Tips on Dinner prep with Fatigue?

[Jazzy_in_Tas]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has tips in how to make it easier to make meals? I struggle to come up with different meal ideas to make bulk quantities, so getting a well balanced meal each week. I am getting help from a meals on wheels program a couple of nights a week (energy levels run low by afternoon to make dinner every night) Just trying to work out a better routine to make this plausible. Thankyou!

[Hidden]

Hi Jazzy_in_Tas. Commiserations. I have a long-term health condition in addition to being an old codger so I suffer from this too and it can be challenging. But I do have a couple of strategies that help me. First I try to harness the bit of the day when energy levels are highest (mornings for me) and I’ll start off a one pot slow cooker meal, for example. Then later I only have to dish up. I make use of my supermarket deli counter too to buy things like thick slices of roast ham or a rotisserie chicken to have with a mixed salad, or chopped up in a variety of recipes. (I have a good recipe for chicken curry made this way.). You could buy ready prepped veg too. A bit more expensive but very helpful . Or tray roasted veg/meat are easy, as is a ready prepped stir fry which then takes only a few minutes to cook. I often use those instant Ramen noodles in mine too. Just soak em and add em! Eggs are a great instant food too. Make chunky soups and freeze them for future use. Gadgets help, like the Ninja Foodie as well as your conventional oven.

Don’t forget to bribe yourself. (“When I’ve peeled those spuds I’ll stop for tea and a break”), for example Short bursts of activity are easier to deal with. And if you need a nap, plan that in advance too and don’t let sleep creep up on you. Allow yourself a set amount of time to nap and wake up and get moving again before attempting to cook. It’s about forward planning as much as anything, I think.

[Jazzy_in_Tas in reply to Hidden]

Thank you! Really appreciate your reply. Some days/ weeks just find it impossible to eat well in regards to the illness I have... Just so hard to find a balance with that part of my life..

[Bidgie]

I agree you need to know why you tire so easily at your age. I am retired + now and on my own so difficult to get motivated. Get tired, too. I am a great fan of the Microwave. More or less keep to the same routine.1 day meat, next fish, next eggs. ? cheese. A friend of mine showed me how to cook all my veg together- carrot, parsnip, perhaps pumpkin, ? onion, then green beans, cabbage, curly kale or sprouts, a few frozen peas and broad beans, mushrooms. Just enough, altogether to be sufficient for a day or 2, add a little water and cook in microwave for 5-7mins. Check if cooked with sharp knife. Add a little salt and pepper before serving. The meat is often chicken breast, sliced up and stir fry. Fish in oval dish on base of milk, plus parsley(white fish), dill for salmon. 2-3 mins in microwave, turn over with spatula and repeat.

Shouldn't add salt & pepper before put in microwave, they say.

Reheat veg 30 secs, add fish, cover and then make white sauce in teacup with cornflour, put in microwave on reheat and watch. When starts boiling up cup take out, stir hard,add salt & pepper. It may take 2 lots of reheat & have to watch so doesn't boil over but you soon get the idea.

With eggs, I often put cooked veg in frying pan with a little olive cooking oil, and add whisked up egg & milk mixture to make what I call a Fritttata!!

Do a bit and rest a bit! Good luck

[Jazzy_in_Tas in reply to Bidgie]

Was diagnosed with Sle lupus so fatigue my main issue with it. I really appreciate your recipe ideas! Thank you, find microwave is my haven at the moment. Cause everyday is different I find it hard to put a day aside to make bulk meals for the week.. just feel if I at least get dinner sorted for week, may be able to get brunch or other meals accounted for properly...

[Bidgie in reply to Jazzy_in_Tas]

I couldn't do bulk meals for a week and then have to freeze them. Might do 2 days. How many people do you cook for? If a number of them get them to help.

[Jazzy_in_Tas in reply to Bidgie]

I try to cook as much as I can when I have the energy to make something. I just live on my own, so unfortunately don't have help with the meals. I did register with meals on wheels, will see how I go with that getting made dinners already prepared when I need them.

[Bidgie in reply to Jazzy_in_Tas]

Had a thought -if you think it could partly be your tablets go and see your chemist and see if they need adjusting. Drs often keep adding things without checking if that is exactly right for you, the individual. If that is so, you can see the Dr with the chemist advice. Remember tabs 3 x day are 8hrly. Hope you have a large freezer like me. Keep at it!

[Jazzy_in_Tas]

I have sle lupus, specialist and I can't understand why I have fatigue with the medication I take. Should control it, but doesn't for me. Try my best to exercise when I can, eat well to my ability, but need to manage my meals better to getting all the nutrients I need everyday. Really appreciate your reply! Taking everything on board

[Cooper27 Administrator]

I think looking for some shortcuts will be your friend: I'm personally a fan of frozen veg, as it's all ready to use. Frozen meat, tinned beans, spice mixes, anything you can just drop in a pot.

You might also like to invest in something like an instant pot or slow cooker, as it's another low effort cooking shortcut. With a pressure cooker, you can cook from frozen, but you have to defrost for a slow cooker.

Some of the foods you can easily make in bulk are: chilli, paella-type dishes, stew, curry, casseroles, pulled pork, pasta. I like to look for ideas on Pinterest. Hope that helps

[Jazzy_in_Tas in reply to Cooper27]

Thank you for help, I get into these weird habits and make the same thing over and over again haha. I do have a slow cooker, looking for recipes on pinterest is a great idea. It will be better when my health comes good, at the moment its just really tough to have the energy to make three meals a day. Really appreciate your advice!

[Cooper27 Administrator in reply to Jazzy_in_Tas]

Ah, I always forget about the other 2 meals when people ask for recipe tips!

Honestly think a little pot of yoghurt and frozen berries makes a good breakfast, which might be good for you too. If you make it, then need a nap, the berries just defrost and flavour the yoghurt more.

For lunches, a lot of my colleagues would bring microwave rice and microwave lentil bolognese/spicy beans (sold in the rice section) for something that keeps well and is cheap.

[Jazzy_in_Tas in reply to Cooper27]

Thank you I have been doing yoghurt for brekky, try and do a sandwich for lunch. Been doing a bit better, bought a slow cooker recipe book recently works well