Are you cooking more or less since COVID shut down the world?

[The Late Night Gourmet]

My issue with cooking has often been finding the time to do it. That's why I'm The Late Night Gourmet: my days are so full that I don't have much time until it's late at night. Between a long drive to and from work (40 miles each way), and long hours spent in the office, there are only so many hours in the day.

I would have thought that being home all the time would equate to more cooking. And, it did seem to start that way. I can cook a stew while I'm attending an online meeting at work. How cool!

But, my workload actually increased since mid-March. It wasn't a simple matter of extra time gained by taking out the time to get ready for work and drive there and back.

Also, while I'm home basically all the time, so is everyone else in my house. And, while I still need to get up early, no one else does. I have contemplated cooking early in the morning, but I never feel like it. My wife is a teacher, and she's off for the summer. Likewise, my kids are staying up late, too. While I can still cook while I work, the interruptions are stealing my focus (on cooking...oh, and on work too, of course). So, I don't have much in the way of clear time until it's past midnight. I have cooked that late before, but it's a really bad idea for a number of reasons (forgetting things because I'm tired, and not getting done until the wee hours).

This is why I haven't posted many recipes over the last few months. Maybe I just need to plan better.

 

[Morning Glory]

No difference here - if anything a bit less in the last few weeks as I'm trying to sort the house clutter out. But I was home all the time in any case so the lockdown made no difference.

Maybe you need to set aside a few hours during the day each week and tell your family you want some cooking time on your own. If you get up early I'd have thought that's the best time - funny you don't want to cook then. I feel like cooking from the moment I wake up!

 

[CraigC]

Nothing has really changed cooking wise.

 

[caseydog]

I started out cooking a lot. I still make and eat my meals at home, almost all of the time out of necessity, but I've lost much of that early motivation. I do more sandwiches and quickie cooks now. I don't feel that desire to spend a day off cooking and cleaning up, now that most of my days are days off.

CD

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

Maybe you need to set aside a few hours during the day each week and tell your family you want some cooking time on your own. If you get up early I'd have thought that's the best time - funny you don't want to cook then. I feel like cooking from the moment I wake up!

The "private cooking time" idea would actually work, now that I think of it, if it's something they like. I am the only one who really wants healthy things in this house, though, so this could be tricky. But, it's a good idea.

And, the reason I don't feel like cooking right when I wake up is at least partly because I also have meetings I usually have to attend. I think I will have to give this a try, though, since I did used to make myself breakfast on occasion in the past, and it was usually earlier than I've been getting up lately.

 

[Backbay]

I cook more at home since Covid. With restaurants closed and working from home, it just makes sense for me. Nothing like doing a conference call while standing at the stove

 

[TastyReuben]

I'm at about the same. Generally, I proper cook one meal a day during the week (supper), and a proper meal along with some kind of "nice" snack plate during the weekends, and that's about what I'm doing now.

We're still trying to go out for one carry-out meal a week, though.

 

[rascal]

Definitely more here, but mainly because daughter and mr7 were here from dec to a few weeks ago. Her landlord sold her rental,plus she needed a hip replacement, so lockdown meant more baking, not my forte, plus she's a teacher so was on paid leave, man we had some great meals, she's a good cook as well. I'm still cooking a lot since she left except Friday's. Takeaways. Plus Sunday family day is back again. And I've started making biscuits again.

Russ

 

[epicuric]

When we first went into lockdown cooking took over completely. Three cooked meals per day, and time in between spent planning and sourcing ingredients. A proper sit down cooked lunch inevitably led to a bottle of wine being opened and thus waistlines started to bulge. Now things are getting back to 'normal', breakfasts are simpler and the sit down lunches have been replaced largely by boxed salads 'on the go'. This, and the accompanying increase in activity levels is starting to reduce the huffing and puffing required in doing up my 32" waist shorts and trousers.

 

[caseydog]

When we first went into lockdown cooking took over completely. Three cooked meals per day, and time in between spent planning and sourcing ingredients. A proper sit down cooked lunch inevitably led to a bottle of wine being opened and thus waistlines started to bulge. Now things are getting back to 'normal', breakfasts are simpler and the sit down lunches have been replaced largely by boxed salads 'on the go'. This, and the accompanying increase in activity levels is starting to reduce the huffing and puffing required in doing up my 32" waist shorts and trousers.

A 32-inch waistline is pretty good. Well, unless you are four-feet tall -- then you'd be a bit chubby.

CD

 

[Windigo]

I am cooking a little less, not due to motivation loss or similar issues. But mainly due the mental health problems of my oldest stepson, which have escalated this year and caused a lot of problems in lockdown or similar situations.

Spoiler: Psych evaluation results etc

Currently the next period that he will stay here for 3 weeks is coming in august, and we're not looking forward to it. The test results from the psychiatrist are indicating that he is highly intelligent, yet completely antisocial. Currently they're testing to see if he is in the dark tryad (which means whether he has psychopathy, sociopathy or narcissism/antisocial personality disorder) and so far the markers are indicating that he is. That explains a lot about our difficulties, as he as ASD and also OCD on top of that, but he would go to a clinic in september but they've canceled because he's 'too complicated'. We're really getting desperate.

So that leaves us exhausted and me in need of sleeping meds due to the triggers for my PTSD and general high stress level. This stress causes me to be unable to cook sometimes.

 

[Morning Glory]

I am cooking a little less, not due to motivation loss or similar issues. But mainly due the mental health problems of my oldest stepson, which have escalated this year and caused a lot of problems in lockdown or similar situations.

Spoiler: Psych evaluation results etc

Currently the next period that he will stay here for 3 weeks is coming in august, and we're not looking forward to it. The test results from the psychiatrist are indicating that he is highly intelligent, yet completely antisocial. Currently they're testing to see if he is in the dark tryad (which means whether he has psychopathy, sociopathy or narcissism/antisocial personality disorder) and so far the markers are indicating that he is. That explains a lot about our difficulties, as he as ASD and also OCD on top of that, but he would go to a clinic in september but they've canceled because he's 'too complicated'. We're really getting desperate.

So that leaves us exhausted and me in need of sleeping meds due to the triggers for my PTSD and general high stress level. This stress causes me to be unable to cook sometimes.

Sorry to hear this - I read the spoiler. Exhaustion is what always gets to me. If I don't sleep enough I'm no use to anyone, least of all myself. And the sleep you get with meds isn't the same as natural sleep.

 

[Windigo]

Sorry to hear this - I read the spoiler. Exhaustion is what always gets to me. If I don't sleep enough I'm no use to anyone, least of all myself. And the sleep you get with meds isn't the same as natural sleep.

Absolutely true, that's why I only take them when he is here for long stretches of time, I just can't afford losing sleep on top of my other chronic health issues.

We'll soon hear about alternatives through, the psychiatrist has promised it.

 

[Milkduds]

I have a lot more time at home and i like cooking so I am cooking more. I was so busy before the Pandemic I only had an occasional day for cooking. Summer is wreaking havoc on my stomach though, so i am less inclined at the moment. I might pick back up a little once the dog days are over. Right now I'm happy with sandwiches, salads, and maybe some instant pot chicken and rice.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I am cooking a little less, not due to motivation loss or similar issues. But mainly due the mental health problems of my oldest stepson, which have escalated this year and caused a lot of problems in lockdown or similar situations.

Spoiler: Psych evaluation results etc

Currently the next period that he will stay here for 3 weeks is coming in august, and we're not looking forward to it. The test results from the psychiatrist are indicating that he is highly intelligent, yet completely antisocial. Currently they're testing to see if he is in the dark tryad (which means whether he has psychopathy, sociopathy or narcissism/antisocial personality disorder) and so far the markers are indicating that he is. That explains a lot about our difficulties, as he as ASD and also OCD on top of that, but he would go to a clinic in september but they've canceled because he's 'too complicated'. We're really getting desperate.

So that leaves us exhausted and me in need of sleeping meds due to the triggers for my PTSD and general high stress level. This stress causes me to be unable to cook sometimes.

I'm sorry for what you're going through, but I'm glad you shared because I'm realizing a big part of my reason for cooking less. My daughter also has severe problems, and they're dragging the family down with them. It sounds like your situation is similar to mine. We've had to add a lock to our bedroom door because we've begun to realize she's been stealing things to feed a massive drug habit. My son also asked or a lock to be added to his door because he doesn't trust her when he goes to bed at night. We've been dealing with this for so long that it's become a part of our everyday lives, which is why I didn't think of it as a factor! But, it clearly is. If nothing else, know that you're not alone in what you're experiencing.