Hi!

I really dislike cooking!I find it to be stressful and exhausting, and I really wish I didn't feel like this! Also after work, I am really exhausted and normally just put box stuff in the oven or buy takeaways or just have toast!

Well...
My boyfriend and I are in a long distance at the moment, but he is looking for a job near me-so hopefully soon we will be moving in together!I know that cooking will be something that will be shared between us and good food is really imortant to him!

I would like to sort this issue out before he moves in with me!So I am begging everyone please give me tips that will make me enjoy cooking and not see it so much of a energy draining task!


Thank you in advance for your help!I really appreciate it!

A great help can be when you cook together. It gives you a chance to talk and have a bit of fun which helps it to feel less like work.

Until that is possible with your boyfriend, maybe try it with a friend or family member. You can try out new recipes together or they can show you some of their favourites.

Some people find some of the cooking shows on television inspirational, some find getting a new cookbook or cooking magazine helpful. Look for something that offers easy recipes, with few (and easily found) ingredients, that don't take long. There are many to choose from.

You might also invest in a slow cooker or crock pot. These allow you to make a variety of foods from main dishes to desserts with only a few steps. In most cases, once you put the food in, you set the temp and off you go until it is done. There are cookbooks/magazines just for them. Easy to do, and easy clean-up as well.

You might also see if you can find a cooking class being offered locally. It can be more fun with others who are learning new ideas as well.

I love to cook, but hate to be rushed, so you might also try prepping things before hand (if you have the time) some things you can do the day before.
It makes it like you are on a cooking show... dumping in your pre-measured ingredients as you go.
This might sound funny, but I love to have some nice relaxing music on... I usually go with Nora Jones, but everyone has their favorites.
AND for me... Wine:D

And not everyone likes to cook, and not everyone in today's world has time to cook after they get home from work, not large meals.

Cooking every single day can be a pain. What you could try is preparing a few different meals or components of meals in one day and freezing portions so that all you have to do is heat them up. Also, try to make things that can be used differently as leftovers. For example, grill up a bunch of chicken one night and use the extras for fajitas for the next night (and maybe even have enough to make a chicken salad for sandwiches), or make something like a London broil one night and slice up the leftover meat to use for beef stroganoff later on.

Make it less stressful by planning out a menu and making a detailed shopping list beforehand to maximize your efforts, it also makes shopping way more efficient, you'll forget less things and even save money since you'd be sure of what you need when you go into the store and not guessing.