Are you finding yourself staring into the fridge at 6 pm, wondering if a handful of grapes and a slice of cheese count as dinner? If so, you’re not alone.
The demands of modern life can often leave individuals feeling drained, impacting even the most routine daily activities.
This pervasive sense of fatigue can profoundly influence domestic habits, particularly those related to meal preparation.
A new survey from taste.com.au has revealed that, for many Australians, the biggest barrier to cooking dinner isn’t the rising cost of living or the price of groceries—it’s sheer exhaustion.
Too tired to tackle the stove
The taste.com.au Dinner Heroes survey, conducted by the Growth Intelligence Centre, asked over 2000 Australians about their dinner habits. The results? Fatigue is the number one reason we’re skipping the kitchen. While we all know the cost of living is biting, it turns out that after a long day, most of us simply don’t have the energy to whip up a meal from scratch.
The generational divide is striking. More than a third (34 per cent) of Gen Z respondents admitted they’re too tired to cook most nights, with half blaming work.
Millennials aren’t faring much better—almost half (48 per cent) say they’re too knackered to cook. Gen Xers are a little more resilient, with one in three citing tiredness, while only 10 per cent of Baby Boomers say fatigue keeps them from the kitchen.
Perhaps all those years of practice have made Boomers more efficient—or maybe they’ve just mastered the art of the quick meal!
Families with young children are also feeling the pinch, with a third saying they’re too tired to cook most nights.
In contrast, only 16 per cent of adult families without kids report the same struggle. It seems the pitter-patter of little feet comes with a side of dinner fatigue.
Time, money, and a dash of inspiration
While tiredness tops the list, lack of time is a close second, with 33 per cent of Australians using it as an excuse to order takeaway.
One in four blame the cost of ingredients, and nearly as many say they’re simply out of ideas for what to cook.
The result? Two in five Australians admit to ordering takeout or home delivery when dinner time rolls around.
Almost 30 per cent opt for a frozen meal or microwave dinner, and one in five will just snack instead of having a proper meal. Alarmingly, 13 per cent of respondents—rising to one in five among Gen Z—sometimes skip dinner altogether.
The convenience conundrum
It’s no surprise that younger generations, raised in a world of instant gratification, are more likely to reach for their phones than their frying pans.
Social researcher Dr Claire Madden points out that Gen Z has grown up in a ‘boundaryless world’, where work, play, and personal life blur together, thanks to technology.
The result? An ‘always on’ mentality that leaves little room for meal prep.
Will Stubley, co-founder of youth platform Year13, says grabbing a snack at the end of a long day can feel like the easiest way to reclaim some time.
But he also highlights the importance of learning to cook—not just for health, but as a way to connect with others.
‘Cooking for yourself, especially on a budget, isn’t just good for you, it can be a good way to socialise and look after both yourself and others too,’ he says.
Health on the back burner
Registered nutritionist Dr Chrissy Freer warns that regularly skipping dinner or replacing it with a carb-heavy snack can lead to nutrient shortfalls.
‘Dinner is often a key opportunity to meet daily needs for vegetables, fibre and protein,’ she says. With only one in 15 Australian adults meeting recommended vegetable intakes, missing dinner can further compromise diet quality.
Plus, going to bed hungry can disrupt sleep, leading to a vicious cycle of fatigue and unhealthy snacking the next day.
Leftovers, delegation, and the art of keeping it simple
But it’s not all doom and gloom. When we do cook, almost half of us are happy to eat leftovers, and nearly one in five will ask someone else to take over dinner duties. Taste.com.au’s Digital Food Director, Amira Georgy, says dinner doesn’t have to be a three-course extravaganza.
As a mum of three, she swears by simple, family-friendly meals that can stretch over a couple of days—and the freezer is her best friend for those nights when time is tight.
Planning ahead is key. Less than a third of Australians prepare their dinners at the start of the week, but those who do often find it easier to stick to healthy, budget-friendly meals.
And while eating out or ordering in can seem like a quick fix, taste.com.au’s Food Director Michelle Southan reminds us that homemade meals are usually much kinder to the wallet.
‘That’s why we created our new fakeaway Friday recipes—done and dusted in under 30 minutes, and cheaper than delivery,’ she says.
Where do we get our dinner inspiration?
When it comes to deciding what’s for dinner, a third of us turn to family and friends, while another third look to recipe websites or social media.
Unsurprisingly, more than half of Gen Zers get their dinner ideas from social media, compared to just 10 per cent of Boomers. Taste is the top priority, with health, nutrition, time, and cost all tying for second place.
Credit: @taste_team / Instagram
Quick tips for beating dinner fatigue
- Plan ahead: Do a big shop at the start of the week and choose meals that can be eaten over a couple of days.
- Embrace leftovers: Cook double and freeze half for a future ‘can’t be bothered’ night.
- Keep it simple: One-pot wonders, stir-fries, and tray bakes are your friends.
- Use frozen veggies: They’re nutritious, affordable, and save on prep time.
- Try ‘fakeaway’ recipes: Get the takeaway taste at home, for less money and in less time.
If you’re looking for inspiration, taste.com.au has teamed up with Coles to create 20 new Dinner Heroes recipes—quick, simple, and packed with flavour. You can check them out at taste.com.au/dinnerheroes.
How do you cope with dinner fatigue?
We’d love to hear from you! Are you too tired to cook most nights, or have you found clever ways to make dinner less of a chore?
Do you have a go-to quick meal, or a favourite ‘fakeaway’ recipe? Share your tips, tricks, and dinner disasters in the comments below—let’s help each other get dinner on the table, one tired Australian at a time.
Also read: Can AI fix your food budget? Australian mum puts it to the test
Many years ago, when working full time in a rural town with limited takeaway options, and involving long drives to and from workplaces, I invested in a freezer and a microwave and batch cooked every weekend. I’d have an assortment of frozen meals to choose from when I got home late.