OK, show of hands: how many of you dread cooking dinner?
Maybe the actual cooking isn’t the problem; maybe you loathe all the chopping and prep work, or you detest doing dishes. Maybe meal planning is the bane of your existence.
It’s true. Some of us don’t love cooking—or any of the associated tasks that go with it.
Depending on how old you are (don’t worry—I won’t ask!!) you might have seen your mother or grandmother spending all her time planning her meals, shopping for ingredients, cooking from scratch, and then cleaning up to do it all over again.
My mom can remember my grandmother making four loaves of bread a week to feed their family of six, and sometimes some of those kitchen tasks fell to my mom, the oldest girl in the family, when my grandmother went back to work.
Does that seem wonderful to you, or onerous?
Honestly, it’s not that every woman in my grandmother’s generation just loved to cook; it was a necessity. And it’s not that every woman in my mom’s generation or my generation hates cooking; we have a lot of demands on our time that make cooking from scratch more of a challenge.
Here’s an important thing to remember, though: Whether you love cooking or not, your efforts are about more than food.
The next time you find yourself falling more in the “don’t love cooking” camp, try shifting your perspective a little:
- Remember that you’re not just cooking, you’re nourishing yourself and your family, providing fuel for growing bodies.
- Meals provide great opportunities to connect; think of the food you’re preparing as the catalyst for that connection.
- Planning your meals ahead of time brings order and calm into your life and saves you from unnecessary stress.
- Cleaning up after a meal can be a chore, or a ritual that you perform to return order and banish overwhelm.
You have to figure out which perspective shift will work for you. If you don’t believe it, you’ll be rolling your eyes and cursing at me as you try to see that pile of dirty dishes as a peaceful ritual. 😉
For example, your meal planning ritual doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. In fact, it’s important to make meal planning fit your life—I talk about that a lot in my ebook.
I do happen to enjoy cooking, but there are lots of other chores I don’t love doing. When I find myself grumping and complaining about having to sweep up a pile of dog hair—again—or thinking how much I don’t want to fold and put away a load of laundry, it helps me to remember that I am blessing my family by doing those things. I may not love doing them, but I love the results, and I love being able to take care of my family.
How do you shift your perspective to take the chore out of cooking and other tasks? Leave me a comment below!
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As a professional chef and a cooking coach for almost 20 years I gotta say you are spot on. Thank you for reminding your tribe that the perspective with which we approach cooking makes all the difference. And as I’m sure you know, not only does it affect the joy we feel while doing the task but I believe it affects the nourishment that goes into the food itself. In the most delightful and practical way, you’ve reminded us that perspective is everything for everything. Thank you!
Thanks Silvia! I think you must be right. Love has got to count for something!! 🙂
Ummm…yes! I have a thing for cookbooks, cooking magazines, and foodie blogs – I collect and avidly read them. At one time, they provided inspiration to cook up a storm. Something changed in the past couple of years though – reading recipes still feels like a guilty pleasure, but getting myself in the kitchen is now a chore that I dread. Thanks for the inspiration to shift my perspective. I’m looking forward to putting it into action!
Oh, it’s SO TRUE, Jennifer! Sometimes that pile of cookbooks and magazines is inspiring, and sometimes it’s daunting.
When I get into a funk like that, I like to go back to the old favorites that I can cook from memory or make up as I go along. Less pressure!!
I also love cooking, but there are lots of other chores around the house that I would prefer to never have to see again. When I can't avoid them, I try to have to best attitude possible. I remember how lucky I am to have the home and the children (and the mess!) that I do. There are certainly people without my chore, but they might do anything to have the things I have. There is always a way to put a positive spin on things. And it just makes life easier. Thanks for your post!
I loved your suggestions and a call to shift perspective around cooking and cleaning! I like to remember that any food that I made myself is infused with my love, and that special ingredient cannot be copied. I also find that a short blessing of the food ritual with my husband and 2-year old twins adds a celebratory and appreciative quality for our time together and all of the blessings in our lives!
Lorna, I've tried to adopt a similar gratitude process lately. It's hugely changed the way I approach the less enjoyable tasks in my life! Thanks for the great reminder!
I think a blessing can be a wonderful tradition, no matter what your religious background. That's a beautiful idea, Lana!
I agree. Great ideas on how to shift your perspective!
No matter how dreaded the task, after it’s done, it feels good. Thanks for the reminder to think about the results. 🙂
Well, and with cooking, you usually get something yummy as a reward, too! 🙂
This is a great post! I don't like cleaning…surprisingly I don't mind it too much in the kitchen…but everywhere else I let things get SO messy. I've recommitted to keeping a cleaner environment around me and I think it's in the scheduling and list making. I LOVE to cross things off my list. Also that my "home" list gets priority over my "business" list, because my business list could go on forever and I would never get to the cleaning. And deep down I know that a cleaner environment will help me feel better and work more efficiently.
Love it Elyse! You're blessing YOURSELF with that attitude!
You are so speaking to me on this one! Sadly, I used to LOVE cooking – back in the days before I had to do it every single day to feed people. Now, it's such a chore and I feel so uninspired and bored by it.
I like your take on shifting the perspective though. Because it is really important to me that my kids feel a strong connection and sense of emotional as well as physical nourishment from our meals. I just can't wait until they're old enough to do the dishes! 🙂
Great article. I have to admit, as a single person, i really hate cooking, but i’m trying to make more of an effort. I like how you said you have to figure out how to shift your perspective in it and how your meal planning ritual doesn’t have to look like anybody else’s. Definitely something for me to marinate on. Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Glad it resonated with you, Aimelie! Let me know if you find a perspective shift that works for you.