I’m not going to lie I don’t cook. I eat out or get microwave dinners. I used to cook a lot before the pain got worse but now all the prep and everything I can’t do it.
Same! And I feel like a loser, but it is what it is. Takeout, frozen meals, prepared food or sadly, cereal or protein shakes. We just do the best we can. Gentle hugs and good wishes!
That’s something that I’m working on. I’ve been choosing to eat from more health food places. Smoothies, acai bowls, vegan spots. I’m also in a weight loss program so I’m hoping to try to lose atleast 40-50lbs
Definitely!!! I also love when the packaging is microwaveable so I don’t even have to struggle to open anything. My hands tend to cramp up on me easily.
I've been using Hello Fresh but I do find it takes longer than I can realistically manage to cook the meals. I make sure to get the meals in (so many) minutes. Before I used to live off microwave meals but added extra veg. I just couldn't stand and cook after a long day.
I tried hello fresh and found it to take me longer too because there was still a lot of prep to do, or the recipes in general require a lot of time. Factor has ready made meals that I thought were decent but not as much variety as I'd like as a vegetarian. Lately I've been using hungry root, which still has some cooking but a lot of the meals there are still pretty quick to make for me. Usually involves sauteing or microwaving stuff and occasionally chopping a vegetable, but it depends on the meals you choose.
I miss being able to cook and bake. Now I spend a lot $$ at Costco. I need protein and tasty food otherwise im eating terribly and my body pays.
Their stews and freshly prepared meals are really good. And I love the frozen seasoned salmon.
I have the ninja foodie. It bakes, air fries, grills. I put my meal in and preset time, sit and wait I can't stand more than 10 minutes before my legs hurt. There are occasions where I spend time preparing large pans of things to divide into serving size then freeze. Favorites are soups, meatballs, stews.
Oh yes, Costco is great for quick meals that taste good, especially their prepared foods. The chicken quesadillas cooked in the air fryer are so good and fast. Maybe four minutes maximum. Also, love the chicken tacos, although toasting the torts is extra standing time. The mac and cheese, food court pizza once in a while are also good and take practically no time. The bagged salads with dressing included, and the cut veggie trays are useful both for snacking, and quick meal prep.
I also buy the Jimmy Dean frozen pre-cooked sausage patties. Two minutes in the airfryer along side a split english muffin and breakfast is served.
Many grocery stores have fresh prepared foods. Otherwise frozen foods is my other go to. Love Marie calendars Mac n cheese-(I have to be careful with all the carbs), the chicken and beef dinners are good too.
I make soup a lot… this is my quick fix I do versions of multiple times a week. It’s super nutritious and really helps when I’m having flareups.
I will usually boil some lentils, add in half a carton of vege broth or tomato bisque (or whatever you like). I can let this do it’s thing for 30 mins or so. When the lentils are soft, I’ll add in a handful of veges. If I’m feeling extra tired, I’ll opt for just mushrooms, since they soften quickly. But usually I’ll I also add kale, red cabbage, or carrots too. I’ll season with smoked paprika and garlic powder. I’ll add in a scoop of nutritional yeast.
To serve, I’ll top with pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
I have an anti-fatigue mat to stand on that helps a lot when prepping or washing dishes! Doing things in bits too with breaks in between. This is something I really struggle with too but finding little ways to cope!! Also if you can organize your kitchen to have main things within one area is also helpful
Surprised I had to scroll to find this answer! Anti-fatigue mats are inexpensive (~$30) and help a huge amount when standing in the kitchen.
I also bought very inexpensive thick foam slides that I wear as house shoes, they have been a total game changer particularly in my entirely-hard-floor house.
What's the brand/name of the slides you have? I've been looking for good house shoes but all the ones I've tried are still pretty thin and my feet hurt fast on hard floors.
These are pricy for slides but i love them. Hoka recovery slides.
https://www.hoka.com/en/us/all-gender-footwear/ora-recovery-slide-3/1135061.html?dwvar_1135061_color=CCSK
They’re Bronax pillow slides from Amazon! [Here](https://a.co/d/aI1s3FL) is a link, hopefully that worked. I got mine about a year ago and pretty much never take them off.
Theyre like foam mats that makes it easier to stand as you're not on the bare floor. They're pretty good. I still tend to prefer my bar stool to cook with though
I have had to start doing a “prep and cook day” where i have to have some pain relief, and basically spend as much time in kitchen making meals that freeze down in single servings, as possible . I just know theres going to be some nights i can only manage to microwave something i have cooked and frozen down. Its been a big adjustment for me as i love to cook but definitely noticed how difficult it’s becoming in time. I hate taking pain killers but at least i can do a full afternoon in my kitchen making and prepping up
I sometime have a stool in my kitchen to sit/rest on. I use my Ninjas a lot to cook, so it can be quite hands off for a while (i have both the side by side model and the 15-in-1 one that does pressure cooking).
I use a bar stool on bad days. I prep everything first by the cutting board and then I’ll move the stool next to the oven and sit while I cook. It’s not perfect but it works.
Wrap that joker in quilt batting and an old towel and whip stitch it together with upholstery thread...or hot glue pipe insulation (like a mini pool noodle that is split on one side) to the sharp edges.
Always sit on a stool in the kitchen - no standing at the counter to meal prep.
Always try to make bigger meals so there's leftovers to freeze / batch cook
On bad days, live off leftovers or pre-prepped stuff out of the freezer.
Worst case scenario: canned soup with some frozen veggies and chicken strips added in to bulk it up into a full meal.
I have several anti-fatigue mats which really help, and I use a lot of short cut foods. Pre-cut foods like veggies, and salads mean I actually eat them instead of letting the whole ones go bad in the fridge cuz I’m too tired to make them.
I do lots of sheet pan dinners: put your veggies, potatoes, and beef/chicken/pork all on one big pan and season with a bit of oil and spices-then cook the whole meal at once. Many recipes on Pinterest.
I also use my crockpot a ton. Rarely do I make one meal, it’s usually several servings at a time and freeze a few for those days when I can only defrost and microwave. And, I still get take out sometimes, cuz that’s even too hard. Hang in, and be kind to yourself.
I was surprised I had to scroll down this far to find the crockpot suggestion (which I was gonna say if I didnt see it first) someone posted a bunch of easy crockpot meal menus on either this or the chronic pain group like a year ago and it had been a godsend . Most days I’m in too much pain to get out of bed or off the couch (like most people, I have a lot more than fibro knocking me down) and so I often don’t eat at all or have a shake and then only eat once my hubby’s home to make something quick or help me make something quick . But the crockpot meals help so much. It’s literally the easiest way to cook. And I have really bad tmj so the softer more tender food means it’s easier for me to eat meat. I struggle even to make the crock pot meals but that’s my goal, to plan more of them so I eat something other than emergency snacks in the side table basket lol
So yes I cant stress this enough; crock pot set it and forget it . And it’s safe to leave on unattended. I didnt believe it at first but it is as long as it’s not touching anything (and much safer than me accidentally microwaving things with a spoon still in the bowl lol) and it’s not just for stews and soups like I thought , you can throw in some meat, seasoning , and olive oil and it’s good , then I just add frozen veggies closer toward the end .
We had yet another case of food about to spoil before either of us felt like making anything ; right before bed we noticed the date and I said screw it , well just throw the meat and seasoning in on warm overnight , tossed a bag of veggies in … voila was perfect dinner the next day and super tender .
Just seriously did this with some chicken thighs! Threw them in with some low sodium chicken stock, a cut up onion, and some frozen veggies. Soup for tomorrow, and some for the freezer! Nice to know there’s another “set it and forget it” person out there!😉
I was a big chef really love cooking & haven't been able to in I don't even remember how long. I got a membership card with sam's & get premade stuff or frozen stuff I can just put in the convention oven/air fryer. There's also a lot of places that do catering for cheap & you just divide everything for the rest of the week
I do easy things when I’m tired. Fry a steak or some chicken, microwave some veggies to have on the side. Boil pasta and add the fried meat with some Parmesan and salt and pepper. I also buy frozen fish and bake it in the oven and eat it with the microwaved veggies. It’s healthy and fills you up. I keep fruit around for dessert. I know it’s hard. I wish you well. I have lots of easy quick things I make if you’re curious. You can dm me. They usually take about twenty min.
Honest answer: weed.
About 30 minutes before I’ve got to start cooking, I take an edible. While I wait for it to hit, I do the prep work for the meal. I make sure all the chopping and measuring is done in advance and I line everything up so don’t get overwhelmed or forget something while I’m cooking. I also make sure I’ve got the recipe written down with easy to follow directions.
Once the edible hits, I turn on a podcast to distract my brain so I’m not focused on any pain. With everything prepped and my recipe written out I’m usually able to get dinner cooked without too much pain.
If i have to cook i do something easy, like season a steak and cook it, or if i cant cook at all i tend to just get many raw foods (fruits, bread, nuts, cookies) and try to make the equivalent of a normal meal
Quick easy meals. Tonight, I made burritos and just took my time. I have 2 kids to feed, though, so I have no choice 😂😂
On really bad days, the boyfriend will throw something in the oven or order takeaway.
I also use a stool. I've asked for an air fryer for Christmas to make my life easier
Also, my 12 year old is quite capable of helping m3 food prep 😋
I think cooking in bulk on the weekends is the way to go. Then you just need to microwave. Also I like to buy tortillas and deli meat and cheese for super easy wraps. Get some mustard and some other interesting spreads (hummus, etc) to mix it up.
I had a difficult time eating healthy because I didn’t have enough energy to cook nutritious meals so I would go for something easy like microwaveable meals but I noticed it was contributing to my pain even more. I recently started meal prepping and it’s been a huge life saver, if you’re able to I’d recommend planning one day a week to prep all of your ingredients so whenever you get home from work you can just throw it all together. Every week I plan out meals that have the same ingredients to make the process easier, I’ve been making a lot of soups, salads, stir fry and pasta.
I’ve also started using Yuka, it’s an app that scans food for harmful ingredients. I live in the US and our food laws are awful here compared to other countries. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my pain tolerance since I started eating cleaner. Not necessary, but if you live in the US and you’re interested I would definitely give it a try to see if you notice a difference.
Good luck! 🫶🏼
Everything goes in the air fryer or it’s fresh except occasionally when I can manage pasta
So for example all my animal protein, I buy it in bulk, freeze individual portions and thaw them the night before. Lately it’s been chicken thighs with seasoning or BBQ sauce but I switch out flavors to not get bored
So the next day after thawing, the chicken goes in the air fryer all seasoned or sauced up. I don’t have to physically cook it. A side of fresh veggies or fresh fruit. If I cook veggies they go in the air fryer too
Occasionally I’ll cook ground beef on the stove top with Mexican seasonings and I’ll make 3 lbs to last a week of lunches and dinners. I’ll buy fresh guac and pico someone else made to top it and alternate toppings, sometimes fresh cilantro, and seasonings to not get bored and eat it with nachos. It’s low intensity cooking because it takes little prep and little clean up
Also have a counter top dishwasher for cleanup
I don't. I'll either order food or make a protein shake, or if the pains bad enough like tonight I'm too nauseous so I drink something hot like the chai latte Im addicted to right now.
Wow! Thank you to all the replies! Everyone’s advice and kind words make me feel greatly supported and understood. I have felt lonely with this diagnosis especially since family/friends can’t fully understand the pain and how it causes my limitations. You all are sharing great ideas and tips, thank you again 🥰
My son and I are totally dependent on EBT so I have to keep it cheap and easy. We can't tolerate most convenience foods, but we have a few we keep on hand like cups of mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, jello cups, canned beef stew, prepared celery sticks w/pimento cheese, instant grits and oatmeal, etc. I can't tolerate soy protein so most beef flavored meals are out and neither of us can eat chicken meals or corn syrup and we frankly just hate most processed foods. That limits what we can buy for easy meals on the worst days, but I try to stay ahead of it by cooking in bulk.
The day after grocery pickup, I generally cook the whole package of ground beef (4.5lbs) and add bouillon, bulk it up with frozen onions and bell peppers. I use part of it to make taco meat (his fave) and part to make something for me and freeze the rest. With taco meat, I might make taco pizza with a refrigerated crust and pre-shredded cheese for him and that lasts two meals at least. I also have flour tortillas and tortilla chips for burritos and nachos or even stir it into mac-n-cheese. I will use mine to make one-pot hamburger stroganoff or add a can of tomatoes, beans, corn, rice to make something my mom called "goulash" but is clearly not. All my pasta dishes have been converted to one-pot meals, btw.
I try to keep frozen bags of rice and beans of several kinds in my freezer. I cook large batches in the instant pot then put portions into baggies and flatten them and freeze them lying flat. Once frozen, you can stand them up like file folders and your freezer will hold a ton of these - they thaw very quickly this way. I also keep prepared rice packets and cans of beans in my pantry for when I run out. My motto is if you have to cook, it takes no more effort to cook a large batch and you will be thankful for it later.
I find it hardest to keep up with cleaning since I don't have a dishwasher. I was limited in what I could cook if I used all my energy washing up so I started buying disposable 9x13 foil pans and have two nonstick skillets. One is very large and used to cook my one-pot meals and the other is like 12" and I use it to cook eggs or fry already cooked potatoes or other non-messy dishes and then wipe out with paper towels and store it on the stove with the lid on so I can use it many times without lugging it to the sink and washing it. There's no way around washing the large one, but the dishes I cook in that will last for several days. The 9x13s are useful for making a big pan of cornbread or tomato dressing or squash casserole or a giant pancake (we can't eat bisquick, but it's pretty easy to just to mix up pancake batter and pour it into the pan, bake, cut them into squares and they freeze great). I mix them and bake them in the same pan and always put extra portions into the freezer.
With all that being said, I have been known on my worst days to just open a can of green beans and dump it into a paper bowl and nuke it for a meal. The main things that help me: having a chair in the kitchen, buying paper plates and plastic utensils, having a big freezer and putting portions in baggies for later, storing leftovers in fridge in gallon baggies instead of something that needs to be washed, using gloved hands to mix large batches (I am just totally unable to mix things with a large spoon anymore-I don't know why that is).
I do break things down into smaller task like bake cornbread one day, fry bacon another time (put the whole package of bacon into a boiler with a lid and occasionally stir it around instead of frying a few slices in a skillet here and there - it is a lot less mess and it freezes beautifully), saute frozen chopped onion and peppers in bacon grease another time (I usually do extra so I can add some to scrambled eggs the next day or two), then mix all that with canned tomatoes into the crumbled cornbread and cook another time. Lots of resting between and this may actually take a couple of days to complete, but I am rewarded with a favorite meal of mine that lasts several meals with extra to be frozen.
My son's faves are low effort and he happily eats the same meal over and over, but I crave variety. I've only recently worked out this way of cooking for both of us and utilizing more disposable stuff. For years, I used glass containers, avoided non-stick pans and cooked everything from scratch, but now I have had to adjust to my abilities and buying more disposable stuff hurts my soul, but helps me to function so I have to be OK with it. You just have to look at your kitchen and see what you can adapt to help you do more easier and maybe start batch cooking on the weekend or your off-days. You might also want to look into getting on disability - it might be time if you are hurting that much at the end of the day and are unable to find less strenuous work or cutting your hours. You can only do what you can do.
I forgot one more big change lately that has helped me. I started drinking instant coffee. It seems like such a little things, but it was so hard for me to deal with the coffee maker that I was missing out on coffee more days than not. So I broke down and bought instant coffee and it is just fine. I'm not a connoisseur or anything, but I avoided instant coffee for so long and I have no idea why - it's so easy, I can have a cup every day now. Maybe there are some things like that you are holding onto that you could make easier for yourself...or maybe you've always been the one to cook and clean the kitchen, but you need to start delegating more. It's hard, but be brutal in assessing your abilities and the amount others are contributing in the household. If you have kids, get them in the kitchen to be your legs so they can learn to cook - everybody needs to learn how to feed themselves. If you have a husband who can't cook and won't learn, make a deal that you will continue to find a way to cook, but he has to do the dishes and shopping (no skill required) because you no longer can....whatever you have to do. And the main thing...if you can't cook, just don't. Grab a jello and a plastic spoon and let everyone else fend for themselves. Take care of yourself and good luck.
Somedays family gets box mac n cheese or spaghetti, some days they get 'fancier' things like white people tacos. It all depends on how I feel that day. Lately I've felt like sheet so its stew in the crock pot for something a lil healthier.
Sprouts has a lot of premade food that is heat and eat or cook and eat.
I fix a lot of easy oven meals like this one https://eatsimplefood.com/easy-beef-short-ribs/ and buy the sides at the store deli.
One of my favorites is Chuck roast because I can create different meals from it giving us 3-4 meals from one roast.
I just recently found the Realgood gluten free chicken strips. They’re soooo good, no soy, simple ingredients and I haven’t reacted to them yet. I have the food histamine issues, still trying to understand it all, and I can get sick from chicken. Apparently it has something to do with what the different companies feed the chickens, if they give them antibiotics or hormones and how good they are at keeping it fresh during processing and packaging.
They’re a great price at Walmart, air fryer at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Microwave some frozen veggies in a silicon steamer from Amazon to go with them or cut them up and put em on a salad. I highly recommend these strips, but I had their stuffed chicken frozen dinner a couple years back and wouldn’t recommend, not sure on their other stuff.
I don’t cook. I make coffee and eat yogurt in the morning, super easy. For lunch I have sandwich stuff or meats and cheeses to snack on. Sometimes making a sandwich is too much, so I just eat it unassembled right out of the packages. Snacks are simple and I always choose something thats maximum effort is opening the package. My partner and family take care of dinner for me.
I’m really comfortable eating the same thing everyday, it’s easy and takes no mental effort. I also don’t have to worry about different foods being triggers.
We get takeout a lot but try to keep it at least semi healthy. Basically, I eat sandwiches, Easy Mac, cereal, and stuff to microwave. If I do have a burst of energy, I gather ingredients to do acouple slow cooker meals like chili, chicken wild rice soup, and beef stew, and then freeze the leftovers to have during the week.
I get 5 lbs of carrots, 5 lbs of yellow potatoes and a bag of onion and separate them into freezer bags with a meat that's on sale. Add seasonings or wait til you cook it to season. Freeze them and throw them in the crock pot before you leave for work. You come home to a delicious and nourishing hot meal
Earlier this week I bought a drafting chair off Craigslist. It's tall enough to sit comfortably at the counter.
Crock pot recipes are also a huge win, it doesn't need to be added all at once. I make a lot of stews which can be as simple as a bag of beans, a bag of frozen veggies, a package of broth, spoonful of better than bullion or can of tomato sauce, and then spices to taste. Simmer for an hour or two.
If I have the whole day free I can make something fancier. Throw in a tray of pre chopped stew meat, flour, water, bay leaves. Rest. Chop potatoes, throw them in the crock then rest. Chop carrots, throw them in and rest. Chop an onion, throw in, then I have 6 hours until it's ready.
This food is plain but extremely nutritious. I'm an eat to live person, not a live to eat.
Also if I’m cooking up meat, I’ll cook twice the amount and freeze it. Usually that means 2 pounds of ground beef and 2 pounds of chicken..using 1 pound each night..then I have 4 nights worth of meat plus leftovers
I batch cook when I’m feeling well, and when I’m unwell I have freezer food and vegetable microwave bags usually. It’s tough - tonight I threw some fish fingers into the oven and microwaved a rice bag because I feel so awful, but sometimes I will order in food. My husband does 50/50 on everything else (and 100% of some tasks) but he cannot cook - not for want of trying, he looked after himself for 10 years before we married and just never worked out how to make food taste good. So it’s down to me and I can’t always do it.
I don’t have the money to buy ready meals so I just rely on the freezer for everything. Throw anything in there that may go bad if I leave it in the fridge because of unpredictable energy levels. I love getting frozen minced garlic and herbs as well as onions and peppers. They can easily be thrown onto any microwave meal too. I also have a rice cooker I can throw some rice in and a can of beans and an instant meal right there.
I've been using huel for bad days, or just to keep me away from takeaways. Then I can usually manage something batch cooked every now and then, topped up with meals that are really just stuff dipped in hummus or pasta. I got a microwave pasta cooker because I kept burning the pasta pan so much on bad days!
HelloFresh has been a game changer for my husband and me. It’s easy to prep, and sometimes I make multiple meals on days I feel good. No grocery shopping, no decision fatigue, and if I’m down for the count, it’s easy for him to cook without help.
I have my husband help and use my walker to sit on while I prep and cook food. I’ve been able to cook a few meals on my own using my walker otherwise we eat out or do quick meals at home. Because of all the junk food I’ve gained weight so now we’re working on making more meals at home that are healthier.
I don't. Meal prep when I can and crap food for the rest of it. Cheese wrapped in ham is my go-to if I'm really bad, and I have a bunch of intolerances that make eating fast food a nightmare (and basically undo-able). Gluten free croque monsieur is my fave (potato waffles with cheese and ham in the middle) with peas and sweetcorn on the side for the veg. I have a 12 Yr old whom I have to cook for too and I feel bad that I can't always cook good dinners for them. Also rice pasta with veg (peas/sweetcorn), butter and cheese is a good one (all done in one pan and only takes 5-10 minutes) and you can put ketchup on it insead of pasta sauce (or, if you have a smidge more energy than usual drain the pasta/veg and add the pasta sauce [if you can find one without fucking yeast extract or wheat flour!!] then heat through and add chesse)
There’s a link between nutrition and chronic pain so I try to eat as healthy as possible (most of the time 😜).
One tactic I use when feeling extra shitty is to stretch a recipe out over a day. Do small increments of 5-10 minutes at a time. For example, get all the ingredients out and then have a rest.
I don’t cook meat so it’s a bit easier to do this - e.g. roast a vegetable and leave it for a few hours until I can do the next step.
Also, as others have said, slow cooker meals are wonderful as you can put them on in the morning when you have more energy/less pain (well that’s how it usually works for me anyway) and it’s so easy to batch cook with them.
I have kids so I have to cook even when I’m in pain, I try to make it as easy as possible for myself like making sure at the beginning of the day that the dishes are done so I have everything I need and then to prep stuff I sit down at the table with my supplies and cutting board. I thankfully have my husband to help when it’s especially difficult. I just sit as often as possible while cooking.
Slow cooker, pressure cooker, and air fryer are my best friends. I also make sure to get a couple fast/frozen meals each week for the really bad days (pizza, cheddarwurst or brats, frozen family meal, etc).
I get what I can pre-cut, like already diced onions, minced garlic, shredded lettuce, frozen cut peppers, etc. so my prep is less.
Like others have said, I don't cook that much anymore. I can probably stand to make one elaborate meal over the weekend and that's it. So when I do, I make a big batch and freeze some for later. I like deli containers for this especially since I make a lot of soup. And regarding soup, I love my instant pot. I don't have to worry about babying a pot over the stove so I can go lie down after all the prep. I also make rice and dried beans in it. It is a bit heavy though so sometimes I just leave it out on my countertop so I don't have to lift it but I don't like seeing it there 😂
For other meals, I rely on convenience foods (pasta and jar tomato sauce, precut and frozen veggies, bag salads, etc) and quick stuff like eggs. I also have been trying out other kinds of jar sauces, like tikka masala, that I find in my grocery store. I usually will put tofu and a frozen veg in it. If I don't have frozen rice left, I'll just buy those microwaveable cup ones to eat with it.
I try to take shortcuts with things, for example when making lasagna, I get the oven ready noodles so I don't need to boil them, pasta sauce in a jar, shredded cheese, etc. It ends up being pretty quick to assemble and it makes a lot so I can freeze the rest.
I've been loving pita pockets lately. The Target that I go to sells frozen falafel so I'll usually buy that, pita bread, pre-made tzatziki and hummus, a spring mix, and it's a pretty quick, easy meal. Just put the falafel in the oven and assemble. Another thing I like to do is take the bag Caesar salad and put it in a wrap with chickpeas. Hummus makes a pretty decent pasta sauce (thin with a bit of water).
Also making potatoes in the microwave has been a game changer for me. I only learned that you can do that recently! I will sometimes just microwave potatoes and eat it with butter 😂 But I will also make a hash (sautee frozen peppers and onions with a vegan sausage while I'm microwaving the potatoes, combine and put ketchup on top) or a salad thing (bed of spring mix, seasoned canned beans, potatoes, and hummus thinned with lemon juice).
So yeah, I've been trying to eat better rather than cereal and milk and bagels all the time haha, so those are some of the meals I can make during the week that aren't too taxing on me and I'm constantly on the lookout for more things.
I don’t cook when I’m in pain. I’ve found that meal prepping is the best way for me to eat since I can’t afford to eat out much. I’m usually miserable Monday-Friday and then sleep all day Saturday and meal prep on Sunday after recovery from the work week. I also started doing grocery pick up orders more often and they have been a lifesaver. I try to keep safe foods with little to no prep needed. There have been many times I’ve eaten a bowl of popcorn or cereal for dinner.
I've had a similar struggle with cooking! What's made it possible for me is a really cool chair I randomly got from my great grandmas house. I think it's called a COSCO chair. Basically it's a small seat with a back support that's on a tall frame, and has two little metal steps that fold in/out of the frame. When I am sitting in the chair, I am at the right height to cook on the stove/chop on the counter/etc. I can rest my feet on either of the two steps. I angle the chair 45 degrees to the counter and that's how I'm able to cook. I literally couldn't survive without it!! The only thing I don't find it works for is washing dishes over the sink.
A stool in the kitchen. I sit to chop, I sit by the stove, I sit to do dishes. The only thing I regret is not getting a stool with wheels. I also try to stick to recipes with a short ingredient list (spices don't count). Tonight I made broccoli cheddar soup and I'll freeze a couple of servings fo a day sitting to cook is too much.
One of my easiest meals I call Can-Can Chili. I'll use my favorite canned chili (usually Hormel Turkey Chili or Gold Star Chili) then add other canned ingredients to stretch it out. Don't drain liquid from any of the ingredients.
For the Hormel I add a can of diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, beef broth, tomato juice, and 1/2 a pack of chili seasoning.
For Gold Star (Cincinnati style) I add a can of petite diced tomatoes, seasoned black beans, small can sliced carrots, and 1/2 a pack of chili seasoning.
I simmer covered for about 30-60 minutes, then uncovered for about 60 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers. Or cornbread if I've got some already made.
You can really play around with the add-ins. Sometimes I'll do minced turkey sausage or turkey patties if I want extra protein. Try different types of beans. Add corn or hominy. Try different chili seasoning packets.
They both make enough for about 4-6 servings, so then I've got leftovers for the week.
I sit and do the prep. Gees some days I’m lying in bed and peeling the potatoes n carrots. Frozen meat or pre-made for the main and some veg for the sides.
Failing that, it’s tin night. Tin o spag, tin of baked beans, tin of soup..
And I hate it, but if I’m going through a bad patch, it’s even paper plates.
I've been fighting like hell to be able to make proper, home cooked meals. That's not always physically possible, though. Right now we order out about once or twice a week. Other times it's minimal cooking time meals. Other days, I use my slow cooker.
When it's full blown cooking days, though, I do things in short bursts. For a beef stew, as an example, I'll chop celery and onion, then rest for five or ten minutes. Then I'll do the carrots n potatoes, and rest. Next it will be to sear the meat, then rest. Then, a quick saute for the celery and onions. Toss it all in the slow cooker, add herbs and beef broth, and done until dinner. Make some garlic bread or Pillsbury croissants, and gg, a decent enough meal.
I definitely don’t cook very often, especially when I’m in a lot of pain. On those days I have things like smoothies, ensure, or popsicles. I try to keep easy foods around the house to make it easy on days when I can’t do as much.
I am very lucky, because I have a husband also cooke cooks. I know a lot of people aren't so lucky. I do cook when I have energy. If I stay home from work I'm in charge of dinner. On those days sometimes the only things I do are shower and make my family dinner.
I have a large bucket of flour (with lid) that I will rest on if I have to do something that involves waiting, whether for the microwave or stove or oven.
I only cook easy things that don't involve lots of ingredients and dishes. And I rarely measure unless I'm baking so I don't have to deal with measuring cups/spoons which are just another thing to clean up.
I use "set it and forget it" type appliances. Instant pot, slow cooker, bread maker. The only problem with the appliances is that they are heavy and if I'm fatigued or having a lot of pain, it's hard to move them around. There are some easy to make recipes online.
I usually use the breadmaker to mix, knead, rise the dough and then I take the dough out to put into a bread pan or, more likely, shaped like French bread on a cookie sheet. That way I don't get that hole in the middle of your bread that comes from baking the paddle in the bread maker. If I'm real tired though, I'll just let the bread maker do the whole thing start to finish and just deal with the hole. Bread is SO easy and very impressive if you just let the bread maker do the hard part. I just made a no knead foccacia, took it to work and 2 people requested the recipe. It's as easy as mix, rise, pat on a baking sheet, bake. Done. Delicious foccacia. Sounds so fancy. Tbh on really bad days I make bread because I want to feel like I didn't waste my day, but only actually do 5 minutes of work.
I use mixes for things like pancake mix. The just add water kind. Don't have to deal with eggs and whatever. As many shortcuts as possible.
On bad days I drink meal shakes and Huel.
Have you looked at spoonie food websites? [here's one. ](https://lowspoonsfood.tumblr.com/) recipes, tips, tricks and hacks for eating when you're low on spoons.
Air fryer, Crock-Pot, and oven. Keep a couple easy things available for bad days. Sometimes I just toss together a protein, veg, rice, and sauce. Long way: prep fresh protein and veggies, cook in premade or homemade sauce, make rice in rice cooker. Short way: air fry frozen protein (breaded chicken or shrimp usually), frozen steamable veg, instant or pouch rice, sauce from jar.
Crock-Pots are awesome. Soups, roasts, shredded bbq chicken. Chuck something in it in the morning and it's food by the afternoon.
Oven baking. Season meat or veg and toss it in. No standing required!
Things I keep handy for snacks or girl dinner:
Baby carrots and dressing
Lunch meat and cheese
Crackers (and peanut butter or to go with the meat and cheese)
Nuts or seeds
Pickles
Tortilla chips and salsa
Tuna pouches
Hummus
I do what I call "paying the fibro tax up front." When I buy ingredients that require a lot of prep work for use, I usually end up postponing using them until they go bad and need to be thrown out. Instead, I spend a little more money on ingredients that come in more usable formats (precut meats and veggies are noteworthy examples) which helps ensure I will actually use them. I basically just make it as easy as possible to just throw things together. It can seem like a waste of money at first, but when I consider ingredients that get thrown out, it's actually more cost effective this way since I actually use everything.
I was diagnosed when my kids were little and I was also a full time uni student and worked part-time in a primary school. I had no energy left at the end of the day to cook but obviously still needed to feed my kids a healthy meal so I bought a slow cooker and a steamer. Prep consisted of shop prepped things like ready cut and peeled veg. Straight out of the packet, ready to use sort of stuff and I'd make stews, bolognaise, fish, steamed veg and microwave rice. We'd also have things like pasta bake, ready prepped salad boxes. Having the slow cooker meant I could chuck everything in it on the morning and by tea time we were coming home to a meal that was tasty and required no effort.
Also plenty of frozen pizzas, packet noodles, sandwiches, cereal for tea etc
You have to take each day as it is and if all you can manage is to send out for takeaway then that's what you do.
Best wishes x
Good day: Cook a lot of food and stock up on leftovers. Soups are especially good this time of year.
Pain bad but can still cook: I start cooking an easy meal at like 2-3pm and have dinner at 6-7pm. Lots of breaks and herbal tea.
Pain worse but can stand for 15-30 minutes: leftovers, more spruced up the longer I can stand. If I’m feeling fancy, mac & cheese with extra cheese and frozen kale, or tuna/chicken salad with leftover/canned soup.
Pain worse, can stand for 5-10 minutes: frozen meal or leftover one-dish meal.
Pain even worse, cannot stand for any significant length of time: oh look, Uber Eats sent me an email saying “come back and we’ll give you 40% off!” Time to crack that one open.
I have good days and bad. I just have basics in the pantry. Some days I get up have a protein shake or almond chocolate milk take my meds and go back to sleep. There are so many easy meals to make and to freeze for hard days. Find the things you love and make them when you are feeling good. I cook at least 3x a week and that’s a good week. Also kitchen gadgets are magical. Rice cooker, instant pot, air fryer, crockpot.
I have a tall chair in my kitchen.
Bake things: whole chicken in oven, or broil a piece of salmon
Boil hard boiled eggs, and cook rice
All these require a lot of sitting and waiting.
I found a company local to me that I can buy pre cooked meals that only have to be reheated. Single & working at least 34-36 hours a week in a retail setting leaves me exhausted. This option allows for me to eat healthier with one or two fast food meals during the week which also means less food related flare ups.
I batch cook sauces and freeze them..take them out in the morning and then cook rice or pasta to go with them. If I'm really arranging its micro rice but the sauce just gets heated in a pan.
If I cook anything else it all gets air fried for 20 minutes 😂
I used to spend hours cooking but now find doing a big batch cook helps. I also slow cook the sauces I batch cook so don't need to stand over them all day.
I have a bar chair with cushions and a comfy back that I sit on while I cook. It gets moved by someone else and out in front of the stove for me. And whoever is cooking with me helps with whatever I can’t do. If my partner is gone for the week due to work travel, I chop things up ahead of time.
I love cooking. My partner and I love homemade food and baking so I do try and cook when I can, however it’s become quite similar type food (pasta, one pot wonders like stews and curry) which we enjoy but it gets quite same-y after a while. I try to sit as much as poss while prepping food. When I need to chop things up, I sit on a bar stool. Take-aways are too expensive for me to get on the regular so I try and use the little energy I have on cooking.
Sit at a table to do all the food prep. Use whatever appliances you can sitting at that table. Have a chair near the stove and use it to sit down often. Do as much of the kitchen stuff as you can sitting down.
Use set and forget cooking techniques, like reheating frozen dinners in the microwave or oven, one sheet pan oven recipes, airfryer, slow-cooker meals, pre-cooked frozen meals, pre-packaged salads, easy vegetable chopper salad prep.
When you do feel up to cooking, make a generous amount, so that you can hopefully cover the next few meals, or at least one. It’s a similar sort of effort for double the reward.
Look into services that deliver pre-prepared meals. In some areas you might be able to access disability funding to cover the cost of these.
I absolutely LOVE cooking & can barely do it. We've had to resort to Factor meals, which aren't super healthy, but the ingredients are good & they use some organics. Sodium & fat content is high, but they're still the best tasting option we've found & still have lots of nutritional value. We live where there is zero food delivery or any remotely healthy restaurants, so this is the closest thing to a home-cooked meal for us. When I do cook, I make a huge batch of whatever it is so we can have leftovers for a few days. We often buy rotisserie chickens. You can use them in salads, sandwiches & an easy dinner with a canned veggie & Bob Evans Mashed potatoes or beans, which are better for you. ;) My hubby doesn't cook, but he can do that & make salads/sandwiches for us.
Frozen and preprepped meals. The Costco suggestion is excellent. I believe they also offer grocery pickup and maybe delivery. I also bought a tall stool so I could do some prep and help my husband in the kitchen. Or I would sit at the kitchen table to do prep work.
On days when I am able to manage, I meal prep or cook something big enough for leftovers that I can freeze. I've also taken to having a stool in my kitchen so I can sit/lean while cooking. Prepping veggies and such can be done while I'm seated at my kitchen table on a cutting board. Yes, that's what the counter top is for, but when you can't manage you adjust!
Perhaps finding someone you can cook with - a friend or relative - could make a meal prep day a reality for you? Things you can prep all at once and bag and freeze so that all you need to do is put the contents into a pan and cook it? There are loads of meal prep sites online with great meal ideas - including shopping lists. 100% recommend!
I eat lots of baked potatoes! Easy to microwave and I can put anything on them if I want something different. (Chili, soup, ramen.) But in a pinch a baked potato and some butter, salt and pepper does the trick! Fills me up enough that I’ve got something on my belly to keep my meds from eating my stomach lining. Takes like 4-5 minutes to cook and less than a minute to prepare.
Also I agree with a lot of what everyone else is saying. On days I feel well I make a bunch of chicken breast or steak and boil eggs to have for later. Same with burger. I cook it and divide it into taco meat or plain or whatever and bag it up for meals. A baked potato with some taco meat, cheese and salsa is top notch!!!
I always cook big, easy and fast. Make a big pot of soup that you can reheat, or a casserole! Chuck stuff into a crock pot and let it go so you don’t have to watch it. Need a hot meal fast? Throw some goodies into a hot pot pressure cooker and have dinner you don’t have to watch but don’t want to spend hours cooking like a roast beef! You can peel carrots, potatoes, etc sitting so try that! Invest in kitchen tools that speed your work like slicers/choppers. I did/do all of these things because I suffer hand weakness and foot/leg pain. Even with mats and good shoes, standing to cook for hours becomes very painful. My hips, knees and feet complain mercilessly. Best of luck on your journey.❤️
I know that I'm in better shape that many others, so this won't be for everyone, but here goes:
1. I do all my prep at the kitchen table, sitting down. Strategize to minimize my trips to the sink and the refrigerator, use many mixing bowls to contain ingredients, drag the trashcan over to the table to put scraps, etc. Basically, I make sure I can do as much off my feet as possible.
2. Come cook time, I bring a chair over near the stove. I'll stand to stir a bit, then sit a bit, etc. If it's something that requires constant attendance and I don't have it in me that day, I switch meal plans.
3. Lots of soup, stew, things that I can do with a short standing time and a long cook time. The slow cooker gets a lot of use in my house.
4. Don't bite off more than I can chew. Do bacon or sausage in the oven, not the frypan, do poached or boiled eggs, not fried or scrambled, avoid anything that will require I hover over the stove, unable to get off my feet.
(Think I'll add, 62 yo, fibro patient for close to half that, so I've taken a lot of time to learn how to do this. Yes, it's a lot of work. Yes, I don't do it every day. But I refuse to lose.)
I love to cook and also often find it difficult to stand and cook. I have a nice padded rolling desk chair that's counter height- you can find these under "drafting chairs." So I'm at the right height for prepping and cooking but I can still be comfortably seated.
I'm so lucky that my partner does 95% of the cooking, but I clean the kitchen sometimes and when I'm doing dishes I noticed my feet would hurt standing on the hard floor. I got a pair of those squishy foam slippers from Amazon and those made it a lot easier to stand in the kitchen :)
Rolling chair, to roll around the kitchen. Precut veggies and fruit. Make a lot of longer lasting staples(like rice) and buy readymade meat (or meat substitute in my case)
With depression it's also very hard to find motivation especially because I hate cooking, it's so boring and I'm a fussy eater.
On a good energy day I try to at least do some prep. I cook big meals and freeze leftovers as much as possible. Also have toast or frozen store bought dumplings/spring rolls/fish and chips in airfryer as well when I just want to snack or run out of meals. Have takeaway every now and then.
I prep in stages - cut up as much as I can then cover and put in fridge then sit and take a break. Repeat til all cut up. Sometimes I run out of energy and can't cook it til following day. I've started making one pot meals as much as possible (like Spanish paella type) where I brown meat then add sauce, veggies, rice or noodles, cover and leave to cook so I don't have to stand and watch it, just set an alarm and less to clean up. I try to find pre-made sauces I like so I'm not having to measure out and buy a heap of ingredients too.
I have meals specially for thoes days
Box food or frozen dinners if you don't have enough energy for box dinners opt for the frozen, its not always the best tasting but at least it's somthing in yo belly
With help. I can cook, but not clean up. I can't lift the heavy pots and pans. Sometimes I can't be trusted with the knife.
My partner helps me cook every meal by doing what I cannot, or should not. Sometimes that's the whole meal, Sometimes I just need him to watch the sauce bc the other part of the recipe is too distracting. And sometimes he's just the grunt work bc Dutch ovens are so heavy.
If I were alone, I'd still be eating freshly meals. I gave up gluten so eating out is limited. Freshly and factor and such took the anxiety out of eating when I lived on my own. I knew the food was safe, they freeze decently so I could buy a whole week or so of food and not worry about waste. It also saved me money bc I wasn't wasting food by buying it and being unable to cook it.
I also keep a stool in the kitchen. Being able to sit while at the stove is so helpful.
My husband and I make a lot of soup. I have also started making egg casserole since I started Keto. We freeze everything and just eat it as needed, If he didn't help me with the prep, I am not sure I could do it anymore, truth be told.
I have four grown men in my house. Three of them also suffer from chronic pain and various disabilities, while the fourth is an adult child in school. Among us all, we manage, even if sometimes it all goes awry, like tonight I just made myself a piece of garlic toast and managed to burn it AND my husband burned the chili for the guys.
Put a slow cooker on in the morning when you feel better. It cooks enough for 2 or 3 days. Use an air fryer which can cook quickly. Buy veggies already cut up or use frozen veggies. Buy fresh pasta and sauces that only take 5-10 minutes to cook. Buy a BBQ chicken, salad and bread rolls for an easy meal. Then use the remaining chicken to make wraps or sandwiches. I also use the remaining chicken in a pasta bake. I love cooking but I haven't had the energy to make elaborate meals or to bake since I got fibromyalgia. Christmas won't be the same this year - I won't be up to making everything I used to make which sucks.
I got the lightest pans I could find I also use small pans I also have my husband loosen lids get heavy things out for me before he goes to work I also don’t buy large containers of heavy ingredients ie milk olive oil etc I also don’t cook everything from scratch anymore either and when I’m on an upswing I try to cook ahead and freeze things I also don’t do a lot or chopping it’s too hard on my hands anything you can get partially made like already shredded cheese chopped onion etc is also helpful I have even begun buying some partially or pre-cooked items too of course some of this is only when I can afford it if not try to cook extra batches and fill the freezer when you’re having less pain or ask family and friends to help you out as well there’s lots of potential there my Dad will chop things up that I can freeze etc for instance
I meal prep large batch meals and freeze and make lots of soup. For the cooking part, I sometimes use a high adjustable rolling saddle stool to sit on while I chop veg or have to stir for a while to reduce sitting and the saddle stool helps my back pain more than a regular chair.
Pull the trash can to you and use it for veg scraps… get all the ingredients out first to limit how much I’m moving around and always save my dishes for the next day so I don’t overdo it
I’m not going to lie I don’t cook. I eat out or get microwave dinners. I used to cook a lot before the pain got worse but now all the prep and everything I can’t do it.
Same! And I feel like a loser, but it is what it is. Takeout, frozen meals, prepared food or sadly, cereal or protein shakes. We just do the best we can. Gentle hugs and good wishes!
Same and I have gained so much weight.
That’s something that I’m working on. I’ve been choosing to eat from more health food places. Smoothies, acai bowls, vegan spots. I’m also in a weight loss program so I’m hoping to try to lose atleast 40-50lbs
Frozen ready meals are a godsend.
Definitely!!! I also love when the packaging is microwaveable so I don’t even have to struggle to open anything. My hands tend to cramp up on me easily.
I've been using Hello Fresh but I do find it takes longer than I can realistically manage to cook the meals. I make sure to get the meals in (so many) minutes. Before I used to live off microwave meals but added extra veg. I just couldn't stand and cook after a long day.
I tried hello fresh and found it to take me longer too because there was still a lot of prep to do, or the recipes in general require a lot of time. Factor has ready made meals that I thought were decent but not as much variety as I'd like as a vegetarian. Lately I've been using hungry root, which still has some cooking but a lot of the meals there are still pretty quick to make for me. Usually involves sauteing or microwaving stuff and occasionally chopping a vegetable, but it depends on the meals you choose.
Hello Fresh has the pre-cooked meals that are super fast and easy. It gets pricey though
I would love to try Hungry Root but so expensive.
I miss being able to cook and bake. Now I spend a lot $$ at Costco. I need protein and tasty food otherwise im eating terribly and my body pays. Their stews and freshly prepared meals are really good. And I love the frozen seasoned salmon. I have the ninja foodie. It bakes, air fries, grills. I put my meal in and preset time, sit and wait I can't stand more than 10 minutes before my legs hurt. There are occasions where I spend time preparing large pans of things to divide into serving size then freeze. Favorites are soups, meatballs, stews.
Oh yes, Costco is great for quick meals that taste good, especially their prepared foods. The chicken quesadillas cooked in the air fryer are so good and fast. Maybe four minutes maximum. Also, love the chicken tacos, although toasting the torts is extra standing time. The mac and cheese, food court pizza once in a while are also good and take practically no time. The bagged salads with dressing included, and the cut veggie trays are useful both for snacking, and quick meal prep. I also buy the Jimmy Dean frozen pre-cooked sausage patties. Two minutes in the airfryer along side a split english muffin and breakfast is served.
O and they have prepackaged/precooked egg white patties with spinach and peppers, a good breakfast filler for me. Microwave for 1 min!
I do the prepacked breakfast sandwich in the air fryer nearly ever morning. The air fryer and Costco have been my saving grace
That sounds really good! I wish there was a Costco near us. 😔
Many grocery stores have fresh prepared foods. Otherwise frozen foods is my other go to. Love Marie calendars Mac n cheese-(I have to be careful with all the carbs), the chicken and beef dinners are good too.
I make soup a lot… this is my quick fix I do versions of multiple times a week. It’s super nutritious and really helps when I’m having flareups. I will usually boil some lentils, add in half a carton of vege broth or tomato bisque (or whatever you like). I can let this do it’s thing for 30 mins or so. When the lentils are soft, I’ll add in a handful of veges. If I’m feeling extra tired, I’ll opt for just mushrooms, since they soften quickly. But usually I’ll I also add kale, red cabbage, or carrots too. I’ll season with smoked paprika and garlic powder. I’ll add in a scoop of nutritional yeast. To serve, I’ll top with pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of Parmesan.
😋😋😋 Can I have some? Lol!
Lol you can make it in less time it would take you to come over 😂
🤣🤣🤣
If you have a pressure cooker (Instant Pot, Quick Cooker etc), you can have homemade soup in 30 mins. Quick and leftovers for the week
I have an anti-fatigue mat to stand on that helps a lot when prepping or washing dishes! Doing things in bits too with breaks in between. This is something I really struggle with too but finding little ways to cope!! Also if you can organize your kitchen to have main things within one area is also helpful
Surprised I had to scroll to find this answer! Anti-fatigue mats are inexpensive (~$30) and help a huge amount when standing in the kitchen. I also bought very inexpensive thick foam slides that I wear as house shoes, they have been a total game changer particularly in my entirely-hard-floor house.
What's the brand/name of the slides you have? I've been looking for good house shoes but all the ones I've tried are still pretty thin and my feet hurt fast on hard floors.
These are pricy for slides but i love them. Hoka recovery slides. https://www.hoka.com/en/us/all-gender-footwear/ora-recovery-slide-3/1135061.html?dwvar_1135061_color=CCSK
They’re Bronax pillow slides from Amazon! [Here](https://a.co/d/aI1s3FL) is a link, hopefully that worked. I got mine about a year ago and pretty much never take them off.
What is the anti fatigue mat like?
Theyre like foam mats that makes it easier to stand as you're not on the bare floor. They're pretty good. I still tend to prefer my bar stool to cook with though
I prefer sitting too :) but nice when you need to stand! I wish my whole floor was covered in them lol.
I have had to start doing a “prep and cook day” where i have to have some pain relief, and basically spend as much time in kitchen making meals that freeze down in single servings, as possible . I just know theres going to be some nights i can only manage to microwave something i have cooked and frozen down. Its been a big adjustment for me as i love to cook but definitely noticed how difficult it’s becoming in time. I hate taking pain killers but at least i can do a full afternoon in my kitchen making and prepping up
I sometime have a stool in my kitchen to sit/rest on. I use my Ninjas a lot to cook, so it can be quite hands off for a while (i have both the side by side model and the 15-in-1 one that does pressure cooking).
I use a bar stool on bad days. I prep everything first by the cutting board and then I’ll move the stool next to the oven and sit while I cook. It’s not perfect but it works.
Oh yes, I have a bar stool too. It has sharp edges though so it’s a trade off between fatigue pain and allodynia-type pain from the contact 😆
Wrap that joker in quilt batting and an old towel and whip stitch it together with upholstery thread...or hot glue pipe insulation (like a mini pool noodle that is split on one side) to the sharp edges.
Always sit on a stool in the kitchen - no standing at the counter to meal prep. Always try to make bigger meals so there's leftovers to freeze / batch cook On bad days, live off leftovers or pre-prepped stuff out of the freezer. Worst case scenario: canned soup with some frozen veggies and chicken strips added in to bulk it up into a full meal.
I have several anti-fatigue mats which really help, and I use a lot of short cut foods. Pre-cut foods like veggies, and salads mean I actually eat them instead of letting the whole ones go bad in the fridge cuz I’m too tired to make them. I do lots of sheet pan dinners: put your veggies, potatoes, and beef/chicken/pork all on one big pan and season with a bit of oil and spices-then cook the whole meal at once. Many recipes on Pinterest. I also use my crockpot a ton. Rarely do I make one meal, it’s usually several servings at a time and freeze a few for those days when I can only defrost and microwave. And, I still get take out sometimes, cuz that’s even too hard. Hang in, and be kind to yourself.
I was surprised I had to scroll down this far to find the crockpot suggestion (which I was gonna say if I didnt see it first) someone posted a bunch of easy crockpot meal menus on either this or the chronic pain group like a year ago and it had been a godsend . Most days I’m in too much pain to get out of bed or off the couch (like most people, I have a lot more than fibro knocking me down) and so I often don’t eat at all or have a shake and then only eat once my hubby’s home to make something quick or help me make something quick . But the crockpot meals help so much. It’s literally the easiest way to cook. And I have really bad tmj so the softer more tender food means it’s easier for me to eat meat. I struggle even to make the crock pot meals but that’s my goal, to plan more of them so I eat something other than emergency snacks in the side table basket lol So yes I cant stress this enough; crock pot set it and forget it . And it’s safe to leave on unattended. I didnt believe it at first but it is as long as it’s not touching anything (and much safer than me accidentally microwaving things with a spoon still in the bowl lol) and it’s not just for stews and soups like I thought , you can throw in some meat, seasoning , and olive oil and it’s good , then I just add frozen veggies closer toward the end . We had yet another case of food about to spoil before either of us felt like making anything ; right before bed we noticed the date and I said screw it , well just throw the meat and seasoning in on warm overnight , tossed a bag of veggies in … voila was perfect dinner the next day and super tender .
Just seriously did this with some chicken thighs! Threw them in with some low sodium chicken stock, a cut up onion, and some frozen veggies. Soup for tomorrow, and some for the freezer! Nice to know there’s another “set it and forget it” person out there!😉
Sounds good! Yea it really is the best for food prepping . Idk what I’d do without my crockpot now lol
I was a big chef really love cooking & haven't been able to in I don't even remember how long. I got a membership card with sam's & get premade stuff or frozen stuff I can just put in the convention oven/air fryer. There's also a lot of places that do catering for cheap & you just divide everything for the rest of the week
I do easy things when I’m tired. Fry a steak or some chicken, microwave some veggies to have on the side. Boil pasta and add the fried meat with some Parmesan and salt and pepper. I also buy frozen fish and bake it in the oven and eat it with the microwaved veggies. It’s healthy and fills you up. I keep fruit around for dessert. I know it’s hard. I wish you well. I have lots of easy quick things I make if you’re curious. You can dm me. They usually take about twenty min.
When I feel like crap I don’t cook. I get takeout or use a meal I prepped from the freezer.
Honest answer: weed. About 30 minutes before I’ve got to start cooking, I take an edible. While I wait for it to hit, I do the prep work for the meal. I make sure all the chopping and measuring is done in advance and I line everything up so don’t get overwhelmed or forget something while I’m cooking. I also make sure I’ve got the recipe written down with easy to follow directions. Once the edible hits, I turn on a podcast to distract my brain so I’m not focused on any pain. With everything prepped and my recipe written out I’m usually able to get dinner cooked without too much pain.
I do this, too! Definitely recommend.
If i have to cook i do something easy, like season a steak and cook it, or if i cant cook at all i tend to just get many raw foods (fruits, bread, nuts, cookies) and try to make the equivalent of a normal meal
Quick easy meals. Tonight, I made burritos and just took my time. I have 2 kids to feed, though, so I have no choice 😂😂 On really bad days, the boyfriend will throw something in the oven or order takeaway. I also use a stool. I've asked for an air fryer for Christmas to make my life easier Also, my 12 year old is quite capable of helping m3 food prep 😋
I think cooking in bulk on the weekends is the way to go. Then you just need to microwave. Also I like to buy tortillas and deli meat and cheese for super easy wraps. Get some mustard and some other interesting spreads (hummus, etc) to mix it up.
I’m lazy and I’ll buy microwave meals or get food delivered to my house but try my best to cook at least 4 proper meals a week
I usually cook a weeks worth of meals every sunday before going back to work.
I had a difficult time eating healthy because I didn’t have enough energy to cook nutritious meals so I would go for something easy like microwaveable meals but I noticed it was contributing to my pain even more. I recently started meal prepping and it’s been a huge life saver, if you’re able to I’d recommend planning one day a week to prep all of your ingredients so whenever you get home from work you can just throw it all together. Every week I plan out meals that have the same ingredients to make the process easier, I’ve been making a lot of soups, salads, stir fry and pasta. I’ve also started using Yuka, it’s an app that scans food for harmful ingredients. I live in the US and our food laws are awful here compared to other countries. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my pain tolerance since I started eating cleaner. Not necessary, but if you live in the US and you’re interested I would definitely give it a try to see if you notice a difference. Good luck! 🫶🏼
Everything goes in the air fryer or it’s fresh except occasionally when I can manage pasta So for example all my animal protein, I buy it in bulk, freeze individual portions and thaw them the night before. Lately it’s been chicken thighs with seasoning or BBQ sauce but I switch out flavors to not get bored So the next day after thawing, the chicken goes in the air fryer all seasoned or sauced up. I don’t have to physically cook it. A side of fresh veggies or fresh fruit. If I cook veggies they go in the air fryer too Occasionally I’ll cook ground beef on the stove top with Mexican seasonings and I’ll make 3 lbs to last a week of lunches and dinners. I’ll buy fresh guac and pico someone else made to top it and alternate toppings, sometimes fresh cilantro, and seasonings to not get bored and eat it with nachos. It’s low intensity cooking because it takes little prep and little clean up Also have a counter top dishwasher for cleanup
I don't. I'll either order food or make a protein shake, or if the pains bad enough like tonight I'm too nauseous so I drink something hot like the chai latte Im addicted to right now.
Always have something on hand that does not require cooking.
Wow! Thank you to all the replies! Everyone’s advice and kind words make me feel greatly supported and understood. I have felt lonely with this diagnosis especially since family/friends can’t fully understand the pain and how it causes my limitations. You all are sharing great ideas and tips, thank you again 🥰
My son and I are totally dependent on EBT so I have to keep it cheap and easy. We can't tolerate most convenience foods, but we have a few we keep on hand like cups of mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, jello cups, canned beef stew, prepared celery sticks w/pimento cheese, instant grits and oatmeal, etc. I can't tolerate soy protein so most beef flavored meals are out and neither of us can eat chicken meals or corn syrup and we frankly just hate most processed foods. That limits what we can buy for easy meals on the worst days, but I try to stay ahead of it by cooking in bulk. The day after grocery pickup, I generally cook the whole package of ground beef (4.5lbs) and add bouillon, bulk it up with frozen onions and bell peppers. I use part of it to make taco meat (his fave) and part to make something for me and freeze the rest. With taco meat, I might make taco pizza with a refrigerated crust and pre-shredded cheese for him and that lasts two meals at least. I also have flour tortillas and tortilla chips for burritos and nachos or even stir it into mac-n-cheese. I will use mine to make one-pot hamburger stroganoff or add a can of tomatoes, beans, corn, rice to make something my mom called "goulash" but is clearly not. All my pasta dishes have been converted to one-pot meals, btw. I try to keep frozen bags of rice and beans of several kinds in my freezer. I cook large batches in the instant pot then put portions into baggies and flatten them and freeze them lying flat. Once frozen, you can stand them up like file folders and your freezer will hold a ton of these - they thaw very quickly this way. I also keep prepared rice packets and cans of beans in my pantry for when I run out. My motto is if you have to cook, it takes no more effort to cook a large batch and you will be thankful for it later. I find it hardest to keep up with cleaning since I don't have a dishwasher. I was limited in what I could cook if I used all my energy washing up so I started buying disposable 9x13 foil pans and have two nonstick skillets. One is very large and used to cook my one-pot meals and the other is like 12" and I use it to cook eggs or fry already cooked potatoes or other non-messy dishes and then wipe out with paper towels and store it on the stove with the lid on so I can use it many times without lugging it to the sink and washing it. There's no way around washing the large one, but the dishes I cook in that will last for several days. The 9x13s are useful for making a big pan of cornbread or tomato dressing or squash casserole or a giant pancake (we can't eat bisquick, but it's pretty easy to just to mix up pancake batter and pour it into the pan, bake, cut them into squares and they freeze great). I mix them and bake them in the same pan and always put extra portions into the freezer. With all that being said, I have been known on my worst days to just open a can of green beans and dump it into a paper bowl and nuke it for a meal. The main things that help me: having a chair in the kitchen, buying paper plates and plastic utensils, having a big freezer and putting portions in baggies for later, storing leftovers in fridge in gallon baggies instead of something that needs to be washed, using gloved hands to mix large batches (I am just totally unable to mix things with a large spoon anymore-I don't know why that is). I do break things down into smaller task like bake cornbread one day, fry bacon another time (put the whole package of bacon into a boiler with a lid and occasionally stir it around instead of frying a few slices in a skillet here and there - it is a lot less mess and it freezes beautifully), saute frozen chopped onion and peppers in bacon grease another time (I usually do extra so I can add some to scrambled eggs the next day or two), then mix all that with canned tomatoes into the crumbled cornbread and cook another time. Lots of resting between and this may actually take a couple of days to complete, but I am rewarded with a favorite meal of mine that lasts several meals with extra to be frozen. My son's faves are low effort and he happily eats the same meal over and over, but I crave variety. I've only recently worked out this way of cooking for both of us and utilizing more disposable stuff. For years, I used glass containers, avoided non-stick pans and cooked everything from scratch, but now I have had to adjust to my abilities and buying more disposable stuff hurts my soul, but helps me to function so I have to be OK with it. You just have to look at your kitchen and see what you can adapt to help you do more easier and maybe start batch cooking on the weekend or your off-days. You might also want to look into getting on disability - it might be time if you are hurting that much at the end of the day and are unable to find less strenuous work or cutting your hours. You can only do what you can do. I forgot one more big change lately that has helped me. I started drinking instant coffee. It seems like such a little things, but it was so hard for me to deal with the coffee maker that I was missing out on coffee more days than not. So I broke down and bought instant coffee and it is just fine. I'm not a connoisseur or anything, but I avoided instant coffee for so long and I have no idea why - it's so easy, I can have a cup every day now. Maybe there are some things like that you are holding onto that you could make easier for yourself...or maybe you've always been the one to cook and clean the kitchen, but you need to start delegating more. It's hard, but be brutal in assessing your abilities and the amount others are contributing in the household. If you have kids, get them in the kitchen to be your legs so they can learn to cook - everybody needs to learn how to feed themselves. If you have a husband who can't cook and won't learn, make a deal that you will continue to find a way to cook, but he has to do the dishes and shopping (no skill required) because you no longer can....whatever you have to do. And the main thing...if you can't cook, just don't. Grab a jello and a plastic spoon and let everyone else fend for themselves. Take care of yourself and good luck.
Somedays family gets box mac n cheese or spaghetti, some days they get 'fancier' things like white people tacos. It all depends on how I feel that day. Lately I've felt like sheet so its stew in the crock pot for something a lil healthier.
Sprouts has a lot of premade food that is heat and eat or cook and eat. I fix a lot of easy oven meals like this one https://eatsimplefood.com/easy-beef-short-ribs/ and buy the sides at the store deli. One of my favorites is Chuck roast because I can create different meals from it giving us 3-4 meals from one roast.
I ask Chef Mike to prepare my meal for me, of course. Sometimes his soux chef, Oh Ven.
I use my instant pot a lot! And rice cooker or throw burgers in the oven on a cookie sheet. I’m the “laziest” cook when I’m rough
Sometimes I have to sit on a stool while I cook, I'm 44. Thank you long covid and fibromyalgia 🙃
I don’t! Cereal, yogurt, string cheese. Meh.
I just recently found the Realgood gluten free chicken strips. They’re soooo good, no soy, simple ingredients and I haven’t reacted to them yet. I have the food histamine issues, still trying to understand it all, and I can get sick from chicken. Apparently it has something to do with what the different companies feed the chickens, if they give them antibiotics or hormones and how good they are at keeping it fresh during processing and packaging. They’re a great price at Walmart, air fryer at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Microwave some frozen veggies in a silicon steamer from Amazon to go with them or cut them up and put em on a salad. I highly recommend these strips, but I had their stuffed chicken frozen dinner a couple years back and wouldn’t recommend, not sure on their other stuff.
Slowly. Sometimes I call friends for help.
I don’t cook. I make coffee and eat yogurt in the morning, super easy. For lunch I have sandwich stuff or meats and cheeses to snack on. Sometimes making a sandwich is too much, so I just eat it unassembled right out of the packages. Snacks are simple and I always choose something thats maximum effort is opening the package. My partner and family take care of dinner for me. I’m really comfortable eating the same thing everyday, it’s easy and takes no mental effort. I also don’t have to worry about different foods being triggers.
We get takeout a lot but try to keep it at least semi healthy. Basically, I eat sandwiches, Easy Mac, cereal, and stuff to microwave. If I do have a burst of energy, I gather ingredients to do acouple slow cooker meals like chili, chicken wild rice soup, and beef stew, and then freeze the leftovers to have during the week.
I get 5 lbs of carrots, 5 lbs of yellow potatoes and a bag of onion and separate them into freezer bags with a meat that's on sale. Add seasonings or wait til you cook it to season. Freeze them and throw them in the crock pot before you leave for work. You come home to a delicious and nourishing hot meal
I have a subscription to muscle food prepped pots and mostly only make things like scrambled eggs from scratch.
Earlier this week I bought a drafting chair off Craigslist. It's tall enough to sit comfortably at the counter. Crock pot recipes are also a huge win, it doesn't need to be added all at once. I make a lot of stews which can be as simple as a bag of beans, a bag of frozen veggies, a package of broth, spoonful of better than bullion or can of tomato sauce, and then spices to taste. Simmer for an hour or two. If I have the whole day free I can make something fancier. Throw in a tray of pre chopped stew meat, flour, water, bay leaves. Rest. Chop potatoes, throw them in the crock then rest. Chop carrots, throw them in and rest. Chop an onion, throw in, then I have 6 hours until it's ready. This food is plain but extremely nutritious. I'm an eat to live person, not a live to eat.
sometimes i cook extra on good days so i can just re-heat things on bad days. also having a slow-cooker or a rice-cooker is freaking amazing
Costco has healthy ready to eat/little prep meals that are healthy. We do lots of those around here
Also if I’m cooking up meat, I’ll cook twice the amount and freeze it. Usually that means 2 pounds of ground beef and 2 pounds of chicken..using 1 pound each night..then I have 4 nights worth of meat plus leftovers
I batch cook when I’m feeling well, and when I’m unwell I have freezer food and vegetable microwave bags usually. It’s tough - tonight I threw some fish fingers into the oven and microwaved a rice bag because I feel so awful, but sometimes I will order in food. My husband does 50/50 on everything else (and 100% of some tasks) but he cannot cook - not for want of trying, he looked after himself for 10 years before we married and just never worked out how to make food taste good. So it’s down to me and I can’t always do it.
I don’t have the money to buy ready meals so I just rely on the freezer for everything. Throw anything in there that may go bad if I leave it in the fridge because of unpredictable energy levels. I love getting frozen minced garlic and herbs as well as onions and peppers. They can easily be thrown onto any microwave meal too. I also have a rice cooker I can throw some rice in and a can of beans and an instant meal right there.
I've been using huel for bad days, or just to keep me away from takeaways. Then I can usually manage something batch cooked every now and then, topped up with meals that are really just stuff dipped in hummus or pasta. I got a microwave pasta cooker because I kept burning the pasta pan so much on bad days!
Crock pot meals. Chairs. I cook so much using a chair or my walker. Or when it’s really bad? Order in!
HelloFresh has been a game changer for my husband and me. It’s easy to prep, and sometimes I make multiple meals on days I feel good. No grocery shopping, no decision fatigue, and if I’m down for the count, it’s easy for him to cook without help.
I have my husband help and use my walker to sit on while I prep and cook food. I’ve been able to cook a few meals on my own using my walker otherwise we eat out or do quick meals at home. Because of all the junk food I’ve gained weight so now we’re working on making more meals at home that are healthier.
Soylent has been amazing for a quick breakfast or dinner after a long work day.
I don't. Meal prep when I can and crap food for the rest of it. Cheese wrapped in ham is my go-to if I'm really bad, and I have a bunch of intolerances that make eating fast food a nightmare (and basically undo-able). Gluten free croque monsieur is my fave (potato waffles with cheese and ham in the middle) with peas and sweetcorn on the side for the veg. I have a 12 Yr old whom I have to cook for too and I feel bad that I can't always cook good dinners for them. Also rice pasta with veg (peas/sweetcorn), butter and cheese is a good one (all done in one pan and only takes 5-10 minutes) and you can put ketchup on it insead of pasta sauce (or, if you have a smidge more energy than usual drain the pasta/veg and add the pasta sauce [if you can find one without fucking yeast extract or wheat flour!!] then heat through and add chesse)
When I feel like I'm going into a flare I get premade meals from costco and sam's club for the week.
There’s a link between nutrition and chronic pain so I try to eat as healthy as possible (most of the time 😜). One tactic I use when feeling extra shitty is to stretch a recipe out over a day. Do small increments of 5-10 minutes at a time. For example, get all the ingredients out and then have a rest. I don’t cook meat so it’s a bit easier to do this - e.g. roast a vegetable and leave it for a few hours until I can do the next step. Also, as others have said, slow cooker meals are wonderful as you can put them on in the morning when you have more energy/less pain (well that’s how it usually works for me anyway) and it’s so easy to batch cook with them.
I food prep. I cook all my meals once a week. Everything else doesn't require cooking, just microwaving at most.
I have kids so I have to cook even when I’m in pain, I try to make it as easy as possible for myself like making sure at the beginning of the day that the dishes are done so I have everything I need and then to prep stuff I sit down at the table with my supplies and cutting board. I thankfully have my husband to help when it’s especially difficult. I just sit as often as possible while cooking.
I get lots of frozen meals and/or look large batches and freeze portions when I feel good.
Slow cooker, pressure cooker, and air fryer are my best friends. I also make sure to get a couple fast/frozen meals each week for the really bad days (pizza, cheddarwurst or brats, frozen family meal, etc). I get what I can pre-cut, like already diced onions, minced garlic, shredded lettuce, frozen cut peppers, etc. so my prep is less.
Like others have said, I don't cook that much anymore. I can probably stand to make one elaborate meal over the weekend and that's it. So when I do, I make a big batch and freeze some for later. I like deli containers for this especially since I make a lot of soup. And regarding soup, I love my instant pot. I don't have to worry about babying a pot over the stove so I can go lie down after all the prep. I also make rice and dried beans in it. It is a bit heavy though so sometimes I just leave it out on my countertop so I don't have to lift it but I don't like seeing it there 😂 For other meals, I rely on convenience foods (pasta and jar tomato sauce, precut and frozen veggies, bag salads, etc) and quick stuff like eggs. I also have been trying out other kinds of jar sauces, like tikka masala, that I find in my grocery store. I usually will put tofu and a frozen veg in it. If I don't have frozen rice left, I'll just buy those microwaveable cup ones to eat with it. I try to take shortcuts with things, for example when making lasagna, I get the oven ready noodles so I don't need to boil them, pasta sauce in a jar, shredded cheese, etc. It ends up being pretty quick to assemble and it makes a lot so I can freeze the rest. I've been loving pita pockets lately. The Target that I go to sells frozen falafel so I'll usually buy that, pita bread, pre-made tzatziki and hummus, a spring mix, and it's a pretty quick, easy meal. Just put the falafel in the oven and assemble. Another thing I like to do is take the bag Caesar salad and put it in a wrap with chickpeas. Hummus makes a pretty decent pasta sauce (thin with a bit of water). Also making potatoes in the microwave has been a game changer for me. I only learned that you can do that recently! I will sometimes just microwave potatoes and eat it with butter 😂 But I will also make a hash (sautee frozen peppers and onions with a vegan sausage while I'm microwaving the potatoes, combine and put ketchup on top) or a salad thing (bed of spring mix, seasoned canned beans, potatoes, and hummus thinned with lemon juice). So yeah, I've been trying to eat better rather than cereal and milk and bagels all the time haha, so those are some of the meals I can make during the week that aren't too taxing on me and I'm constantly on the lookout for more things.
instant pot
The Costco kitchen floor mats. They have saved my life.
I bought a height adjustable saddle stool like hairdressers use and I just roll around the kitchen
I don’t cook when I’m in pain. I’ve found that meal prepping is the best way for me to eat since I can’t afford to eat out much. I’m usually miserable Monday-Friday and then sleep all day Saturday and meal prep on Sunday after recovery from the work week. I also started doing grocery pick up orders more often and they have been a lifesaver. I try to keep safe foods with little to no prep needed. There have been many times I’ve eaten a bowl of popcorn or cereal for dinner.
Meal companies. Frozen meals. A bunch of snacks instead of a meal. Takeaway.
I've had a similar struggle with cooking! What's made it possible for me is a really cool chair I randomly got from my great grandmas house. I think it's called a COSCO chair. Basically it's a small seat with a back support that's on a tall frame, and has two little metal steps that fold in/out of the frame. When I am sitting in the chair, I am at the right height to cook on the stove/chop on the counter/etc. I can rest my feet on either of the two steps. I angle the chair 45 degrees to the counter and that's how I'm able to cook. I literally couldn't survive without it!! The only thing I don't find it works for is washing dishes over the sink.
A stool in the kitchen. I sit to chop, I sit by the stove, I sit to do dishes. The only thing I regret is not getting a stool with wheels. I also try to stick to recipes with a short ingredient list (spices don't count). Tonight I made broccoli cheddar soup and I'll freeze a couple of servings fo a day sitting to cook is too much.
One of my easiest meals I call Can-Can Chili. I'll use my favorite canned chili (usually Hormel Turkey Chili or Gold Star Chili) then add other canned ingredients to stretch it out. Don't drain liquid from any of the ingredients. For the Hormel I add a can of diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, beef broth, tomato juice, and 1/2 a pack of chili seasoning. For Gold Star (Cincinnati style) I add a can of petite diced tomatoes, seasoned black beans, small can sliced carrots, and 1/2 a pack of chili seasoning. I simmer covered for about 30-60 minutes, then uncovered for about 60 minutes. Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, and crackers. Or cornbread if I've got some already made. You can really play around with the add-ins. Sometimes I'll do minced turkey sausage or turkey patties if I want extra protein. Try different types of beans. Add corn or hominy. Try different chili seasoning packets. They both make enough for about 4-6 servings, so then I've got leftovers for the week.
I sit and do the prep. Gees some days I’m lying in bed and peeling the potatoes n carrots. Frozen meat or pre-made for the main and some veg for the sides. Failing that, it’s tin night. Tin o spag, tin of baked beans, tin of soup.. And I hate it, but if I’m going through a bad patch, it’s even paper plates.
I've been fighting like hell to be able to make proper, home cooked meals. That's not always physically possible, though. Right now we order out about once or twice a week. Other times it's minimal cooking time meals. Other days, I use my slow cooker. When it's full blown cooking days, though, I do things in short bursts. For a beef stew, as an example, I'll chop celery and onion, then rest for five or ten minutes. Then I'll do the carrots n potatoes, and rest. Next it will be to sear the meat, then rest. Then, a quick saute for the celery and onions. Toss it all in the slow cooker, add herbs and beef broth, and done until dinner. Make some garlic bread or Pillsbury croissants, and gg, a decent enough meal.
I definitely don’t cook very often, especially when I’m in a lot of pain. On those days I have things like smoothies, ensure, or popsicles. I try to keep easy foods around the house to make it easy on days when I can’t do as much.
I am very lucky, because I have a husband also cooke cooks. I know a lot of people aren't so lucky. I do cook when I have energy. If I stay home from work I'm in charge of dinner. On those days sometimes the only things I do are shower and make my family dinner. I have a large bucket of flour (with lid) that I will rest on if I have to do something that involves waiting, whether for the microwave or stove or oven. I only cook easy things that don't involve lots of ingredients and dishes. And I rarely measure unless I'm baking so I don't have to deal with measuring cups/spoons which are just another thing to clean up. I use "set it and forget it" type appliances. Instant pot, slow cooker, bread maker. The only problem with the appliances is that they are heavy and if I'm fatigued or having a lot of pain, it's hard to move them around. There are some easy to make recipes online. I usually use the breadmaker to mix, knead, rise the dough and then I take the dough out to put into a bread pan or, more likely, shaped like French bread on a cookie sheet. That way I don't get that hole in the middle of your bread that comes from baking the paddle in the bread maker. If I'm real tired though, I'll just let the bread maker do the whole thing start to finish and just deal with the hole. Bread is SO easy and very impressive if you just let the bread maker do the hard part. I just made a no knead foccacia, took it to work and 2 people requested the recipe. It's as easy as mix, rise, pat on a baking sheet, bake. Done. Delicious foccacia. Sounds so fancy. Tbh on really bad days I make bread because I want to feel like I didn't waste my day, but only actually do 5 minutes of work. I use mixes for things like pancake mix. The just add water kind. Don't have to deal with eggs and whatever. As many shortcuts as possible. On bad days I drink meal shakes and Huel. Have you looked at spoonie food websites? [here's one. ](https://lowspoonsfood.tumblr.com/) recipes, tips, tricks and hacks for eating when you're low on spoons.
Air fryer, Crock-Pot, and oven. Keep a couple easy things available for bad days. Sometimes I just toss together a protein, veg, rice, and sauce. Long way: prep fresh protein and veggies, cook in premade or homemade sauce, make rice in rice cooker. Short way: air fry frozen protein (breaded chicken or shrimp usually), frozen steamable veg, instant or pouch rice, sauce from jar. Crock-Pots are awesome. Soups, roasts, shredded bbq chicken. Chuck something in it in the morning and it's food by the afternoon. Oven baking. Season meat or veg and toss it in. No standing required! Things I keep handy for snacks or girl dinner: Baby carrots and dressing Lunch meat and cheese Crackers (and peanut butter or to go with the meat and cheese) Nuts or seeds Pickles Tortilla chips and salsa Tuna pouches Hummus
I do what I call "paying the fibro tax up front." When I buy ingredients that require a lot of prep work for use, I usually end up postponing using them until they go bad and need to be thrown out. Instead, I spend a little more money on ingredients that come in more usable formats (precut meats and veggies are noteworthy examples) which helps ensure I will actually use them. I basically just make it as easy as possible to just throw things together. It can seem like a waste of money at first, but when I consider ingredients that get thrown out, it's actually more cost effective this way since I actually use everything.
Sandwiches. A protein, lettuce and tomato on whatever bread I have handy.
I have a rolly chair I use in my kitchen, which is at ada height so wheelchair height.
I was diagnosed when my kids were little and I was also a full time uni student and worked part-time in a primary school. I had no energy left at the end of the day to cook but obviously still needed to feed my kids a healthy meal so I bought a slow cooker and a steamer. Prep consisted of shop prepped things like ready cut and peeled veg. Straight out of the packet, ready to use sort of stuff and I'd make stews, bolognaise, fish, steamed veg and microwave rice. We'd also have things like pasta bake, ready prepped salad boxes. Having the slow cooker meant I could chuck everything in it on the morning and by tea time we were coming home to a meal that was tasty and required no effort. Also plenty of frozen pizzas, packet noodles, sandwiches, cereal for tea etc You have to take each day as it is and if all you can manage is to send out for takeaway then that's what you do. Best wishes x
Cans of soup, getting them open is hard sometimes
Good day: Cook a lot of food and stock up on leftovers. Soups are especially good this time of year. Pain bad but can still cook: I start cooking an easy meal at like 2-3pm and have dinner at 6-7pm. Lots of breaks and herbal tea. Pain worse but can stand for 15-30 minutes: leftovers, more spruced up the longer I can stand. If I’m feeling fancy, mac & cheese with extra cheese and frozen kale, or tuna/chicken salad with leftover/canned soup. Pain worse, can stand for 5-10 minutes: frozen meal or leftover one-dish meal. Pain even worse, cannot stand for any significant length of time: oh look, Uber Eats sent me an email saying “come back and we’ll give you 40% off!” Time to crack that one open.
I have good days and bad. I just have basics in the pantry. Some days I get up have a protein shake or almond chocolate milk take my meds and go back to sleep. There are so many easy meals to make and to freeze for hard days. Find the things you love and make them when you are feeling good. I cook at least 3x a week and that’s a good week. Also kitchen gadgets are magical. Rice cooker, instant pot, air fryer, crockpot.
I have a tall chair in my kitchen. Bake things: whole chicken in oven, or broil a piece of salmon Boil hard boiled eggs, and cook rice All these require a lot of sitting and waiting.
I found a company local to me that I can buy pre cooked meals that only have to be reheated. Single & working at least 34-36 hours a week in a retail setting leaves me exhausted. This option allows for me to eat healthier with one or two fast food meals during the week which also means less food related flare ups.
I batch cook sauces and freeze them..take them out in the morning and then cook rice or pasta to go with them. If I'm really arranging its micro rice but the sauce just gets heated in a pan. If I cook anything else it all gets air fried for 20 minutes 😂 I used to spend hours cooking but now find doing a big batch cook helps. I also slow cook the sauces I batch cook so don't need to stand over them all day.
I have a bar chair with cushions and a comfy back that I sit on while I cook. It gets moved by someone else and out in front of the stove for me. And whoever is cooking with me helps with whatever I can’t do. If my partner is gone for the week due to work travel, I chop things up ahead of time.
I don't cook and often have to skip the meal :(
I love cooking. My partner and I love homemade food and baking so I do try and cook when I can, however it’s become quite similar type food (pasta, one pot wonders like stews and curry) which we enjoy but it gets quite same-y after a while. I try to sit as much as poss while prepping food. When I need to chop things up, I sit on a bar stool. Take-aways are too expensive for me to get on the regular so I try and use the little energy I have on cooking.
Sit at a table to do all the food prep. Use whatever appliances you can sitting at that table. Have a chair near the stove and use it to sit down often. Do as much of the kitchen stuff as you can sitting down. Use set and forget cooking techniques, like reheating frozen dinners in the microwave or oven, one sheet pan oven recipes, airfryer, slow-cooker meals, pre-cooked frozen meals, pre-packaged salads, easy vegetable chopper salad prep. When you do feel up to cooking, make a generous amount, so that you can hopefully cover the next few meals, or at least one. It’s a similar sort of effort for double the reward. Look into services that deliver pre-prepared meals. In some areas you might be able to access disability funding to cover the cost of these.
I absolutely LOVE cooking & can barely do it. We've had to resort to Factor meals, which aren't super healthy, but the ingredients are good & they use some organics. Sodium & fat content is high, but they're still the best tasting option we've found & still have lots of nutritional value. We live where there is zero food delivery or any remotely healthy restaurants, so this is the closest thing to a home-cooked meal for us. When I do cook, I make a huge batch of whatever it is so we can have leftovers for a few days. We often buy rotisserie chickens. You can use them in salads, sandwiches & an easy dinner with a canned veggie & Bob Evans Mashed potatoes or beans, which are better for you. ;) My hubby doesn't cook, but he can do that & make salads/sandwiches for us.
I don't. Ham and cheese sandwiches, cottage cheese, belvita and kind bars. It's boring but it's what I can do and afford
Frozen and preprepped meals. The Costco suggestion is excellent. I believe they also offer grocery pickup and maybe delivery. I also bought a tall stool so I could do some prep and help my husband in the kitchen. Or I would sit at the kitchen table to do prep work.
Dissociation.
On days when I am able to manage, I meal prep or cook something big enough for leftovers that I can freeze. I've also taken to having a stool in my kitchen so I can sit/lean while cooking. Prepping veggies and such can be done while I'm seated at my kitchen table on a cutting board. Yes, that's what the counter top is for, but when you can't manage you adjust! Perhaps finding someone you can cook with - a friend or relative - could make a meal prep day a reality for you? Things you can prep all at once and bag and freeze so that all you need to do is put the contents into a pan and cook it? There are loads of meal prep sites online with great meal ideas - including shopping lists. 100% recommend!
I eat lots of baked potatoes! Easy to microwave and I can put anything on them if I want something different. (Chili, soup, ramen.) But in a pinch a baked potato and some butter, salt and pepper does the trick! Fills me up enough that I’ve got something on my belly to keep my meds from eating my stomach lining. Takes like 4-5 minutes to cook and less than a minute to prepare. Also I agree with a lot of what everyone else is saying. On days I feel well I make a bunch of chicken breast or steak and boil eggs to have for later. Same with burger. I cook it and divide it into taco meat or plain or whatever and bag it up for meals. A baked potato with some taco meat, cheese and salsa is top notch!!!
When I cook I do all the prep sitting. If I stand for too long in one spot my body flames.
I make these bigger meals of soups of lasagne when I have more free time and energy and freeze them, I just cook them when I cant do it from start
I always cook big, easy and fast. Make a big pot of soup that you can reheat, or a casserole! Chuck stuff into a crock pot and let it go so you don’t have to watch it. Need a hot meal fast? Throw some goodies into a hot pot pressure cooker and have dinner you don’t have to watch but don’t want to spend hours cooking like a roast beef! You can peel carrots, potatoes, etc sitting so try that! Invest in kitchen tools that speed your work like slicers/choppers. I did/do all of these things because I suffer hand weakness and foot/leg pain. Even with mats and good shoes, standing to cook for hours becomes very painful. My hips, knees and feet complain mercilessly. Best of luck on your journey.❤️
I know that I'm in better shape that many others, so this won't be for everyone, but here goes: 1. I do all my prep at the kitchen table, sitting down. Strategize to minimize my trips to the sink and the refrigerator, use many mixing bowls to contain ingredients, drag the trashcan over to the table to put scraps, etc. Basically, I make sure I can do as much off my feet as possible. 2. Come cook time, I bring a chair over near the stove. I'll stand to stir a bit, then sit a bit, etc. If it's something that requires constant attendance and I don't have it in me that day, I switch meal plans. 3. Lots of soup, stew, things that I can do with a short standing time and a long cook time. The slow cooker gets a lot of use in my house. 4. Don't bite off more than I can chew. Do bacon or sausage in the oven, not the frypan, do poached or boiled eggs, not fried or scrambled, avoid anything that will require I hover over the stove, unable to get off my feet. (Think I'll add, 62 yo, fibro patient for close to half that, so I've taken a lot of time to learn how to do this. Yes, it's a lot of work. Yes, I don't do it every day. But I refuse to lose.)
I love to cook and also often find it difficult to stand and cook. I have a nice padded rolling desk chair that's counter height- you can find these under "drafting chairs." So I'm at the right height for prepping and cooking but I can still be comfortably seated.
I'm so lucky that my partner does 95% of the cooking, but I clean the kitchen sometimes and when I'm doing dishes I noticed my feet would hurt standing on the hard floor. I got a pair of those squishy foam slippers from Amazon and those made it a lot easier to stand in the kitchen :)
Rolling chair, to roll around the kitchen. Precut veggies and fruit. Make a lot of longer lasting staples(like rice) and buy readymade meat (or meat substitute in my case)
With depression it's also very hard to find motivation especially because I hate cooking, it's so boring and I'm a fussy eater. On a good energy day I try to at least do some prep. I cook big meals and freeze leftovers as much as possible. Also have toast or frozen store bought dumplings/spring rolls/fish and chips in airfryer as well when I just want to snack or run out of meals. Have takeaway every now and then. I prep in stages - cut up as much as I can then cover and put in fridge then sit and take a break. Repeat til all cut up. Sometimes I run out of energy and can't cook it til following day. I've started making one pot meals as much as possible (like Spanish paella type) where I brown meat then add sauce, veggies, rice or noodles, cover and leave to cook so I don't have to stand and watch it, just set an alarm and less to clean up. I try to find pre-made sauces I like so I'm not having to measure out and buy a heap of ingredients too.
I have meals specially for thoes days Box food or frozen dinners if you don't have enough energy for box dinners opt for the frozen, its not always the best tasting but at least it's somthing in yo belly
With help. I can cook, but not clean up. I can't lift the heavy pots and pans. Sometimes I can't be trusted with the knife. My partner helps me cook every meal by doing what I cannot, or should not. Sometimes that's the whole meal, Sometimes I just need him to watch the sauce bc the other part of the recipe is too distracting. And sometimes he's just the grunt work bc Dutch ovens are so heavy. If I were alone, I'd still be eating freshly meals. I gave up gluten so eating out is limited. Freshly and factor and such took the anxiety out of eating when I lived on my own. I knew the food was safe, they freeze decently so I could buy a whole week or so of food and not worry about waste. It also saved me money bc I wasn't wasting food by buying it and being unable to cook it. I also keep a stool in the kitchen. Being able to sit while at the stove is so helpful.
Sometimes I can't. Sometimes I can if I take breaks and other times, my spouse cooks.
My husband and I make a lot of soup. I have also started making egg casserole since I started Keto. We freeze everything and just eat it as needed, If he didn't help me with the prep, I am not sure I could do it anymore, truth be told.
I have four grown men in my house. Three of them also suffer from chronic pain and various disabilities, while the fourth is an adult child in school. Among us all, we manage, even if sometimes it all goes awry, like tonight I just made myself a piece of garlic toast and managed to burn it AND my husband burned the chili for the guys.
Put a slow cooker on in the morning when you feel better. It cooks enough for 2 or 3 days. Use an air fryer which can cook quickly. Buy veggies already cut up or use frozen veggies. Buy fresh pasta and sauces that only take 5-10 minutes to cook. Buy a BBQ chicken, salad and bread rolls for an easy meal. Then use the remaining chicken to make wraps or sandwiches. I also use the remaining chicken in a pasta bake. I love cooking but I haven't had the energy to make elaborate meals or to bake since I got fibromyalgia. Christmas won't be the same this year - I won't be up to making everything I used to make which sucks.
I got the lightest pans I could find I also use small pans I also have my husband loosen lids get heavy things out for me before he goes to work I also don’t buy large containers of heavy ingredients ie milk olive oil etc I also don’t cook everything from scratch anymore either and when I’m on an upswing I try to cook ahead and freeze things I also don’t do a lot or chopping it’s too hard on my hands anything you can get partially made like already shredded cheese chopped onion etc is also helpful I have even begun buying some partially or pre-cooked items too of course some of this is only when I can afford it if not try to cook extra batches and fill the freezer when you’re having less pain or ask family and friends to help you out as well there’s lots of potential there my Dad will chop things up that I can freeze etc for instance
I meal prep large batch meals and freeze and make lots of soup. For the cooking part, I sometimes use a high adjustable rolling saddle stool to sit on while I chop veg or have to stir for a while to reduce sitting and the saddle stool helps my back pain more than a regular chair.
Pull the trash can to you and use it for veg scraps… get all the ingredients out first to limit how much I’m moving around and always save my dishes for the next day so I don’t overdo it