Today's Sunday roast, is it worth it?

Nothing like a roast, miss having kids to cook one for so enjoy even though a bit of a mission!

Hmmm tough one phoenix, I'm often in the same dilemma. I don't bother unless there are a few of us to eat it because, as you say, the prepping is labour intensive if everything is cooked from scratch. Then there's the washing up and, like you, I don't have a dish washer. My kitchen is small and the vast amount of dishes, cutlery, pans, bowls and roasting pans just looks overwhelming, even if I wash as I go in the prepping routine. When I think of how long it takes to prep it, and then clear up after it, it seems as though it's not worth the effort. But then I see how pleased the family are that they're getting the traditional roast, and how much they enjoy it, and it then seems worth the effort. Hmmmmm

I don’t find a roast dinner as labour intensive as some of the things I cook, and it is always worth the effort, especially when the family are there to eat it with us. I have cooked a roast dinner two days running this weekend and the appreciation - especially from my grandson today - made the work worthwhile. It is comfort food at its very best.

We had a roast today, gammon with all the trimmings. First time we have cooked one for months. We both thoroughly enjoyed it. Even the washing up didn't seem too bad, we also do not have a dishwasher.

Yes, but if it's for only 2 people?

I always try to make any prepping or cooking, unless very quick & simple, do a couple of meals. If I took your meal for example, the chicken will definitely also do a salad or sandwich, a curry or risotto, and a soup.
If I make, say mashed swede, braised red cabbage, I make several portions and freeze, so I'm only cooking say, one of them, from scratch.
I prep and parboil parsnips and put in the freezer, so they are ready to roast alongside potatoes.
Roast potatoes are usually just done once, but I might boil up extra if I'm going to use them over the next few days.
I might do extra carrots or leeks, with a view to using them for soup. I might think that I would cook extra leeks and boil extra potatoes and make leek and potato soup the next day for instance.

For pudding I might make a cake that will be eaten during the week. I also always have a bag of crumble mix in the freezer, and some ice cream.

I run a sink full of hot, soapy water and dump everything in as I go, guests / any family around can help with any prep they like, or tackle the sink!

Having said that, I do enjoy cooking, and planning like this is not usually a chore for me. I think you should do what suits you - some days cooking a huge meal can feel just the right thing to do, other times, a chore - so do something simpler.

Nothing is simpler to me than cooking a roast.
I do all the prep in the morning and cook late afternoon.
I don't do all those veg. 2 plus potatoes is enough and if stuffing is required it is bought from M&S. One pack does 2 dinners by freezing half.
I don't find it a chore as the end result is worth it.

Is a roast a particular favourite, there are many healthy, nutritious meals that involve a lot less work, but if you both enjoyed it, and had a pleasant time together, then it’s worth it.

Do you enjoy preparing the meal?
Does Mr P enjoy the meal?
Most stuff takes longer to prep and cook than to eat.
We don't have a dish washer either but regard the clearing/washing up as an activity we can do together. (Don't get out much!)
If neither of you enjoy the meal then don't bother.

I agree with annsixty about a roast dinner; I always think it's the easiest meal to prepare and often yummy leftovers for the next day - and the day after that if we're lucky.

When DH was away for three or four days at a time I would go into overdrive on Sundays. I've always felt that cooking a delicious meal for someone shows how much you care.

DH might have preferred to go to the pub but he didn't dare say.

It is the easiest meal of the week for me, love using up the cold meat with a baked potato on Mondays and sometimes it stretches to a curry as well. Such good value. I always cook from fresh, tonight we had our first sprouts from the garden, lovely and crisp and fresh.
I am fortnate, I cook husband washes up!

We had sprouts yesterday too, along with broccoli, carrots, and cornichons because they are GS’s favourite, but he, like his grandad, will eat most veg except sprouts. I would normally stick at two veg. I still have not tried the pre-cook and then freeze method of doing roast potatoes. Perhaps I should!

Phoenix, you are cooking LOVE.

Sod the dishwasher we don't have one either.

Washed up as i went.

After years of not bothering about a Sunday roast, we have started to have the roast in a bag chicken like you, Phoenix. It is the one meal that both DGC seem to like. I line all the baking trays with foil so easier to wash up. I now make my Yorkshire’s before hand and just reheat as I always found trying to do those at the same time stressful. And, as others have said, leftovers for Monday. Nanarose, I will follow your top and parboil lots of parsnips and freeze for later roasting.

I love a roast. The rule in our house is that the person who didn't cook does the washing up so for me as the cook yes it is worth it.

bookworm we have that rule too .

Phoenix, you said P does not east well in the week so this meal is full of important goodness.

If you don't mind, then of course it is worth it. you seemed to labour save along the way with ready-made mac cheese and pre-cooked veg. Sounded great!

We had three children in five years and lived in an isolated farm cottage so most groceries were bought from the twice weekly mobile shop.

Every Saturday night I would depart to the freezing cold kitchen - a kind of lean to extension tacked on the back and tray up the meat, cover it in foil, peel the potatoes and veg, putting them in various pans covered with water. The Yorkshire pudding batter would go in the fridge along with a freshly made apple pie or crumble.

It was necessary to be organised with the kids taking up most of my time in the mornings.

What was DH doing while all this was going on?

Watching Match of the Day!

New Man might be a paragon nowadays but back in the early seventies I was definitely married to Old Man!

Thank goodness times have changed.

I find a roast is a very quick meal to do but probably because for us it is a much smaller meal than yours Phoenix.

We had roast confit of duck yesterday. 2 ready prepared duck legs with roast potatoes and peas and carrots. The potatoes were peeled and par cooked earlier in the day (took about 5 minutes to prepare). Popped duck legs and potatoes into the oven on roasting tray 45 minutes before required. Carrots from the garden were sliced and cooked in the saucepan with the potatoes and then reheated with peas from the freezer.

Preparation time about 15 minutes plus a few minutes making gravy with the pan juices.. Cooking time spent reading the paper.

We have just had "Sunday" roast. Lamb, roast potatoes, broccoli etc. And it is only Monday!

It won't hurt him to do the washing up whilst you relax with a glass of something, tell him it's therapeutic & will help him unwind or put a dish washer on wish list or go the best & nearest carvery & have a snuggle snooze when you get home ?

Yes! Although perhaps not every week.

Or as Bridgeit suggests, go to a nearby carvery (it could work out no more expensive).

I only bother to do one when friends or family come on Sunday.Otherwise we may go out somewhere, be busy, or have a very relaxed day, in which case I may do some pasta based meal or a stir fry.The amount of washing up after a roast is amazing ( even with a dishwasher! ) ?