On Cooking
02 may 06
I’ve gotten really disenchanted with food lately. Yes, food. I hate cooking it. I hate deciding what to get. I hate spending money on it. I buy food every week, and at the end of the week, i have nothing to show for it. Oh, yeah, I’m still alive, I guess.
It’s really hard when you’re single and live alone to motivate yourself to cook…just for yourself. Well, it’s hard for me anyway. I’m pretty much existing on Lean Cuisine and yogurt at this point. Oh, and Cheerios. I love Cheerios.
So, seriously, if you have any ideas on motivating myself to actually prepare food for myself, lay them on me. Anything.
You know what I’m not bored with? Mom’s cooking. Wish I could have that every day.
Jasmin / 03 may 2006 / 1:39 a.m.
I dislike cooking only for myself as well, and the only reason I cook is because I’d hate myself for eating out/processed/instant food all the time. And there’s the occasional yearning for my mum’s cooking that motivates me to try a new dish out.
C / 03 may 2006 / 7:23 a.m.
I find that cooking magazines (cooking light is a GREAT one) is a really great way to get motivated because somethings are just too easy not to do and they look so good.
Plus food you cook is almost always better than anything you could heat in a microwave or buy. /mothering
james2 / 03 may 2006 / 10 a.m.
3 day meals: i cook spaghetti on monday, takes about an hour or so tops, i eat it for about 6 meals over the next 3 or 4 days…that way i have only spent close to 10 mins preparing each meal and spaghetti is very easy to make and is better warmed up or cold. Other foods you can do this with are: any type of casserole, lasagna, soups and stews, those crazy chicken bake things that come in boxes at the grocery store. you can get a lot of mileage out of these and there is no choosing, you have to eat them beofre they get too old and there is always something in the fridge.
i mainly subsist on microwave popcorn
Brandon / 03 may 2006 / 10:26 a.m.
I was very disenfranchised with cooking a while back until I discovered the joys of Mediterranean cooking. Fresh veggies, fruits, oils and meats are the theme here. Most everything can be done in under 30 minutes. It’s heart healthy and calories/fat/etc can be control through portion sizes. I found that I actually enjoyed cooking, but hated to spend an hour or more making a meal for just myself. It’s also pretty cheap even though you are buying top notch ingredients because every meal can share common elements. Also, when you are at the store you can buy for the week. I keep my fresh ingredients like tomatoes, onions, shallots, garlic, potatoes, and fruits out on my kitchen counter and arranged in a visually appealing way. It helps fight the mental block of having to “drag everything out” when it’s all right there in front of you. You can also start a windowsill herb garden with chives, basil, thyme or sage. Or if you have a patio, grow a lettuce/spinach/arugula/endive blend. The stuff grows like a weed and its fun to feel like a farmer.
Conclusion: making cooking fun by finding quick recipes and fresh ingredients.
Shaun / 03 may 2006 / 12:01 p.m.
You should get married and make your wife do all the cooking.
Oh, wait…
Amy / 03 may 2006 / 3:57 p.m.
Mmmm moms cooking! If she lived closer I’d be there every night. I hate cooking for myself too. When I lived alone I ate mostly soup or sandwiches. Now that I’m married I eat mostly soup or sandwiches. My hubby likes his cereal for din din.
Jess / 03 may 2006 / 5:16 p.m.
i hate food exactly the same way you do. i am in a continuous struggle to not eat out all the time. the best way, i’ve found, is to plan your meals. i write down what i’ll eat for each meal of the week and shop accordingly. its the only thing that works for me.
Laura / 03 may 2006 / 5:32 p.m.
Hm, I have somebody to cook for and I still hate it/refuse to do it. Wonder if there’s hope for me.
Virginia Murdoch / 03 may 2006 / 1:13 a.m.
Maybe you could try to teach yourself some of your mum’s recipes? That might be fun… for a bit…