You Gotta Eat: Real-Life Strategies for Feeding Yourself When Cooking Feels Impossible

One of the Washington Post’s Best Cookbooks of 2024

“It is one of the most generous cookbooks I have ever read. It’s revolutionary; it’s a relief.”—Washington Post

A trained chef teaches you how to keep yourself fed—and maybe even enjoy it!—in the face of stress, burnout, and exhaustion.

Delivery is expensive. Eating a spoonful of peanut butter is depressing. You can’t imagine having the energy to chop an onion. But somehow, you gotta eat. How does anyone feed themselves under these conditions?

Enter You Gotta Eat, a friendly, accessible resource for getting something on your plate when you have too much on your plate. Part cookbook, part pep talk, and part action plan, You Gotta Eat offers tips and tactics—plus ten “do exactly this” recipes—for making effortless food that’s nourishing, tasty, and even a little fun. Choose your current energy level and learn important kitchen hacks such as the following.

• If you can open a package: Turn instant ramen into a feast
• If you can assemble a plate: Make a cheese board fit for a king
• If you can press a button: Whip up perfect eggs in the microwave
• If you can wield a knife: Turn any leftovers into a hearty casserole

Plus dozens more ideas for living deliciously without impossible effort!

Whether you’re burned-out, depressed, overscheduled, a new parent, living away from home for the first time, or some combination of the above, let food editor, classically trained chef, and nacho enthusiast Margaret Eby show you how to make your eating experience easier—and better—in every way.