I barely cook - DH does that. We have a cleaning service twice a week. Dh loves cooking - he claims to find it relaxing. It doesn't take long to make rice, steam vegetables, and bake chicken.

I know a couple who absolutely refuses to cook or clean. Actually, I take it back. The husband barbecues sometimes when there are guests over, but they do all take-outs even for breakfast. They have just a dog and no kids. They put their dog on a treadmill to walk and lets the dog out when it needs to do its business.

I’d make a family dinner 3x a week only.

I’d make the kids, kids food the other 4… pasta with butter, nuggets, Pb&J … low clean up items.

I would not cook for my H more than 3x a week

We are at peace with the balance of labor in our house.

I clean 85% of the house.

I cook and grocery shop (DH does a little grocery shopping and makes breakfast and lunch). I do enjoy cooking. No issue with deciding to do takeout if I burn out.

DH pays all the bills and manages finances.

We share kid doctors appointments (making and taking).

3/4 of the time I do sports practice (we carpool though, so not a tremendous burden).

DH does most of the pet care and yard work, but I do help.

When one of us is complaining the other tries, then we both realize the way we typically do it is best and we feel better.

I feel like we are good at cooperating and managing.

Almost all the meals I cook are made on quarter sized baking sheets lined with foil. Very little clean up. Streamline/cut way back on how much cleaning needs to be done to make what you're making, and get more food that's most of the way there, like pre-marinated meat from Trader Joe's.

One easy meal we like is arugula salad and hummus with lamb with pita.

Cook a pound of lamb -- freeze into 4 containers. Night of dinner, stuff some arugula into a salad bowl, dress with olive oil and vinegar. We add some sunflower seed too. Microwave the lamb and sprinkle it on room temp hummus. Warm up good pita in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes, cut into quarters and put it on the plate.

Meals that require little or no cooking are always a hit with a busy chef.

One good rule is cook once - eat twice. Roast some pork and make it into bbq or tacos. Cook a chicken and eat 1/2 each night maybe one night with a sauce. Etc ...

Make food 4 days you are not working. I mean 3 days with cleaning help does sound too much to me

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op. I meant one day I have a long 12 hour shift but I work 3 days a week, not only one day.

I would definitely do chick fil a one of those 3 days.

How do you feel about crockpot meals?

I use the slow cooker at least once a week to make Mexican chili, and we eat it on spaghetti. Another meal I make is red lentils/dal and rice.

Anonymous wrote:How old are your kids? We have ours help with chores.

3 & 7. I have a hard time getting them to pick up their toys. I have to ask a million times, no joke.

I didn't. I divorced.

Anonymous wrote:Op. I meant one day I have a long 12 hour shift but I work 3 days a week, not only one day.

I would definitely do chick fil a one of those 3 days.

How do you feel about crockpot meals?

How old are your kids? We have ours help with chores.

Op. I meant one day I have a long 12 hour shift but I work 3 days a week, not only one day.

I have a cleaning service beginning this week, and they will come twice a month. I don't do take out much because, in my area, none of the restaurants are worth it. We do go to chick fila one weeknight a week. Cooking and cleaning are torture for me. I work part-time technically, but my days are long—one 12-hour shift. Dh isn't going to you'll his weight with cooking and cleaning. It's not happening. We have been to therapy, and nothing has changed. I was thinking of doing a meal kit like every plate, looking for little tips for people in a similar position. Thanks!