a month)
Meat from local farm has been in freezer, we will order again in a few months.

And our chickens are back to laying so that is good!

For me TJs is out of the way and I only go if I need something they have (like 3 buck chuck for a sangria party). And I hate, hate, hate me some Whole Foods.

[MamaMolly]

I had to start cooking at home when DD was diagnosed with food allergies. Even though she's outgrown milk and baked egg, I still do most cooking from scratch. Though it is a lot more convenient to bake with eggs than to mix up egg replacer all the time!

So many prepared foods have milk or dairy in them, I just got used to reading labels cooking from scratch. It is gratifying when people come to eat and they don't realize that they are having a (DD specific) allergen free meal. :)

[bubbaray]

I hate cooking with the passion of the heat of a 1000 burning suns.... There is no description for the depth of my hatred for cooking. Unfortunately, DH hates it as much as I do.

However, I love reading cookbooks. Love it. Love reading the cooking threads.

We eat out once a week, tops (unless we're travelling). DH and I alternate cooking duties.

[Twoboos]

Yah pretty much daily. And it gets old. We get take out or go out once a week on the weekend. We might do a weekend breakfast. But other than that, it's all me, all the time.

[jgenie]

No, I don't. I really wish I had taken the time to learn to cook when I first got married. I have tried to cook since having DS but he doesn't like having me in the kitchen. For those of you that cook, how do you do it with DC?

[maestramommy]

Yup. I make/cook lunch and dinner every night that we don't eat out or take out. We eat out maybe once a month for date night. I take the kids to McDonalds once a month, and we might take out once a month for dinner, give or take.

I was already cooking most of the time before, but we started really cooking/baking our own after the economic meltdown last year, and now it's hard to break the habit:p. Even when I feel like I can't face planning and making another meal.

[Pepper]

chiming in late here, but yes, I cook all the time. I think I may be a "cooking addict," if there is such a thing. I decided that I can take care of my son (I'm SAH for now), and make dinner, but not clean the house too (lol).

I've always cooked, even when I was a kid. I always had the interest. When I was in graduate school, I was too poor to afford even the cheap Thai take-out that is so abundant in Los Angeles, so I bought a cookbook and taught myself. For many years I attempted real "meal planning" but often ended up wassting food, because I would just be too tired to cook what I'd planned, or we'd end up going out one night, etc. Now, I mostly go with what needs to be used up. I have a (not very productive) vegetable garden, and last we we joined both veggie and meat CSAs. So my meals are geared around what i have on hand. Personally, I have found that to be much less stressful than weekely meal-planning.

Even though I pay more per pound for the veggies and meat with the CSAs, I do think i'm saving money overall because I'm not trolling about Whole Foods and impulse-buying 10 bucks worth of cheese :-) I know, we've very lucky that that impulse buy is even possible. But I do spend a lot more on food than a typical family, I think. We eat pretty well around here. It's a priority for me, and again, I'm lucky that we're able to do it that way. (Although personally, I would give up cable before I cut my grocery budget). ANd i'm lucky that, as a SAHM, I have more time to cook that i would if I was WOH.

(One time several years ago, when I brought out an array of Christmas cookies, my SIL said, "you won't have time to make all this stuff after you have kids!" and I though - but didn't say- well, you never made all this stuff BEFORE you had kids. I don't mean to be snarky - just want to make the point that yes, cooking IS a chore, it IS a habit, but the more you do it, the EASIER it becomes.)

[crl]

No, I don't. I really wish I had taken the time to learn to cook when I first got married. I have tried to cook since having DS but he doesn't like having me in the kitchen. For those of you that cook, how do you do it with DC?

I only have one. And he's 6 1/2 now. Which means I can prep and bake and so on while he's at school. And he plays on his own or watches his screen time when I do last minute stuff.

But when he was little, I still cooked pretty often. The crockpot was great because he was usually in a better mood earlier in the day so it was easier to dump stuff in around 10am than it was to cook at dinner time. He also liked to "help." By the time he was 2, I let him stand on a chair and help dump ingredients in or "wash" dishes in the sink. I did (and still do) a lot of simple stuff like scrambled eggs with toast and fresh fruit for dinner. I consider that cooking.

Catherine

[daisymommy]

We only eat out maybe once a month. So that leaves the other 29-30 days a month that I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner. Somedays I'm okay with that, other days I just want somebody else to cook for ME and serve ME!

But, we're on a budget. So eating out more often isn't really an option. I actually enjoy cooking; I just hate the clean-up!

[dhano923]

I work FT outside the home, have 2 kids, and still cook 5-6 times a week. Weekends I cook both lunch and dinner. We eat out maybe 2-3 times a month, if that. I prefer cooking at home because I don't like prepackaged, convenience foods. I'm not a fan of preservatives. I do the bulk of our shopping at TJs and Costco. The bulk meat items from Costco are split into small portions at home and kept in our chest freezer. TJs is where I get most of our fruit, some veggies (including prepackaged salads), most of our dairy and frozen items such as veggies.

During the week, I make easier things like chicken marinara and fajitas and save the more complicated things for the weekends. Weekends is usually when I make 4-5 indian dishes because they take more time, and then we are able to eat them for 3-4 meals.

Even when I was a SAHM, I always cooked. My kids would play just outside the kitchen (I had a gate so they couldn't come in) and I would talk to them as I cooked. Cooking is actually pretty easy but you have to make it a habit and not look at it as a chore. I enjoy cooking. I don't get home from work until 6pm but I still make dinner because I enjoy it and I like knowing exactly what my kids are eating.

[mom2akm]

Between my husband and I, we cook as much as we can, ie nearly all meals. We used to eat out at least twice a week and put on a lot of weight so we stopped doing that. Now we only eat out on special occassions. My mom used to tell me, 'Cooking is easy', and it became easier once I adopted that attitude. It's amazing.

[salsah]

I also cannot just eyeball stuff ... I have to measure it.
\

yes! i have to measure everything! I hate my MIL's recipes -- she doesn't use measurements. she use "a little", "some", and "a cup" which means a scoop using a particular mug in her kitchen.

[salsah]

I have tried to cook since having DS but he doesn't like having me in the kitchen. For those of you that cook, how do you do it with DC?

i'm wondering the same thing.

[niccig]

I cook a lot. We don't really eat very much pkg'd or processed foods, so I make most things from scratch.

This is me too because of DH's cholesterol and triglycerides. He can't eat food high in fat, carbs or sugar. Processed sugar like HFCS, corn syrup, fructose have to be avoided, so that cuts out many food you buy at the store. I read the labels on everything. We're trying to avoid FIL's multiple surgeries for blocked arteries and type II diabetes.

I cook dinner every week night, and I've started making breakfast for DH too. Weekends we eat out 1-2 meals. Breakfast is my favourite meal to eat out, but it's the easiest to have at home.

I don't cook difficult fussy food. Tonight was grilled salmon - takes about 15 mins, asparagus - a couple of minutes, and mashed cauliflower - about 15 minutes. Dessert was mango and blueberries. It was a pretty quick meal. I find if a meal plan or even just think about the meal for a few minutes earlier in the day, then the cooking part goes pretty quickly. I agree with a PP, who said to do easier things on weeknights and more involved for weekends.

[Pepper]

I have tried to cook since having DS but he doesn't like having me in the kitchen. For those of you that cook, how do you do it with DC?

DS is 3-1/2, but I have always cooked, sometimes he's in the kitchen sometimes not. I do tend to make things that have a lot of steps, many of which can be done ahead of time, so there's no time pressure to get the final product out fast. Also, I usually give my son supper an hour or two before hubby gets home, so hubby is eating re-heated food most nights. So we eat lots of soups, stews, pasta.

If you like Asian food, stir-frying is great because you can get everything chopped up ahead of time (even the night before). The actual cooking time is very fast. If you have a rice cooker, it's even easier because you can set it & forget it :)

As other posters have said, I'll also spend some time during naps or after bedtime doing little jobs to make the cooking easier at mealtimes. One thing that helps is to have some quick "snacks" on hand to feed my son while i'm doing something more complicated. So I'll make & freeze batches of little meatballs, waffles, muffins, etc.

i'm also lucky that my son likes to "cook." I give him a little bit of whatever i'm using and one of my actual pots to play with. He loves to "work" with dried pasta. Little kids can cut up soft veggies (like mushrooms) or fruit with a plastic knife. So i set aside a little extra of whatever i'm preparing for my son to play with while i'm cooking.

[maestramommy]

I just want to say :bowdown: to all you mommies who cook so much. I just don't think I have the energy! :20:

Well, I really do think it's different when you WOHM. I'm sure there are WOHMs who can cook every night, but it's got to be really hard. I mean, you get home from work at what? 5? 6? And you've been busy AT WORK all day, so it doesn't lend itself to meal planning or even meal prep. I am busy all day too, but part of that busy involves meal planning and prep.

Plus, as Egoldber says, when you've been cooking the same dishes over many years, you don't need the recipe anymore. I only use recipes for baking and new dishes. For Asian food/stir frys, I never use recipes. My big specialty is stir fried rice vermicelli. It's rather labor intensive, but after almost 20 years of making and tweaking this dish, I could make it in my sleep. I get totally stuck when people ask me for the recipe. I can't even imagine all the steps broken down! "um, well, let me think about it." :ROTFLMAO:It usually takes weeks/months before I can get the recipe to them.

Someone was asking about cooking with DC around. I've always cooked, even when the kids were babies. At some point they do learn to entertain themselves, but they can always see me in the kitchen because of the layout of the places we've lived. When they're still little and high maintenance, I've worn them while cooking. Of course you have to be careful. I singed Arwyn's toes once while reach over to turn off the fan:bag BIG lesson for me in spacial awareness while babywearing.

[elephantmeg]

yep, just about every night too. Or leave something for DH and the kids if I'm working

[lizzywednesday]

There are also a bunch of cookbooks designed to get your kids involved in cooking.

I suggest getting a copy from your library, reading through it to determine what your DC's skill level is (we always played with pots & pans and Mom would always give us jobs to do in the kitchen ... in fact, one of my parents' favorite photos is me at 3 or 4 at the stove "making" Mrs. Grass brand noodle soup) and then talking together about what might be a good recipe to try. (Then photocopy it for easy reference without having to worry about the book getting splattered.)

When I needed to build up my confidence in cooking, I started with recipes from Rachael Ray & 30 Minute Meals. One of DH's favorite dishes is her "You Won't Be Single for Long Vodka Cream Pasta" from 30 Minute Meals 2. Yeah, it actually does take me only 30 minutes to cook, but I also know the recipe by heart.

[JTsMom]

I cook quite often. We have a really pathetic selection of restaurants, so we tend to dread eating out, although we still do it too often. DH cooks a fair amount as well, so that helps.