Coping with Cooking Burnout: The Comfort of Simple Meals

There are days when cooking feels soothing, almost meditative.  And then there are days when it feels extremely overwhelming.  When that happens, it’s usually because I’m turn burnout and depleted of any energy.  

My relationship with food has been complicated as of late.  I feel like something is wrong with me because I’m so inconsistent.  One day I’ll want to scarf down anything in sight and get in the kitchen and cook up a nice meal.  The next day, I’ll want nothing to do with eating.  I’m not in the mood for it, and getting in the kitchen is honestly the last thing I want to do because I’m so burnout.

It’s perplexing because I usually lose myself in it.  I love chopping sauteing, stirring, and plating.  It grounds me and helps me when I need a little distraction from reality.  But on days where I feel low, I just need something quick and easy just to get something into my system.  

What I’ve learned is that cooking isn’t inherently regulating or dysregulating.  It ultimately depends on how, why, and where I am emotionally when I step foot into the kitchen.  

One of the meals that consistently feels regulating for me is something simple, familiar, and nostalgic: quesadillas. 

It’s reliable when I don’t want to put too much effort in.  I usually use Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack if I want a little extra heat.  I add green onions and green chiles and depending on what I have—or what I have the energy for—I’ll use seasoned ground round, chicken, or steak.  It’s a meal I’ve made countless times, and the comfort of it matters more than I ever realized. 

Why This Meal Feels Regulating for Me

• Predictability: I know exactly how it’s going to turn out.  No surprises or complicated steps need to be taken. 
• Low decision fatigue: The options are flexible but limited. I don’t have to think too hard.
• Sensory comfort: The sizzle in the pan, the smell of melting cheese, the warmth.  It’s soothing rather than overstimulating.
• Forgiveness: If I overcook it slightly or change an ingredient, it still works. There’s no “failure.”
• Embodied focus: Cooking it keeps my hands busy, and my mind gently occupied without demanding something extravagant. 
• Connection to past versions of myself: It’s a meal I’ve returned to again and again during different seasons of life, which makes it feel safe.

When cooking feels regulating, it’s not about creativity or searching for perfection.  It’s about doing something familiar enough that calms me, relaxes me.

But I also want to name the other side.

There are times when cooking doesn’t feel regulating at all.  When my executive function is shot and burnout has caught me. When my sensory threshold is low.  And when the noise, smells, and decisions feel like too much. On those days, forcing myself to cook builds shame.

Learning to honor both experiences has been part of my evolving coping mechanisms. Regulation, for me, isn’t about doing the “right” thing.  It’s about listening to what I actually need in that moment.

I’m learning that coping doesn’t have to look impressive to be effective. Sometimes it looks like melted cheese, a warm pan, and a meal I’ve trusted for years.  Other times, it looks like takeout, granola bars on the go, or even skipping a meal entirely. 

What matters is tuning into what my body and mind actually need in the moment.  Sometimes it’s regulating, other times it’s not, but both are valid.  Both are part of caring for myself, especially when burnout or exhaustion has taken over. 

It’s about presence, intention, and gentle self-awareness.  Because taking care of myself isn’t about what looks “right” to anyone else—it’s about what feels safe, steady, and kind to me.

When has a simple, familiar meal helped you feel grounded?

Helpful Article: Epicurious

“Self-care is not a waste of time; self-care makes your use of time more sustainable.” — Audre Lorde