Do I have to have dinner 365 days a year

my previous was re the boiled potatoes and minced meat, only, diet.

If you mean my old client welbeck, if someone else was paying it was a different matter!

If you can can manage it.. I would agree that you should treat yourself to some ready made meals or takeaways. Just ask you DH to bung them in the microwave for you.. he does sound quite self absorbed but he surely can't object to you choosing something for yourself can he?

The problem may lie more deeply than lack of imagination in cooking. He may need these routines to run his life and cope with problems. I am not going to deal in cod psychology or imagining labels to fix to him But if working to routines and knowing what he is doing is necessary to him then any solution must fit with his way of thinking
Then don’t.
How many of us remember
Sunday roast - beef, chicken etc
Monday -cold meat
Tuesday - mince
Wednesday and Thursday -something else
Friday - fish.
Routines need not be indicative of anything other than convenience.

Convenience and keeping life simple Foxygloves. When life is challenging, simplicity has appeal

Germanshepherdsmum

I wish OP would explain what it is that her husband cooks and whether it’s the same thing every day of the week or a particular meal on Monday, a particular meal on Tuesday etc. Perhaps if we understood exactly what the problem is we could be of more help. For instance I remember having lunch occasionally with an elderly bachelor client at his club years ago and he always had plain boiled potatoes and mince. Every time. The staff knew what he wanted. No other veg, no gravy …

Makes sense to me.

If we have to eat away from home, I always choose the same thing, if I can. Comfortable, easy, no problem thinking about my tummy.

Perhaps he has 'day' routines? Bit like Fish Friday?

It's merely food, maybe it only matters (to him) that he gets his daily total nutrients to subsist - eat to live not live to eat?

I imagine every one of us here, having cooked for our families over the decades has some sympathy.
But as for OP “being lucky” or not, I would be delighted to eat a meal somebody else had cooked - anybody else! ,

Foxygloves How many of us remember

Sunday roast - beef, chicken etc
Monday -cold meat
Tuesday -mince
Wednesday and Thursday -something else
Friday - fish.

Routines need not be indicative of anything other than convenience.

THAT ^ I totally agree with Foxy.

Foxy - pity we aren’t neighbours. We could cook for each other. I’m in from a meditation group (ooommm) and heating up a Charlie Bingham meal for one because cooking the sea bream, new pots and veg proved beyond me

Ah the bliss of not cooking an evening meal and eating whatever I want when it suits me.
I sympathize with the OP.

I still don’t understand (be patient, a Gran of very little brain) what OP means by having to have dinner every day of the year
Three course, silver service?
Evening dress?
Don’t we all (give or take other time pressures) have an evening meal 365 days of the year?

Or am I missing something?

Foxygloves

I still don’t understand (be patient, a Gran of very little brain) what OP means by having to have dinner every day of the year
Three course, silver service?
Evening dress?
Don’t we all (give or take other time pressures) have an evening meal 365 days of the year?

Or am I missing something?

Of course we mostly all eat three meals a day, in home, 365 days a year - apart from holidays, work, other engagements.

Jb probably is fed up of her DH pottering and clacking around with pots and pans, every evening.

crazyH

Jb probably is fed up of her DH pottering and clacking around with pots and pans, every evening.

"If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen" as the saying goes.

Or can't stand the clattering!

Norah

Foxygloves

I still don’t understand (be patient, a Gran of very little brain) what OP means by having to have dinner every day of the year
Three course, silver service?
Evening dress?
Don’t we all (give or take other time pressures) have an evening meal 365 days of the year?

Or am I missing something?

Of course we mostly all eat three meals a day, in home, 365 days a year - apart from holidays, work, other engagements.

I finished off that five vegetable curry tonight - it said serves 2 but the recipe made enough for 4, served with rice.

Now that I am on my own, I do not always eat as healthily as I did when DH was alive. Latterly he was not well enough to cook, but we certainly had his choice of meals, like the OP, for dietary reasons. ( type 2 diabetes, difficulty swallowing.)
Plain dinners, half the plate full of soft vegetables, with mashed potatoes, non fatty meat or fish, but always a sauce or gravy.
Yes, sometimes I managed to persuade him to eat a bit differently, spag bol, or a rice dish.
Some days it would have been easier not to have a “dinner”, just beans on toast or scrambled egg. Maybe this is what the OP means?

I'd see if he'd be willing to prep a range of salad ingredients. I keep a load in the fridge and just help myself when I fancy eating - sometimes a lunchtime 'main' meal and just a snack later.

I'd just hate having a set, predictable, cooked meal every evening. I worked with a chap who did. He knew exactly what his dinner would be for each day of the week - how incredibly boring!

I think the takeaway idea is the way to go too. Let him cook his own stuff (if he really has to) and order in something good.

I think Jb2022 has gone away.

Some days, especially if I have to drive a long way, I survive on cake and coffee. Proper food has no appeal on such days.

On the other hand, eating dinner out has little appeal. I am usually disappointed when it happens because I feel I could have made whatever it was better.

So, yeah, I think I get it, Jb. Rigidity of routine could get one down, especially with an inability to get out of the rigid routine because of health issues.

All the best.

NotSpaghetti

I think Jb2022 has gone away.

As Brenda from Bristol might have said “Not ANOTHER one?”

Love Brenda from Bristol 😀

I fully understand Jb2022 my DH is a traditionalist and likes a proper Sunday Dinner every week! I told him some time back how much time it took preparing all the veg he likes (potatoes, parsnip, beetroot, carrots, two lots of greens) so he said he would do all the veg preparation, which I am grateful for, but I still cook the bloomin’ meal when I would like to be just reading my Kindle. I’d be happy with a poached egg 😀

I’m lucky I have a kind, thoughtful DH so I just put up with it.

I think it’s all the fuss every evening. Two hours of the day cooking a simple meal. The cooking and then the cleaning up after.

Why can’t you tell him you just don’t want to eat like that every day. Is he a difficult man as a lot of them can be. Suggest having a nice salad for a change. Does he do all the shopping as well.

NanKate

I fully understand Jb2022 my DH is a traditionalist and likes a proper Sunday Dinner every week! I told him some time back how much time it took preparing all the veg he likes (potatoes, parsnip, beetroot, carrots, two lots of greens) so he said he would do all the veg preparation, which I am grateful for, but I still cook the bloomin’ meal when I would like to be just reading my Kindle. I’d be happy with a poached egg 😀

I’m lucky I have a kind, thoughtful DH so I just put up with it.

Sounds just like my DH except that mine doesn’t like beetroot. Always green beans and broccoli. He does like his parsnips and carrots as well and a tomato. I’d be happy with just the greens.

I like the occasional fried egg on toast, very nice with a little sweet chilli on the side.

I don’t say anything as he does so much of the cooking and he is very helpful in other ways too. I’m very lucky.

NightSky2 we are lucky to have good husbands, so that’s why we put up with all this palaver. I like the sound of your meal suggestion.

Biscuits, cheese, apple or banana also would do me well.

Ironically my husband only weighs 10 stone and eats very well.

Finally I have brought him over to the Charlie Bingham meals as opposed to a joint, chicken, chops etc. which we still have but less often.