I don’t want to cook dinner ever again.

[Anonymous]

You are not the only one. I don't even know how to cook, which makes it worse. My kitchen is like tornado has hit it when I'm done.
Luckily it's just me and one kid. Kid is picky, so no cooking required really as pasta and mac and cheese are fine. Two days a week, the kid is away from home.
Store bought salad, chicken soup I make from rotisserie chicken, sauteed veggies, gambas al ajillo, or open face rye bread sandwiches for me.

[Anonymous]

I like cooking but I do hate the rushing to get it all on the table, eating and then immediately cleaning up routine. So I cook ahead, clean up, and then reheat and enjoy later, with minimal cleanup left. Helps that I have a flexible schedule.

I empathise OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much to the people telling women who ate tired of a task: "Here’s another [ed: completely obvious] way to do that task."

That's absolutely the point, and none of us had heard of the internet before you mentioned it.

My issue is not the time or ideas, it's simply that it's become a joyless and relentless chore. I hate having to do it every day after work. I hate that someone is always whining about something. I hate that kids need to be prodded to clean up (and i still need to go in after and adjust things in dishwasher etc). I just hate it all.

This article sums it up: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/01/weeknight-dinner-never-easy/681210/

But it really doesn't need to be like this. You don't have to figure out what to eat every night or even every week. You don't ever have to dice onions. You can eat on paper plates if you want to and it's affects your happiness that badly.

If your week is spaghetti and marinara with frozen broccoli on Monday and Wednesday, Rotisserie Chicken with microwaveable rice and bagged salad on Tuesday and Thursday, takeout on Friday and Saturday, and takeout leftovers or a prepared grocery store item on Sunday, how hard is that? I am not being a jerk, but if it's the same every week, you order grocery delivery, and you take 10 minutes to get food ready and throw out the plates, why is that so hard? Maybe you need to try that for a while.

That's not hard but I would absolutely hate to eat like that. That all sounds so joyless and repetitive you might as well just toss out cold bottles of protein shakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much to the people telling women who ate tired of a task: "Here’s another [ed: completely obvious] way to do that task."

That's absolutely the point, and none of us had heard of the internet before you mentioned it.

My issue is not the time or ideas, it's simply that it's become a joyless and relentless chore. I hate having to do it every day after work. I hate that someone is always whining about something. I hate that kids need to be prodded to clean up (and i still need to go in after and adjust things in dishwasher etc). I just hate it all.

This article sums it up: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/01/weeknight-dinner-never-easy/681210/

But it really doesn't need to be like this. You don't have to figure out what to eat every night or even every week. You don't ever have to dice onions. You can eat on paper plates if you want to and it's affects your happiness that badly.

If your week is spaghetti and marinara with frozen broccoli on Monday and Wednesday, Rotisserie Chicken with microwaveable rice and bagged salad on Tuesday and Thursday, takeout on Friday and Saturday, and takeout leftovers or a prepared grocery store item on Sunday, how hard is that? I am not being a jerk, but if it's the same every week, you order grocery delivery, and you take 10 minutes to get food ready and throw out the plates, why is that so hard? Maybe you need to try that for a while.

That's not hard but I would absolutely hate to eat like that. That all sounds so joyless and repetitive you might as well just toss out cold bottles of protein shakes.

This and honestly, with three teenagers, a rotisserie chicken is a snack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much to the people telling women who ate tired of a task: "Here’s another [ed: completely obvious] way to do that task."

That's absolutely the point, and none of us had heard of the internet before you mentioned it.

Sorry, what did you want?

The OP ends with "Anyone else?" See if you can figure it out.

[Anonymous]

No, I cook b/c its healthier, better for me and my family period!
It can be just a pot of soup, some vegetables and protein!

If eating out was healthier, sure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks so much to the people telling women who ate tired of a task: "Here’s another [ed: completely obvious] way to do that task."

That's absolutely the point, and none of us had heard of the internet before you mentioned it.

My issue is not the time or ideas, it's simply that it's become a joyless and relentless chore. I hate having to do it every day after work. I hate that someone is always whining about something. I hate that kids need to be prodded to clean up (and i still need to go in after and adjust things in dishwasher etc). I just hate it all.

This article sums it up: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2025/01/weeknight-dinner-never-easy/681210/

But it really doesn't need to be like this. You don't have to figure out what to eat every night or even every week. You don't ever have to dice onions. You can eat on paper plates if you want to and it's affects your happiness that badly.

If your week is spaghetti and marinara with frozen broccoli on Monday and Wednesday, Rotisserie Chicken with microwaveable rice and bagged salad on Tuesday and Thursday, takeout on Friday and Saturday, and takeout leftovers or a prepared grocery store item on Sunday, how hard is that? I am not being a jerk, but if it's the same every week, you order grocery delivery, and you take 10 minutes to get food ready and throw out the plates, why is that so hard? Maybe you need to try that for a while.

That's not hard but I would absolutely hate to eat like that. That all sounds so joyless and repetitive you might as well just toss out cold bottles of protein shakes.

This and honestly, with three teenagers, a rotisserie chicken is a snack.

Yep wait until OP gets to teen phase