What would you like for dinner, dear?

I had hoped when I retired to find a through the seasons, cook and shop book. i do not want to think about food every day just find it waiting to be prepared in the fridge.

In order to minimize the cooking I do not do any cooked breakfasts. I mix up a meusilli with lots of extra nuts and seeds and have that every day. If DH wants porringer he puts it in his plate and microwaves it. We make tea and coffee etc.

Lunch is what's in the fridge - salad, hard boiled egg, bit of cooked chi ken, cheese etc. When in Australia we had toasted sandwiches and I sometimes think I would like a sandwich toaster.

Husband goes swimming most evening which means passing Waitrose where he looks at the reduced shelves and comes back with all sorts which we try to cook up and freeze or eat the next day.

Whine I go into town to the U3A I stock up at Lidle to make sure we have milk, eggs, some smoked salmon or pate. Unfortunately husband will not have ham as it is salt and quite a few other food items are too salty or too fatty or too full of sugar.

He does not like to eat out as as midday his is the garden and evening eating gives him indigestion!! Occasionally go out to lunch by myself or sometimes with a friend.

Oh yes, like merlot's DH, mine will prepare all the veg, especially if we are having visitors. He mkes his own porridge every morning and often gets my lunch, as long as it doesn't involve anything complicated.

A lazy meal tonight, casserole from the freezer, jacket potatoes and some extra veg. (we have been very busy all day.)

No problem
Monday - fish and salad/vegetables
Tuesday - curry
Wednesday - soup and a bun
Thursday - soup and a bun
Friday - smoked salmon and other tasty fishy comestibles
Saturday - Red meat roast
Sunday - lasagne or spag bol & salad
Monday -repeat

Always offer alternatives to DH & DS but they don't take me up on it. DS often cooks his own for which he also shops.

I would rather be bored than have an 'atmosphere' and 'words' over food. I am more than willing to provide alternatives but I'd be unhappy if DH was late home and everything spoiled and he's too idle to think for himself and is content with the dull offerings.

On holiday we go together to Waitrose and impulse buy whatever we like.

Oh God Bless the £10 meal deals from Tesco and M&S. I suspect that the inclusion of the bottle of wine was a Womans idea, namely one also very fed up with the constant "What's for Dinner" question.
After a couple of glasses of the usually decent vino, it then becomes a case of "You will get what your given Love" !!

When in Australia we had toasted sandwiches and I sometimes think I would like a sandwich toaster. You can have mine Emily, I will scrabble around in the back of the cupboard and find it
Actually, DD in Australia makes toasties and I always enjoy them when I'm there but cbb to do them myself.

Totally agree, it is a complete pain in the a...e! The trouble is we don't like ready meals very much which doesn't help. DH is very good & never complains even if we only have a sandwich, bless him. Then I feel guilty! I probably only cook a proper dinner every other night, & we eat out quite a lot. It's an age thing I think, not wanting to cook.

We used to have a sandwich/ toastie maker ( I wonder what happened to it?) but now I buy the 'bags' from Lakeland, where you pop your cheese sandwich in and then put it in the toaster.Yum.

I get a box delivered from Hello Fresh each week. You get the recipes for three meals plus all the ingredients you need, including loads of fresh veg and herbs plus little pots of seasonings. I don't have to think about it at all and we have some really yummy and imaginative meals. I feel justified in having less adventurous meals the rest of the week! Have a look at their website. I highly recommend them.

DH will always leave meal choice to me and this suits me as I can have whatever I fancy. He always shows appreciation and thanks me for the lovely meal and if somethings gone a bit awry he still says it's lovely. I think this is a bit about his own unwillingness to cook, and maybe he feels a bit guilty. However it suits me fine, I enjoy putting a meal together and he clears up and washes up, or stacks the dishwasher. I think I've got the better job ! I actually enjoy thinking about what to have. These days I don't often use recipes - it's a bit " done it all before". Lunch is something from the frig, or even nothing, and we have our " evening" meal around 4-5.
Sunday is our day out, Sunday roast at a local country pub.
Roses I had no idea those bags existed. I hate faffing about with the toastie maker, so a trip to Lakeland s on the cards !

Be aware, though, that your toaster has to have a wide enough slot to accommodate the width of a filled sandwich!

Ah, good point Ana. Hadn't thought of that.

Had a ready made from marks tonight - it was awful!

Oh no, which one so we can avoid it!

bellanonna hope you have your credit card ready if you are going to Lakeland

Bella put a couple of slices together and see if they fit in your toaster first.
If not,when you buy a new toaster, make sure to buy a wide slot one( although my toaster looks like an ordinary one so now I am

No Mamie it is not what most couples do. In fact you are unique. I am really happy that your happy and long may it continue.

Well said, Jenwren! Self satisfied and annoying.

hello Wot, would drive me insane being in the house 24 hours cooking, cleaning etc. Retirement for me is enjoying my new hobbies through the U3A. Being a model for the students at the college ie facials and massage. Meeting new people and widening your social circle. Life is fabulous darling.

jalima it was balanced for you chicken pot roast. Tasteless.
Decided to bite the bullet tomorrow and do a roast shoulder of lamb. It is defrosting as we speak.
I think the weather has a huge influence on me. If it is dull grey and cold I totally CAB. But as soon as the Sun comes out I thrive. I shall probably die in the winter

Oh dear, I do have the Count on Us fish pie sometimes when DH has fish and chips. Trying to be virtuous and cbb to cook two meals.

Hmm, not sure what poor Mamie's said that's led to a two-pronged attack. Not much of a cook myself, I'm just glad that DH has discovered his inner Jamie Oliver now that he's retired. He probably got fed up of me straining the gravy through a sieve, etc.

I seem to have produced a DS who is a good cook and does most of it in their household. (not taking after his dad )

It was Mamie assuming that all husbands, partners do their fair share in running a household.

After reading some of these posts I'm going to give my husband a great big kiss and tell him how wonderful he is. Planning, shopping and cooking in our house is shared in that if one of us is showing no sign of organising meals the other will. The only thing I hate is cooking in the evening. We eat our main meal at 2ish as is the custom here, which means you don't need much in the evening. If neither of us feels like sorting out food we go for a menu del día, which can be had for around €10 for 3 courses, bread and wine.

I think I am really fortunate. When I am at work I get back at 6:30. DH finishes at 4 and is home by 4:45 so he just gets on and cooks - he enjoys it and feels it is part of his wind down zone - computer in the kitchen, his music playing and a game on the go too. We make the shopping list together on a Saturday a.m., but he gets the shopping in too - he says it is cheaper when he does it on his own and he is right . I have been off work since Dec and in this time I have taken on more of the cooking - we both enjoy it really. We tend to eat a lot of chicken in various forms and a good mix of pasta, rice, potato meals and something 'easy' i.e. pizza / stabby meal on a Friday night.
However, if it were just me, having to think of everything and prepare everything all the time, I know I would be fed up very quickly.