Some days, cooking is a joy.
And some days… cooking is just another thing on a list that already feels too long.
If you’re a caregiver (or you love someone who needs a bit of extra support), you probably know these “in-between” days. The days when you want something warm and familiar on the table — but you also want the process to feel calm, not complicated.
I’m in that world too — both through my work and in my family — and I’ve learned something that sounds almost silly, but helps a lot:
When the day feels heavy, small rituals matter.
And in the kitchen, a small ritual can look like this:
- one simple recipe
- one page you can actually read
- and a gentle pace that leaves room for conversation (or quiet)
The problem with most recipes (especially on tired days)
A lot of recipes are written for people who have:
- perfect lighting
- perfect energy
- and perfect eyesight 😅
But caregiver days aren’t like that.
Tiny fonts, cluttered pages, long ingredient lists, “just sauté for 18 minutes while you simultaneously do three other things” — it’s not helping. Sometimes we need recipes that feel like a friendly hand, not a challenge.
A gentle kitchen routine I use (15–30 minutes, no pressure)
This is my favorite way to make cooking feel calmer — especially when someone is easily overwhelmed or distracted.
1) Pick one familiar recipe
Not a new experiment. Not a 12-step project. Just something simple and recognizable.
2) Read it out loud (even if it feels weird)
Reading the steps together slows everything down in a good way. It also turns cooking into a shared moment, not a performance.
3) Set up like it’s “activity time,” not “work time”
A cup of tea, a clean surface, a small bowl for scraps, and a gentle start.
Sometimes just changing the vibe changes everything.
4) Celebrate the smallest win
Even if the meal is simple.
Even if it’s not perfect.
A warm plate on the table can be a big win.
Why I made a large-print printable recipe set
After enough caregiver days, I realized I wanted recipe pages that were:
- easy to read
- uncluttered
- simple enough to follow without stress
- and printable, so they can live in a folder on the kitchen counter
So I made a small pack: 10 easy recipes in large print — clean layout, familiar ingredients, and simple steps.
Want the printable?
If you’d like the full set, you can find it here:
👉
Printing tip: It’s A4. If you print on US Letter, choose “Fit to page.”
A quick idea: make it a “recipe binder”
If you have a folder or binder at home, you can turn this into a tiny routine:
- print the pages
- add a cover
- keep it somewhere visible
- and let it become your “we always have something easy” backup plan
Future-you will be grateful.
A gentle note (because caregiver life is real life)
If today is one of those days where everything feels like effort — you’re not failing. You’re carrying a lot.
Start small. Make it simple.
And if all you manage is tea and toast, that still counts as care.