I wish I enjoyed cooking!

I am also very relieved to see that I am not an oddball in not enjoying cooking!
I love eating and thankfully my husband makes tasty meals.
I do everything else in the home, but loathe cooking.
I don’t know why.
I envy ( in a nice way) those you roll up their sleeves and bake and cook delicious things for their family.

I've enjoyed cooking until recently, when the never ending routine is getting me down. But I enjoy my food and like to have something tasty.
I'm simplifying recipes now, and making bigger batches.
If my husband dares to complain that he didn't like so&so I tell him he can take over the responsibility for food with pleasure. That shuts him up.
When Mum was my age 83, she lived alone and stopped cooking so we managed to get a home help to come and cook her midday meal. We still had to go shopping with her though. She even went onto those rubbish ready meals for a time.

Actually I am relieved to hear I am not alone in hating cooking. I think my boredom of it goes back to when ‘Ready Meals’ were introduced as when my children were small back in the seventies I always cooked fairly contentedly from scratch, then one day I gave them a ready meal frozen lasagne and boy did they love it! - and not realising as we do these days, that Ready Meals are not the healthiest, I wondered why on earth I spent hours making a lasagne when they preferred one from the shop! Not much incentive to cook! Can you see the problem! It was the same with cakes- they preferred Mr Kiplings! I know I know I know about the expense and the health issues, but when cooking is such a blinkin’ chore to start with it’s just too easy to think why bother!

I too hate cooking , never have liked it much
Not correct monica I love food, most foods and can eat for England if I allow myself just can’t be arsed to do all the faffing around My meals are normally very simple stir fries,(of all sorts which just means throwing lots of veg in a pan for ten minutes with rice or noodles and some spices), jacket potatoes, or anything that takes limited preparation and ten minutes max cooking
My eldest daughter loathes it as much as me although I did all the right things when they were small and we ‘cooked together etc’ my son is a barbecue only man and although I ve not discussed it with youngest don’t think she’s that into it either

I ve never been a kitchen woman

Not being much help to Esther1 are we. I cooked reluctantly when the children were at home and luckily had a job where meals were provided.
I have remarried and my husband was a chef in his earlier life so I am off the hook. He says the sight of me trying to cook makes his teeth itch !! Fortunately he also likes to do the shopping so he has the right ingredients. He does tend to use every pot and pan in the kitchen though.
Sorry Esther1,

I hate cooking, too. DH is very fussy, partly for medical reasons, but he only likes very plain food which I find boring. Sometimes I do something different for myself but mostly I cba to cook two meals. I particularly hate doing dinner parties and usually book a table at our local pub instead. If I can get out of cooking, I will!

Hate cooking
Always have

Luckily I've been married twice and both were a whiz in the kitchen

?

One of your 5 a day!

Try this!

Am I the only one who loves food and planning meals but just doesn't enjoy the preparation and cooking particulalry?
No, you're not.

I'm just getting a bit bored with thinking about what to have; I'm probably OK once I get started but always thankful if someone else has done the cooking for a change!

Less complicated means less clearing up too.
I made a pud at the weekend for all the family (my contribution) and enjoyed doing it but it created a lot of clearing up.

We've just eaten out at lunch-time so it will be a light tea tonight, thank goodness.

I have lost my mojo for cooking although I enjoy well prepared and presented food.
Whenever I look at new recipes anything that suggests longer than 1/2 an hour prep puts me off, as I know it invariably will take me twice that time.

I don’t enjoy cooking but I hate thinking what to have. I get stuck in a rut of making things that I know DH would like. I’ve got loads of cookery books and sometimes make some thing new. When I ask whether he likes it , he often says that he does, but if I suggest making it again, at a later date, he refuses it.
I’ve asked to be sacked as Chef but have not been taken up on it. DH can cook but rarely does and never suggests any meals! ☹️

I love food.
Eating is my main hobby!

I was never very fond of cooking , simple and quick , but healthy food . Now I am on my own I just can't be bothered .
I got a slow cooker to try and get some enthusiasm going , used it once .
I batch cook soup in the pressure cooker , with anything that comes to hand and freeze in portions , I have just had an unlabelled offering ! think it was celery , carrot and onion , had it with pitta and humus , filled a gap , but no medals .
I over do bread as my breadmaker produces tasty bread

You're wrong there Monica. I have loads of enthusiasm for food, and love eating it. Just prefer it when DD2 does the cooking. Food you've cooked yourself never tastes as good.

It seems to me that most of those who hate cooking, do not have much of an enthusiasm for food full stop.

Am I the only one who loves food and planning meals but just doesn't enjoy the preparation and cooking particulalry?

I've always loved cooking/baking and on my own I continue to do so. Yesterday I made a leek and potato soup, delicious with crusty bread and so quick,simple and nourishing.
I wrote in a post yesterday that I love making soups. A carrot and orange soup some time this week.

I hate cooking too, always have. I can turn out a decent roast dinner and basic food but not interested in doing more. I'd much rather be doing other things.

I’m probably on the wrong thread here as I love cooking when I’ve got time and the only part I don’t like is the clearing up, wiping down @nd washing up.

I find pottering about in a kitchen therapeutic - stirring, seasoning, sniffing and tasting as I go! Also it’s so rewarding when people enjoy the results whether it’s a cake or a casserole!

Never mind you ladies who don’t get that satisfaction, I’m sure there’s something you enjoy doing that others don’t - I hate hoovering but have friends who happily do it daily!

I love food, I am curious about new foods, new cuisines and new cultures. I still collect recipes and try them out at least one a week

BUT

I do not particularly enjoy cooking, but my enjoyment of food exceeds my dislike of cooking, so I continue to do it, but always simplifying recipes,shortening procedures and ignoring recipes that look too much like hard work.

I’m lucky. I used to do 90% of the catering when I worked and got so fed up of thinking about what to have, let alone cooking it. Fortunately, DH discovered his inner chef when he retired and does all the day to day cooking. He’s good at it and enjoys it too (so far, and I’m crossing my fingers that the novelty doesn’t wear off!).

I still do the mass catering when the family or friends are here, and any baking, though that’s usually just cakes these days, for high days and birthdays. Oh, and I make soup from the allotment produce. Though strictly speaking the soup maker does most of the work.

I don’t mind cooking as long as I have decided what we’re having. Hate it when I think “Oh, what shall we have tonight? We eat our main meal quite early, about 4.30-5.00, and I like to have prepped everything ASAP, I loathe coming home from anywhere and having to peel potatoes, prepare veg etc.
Favourite recipes that I can put in the slow cooker early on and forget about suits me very well,

Esther1 - I could have written your post. Cooking is the bane of my life. I hate it. Even hate making a sandwich or a cup of tea. Do you ever watch Dragon's Den? I remember one of the dragons, Deborah, saying she hadn't cooked for 25 years. I felt so envious. It spoils my days when I want to be gardening, walking or doing photography. But I have to do it because I believe in eating healthily so we have organic veg. But it all takes so much of my day and I end up drinking wine whilst I'm cooking to alleviate the boredom. So not much help from me I'm afraid.

I always cook at least double quantities. Then the rest is in the fridge or freezer for another day. It's all the clearing up that I find really tedious. So there's a supply of 'ready meals' for when I can't be bothered.