The Lazy Londoner's Guide to Weeknight Cooking
It’s 7.00 pm. You’ve just done the commute shuffle (tube/train/bus/that never-ending queue for Pret), and your brain is whispering “take-out….take-out…”. But you promised yourself you would cook tonight, but frankly, the sofa is way more tempting. Sounds familiar? Fear not. You are not alone. And yes, tonight you can rustle up something properly tasty with minimal faff (and the right cookware).
Why Lazy Cooking is Totally a Thing
Social feeds are full of the ‘feta-pasta’ explosion, rice-paper dumplings, baked oats for dinner (yes, seriously), and five-ingredient dinners that even you can manage after a long day. The vibe? Easy weeknight meals you don’t need a Michelin-star tool-kit for.
According to a recent survey by YouGov, around 23% of people aged 25–39 say they cook from scratch most days, and many more a few times a week. And when you’ve got a work inbox piling up, commuting fatigue to face, and a sofa that’s calling your name, lazy cooking becomes less ‘lazy’ and more ‘smart’.
For a working professional, urban life means tight schedules, a desire for good food, and zero patience for mess or five pans. That’s why a smart set of cookware matters: a good non-stick frying pan for the one-pot toss; a cast-iron casserole for a cosy ‘set and forget’; a triply sauté pan when you want to feel fancy; stainless steel for that “I know what I am doing” vibe.
Quick Meal Ideas (done in ~30 mins or less)
Here are four quick and easy midweek wins:
1. Feta-Pasta Shake Up
Grab a baking dish (or shallow casserole) and toss in cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, olive oil, and garlic. Bung it all in the oven while you pick your post-work playlist. Meanwhile, boil pasta. Once it’s oven-soft, mash the tomatoes & feta, and the sauce is done—stir in the pasta. If you’ve got a good cast-iron casserole from Vinod Cookware, you’ll be sorted. Minimal pans, maximum chic.
2. One-Pan Stir & Toss
Use a reliable non-stick frying pan: sweat off chopped onion, add thin chicken strips (or tofu), toss in frozen peas & sweetcorn, splash soy sauce and honey, and voila. Finish with whatever herbs you have in the fridge. Dinner is done while you unwind. The non-stick surface means less scrubbing (bonus!).
3. Rice Paper Dumpling Hack
Cut a corner for a fun TikTok-inspired twist: take rice-paper wraps, fill with cooked prawns/chicken, salad leaves, and hoisin. Use a shallow triply sauté pan to quickly sear the wraps if you like them crunchy, or keep them fresh. It’s playful, fast, and feels like you made an effort (while in reality you were watching the tube at home).
https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/51613-how-people-in-the-uk-prefer-to-cook-from-scratch-or-meal-kits
4. Veggie-Loaded Casserole for Sofa Mode
Tonight is sofa-mode? Good. Use your cast-iron casserole or heavy stainless-steel pot. Chuck in chickpeas, chopped veg (courgette, pepper, aubergine if you are feeling wild), tinned tomatoes, and curry paste. Let it simmer while you flop, then serve with rice or naan. Healthy weeknight meals done with zero pressure.
The Cookware That Makes It Work
When you are after lazy cooking but want it to feel like you actually cooked:
• A non-stick frying pan = the MVP for stir-fries and one-pan wonders.
• A triply sauté pan gives you that upgraded feel when you want just a smidge of flair.
• A cast-iron casserole = set-and-forget dinners that still taste amazing.
• A Stainless-steel cookware = for the occasional ‘I will impress myself’ moment (or guests).
By choosing cookware designed for everyday cooking, you reduce the ‘I can’t be bothered’ barrier. Because the fewer pans, the less mess, the quicker you are back to the sofa and streaming.
Why You Will Be Glad You Did
Here’s the thing: you don’t always need a full Sunday roast or hours of prep to feel like you’ve eaten well.
Weeknight cooking means choosing smarter. It means picking tools that do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to. It means coming home, rather than eating out, and giving yourself a little win, because yes, you did cook.
So tonight, slip into your comfy jumper, put on that podcast, grab your pan (yes, the non-stick one), and call it self-care. Your Deliveroo account can rest for one more evening. Because dinner can be cooked, served, and actually enjoyed before your sofa asks you to lie down.