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Husbands who cook ??‍?

(158 Posts)
lemongrove Sun 03-Feb-19 20:00:37

Whenever we watch an Escape To The Country the husband always seems to be saying that he is the main cook, and needs a big kitchen to bash the pots and pans around.
My DH cooks once a week usually, and even that seems to be unusual amongst my friends, who’s DH’s never do more than prepare a sarnie.Do yours regularly take over the kitchen and make several meals a week? Lucky you, if so.envy

Day6 Mon 04-Feb-19 15:48:48

Yes, OH cooks, but he has a limited repertoire so it tends to be the three same dishes, all involving mince! grin His roast dinners aren't bad but lack the finesse of mine. (Timing mainly, veg either raw or soggy..and food going cold while he dishes up...I drop gentle hints but I am grateful he cooks.) I am not complaining. He'll often make us a sandwich lunch too, or a salad.

I am the inventive, experimental one and like to try new recipes. I tend to cook most of the evening meals. I also cook when we have people to stay or come over for a meal. He's a very good sous chef (the Johnny to my Fanny as we say!) and he'll load the dishwasher after me too, so no complaints at all.

Ex husband also liked cooking so I think I have been very lucky.

Bijou Mon 04-Feb-19 15:54:17

My late husband could just about make a cup of tea if pushed. He did try once when the children were small and I was laid up with flu. They never forgot the burnt sausages, lumpy potato and no gravy.
My son is an excellent cook.

gingladys Mon 04-Feb-19 15:54:53

My DH is a good cook although I mainly do it every day. He cooked and nursed me when I was flat on my back for weeks following an operation so I am very lucky to have him. He would cook more if I asked him, but I enjoy the creativity of cooking.

pollyolly Mon 04-Feb-19 16:08:06

Ellen Vannin, please try to help your husband cook the basics. My Father never cooked and after my mother died
he told me he had waited by his window for 20 minutes until a neighbour walked by and stopped her to ask how long he should boil potatoes.(He had no telephone)

Poppyann1 Mon 04-Feb-19 16:17:08

My hubby.cooks every night also makes my breakfast and lunch if I want him too.i guess I'm lucky.oh and he's done all the shopping for the last 15 years too.

Saggi Mon 04-Feb-19 16:19:16

If there was a blue moon mine still wouldn’t cook a meal. If I’m IN the house it’s my job, if I’m OUT if house he eats packets of biscuits. Even heating up soup seems beyond him . Basically he can’t do anything ...an all round useless article!! His words not mine...and he revels in being so!!

Esspee Mon 04-Feb-19 16:19:25

My OH is a brilliant cook which explains my weight gain since we met. I used to operate on the "one cooks, the other washes up but as when I serve dinner the kitchen is perfect and when he serves dinner the kitchen is a complete disaster area (every pot used) I changed that to "the one who cooks cleans up". I thought he would change his way but no, he does the most elaborate and tasty meals so he can get on with it. I am sooooo lucky. ?

Granless Mon 04-Feb-19 16:26:57

My hubbie doesn’t cook, really - he could boil an egg. He says when I start knocking walls down, building walls up, decorating, putting in a new socket, then he will cook. I say, you’re 81, I think your days of building are over - cooking isn’t!

Nonnie Mon 04-Feb-19 16:48:33

Mr N cooks but doesn't like anyone else in the kitchen so I leave him to it. All DSs cook and I think probably more than the dils. DH is of the opinion that if you can read you can cook, good for him. Apparently I load the dishwasher wrongly so I don't even have to clear up. However, if presented with an iron he would come over all helpless. I do other things some might consider traditionally male.

Happysexagenarian Mon 04-Feb-19 17:23:50

My DH started cooking family meals about 20 years ago when I was self employed. He said if he didn't cook we would have all starved, as I was totally absorbed in my work and hated having to stop and provide meals.

He actually enjoys cooking, which I never have. So now he does all the everyday meals, barring pies and casseroles, though he will help and prep veggies when I make them. He's a much better cook than me because he carefully watches things as they cook and times them. I can't be bothered, I just shove something in the oven and go off to do something more interesting and forget about it till I smell burning! DH makes a fabulous Sunday roast and boils dippy eggs to perfection. He draws the line at baking and cakes but we don't eat many anyway.

He also loads the dishwasher, and plans meals each week. We usually shop together and he budgets better than I do, keeps the freezer well stocked and grows vegetables in the summer. Add to that he brings me tea in bed every morning, brings in the coal for the boiler and puts the bins out every week. He's also familiar with the workings of the washing machine and dryer, and can iron perfectly well if he has to, but I usually take care of the laundry, cleaning, and changing beds etc.

I have no qualms about him managing on his own if he had to, but whether I could manage without him is another thing. But I hope that won't be for a very long time yet. He's a man in a million and I know how lucky I am to have him.

Two of our sons are also quite capable in the kitchen, but the other one lives on take-aways if DIL is away. He claims he can't find anything in the kitchen even though he built it!

Katyj Mon 04-Feb-19 17:33:09

My husband has made a beef stew for tea, first time ever in 40 years. 5/10 but then again I've gone off stew wink

chrissyh Mon 04-Feb-19 17:36:37

DH cooks every main meal. I always cooked until DH retired early and I still worked. He started to cook because he enjoys it and who am I to stop him enjoying himself. The only problem is that I am the one that is out of practice now.

GrammaH Mon 04-Feb-19 17:41:59

GraffaC is not renown for his culinary prowess, alas. He does cook bacon & egg for himself at the weekend but that's about it. He drinks neither tea nor coffee & wouldn't have a clue how to operate my coffee machine although he might just manage to boil water & pour it over a teabag if we had a visitor & I was out. He did used to prepare veg when I was working to make my job as chief cook & bottle washer easier but since I retired 3 years ago, he's forgotten about that. My son has followed in his father's footsteps, although U believe he does a good omelette, and my daughter married a fantastic cook - alas, his kitchen talents weren't enough to keep them together. There's obviously more to a good marriage than a husband who knows his way round the kitchen - we've been married 38 years.

HurdyGurdy Mon 04-Feb-19 17:56:28

My husband could cook every night. But I would have to resign myself to a diet consisting solely of chili con carne and stir fry.

Oh and cheese or scrambled eggs on toast.

sheilann734 Mon 04-Feb-19 18:02:31

My husband cooks most of our meals and a cooked breakfast twice a week. He does tend to stick to the same
Dishes ,but I dont mind .I cook something a bit different once a week and I enjoy baking. I sometimes feel sorry for friends who say they have to do all the cooking as their DH 'couldnt boil an egg'. Anyone who can read can surely follow a recipe or simple instructions!

Wheniwasyourage Mon 04-Feb-19 18:04:42

Mr When does the cooking since he retired. He does it for fun and enjoys trying out new recipes. I did it for years because we wanted to be fed, but never particularly enjoyed it. I do enjoy eating what he cooks though!

I like washing and do a lot of the rest of the housework, which I would rather do than cook. We share the shopping.

Luckylegs Mon 04-Feb-19 18:04:43

I’m very lucky. My h does all the cooking always, thinks of what to make and everything. I do the washing up, shopping, cleaning, washing and ironing etc. It’s wonderful! He makes the best curries, Christmas dinner, everything. As someone else said, his food is so good that to go out for a meal is always a bit of a letdown which is a shame! However, I am completely deskilled! I can cook obviously if I have to but I’m not used to getting it all ready at the same time eg Sunday lunch!

ElaineRI55 Mon 04-Feb-19 18:08:45

I am very lucky that my husband is a great cook and enjoys cooking. Since we got together about 17 years ago , he has done virtually all the cooking. I do desserts/cakes if we're having visitors. I've forgotten how to cook!
As one of my friends keeps telling me - he's hand-knitted. smile

sandye Mon 04-Feb-19 18:12:35

No my OH does not cook, he would struggle to turn the cooker on! If he did you would certainly not want to eat it!!! He is good at growing things though and cleans through everyday also does all the washing up so can't complain

4allweknow Mon 04-Feb-19 18:23:16

A sandwich is his limit. If I am standing in the kitchen giving instructions he could boil potatoes and some other veg but he would never volunteer to cook a meal.

Drwatfam Mon 04-Feb-19 18:28:14

MrDrwatfam is a dab hand in the kitchen . He looks all the time. Roast dinner , curry , cakes . He does a superb Bread and butter pudding. I am very lucky. There's really only a few things he won't attempt . The doesn't do pastry or lasagne ( the white sauce anyway ) but he's a treasure . Trouble is he uses every available dish and pan and leaves a terrible mess . It's a small price to pay though . We have a dish washer !

JaneJANE60 Mon 04-Feb-19 19:39:30

My husband cooks most of the time. He is so much better at it than me and enjoys it. Sadly my two sons are not so domesticated despite having a dad who has always cooks. I blame him for that ha ha

mrswoo Mon 04-Feb-19 19:51:52

mrwoo took over the majority of the cooking 12 years ago when he was off work sick for 6 weeks following a heart attack. He continued doing the cooking even when he returned to work. Now that I’ve retired and he’s still working I’ve started to cook again so we now take it in turns.
I remember my dad didn’t have a clue about cooking. Once, when I was very young and unable to help, my mum was ill in bed and dad decided to cook sausages. He put them in the oven, left the door open so he could watch them cook, pulled up a chair and sat staring at them! Needless to say they took forever to cook but he was extremely proud of his efforts.

ClaraB Mon 04-Feb-19 19:59:19

I did the cooking for 15 years and then wasn't well so DH decided to have a go and absolutely loved it. He now does most of the cooking and says he finds it very relaxing. He never comes up with the ideas of what to cook and likes me to make that decision, I often just give him the ingredients and away he goes - it's like Ready, Steady Cook. The results are amazing though and this evening he has cooked tilapia in a creme fraiche, white wine and leek sauce with roasted vegetables and sweet potato, it really was delicious.

Luckylegs Mon 04-Feb-19 20:04:26

I do think (dare I?) that a man should be able to cook a little so they aren’t completely lost when their wives die or leave them or whatever! I also think this is the case for women with DIY or filling oil in the car and so on. There are courses for usually elderly men to learn simple cooking and, I imagine, there will be courses for women as per above. It’s not fair to leave men unable to do more than stick something in the microwave or make some toast, surely?