For the working individual who spends 12+ hours out of their home (commuting, working, commuting back), getting home and cooking a meal is the last thing on their mind.

“A warm hearty meal would nice, but it’s late & I’m exhausted”

Can you relate?

Rather than cooking a meal from scratch, you pop into your local store to pick up something that can be heated up quickly or you’ve ordered a delivery. I understand the reasons for this, and although I’m not against the odd quick solution now & again, to do this consistently is going to cause you to think that’s the only solution to eating when you work in theatre.

It doesn’t take a genius to know the benefits of cooking your own meals rather than buying out:

• Fresher
• Cheaper
• More control over what you eat

On the flip side, sometimes eating out is the best option, especially during tech week or long working weeks. If you’re working 12+ hours a day for 6 days a week (which we know isn’t uncommon), then there are other factors to prioritise over cooking your food, like sleep (and laundry).

I believe there’s a time & a place for eating out or buying food on the go but that doesn’t have to be every day for the rest of your career.

When I ask theatre professionals what their biggest struggles with nutrition are, it isn’t the time element – it’s the discipline and being organised.

Lack of discipline and organisation = procrastination, overwhelm and nothing getting anything done (this is exactly why Stage Managers are so pivotal in a production – they are the ones who bring the discipline and organisation!)

Feelings of overwhelm come from not having enough clarity.
If you’re clear on what you need to do, you can execute.
If you’re unclear, you spend more time worrying and flapping so nothing gets done.

Today, I want to help you get clear so you’re not overwhelmed. I’m going to share five time-saving cooking tips for you as a theatre & live events professional so you can prepare meals for yourself in a short amount of time and it may even become something you enjoy!

1. Knowing What to Cook

We need to get organised by knowing what we need to buy – so what are you going to cook?
I personally love to keep things as simple as possible with ingredients I’m confident cooking with and that are versatile:

• Protein – choosing between chicken, beef, eggs, or salmon.
• Carbohydrate – whole grain bread, potatoes, rice (microwave because it saves SO much time)
• Fats – butter, olive oil, eggs, salmon, dairy products.
• Vegetables / Salad – I have at least one of the following: broccoli or lettuce mixed with tomatoes, cucumber & pepper.
• Fruit – pineapple, berries, bananas

This is pretty much what a week of cooking looks like for me. That doesn’t mean I don’t eat other things when I’m eating out, but I know these ingredients are easy to cook and I enjoy them.

I’ll change up the flavours – so I might have a peri-peri chicken one week, then garlic & herb the next.

2. Bulk Buy Food or Order Online

I mentioned in the last article that when I’m in the UK, I’m always ordering my groceries online because it saves me time, money & decision-making. I do my order on a Friday or Saturday ready for a Monday delivery. And because I buy similar products each week, they’re always in my favourites, which means I don’t need to manually search.

3. Set a Time When It Works for You

I appreciate that I’m fortunate that I have the flexibility to manage my days (which is why I prefer cooking mid-afternoon). For someone working in theatre, find the time that you know you’re going to stick to. Don’t say you’ll cook at 7 pm if you know you prefer a quiet evening. Is it something you can do on the weekend in the morning/afternoon? If you have kids and a family, is it something you want to do with them?

Choose a time that you know is going to work for you.

4. Oven-Baked Dishes, Slow Cooker, Air fryers

We’re fortunate to be in a time where things can happen very quickly – including cooking. Air fryers (although I don’t own one) are constantly being praised by my friends, family & clients who own them. Alternatively, slow cookers are a great piece of equipment that you can set up in the morning before work, and you return home to a cooked meal.

I’m also a big fan of oven-baked dishes – shepherd’s pie, cottage pie, lasagne, pasta bakes, etc. Although they get a bad rep for not being “healthy,” they can actually be really nutritious. Opt for a lean protein, whole wheat pasta, and chuck as much veg as you want in!
Not only do you get a delicious meal, it’s filled with plenty of protein & nutrients.

5. Listen to music, Podcasts, or Audio Books.

My cooking time is more than my cooking time – it’s a time for me to plug in my headphones & listen to a podcast. It makes the time go quickly, you get to learn something, & it can be a really welcoming break from work.

I know this all may be feeling a bit overwhelming – and I totally appreciate that – but I promise you, it’s not as bad or as time-consuming as you may think it is.

Now that you have the clarity and steps, you can try it out and see how much of a difference it makes.

I’d love to hear how you get on and what meals you end up cooking!
DM me either on

LinkedIn
or Instagram

This article was originally published on TheatreArtLife.com. Written by TheatreArtLife contributor Claudia Hodgson-Rodriguez.

Anna Robb

All around the world there are people working in arts and entertainment. They are not in the industry for the money, the fame or the work/life balance. They are there through a sheer driving force; The need to create. From this community, TheatreArtLife was born.
TheatreArtLife.com is a global platform for live entertainment industry professionals. We host a community of creative and technical professionals sharing their cultures, knowledge, experience, passions and challenges. From events to concert touring, to resident theatrical shows, to circus, if it is live entertainment, we talk about it. Created BY the industry FOR the industry. TheatreArtLife hosts jobs, live and recorded webinars, the TheatreArtLife Podcast, articles from a global contributor pool and professional development opportunities.