Whenever I need some inspiration, I pull down some cookbooks. I keep a post it on the front cover of a few of my favorites with a list of recipes to try and I start by looking at the list to see if anything sounds good. Then, I peruse the book to add more recipes to the list. Going to a farmers market is also a great way to get motivated. Don't go with an agenda. Just buy some stuff that looks great and cook it simply.

Not to be a kiss-ass, but reading sites like Kitchn and my many,many other food blogs usually helps. (As does things like Food & Wine, Real Simple, and the like). Even with all of this handy inspiration, I'm STILL having problems with staying motivated. So, I feel you, dude. I'm looking forward to when my CSA starts up and I can find inspiration in all of that new produce.

Or, you know, cut yourself some slack for awhile. Go out to dinner with friends a few nights a week. Order takeout. Stock up on some some Trader Joe's frozen entrees. I guarantee that if you ever had a cooking-inclined bone in your body (and clearly you did!), after a few weeks you will be itching to get back to your own home cooking...

I've definitely been in an "I don't want to cook anything" slump as well the last few weeks. Just recently I had a group of friends over for dinner, and I just didn't feel like cooking - so we all decided on some take out options and the night was salvaged! It definitely took the stress out of creating a meal that everyone would enjoy, especially when there was no motivation to be had. I hope soon to regain that motivation, as I love cooking!

I say, take a break for a bit and regroup in a couple weeks. :)

Don't sweat it. It'll come back eventually.

I'm in the same boat--I am chalking it up to a busy crazy term, the "it doesn't want to end" winter (a couple of inches of snow on the ground this morning), and fatigue over the on-going battle over state workers in WI (I work at a public university). I've given myself a pass for the next month or so, until the term ends; I am just making sure we have lots of healthy food in the house and am doing the easiest preps possible. That way we are still eating ok, even if it's not inspired.

And I hope things will perk up once it warms up and the farmers' markets and my CSA start up again.

Good luck!

For me it usually means I'm not getting enough sleep. A few nights of rest and I'm ready to cook again.

I make dinner every night for my family and I totally suffer from cooking block every now and again. Here are my tricks:

• Visit a farmer's market, especially now that it's spring. The colors never fail to get me excited. Winter is just tough to slog thorough sometimes, so many oranges and grapefruits.

• Check out cookbooks and/or magazines from the library (free recipe auditioning). While it's the wrong season for it Daniel Boulud's cookbook 'Braise' has my mouth watering.

• Go back to your old favorite cookbooks for inspiration. I just started thumbing my way through my old Moosewood and just had to make Tabbouleh.

• Make the idea of meals simpler. Maybe have pancakes and bacon for dinner, use leftover bacon for BLT's the next day.

• Clean!!! Clean out your pantry and reorganize. Clean your kitchen. Clean out your fridge. Mop your floor. When I have an organized clean space I always feel more inspired.

Good luck!

I am going through the same thing right now. I just don't want to do anything in the kitchen and am relying on less than ideal options. I usually cook all week: breakfasts, dinners, leftovers for lunch... Plus I like to make a cake, pie, or cookies for my sweet tooth throughout the week. I even find it fun to cook or make things from scratch that people usually buy at the grocery store, just for the heck of it.
But, I've noticed that my process seems to go through cycles. I regularly get inspired and burned out. Eventually it picks back up again. For me, it's when I become really sick and tired of eating take-out food and packaged, convenience foods from the grocery store.
Don't worry! :) Somewhere along the way you'll hit that magic combination of being tired enough of that stuff and also finding the something that inspires you to make it back into the kitchen. Even if it is just baby steps getting back into the old routine, you'll get there.

I find that there are a lot of people online who write what they are making every week for dinner, and usually have some links to their recipes. (thisweekfordinner.com, etc), not only do I find that this serves as some creative inspiration for other dinners that I might not have thought of, but also as a sort of competition with myself that if these other people can come up with an interesting, yummy, new menu, so can I!

I also try to create one "new" recipe a week, something we've never tried before. Sometimes it is a disaster, and sometimes it goes into the recipe box for future standbys!

Buy a new (to you) food glossie to provide some new inspiration; shop at an ethnic or gourmet grocer that you've never visited before. Keep perusing various blogs and websites-the motivation WILL return.

I read the food section of a newspaper (usually the nytimes) or a food site that posts just ONE recipe a day (101 Cookbooks) or less. I then focus on shopping for that single (simple) recipe.

Remove the burden of planning several days out. Just shop for one day and one meal.

maybe you should change your approach. you don't need to spend days planning your meals or to carefully create a menu for the week. i think you and a lot of us need tips meal planning, but without spending hours to do so.

Here's what I do when I'm stumped. I usually check out what's on sale. Sale fruits and veggies are usually what's in season and will be the freshest, so I'll try to make something with them. With sale meats, poultry or fish, I can be more adventurous because I'm not burdened with thinking about how it has to be good because I paid so much for it. When I decide what food my meal will include, then I'll start pulling out my cookbooks or searching the internet.

Everyone, even food bloggers, goes through periods like this! I agree that things may get better once the seasonal produce starts rolling in. And inspiring cookbooks really help, too. (I love Nigel Slater's 2 volume series called Tender. The first vol is due here in the US soon, or you can order them from the UK.) I would also try throwing a dinner party to push myself a little. If that seems like too much, then maybe a potluck where everyone brings their most inspiring dish?

You could also try a cooking course or, if you have the means, a trip to a great food area like Italy or Thailand or even the Bay Area!

Also, there are some great ideas in the comments of Weekend Meditation: Not In The Mood

I tend to agree with the folks who said to let it run it's course for a couple of weeks, and stock up on easy things from TJ's or WF's that you can grab quickly.

Something that helps me get inspired is to buy a few ingredients and have my own edition of Food Network's Chopped in my own kitchen. Buy a few new ingredients you've never tried before, and using those and your pantry staples, see what you can come up with! It may not always work (but very often it does!), but at least you've already stocked up on a few grab and go meals already.

It won't last long--I think we all go through this occasionally. :)

What always works for me when I'm in a slump is to make myself accountable for cooking a meal ... as in, inviting people over for dinner, or signing up to bring something to a potluck, or agreeing to make a birthday cake for a friend. This kind of forces me to get in the kitchen and get my hands dirty, and once I'm back in it I always start coming up with new ideas and things I want to make. Good luck!

Usually when I get into a cooking block it's because I've been trying to make things too complicated. I have to remind myself that I don't ALWAYS need to make stock from scratch for a recipe and not everything has to be the very best dish it can be. It's times like these that I need to remember the small, easy recipes and throw-together snacks that are easy to throw together. Avocado toast. Miso soup. Frozen dinners. Sometimes I think back to the stable of recipes that my mom used to make for us just to get food in our bellies. Maybe baked chicken with veggies on the side or beef stroganoff. Thinking simple always gets me out of my cooking slump. Then, once I'm nourished enough on simple dishes, I can start thinking about epic recipes again.

It's normal to need a mental break from something that challenges you. Don't force yourself into it.

Cook meals that are fast, easy, and pretty brainless until you feel like following a recipe again. Some meals you can make on autopilot:

-- Bake a chicken breast, microwave-steam broccoli, and prepare instant couscous.

-- Broil a piece of salmon, microwave a shrink-wrapped sweet potato, and make a simple green salad.

-- Have a dinner of hummus, pita, and a variety of veggies (carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives...)

I found myself stuck in a big rut cooking-wise, until I discovered cookbooker (www.cookbooker.com). They sponsor challenges, where everyone cooks out of one cookbook, or from one blog (right now its smitten kitchen). When I saw other people's reviews, I waned to join the fun. And by only focusing on a single cookbook, it became much easier to decide on something to cook. To top it off, I've even won two cookbooks! This site single handedly made me fall in love with cooking - and my cookbooks - all over again.

i look through the menu of restaurants i wanna do takeout from for inspiration of making those meals myself

do a couple weeks of easy, throw it together meals. like frozen veggies and chicken breasts- soon you'll be adding creative elements and trying new recipes.

It's also fun to look at tastespotting.com...but, you're probably just busy with other things...your inspiration will come back!

I usually pick a meal that has very simple ingredients, not a lot of effort, but very flavorful. When I'm not feeling inspired, if I can make even a few ingredients taste delicious, it gives me the push to make something a little more challenging.

I could have written this post a few weeks ago. I was so busy with work that I served rotisserie chicken at least 4 nights a week. The other nights I brought home takeout food or cooked a frozen pizza. I loved how fast and easy dinners became but after a few weeks I grew really, really tired of that food. I did what so many people have suggested: I pulled down my favorite cookbooks, I visited a local spice store and I browsed my favorite cooking blogs. This week I have already baked fresh bread, cooked up a pot of low-fat gumbo, roasted my own chicken and made fresh chicken stock. It feels so good to be back in the kitchen.

just start small, when I lost my motivation, I just made super simple dinners that I love such as nacho's, and I bought myself something specail to use in the kitchen to motivate me to start doing cooking that included more effort

Believe me, here in Switzerland, I lose my motivation all the time because basically there is no take-out (it's not convenient, and don't count on spending under $100 for 2). Our kids get 3 course hot lunches at school, but unless we are on vacation or invited to a friend's place, we eat at home. That means 14 meals a week, plus lunch most days for my husband and me.

New cookbooks, and some cooking on the screen usually motivates me. I start with something super-fast and super-easy or ethnic (I miss our favourite Vietnamese, Chinese and Sri Lankan places most.

Have to say though, that the ingredients in the Swiss supermarkets are particularly designed to make cooking after work easy. Everything is in small portions -- in French "grand surfaces" the portions are large, and so cooking becomes a major commitment and effort.

Something simple, small, flavourful and not a lot of effort -- exactly what Rachael from Domesstic said!

I've loved cooking since my childhood, but the burden of choosing the right food for the variety of tastes/food needs in my family, and the confusion of choosing things that are healthy and not not ruining the planet can feel overwhelming.
The best thing is to invite friends and make a dinner party that you know will please someone. That seems the most rewarding.

foodgawker.com.

My cooking mojo often disappears right at dinner time. It is so much easier to make dinner if you have a plan before you start. I usually make a meal plan on Saturday or Sunday morning. I take an hour, flip through some cookbooks or magazines, think about what I have on hand, and pick 3-4 meals to make that week. I also make a note of any special ingredients that I need to pick up. And just because I was looking through cookbooks, doesn't mean that I am making 3-4 all new recipes, sometimes it just jump starts the brain. The plans can be as simple as chicken, a veggie, and salad. Or pasta and salad. But if I do pick a new recipe to try I also write down the page and cookbook that it's from, so that I don't have to remember where it was.

Even if I don't make everything on my list or make them on the days I planned, it really helps to have the meal choices already in my brain.

I love cooking but sometimes it can get so overwhelming.. I don't worry about it because I don't owe it to anybody to cook fancy stuff.. I just take a holiday of sorts and stick to easy stuff. Eventually I get bored of pasta and fried rice and turkey sandwiches and have to cook something yummy again. ;)

This happened to me a few weeks ago. I second those who said go for the seasonal fruits and vegetables, and try something new. I like to buy a new spice or ingredient that I haven't tried and try to build a meal around it. You could also try going back to the basics and see how simple flavors can inspire you. Mark Bittman's recipes are great for this. I've been roasting vegetables with nothing but salt, pepper, and olive oil lately, and it's been refreshing to see how little "cooking" is actually required for a healthy, delicious meal.

I really think it's not just you - this time of year can be tough: your cellar is empty and you're sick of root veggies but it's not quite spring yet and fresh veg isn't there to tempt you into the kitchen.

My trick has always been to plan some very low-investment but healthy "snack"-type meals. For instance, dinner can easily be a variety of cheese (brie, cheddar, havarti) with crackers, apples, and grapes. Lunch can be a pre-made soup from the freezer. Breakfast is typically granola. As soon as the fresh veg starts coming in, your fridge will perk up and so will you! Good luck!

I just wanted to say that you all have given very thoughtful and encouraging responses-it has been a pleasure reading through each of them and I thank you all for the advice you gave the OP.

I would echo the posters who have suggested that you take it easy for a week or so. When i get in a slump or am so busy that the thought of cooking makes me want to weep with exhaustion, I simplify-I make wraps, chow down on hummus, make strawberry salads-I want to ensure that I'm not getting in the habit of eating out or pre-packaged too often. but I agree also that going out for a meal or two will usually make me crave my own cooking again, and get me excited about using the ingredients and techniques that I prefer.

Most of all, don't feel any guilt whatsoever about this. If I have time on the weekends I love planning out my meals for the week, but it's not always feasible. Planning meal by meal can be really freeing in that way. But for tonight, at the height of your slump-go out and get a treat, you deserve it!

Plan a cooking break into your week - since you're busy, give yourself days off when you don't have to feel guilty for not cooking something. When I was growing up my family always had pizza for dinner on Friday so my mom could start enjoying the weekend too.

A cookbook that re-inspired me recently is Fast, Fresh, and Green from Susie Middleton. It's got some really delicious recipes!

this happens about 4 times a year for me! i rely on themed menu planning when i lack inspiration, so meatless mondays, taco tuesdays, etc. that way meal planning and list preparation doesn't seem as daunting. and it usually takes one great meal to remind my mind and body how much i enjoy cooking and preparing nutritious meals for myself and i'm hooked again!

I just try to think of one ingredient that sounds really yummy and that I want to use..fruits and veggies are still sparse in my area but herbs are coming up and there's a little fresh spinach around so the other night I made quiche and it turned out lovely.

When I lose it, I spend a night or two ordering takeout. Paying ridiculously high prices for mediocre food is enough to get me motivated for cooking!

I just try to take the easiest way out possible and wait till the inspiration returns. My biggest strategy is relying on meals from my freezer. I always try to keep a lot of things frozen that I can just reheat or cook from frozen to rely on when I can't manage making dinner. Favorites are pasta sauce, soups, etc. I supplement with easy dinners like eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese--the kind of thing that takes minutes to make and takes no thought. Now that I have a 1 year old these periods of low motivation (or exhaustion?) come a lot more frequently now, so I'm a bit of an expert!

love this question!
so practical.
it hit me last fall, just after the kids went back to school; I just had nuthin.
what I ended up doing (& it worked :) is grabbing a cookbook from the shelf & "cooking through it"...finding recipes from it for the menu plan that week & just going through the motions of making the meals. Eventually my motivation came back.
good luck!
{also like tastespotting}

I'm with magzeen, I pick a fruit/vegetable/protein that is on sale or has just come in to season. If I'm really uninspired, I plug the ingredients into supercook.com and browse recipes for ideas until I see something that sounds good. My default meal is some variation of grilled or baked chicken/steamed rice/sauteed vegetables/cut fruit

This is so inspiring to read! I am not lazy or uncreative after all. I have been eating out, cooking pasta and tossing it with butter, oil or bacon fat and parmesan, eating margarine sandwiches and cookies from CVS. Some of it is the change in season and available food, but I think it is also because I have not done the spring cleaning thing, and my kitchen does not feel like a great place to work now. What a great question. Thought provoking.

I've found the only way out of my slumps is very slowly. I go back to the basics. The simple, incredibly easy stuff. Or things I can do in stages, like cookies. Make dough one day, bake the next.