Time in isolation has taken its toll on all of us. The kids are finding the daily grind of attending school online to be uninspiring. The work-from-home routine for my husband turns into endless hours of sitting in a chair during Zoom meetings. For me, a work-from-home pro, I am finding my creative juices just aren’t flowing. One day melds into another, without much variety. Wake up, check emails, try to write, try to be creative, get up from desk, search the pantry, find nothing, return to desk — and the cycle continues.
Under ‘normal’ circumstances, cooking is my diversion. It’s a way for me to get my creative juices flowing, and it often keeps my mind active and engaged. Lately, cooking has become a chore, and the kitchen is no longer one of my favorite rooms in the house.
I’m usually the one in charge of the food –planning, shopping and cooking. It’s my domain, and I run a tight ship. I plan meals for the week, shop accordingly and then get to the task of preparing meals in the time between taking the kids to and from after school activities. Getting a meal on the table during our crazy, hectic times is a sense of accomplishment, and one that I have come to enjoy.
Now, all 6 of us are here, all day, every day. Now, there is constantly someone in the kitchen – searching, grabbing, crumb making, dish dirtying, garbage making . . .
I am out of sorts, and it is the process of making meals that is bringing me down. It’s not just the wariness of the cooking process, as everyone in the family has helped prepared meals recently. I think it has to do with the unscheduled nature of things right now. With no one really needing to be anywhere, the hours of the day kind of melt together. I look up and realize it’s 5:30 and I should have already begun to prepare dinner.
Getting Back on Schedule
I guess what I need now is to get back to a schedule, so I know when I’m going to begin dinner, when we’ll eat, and when I’ll have a bit of ‘me’ time in the evening — maybe a walk, an online yoga class, time to read, or knit.
In addition to getting back on a schedule, I need to prepare something different. I’m tired of the family favorites — the constant plea for pasta and bacon, burgers, or crispy chicken. It’s time for me to add new recipes to my rotation – for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack foods. With a set schedule, along with new recipes on the table, there will be something different to add to my day – something other than just the same old day that I had yesterday.
Wish me luck — I’m starting with a few recipes I recently added to my mix. Hopefully they will be just the right thing to get me back in the kitchen with a more positive attitude.
1 thought on “Seeking Mealtime Inspiration”
Love the honesty of your writing. We are all feeling the days melting one into another and hoping for creative inspiration in something/anything! Also, I like the new look of your site.