When did we Lose the Ability to Cook for Ourselves?

​As I sit in the Arizona desert staying away from other people (I hate catch phrases like ‘self isolation) and see people on social media posting they hope they have a family member who knows how to cook because all their favourite restaurants are currently closed, I use my inside voice to ask myself: “when did North Americans lose their ability to cook and why did we lose that ability?”. I don't think the majority of us are lazy, we work hard at our jobs, those with kids are busy with them, we have to clean our houses. So why does the thought of cooking make people roll their eyes? We have to eat, there's no choice. So why don't most of us do it for ourselves anymore?
 
Convenience? I get it, we are all tired at the end of the day, we are rushed in the morning before school and work. In this day and age (ignoring the current pandemic) it is so easy to get on whatever app du jour and have anything you desire delivered to your door. Technology has made it easy, but has technology actually made your life better in this regard? Do you remember a time when eating out was a treat and a special occasion?
 
Deliciousness? Does fast food, frozen pizza, restaurant food in general taste more amazing than a home cooked meal. Not always.
 
Cost? Is it more expensive to cook at home? Nope!
 
Time? Is delivery faster than cooking something at home? Yes and no.
 
Healthy? Is delivery/take out healthier? As an ex-chef I have to say nope. Restaurant food is all about flavour, yes even the vegan/vegetarian restaurants use processed plant products which aren't necessarily healthier than whole fruits and veggies with minimal processing.
 
Family time? Most families eat in front of the almighty television. Is this really family time, why not cook with your spouse and/or kids? Teach the next generation a skill or two.
 
Before you do the eye roll when I ask you if you like to cook, why not try 2 meals a week? Roast a chicken with all the veg and potatoes in one pan, learn to grill veggies when you grill up a steak. Make some quick oats for tomorrow's breakfast. Get a crockpot, those things are amazing.
 
Or, if you do cook at home but are bored, try something new! Learn how to make bread (it's quite easy, yes, it's time consuming, but can be made in the time span of a 2-hour movie), learn how to make hollandaise sauce from scratch, it's not magic! Make pancakes or waffles from scratch with blueberry sauce. You don't have to spend your entire day cooking, but you can cut the cord and I promise you will save a ton of money and your waistline may even shrink a little.

​Jen
Instagram: @lazycatzimmerman

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