For people who can't cook

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Replies

  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    catsdogsh wrote: »
    Does anyone else have this problem? I maintain two house holds, mine and my very frail elderly inlaws. I work full time and I've never known how to cook in my life, so not starting now lol So I use Lean Cuasine, Smart Ones, protein shakes, salad, fruit. Basically low fat food I don't have to cook. Then some friends tell me that's not healthy?

    I hear you. It's not really that I CAN'T cook, but that I begrudge all the effort and mess. Whenever my family isn't around I do a frozen dinner with a crapload of vegetables added in. Yesterday's had 590 mg of sodium, I was way under my rda.

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    catsdogsh wrote: »
    Perhaps you misunderstood. I work full time and care for 2 households. I'm responsible for the complete care of 2 elderly inlaws who can't even walk. I don't have time to learn how to cook or follow a recipe. Lucky when I have time to eat sitting down!!

    Do you have a spouse / partner and kids that can help? I can understand your completely lack of time and energy but hopefully YOU don't have to do everything and have some help. Not just with cooking, either.
  • carlysuzanne85
    carlysuzanne85 Posts: 204 Member
    I definitely recommend getting a crockpot! You can literally just throw some chicken breasts in there with some sauce and leave it for hours and then it's delicious. There are a ton of other crockpot "recipes" that just require you to throw stuff in there whole and as is.
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    There are also a lot new options for easy meals in the frozen section, other than the Lean Cuisines, etc. They have those bags of veggies, chicken and sauce you can throw together in a skillet. That way your not having to heat up everyone an individual dinner.

  • Quinn_Baker
    Quinn_Baker Posts: 292 Member
    carlysuzanne85 wrote: »
    I definitely recommend getting a crockpot! You can literally just throw some chicken breasts in there with some sauce and leave it for hours and then it's delicious. There are a ton of other crockpot "recipes" that just require you to throw stuff in there whole and as is.

    yep, this.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    The idea of eating frozen TV dinners every day....yuck. Not because it's "not healthy," but because 1) they don't taste that great, 2) the portion sizes are ridiculously small, and 3) they cost more than something you can easily make at home, even if you're not a chef.

    I do cook, but I don't consider myself an expert by any means. I keep it pretty simple for the most part. Spaghetti, tacos, chili, lasagna, baked penne, a few casseroles, pork chops, etc. I do use the microwave for a lot of things - I actually think oatmeal tastes better cooked in the microwave for some reason, and I eat oatmeal almost daily. I also love me some protein waffles and have definitely gotten my money's worth out of my waffle maker. I'll get creative here and there, but I like to stick to what I know.

    I do eat pre-packaged stuff too, of course, but it's extremely rare that I get a frozen meal and I usually regret it when I realize it's 1/4 cup of food for 300 calories. No thanks. I'm all about volume.
  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    edited March 2016
    Cooking doesn't have to be time-consuming, and it's generally the cheapest way to eat.
    1. Get 2 slow cookers,
    2. spend an hour or so one day per week chopping up stuff to put in them,
    3. put stuff in them and cook it for 6-8 hours,
    4. freeze everything in individual containers
    5. thaw, heat up, and eat as necessary.

    If I relied on packaged, store-bought foods, I'd go broke.
    I don't have time to learn how to cook or follow a recipe.
    Then there is no hope and no solution to the problem you've chosen to have.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,741 Member
    catsdogsh wrote: »
    Perhaps you misunderstood. I work full time and care for 2 households. I'm responsible for the complete care of 2 elderly inlaws who can't even walk. I don't have time to learn how to cook or follow a recipe. Lucky when I have time to eat sitting down!!

    I'm actually curious now. How are *they* getting fed?
  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    catsdogsh wrote: »
    Perhaps you misunderstood. I work full time and care for 2 households. I'm responsible for the complete care of 2 elderly inlaws who can't even walk. I don't have time to learn how to cook or follow a recipe. Lucky when I have time to eat sitting down!!

    I'm actually curious now. How are *they* getting fed?

  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
    I YOU are happy with frozen meals, and they fit in your calorie goals then go for it! I love to cook, but totally get it if people don't like it. Especially if you're just feeding yourself. I hate doing my taxes. That's why I hire an accountant. And I'd totally hire a housekeeper if I could afford it.

    And slow cookers, bleh. I have about 5 recipes that are great in the slow cooker, but those chop & dump recipes on pinterest suck. Trust me, I've tried some of those, and I'd rather have a Lean Cuisine than chicken breast cooked into a mushy paste. Slow cookers are great at a few things, but I see too many people trying to make them do things they're just not made for, ruining perfectly good ingredients that would taste much better prepared other ways.
  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
    Well they eat a lot of yogurt, cottage cheese, soft fruits, sweet potatoes, rotisserie chicken. I'm glad everyone posted suggestions. One thing I know how to make are all different kinds of eggs and I just wasn't thinking. Hummus sounds like a good idea also.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
    glassyo wrote: »
    Legs_McGee wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    Legs_McGee wrote: »
    I don't cook - cuz I don't want to. I own one frying pan, and one corning-ware pot. I make hard-boiled eggs, occasionally bacon - and very very occasionally brown hamburger.

    I've made hard boiled eggs in the microwave.

    (Still soooooooooooo not cooking.) :)

    I must learn your ways!

    Young grasshopper, we will travel to a far away land known as the Amazon of Dotcom where we will search for a large egg in the Nordic Ware region. It will be boiling (it's an egg boiler). :)

    amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Microwave-Egg-Boiler/dp/B0007M2BN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459452164&sr=8-1&keywords=nordic+ware+egg+boiler

    They came out really well!

    (Every night I also crack an egg into a bowl, add a couple tablespoons of carton egg whites, cover and microwave that sucker for 1 min 8 secs. Does cracking the egg constitute as cooking?)

    I think cracking an egg may come perilously close to cooking but you're not quite over the line yet. And I'm buying that magical microwave egg thingy.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    im italian with my grandparents and aunts and uncles coming here from italy so i was forced into cooking. was also a professional chef for 10 years... i *kitten* up all the time and hate what i male sometimes and mess up on things ive made 1000000 times. start to cook things you reallllly like and find a recipe online. you will be motivated by food you really love to eat. also cook things in big batches that u can freeze :)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    edited April 2016
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    Cooking doesn't have to be time-consuming, and it's generally the cheapest way to eat.
    1. Get 2 slow cookers,
    2. spend an hour or so one day per week chopping up stuff to put in them,
    3. put stuff in them and cook it for 6-8 hours,
    4. freeze everything in individual containers
    5. thaw, heat up, and eat as necessary.

    If I relied on packaged, store-bought foods, I'd go broke.
    I don't have time to learn how to cook or follow a recipe.
    Then there is no hope and no solution to the problem you've chosen to have.

    You don't even need to spend an hour chopping. You can go to the store and often find chopped veggies ready to go. I rarely use a recipe. I think of what I like to eat and throw it all in together. quick easy - stew beef, onions, bell pepper, celery and some soy sauce (and water or beef stock)


    You may actually save time because you just throw things in set and come back hours later and all is ready. Now you spend time in front of a microwave waiting 5 or more minutes for each plate.

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