How do you have the energy to cook dinner after work?

Question

My shift is from 8am-4:30. When I get home, I’m incredibly hungry and also very tired. I find it difficult to cook dinner for my kids. The meal kits are too expensive and a lot of prep ahead then cook later meals take so long to bake that it takes an hour and a half/two hours for dinner to be ready after I get home.

Answer

Crockpot meals. Load the crockpot before you leave for work

Answer

I try to prep as much ahead of time, and choose easy recipes. And then just have to suck it up and do it. I cook 3 nights a week and we eat leftovers the other night.

Answer

I meal prep Saturday and Sunday and make freezer meals in batches. Then take one out to thaw in fridge the night before and pop it in the oven or in a pot whenever I get home. Does typically take 30mins to an hour to be done but I can get everyone baths, do homework, and clean while it cooks.

Answer

Do you have a partner? We each have designated days to cook dinner so it always wouldn’t fall on me, it’s worked very well. Otherwise I’d do more crockpot cooking.

Answer

I get up at 8:45-9am 5 days a week. I get home around 8:30pm. My husband and I always make dinner or go out to eat every night. That's 55 hours a week at the very least. We own and operate our own business with us and One employee. I enjoy cooking and I'm kinda slow at it too. It usually take me over an hour to cook some times two. 
There's plenty of time once you get home to make dinner etc. I think your experiencing something mentally. Maybe depression and it leaves you with no motivation or energy. Maybe look into the cause of that. You can set out meat in the fridge the night before to have meat thawed and ready to cook. Also go ahead and pick out a veg and carb for dinner. Then spend about 45 mins to make dinner out of your night. Ask your husband to help more. Try recipes for fast casseroles or crock pot meals Maybe.

Answer

I use an instant pot & crock pot for a lot of my meals or I cook meals that take less than 5 minutes to prep if I use the oven/stove. If my meats are frozen, I’ll set them out a day or two ahead of time.

Answer

Crockpot meals are a must. You can assemble everything before you go to work or even the night before and the meal cooks while you're at work. They're also great for leftovers. You don't have to cook something different every day. 
My husband was a single father of three - he had sole custody. One pot meals were a staple and they would eat the same thing three or four days in a row until whatever it was ran out. He used a lot of rice and beans because they're very filling and go a long way. Big pots of soup also extend over a few days. You could cook a roast with potatoes,  celery, carrots, and onions in the crockpot and use the leftovers to make soup for the rest of the week. Just add water to the broth you get and add more vegetables. You can boil a rotisserie chicken to make chicken soup. Pick the meat off the bones after boiling it for three or four hours and throw in whatever vegetables you want. Add water and a few handfuls of rice. Make stew in the crockpot. 
There are a lot of options that don't require to spend an hour+ cooking after work.

How do you have the energy to cook dinner after work?

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