When you just can't cook...

[Medako]

I have tons of recipes and generally really enjoy cooking, but now that I'm pregnant I just can't bring myself to cook dinners anymore. The smells or textures of foods sometimes make me sick to my stomach, which in turn makes it nearly impossible for me to make a decent meal.

For those of you who have gone through this "phase", I'm just wondering what kinds of things you did make....or at least what types of foods you kept on hand for those nights when cooking is the last thing on your mind, but you have a hungry husband wondering "what's for dinner?". :confused:

Poor DH is probably tired of cereal and bean burritos since that seems like what the last resort always is. :(

[pompomgirl]

I went through the same thing as you. Couldn't cook, let alone, go to the grocery store without gagging!

I asked my mother, family members, and friends if they'd mind making me meals that I could freeze and eat at a later date. I offered them money, but they all didn't take it and understood my reasons for not being able to cook, of course. Give it a try and see what they say. Things like lasagne, potatos au gratin, stews, soups, etc. are good to freeze.

[jimmysgirl424]

Another suggestion might be to go to your grocery store and check out their frozen section. Frozen meals have come a long way since the TV Dinner and Potpies!! :) You can buy meal kits, where everything you need is right in the bag and you just throw it in a pot and cook it up. Banquet also makes a frozen crockpot meal that requires very little effort. There are just tons of options out there now, from mundane stuff to gourmet items. I do buy frozen stuff for when DH is off of work (and I'm not) since he will not cook for himself. He loves Bagel Bites, Pizza Rolls, Jose Ole Meximinis and Taquitos, TGI Fridays appetizers, Tyson's Buffalo Strips, Hot Pockets...you get the picture. Hope that helps you some. :)

[Medako]

I hadn't really thought of the crockpot meals. Those sound like a super idea. (I'm using the crockpot today to make a roast so I don't have to deal with "cooking" this evening). I'll have to look into some of those next time we go to the store.

Hot pockets are something else that DH can easily do for himself and since that's about all he ate as a bachelor, I know he likes them occasionally.

Thanks for the great ideas... they sure beat the same thing day after day. (you can only heat up refried beans and tortillas so many times before it gets old!) :)

[Kimberland30]

I was also going to suggest the frozen dinners. There are so many varieties out there. I haven't made a lasange in YEARS because I fell in love with the one that Stoffer's has. And they make family sized dinners (for 5-6 people) or ones for 1-2.

The crock pot meals are okay, I wasn't that impressed with them though. My DH loves the stir-fry meals that come in bags. We work different schedules most nights so he's eating alone while I make something for DD and I (usually stuff he won't eat like tacos).

My motto is that if he can't make dinner himself sometimes, he doesn't eat. ;) Acutally he cooks more than I do so I can't complain. Hehehehe!

[pompomgirl]

Keep in mind, frozen dinners have a TON of sodium!!

[jarm]

Luckily when I went through that, DH was at work during dinner. He would cook himself some pasta usually during the day and take it for dinner. Pasta with butter and parmesan cheese. Another thing that he liked that he could make himself were the frozen stuffed chicken breasts.

[lawyerlee]

I'm in the same boat, except my nausea is from migraines, not m/s. It really gets old when you feel sickened by normal food, doesn't it?! :(

Basically, I eat stuff like lunchables, cheese and crackers, PB&J sandwiches, frozen french toast, salads, ham & cheese sandwiches, fresh veggies with low fat ranch, fruit and cheese, etc. - lots of finger foods. And my hubs will eat that stuff, too, or find something himself. But maybe you're not that lucky. If nothing else, maybe you could encourage him to make himself something like a big pan of lasagna over the weekend and eat on that all week. Sometimes my mom will make Cliff a big batch of lasagna, chili, or casseroles to freeze so he doesn't starve to death. Our poor guys. ;) :)

[seattleguamgirl]

When I was pg and couldn't cook/eat many things, I lived on grilled cheese sandwiches, or munched on king's hawaiian bread (always had a big loaf around for bad m/s days!). Meat was so out of the question so I also ate a lot of shrimp dishes. Unfortunately when you are going through m/s sometimes you don't know what you can eat until the dish is sitting right in front of your face! I don't know how many times my poor DH made a nice meal only for me to reject it once I sat down to a plate. :-\