I Just Don’t Want to Cook

I love to cook, I really do.  Which is a good thing since as a food allergy mom I do it ALL. OF. THE. TIME.  But, this past week was a rough one.  I got sick.   When mama goes down it is never good, but when a food allergy mama goes down there is a lot left to be done in the kitchen. 

There were two days in particular that I laid on the couch cuddled up with my girls while they basked in the never ending glow of the TV.  I think they were quite pleased.  I was in and out of sleep all afternoon but when the clock hit 5:00 I knew I had to start thinking about dinner. 

I shop every week with a meal plan in mind so I had a fridge full of the ingredients to make things like pork chops with loaded baked potatoes and chicken rice bowls with homemade salsa, but just the thought of standing up and cooking was overwhelmingly exhausting.  I just couldn’t pull it together.  Instead of hearty home cooked meals, I surveyed my pantry for safe, quick, and somewhat nourishing foods I could feed my kids so I could get back to my happy place on the couch under the blanket.

Coming up with quick convenience meals can be challenging when you have food allergies, as many processed foods contain allergens.  But, I was able to pair together some of my pantry staples and keep my family eating even though I couldn’t pull off my nightly display of food-allergy-mom-cooking-awesomeness.

As the week rolled on and I cuddled under my covers, willing my health to return, I got to thinking about easy convenience meals and the foods to have on hand for quick meals.  Because let’s face it, whether you are sick, or not, there are just some nights you don’t have it in you to pull off amazing culinary feats.  And so, this edition of Thrive On 3: Three easy meals for nights when you just don’t want to cook.

Meal One: Soup, Salad or Fruit and Bread

One pantry staple we always have is soup.  This may not be the healthiest option, but you can heat up a bowl of soup in minutes.  Add some bagged salad or fruit and you aren’t doing too badly.  Depending on your allergens, you may not be able to eat canned soup.  So, make up batches of homemade soup and freeze them in individual serving sizes. You can defrost as needed for a safe and healthy bowl of soup.  Amy’s brand soups are also a good and healthy choice for some.  For example, Amy’s Chunky Tomato Bisque is gluten, dairy, corn and soy free.

We pair our soup with what my girls have coined in our house as “cheesy bread”.  It is essentially any form of bread that I can find in my pantry with any kind of cheese I can find in my fridge toasted under the broiler for a few minutes.  We don’t have a dairy allergy so cheese is a staple in our house, but if you do have a dairy allergy you could make garlic toasts.  Toast slices of bread, pita, etc. sprinkled with a little olive oil, salt and garlic powder.  Or, sprinkle bread with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar for a savory toast bite.

Meal Two: Breakfast-for-Dinner

This is another go-to quick meal for me, and one that I made this week.  I was able to drag myself off the couch long enough to scramble some eggs, toast some bread and cut up some fruit.  My girls love breakfast for dinner and so it was a win all around.  If you can eat eggs, this is a great quick meal and you can throw veggies into your scramble to up the health factor. 

If you can’t eat eggs, another great breakfast-for-dinner option is frozen waffles and fruit.  Van’s offers a variety of tasty waffles that are gluten free and Ian’s Natural Foods has a number of frozen breakfast items including French Toast Sticks that are free of egg, milk, nuts, soy and gluten.

If you aren’t comfortable eating pre-packaged waffles be sure to make a double batch of your safe recipe the next time you make them for breakfast and freeze some for a breakfast-for-dinner night.

Meal Three: Chicken Patties, Frozen Veggies and Fruit

If I cooked this meal every night my girls would probably call me the best cook, and mom, in America.  I don’t do it often, but on nights when I need a quick meal it is a good option.  We use Applegate chicken patties.  Another good allergy friendly option is Ian’s.  They have chicken patties, nuggets and other frozen entrées free of many of the major allergens.

I keep lots of frozen veggie options in my freezer and while those chicken patties are baking away I make a helping of frozen veggies and cut up some fruit (if not open a can of fruit) and in less than 20 minutes dinner is ready and I am done.

 Here are some other tips for nights when you just don’t want to cook:

•    Buy safe pantry staples in multiples so that you always have extras on hand.

•    If you are not comfortable, or able, to buy a lot of pre-packaged goods make bulk batches of things like soup, waffles and homemade chicken strips and freeze in individual portions for easy meals.

•    Freeze a loaf of your safe bread so that you always have some on hand.

•    Let yourself have a night or two off and use easy meals when you need them.  I often feel guilty if I am not cooking a hearty and well-balanced meal, but some nights you just need a break!

I am feeling better now and have already started thinking about my meal plan for next week.  The girls might actually be more disappointed when I am back to my normal love-to-cook self and don’t put chicken patties on the menu.  But, I will be restocking those, as I know there will be another night, in the not too distant future, when I just don’t want to cook.

Thrive On and stay healthy!

Product Disclaimer:
Thrive On Consulting does not sponsor or endorse the products listed.  Nor has Thrive On Consulting been paid to include these products.  Products mentioned here are provided as ideas and suggestions to help you Thrive On with food allergies.

If you find this post helpful learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which helps families and individuals dealing with food allergies, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter