Why don't today's younger ladies cook?

[jkath]

I have always enjoyed cooking. Mom always had an amazing meal on the table for breakfast and dinner, and always packed a nutritious lunch for school. Grandma showed me her baking skills whenever I'd visit. Both of these women truly enjoyed cooking. Mom taught me things like "the more colors on your plate, the healthier!" and "it's just as important to make the food look good as it is to taste good". Grandma taught me that everything tastes better when it had sugar baked in.
Because of these important women, I couldn't wait to grow up and be...yes that word...a housewife! I think if anything, hobby or passion, is shown in your actions, your children will pick them up in time.

 

[kyles]

Is it something cultural?

This what I'm thinking. I have always cooked. My cooking has changed as I have got older, when I was younger I cooked a lot of elaborate dishes, and I baked, now I am a little older and fatter, my cooking is of the quicker and healthier variety.

My mother always cooked, despite being a full time worker outside the home, and raising two beautiful daughters at the same time.

My grandmother also worked and cooked.

All my friends cook too.....or are fortunate enough to have wonderful husbands who cook.

Young women still cook, at least here in England, and in Australia.

 

[thumpershere2]

Everyone seems to busy today to be in the kitchen. Also depends on where ya live and how close ya are to fast foods and such. Also if the money is there to spend on junk foods. Family life has changed alot in the past several years. Not many families sit down together and eat anymore. Very few parents teach their kids to cook because they are busy making money to buy electronics for the kids.Kids are to busy playing with the electronics.It's a fast paced world out there today and not much time to cook I guess.
I alwayed worked and came home and cooked a full meal. Also kept the house clean and did laundry and raised horses so had barns to clean and critter mouths to feed too. Interest have changed alot for the younger folks I think. Why cook and have that mess to clean up in the kitchen when you can get fast food. EAt on the run.

 

[Steve A]

A few things here. I certainly didn't mean to be pointing fingers specifically at mothers are the reason their children do not cook.

I learned from my mother, but I also lived in a different world. We were in the military (career). In the 50-70s, the military was not highly paid (nor now, either). We didn't really have the money to go out often.

Back to my point. I was the oldest of four boys. Mom worked outside the home and was much involved with our education and school activities. I was told, "You want to eat, you learn to cook." I loved it. I loved it then and I love it now 30 years later. In high school we had a couple of 'progressive classes.' There was bachelor living which involved cooking and if a guy successfully completed that they were allow to take a home ec class. I was in heaven!

Check my profile; I cook for real. This personal chef/catering business I have isn't my primary bread and butter. I freelance at restaurants and THAT is my big money.

As for the "Is it cultural?" comment by Tartine. It most certainly is. I have lived in Europe for nine years and worked in/out for another four. Food, much like language, is an identity. Many folks, young and old, hold on to that. They are taught their ethnicity in the kitchen.

As for someone else's comment about men cooking in the south, yup, that's true. Primarily on the grill (what western and northerners call BBQs) or smokers.

So before I cause more hate and discontent, I'll opine that many Americans have just become lazy about cooking. We have restaurants that fill every niche of our culinary desires whether we are ethnically tied to them or not. We can obtain food 24 hours a day at grocery stores and until "2:00am or later" in drive throughs. For those who have children who are interested in cooking, turn them loose. Teach them the responsibilities associated, the fun derived and satisifaction gained.

Ciao,

 

[erinmself]

I am 20 years old and I have always liked cooking. My mom only cooked half the time maybe but my grandmas both cooked a lot. I think it is just a matter of a lack of the need to cook since you can go half a mile and get dinner in a bag for a couple of bucks.

 

[licia]

I learned to cook when I was growing up. Both my mother and grandmother were excellent cooks and always provided wonderful meals. We very rarely ate out when I was a child and even after I was married, it was a very unusual treat. I think one reason young ladies don't cook is that everyone wants something different to eat. It seems so many people, even in one family won't settle on a menu. I almost never left the menu to my kids (unless it was their birthday or a special occasion) and they eat everything. I do ask my grandson to make the menu sometimes (he is six) and he will come up with a very complete menu, but it is because his mother cooks a well rounded variety also. I see young families having 2 or 3 different entrees for their children, mostly hamburger, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets and there is nothing wrong with those foods except it shouldn't be the only foods they will eat and I don't think the kids should be catered to each meal. They need to learn variety and you can tell by the way some eat that they weren't taught that.

Another question: Why don't young men cook? Most of the time they have at least as much time as the young ladies? I agree that cooking together would solve the problem, but that doesn't usually happen.

 

[txoldshirley]

My son, who is 21, loves to try out new recipes. He's really a much better cook than me. My father-in-law is a wonderful cook. My mother-in-law is the frozen lasagna, casserole kind of cook.
I'm very happy my son is interested in cooking. I think everyone should at least know how to follow a recipe. I wonder if they even teach homemaking classes in school anymore? I took those classes for 4 years (mostly because they were easy--but I actually did learn to cook and sew in them.

 

[licia]

Shirley, I agree everyone should learn to cook a meal and follow a recipe. I made sure my kids knew how to do everything for themselves that needed to be done. While they were growing up, I taught them to cook, clean up behind themselves, take care of their clothes. My son made extra money in college ironing shirts for some of his buddies who didn't even know how to do their laundry. I thought parenting was teaching how to do things for themselves when we wouldn't be there and making them a whole person. Too bad that is a bit lacking these days.

 

[erinmself]

When I was in High School (I graduated 2003) they still had home ec. I took home ec and two cooking basics classes. I was in a club in middle school called the sugar shack, too, where we got together after school every day and made milk shakes, individual pizzas, nachos, easy stuff like that and we sold them and used the profits for a party at the end of the year.

 

[urmaniac13]

Though I am a bit of an oddball here with my own background, I think the way a child is brought up makes a big difference. About a generation before those prepackaged microwavable food and takeaway dinners became quite popular and wide spread, and to the children who have grown up with these items regularly, such food become a norm to them. Meal is more of a matter of convenience, rather than an enjoyment. On the other hand, I have personally known some children who have been involved in activities in the kitchen with their family growing up with much more enthusiasm and appreciation for creating their own tasty meals and picking up in general gusto for good food.
When they are taught that cooking can be a real creative adventure to express themselves, as well as the satisfaction of the delicious achievement, it carrys on to their adult life. And they would also learn it could be one of the sweetest pleasures in life, as Piccolina said...

Now I'm blissfully married and I know that my husband dearly loves coming home to a freshly prepared meal made by his wife's loving hands. I feel a deep sense of happiness and fullfillment when I cook for my husband, my family or well, for anyone really because I just enjoy the act of cooking so very much

Well said, Jessica. Tony is one lucky husband!!

 

[BreezyCooking]

I agree that it's a combination of 3 things - time, interest, & upbringing.

I'm now 50, & grew up in a household where my mom was a homemaker & cooked every day, & my dad cooked on weekends. And boy, could they cook!!! My parents were cooking ethnic dishes long before they became popular. Mom would rather eat worms & die than serve us Chung King canned Chinese or Spaghetti O's. So I grew up with an intense interest in all different kinds of foods, & even as a small child was willing to try anything once. In fact, that was a rule my parents instituted. They never forced us to eat something we didn't like, but if it was something new, we HAD to take at least one bite. We couldn't just look at it & decide we didn't want it.

Now, for comparison - our next-door neighbor was also a homemaker, but she absolutely HATED to cook, & the family grew up on hamburgers, spaghetti, scrambled eggs, steak & potatoes etc. for their meals. The husband was a terrific fisherman (as was/is my dad), but wouldn't eat fish if you gave him a million dollars, so we received everything he brought home (yum). Whenever we had them over for dinner, it was a tossup as to whether or not any of them would eat what mom would make - regardless of how simple. The coup de grace was when they had Xmas dinner with us & the kids asked for ketchup to poor over my mom's wonderful roast goose!!! I thought she was going to faint - lol!! None of those 3 kids (& I know them into adulthood - 2 girls, 1 boy) liked or wanted to learn to cook. Although, the boy did get better, mostly due to dating women who did like to cook.

 

[letscook]

I see it all the time. The big one I think is That years ago they use to Teach Home Economics in the schools where girls and boys learned the basic of cooking - sewing- cleaning- laundry and handling a household budget. with alot of budget cuts to schools they have cut that out. I have seen young couples in the groceries stores and buying all the premade items that will last one meal insted of buying a whole chicken and then the veggies and it would last a couple of days. And instead of sewing on a button they just throw it out and buy new. Also the household budget is run daily not look down the road to events coming. I am not looking forward to growin old and have this younger generation in charge.
I believe in the old saying:
Give the person a fish they eat for the day, Teach the person to fish and they eat forever.

 

[Andy M.]

...cooking/baking has become a hobby. Like other hobbies, it is not a necessity, but merely a means of entertainment and self-satisfaction...a craft, like knitting or crocheting. The hobby of cooking is competing with all the other hobbies of 25, 50, 75 years ago and more, in addition to all the hobbies of the electronics/computer/television generation...

This could be the single most frightening statement about cooking to date.

We don't cook because we have eating options.
A variety of eating options makes cooking dinner no longer a necessity. You don't have to do it, you just do it because it's fun.
Doesn't that makes it a hobby?

Then you lose the family interaction around the dinner table.

 

[black chef]

The reason why people don't cook is because the opt out for the easier route. Why spend the time in the kitchen when you can get fastfood or take out from the local Mexican restaurant? I also think that most families have too much to distract them from cooking and grocery shopping like getting the kids to soccer, cheerleading, or other functions.

But on the other hand when my parents were raising my brother and I, my mom always managed to have a hot meal on the table every night. She also packed our lunches well until we were in high school. My brother and I had many extracurricular activities that also took up alot of her time and she still managed. Also, when we where older she held down two jobs and we where expected to help with getting dinner and breakfast on the table. Both my brother and I learned to cook at an early age out of necessity to help her out. Which I am glad that I learned to cook, no top ramen or macaroni dinners for me when I was living on my own.

I also think that some of today's children are not expected to help out around the house as in past. My brother and I had chores that we were assigned on a weekly basis. This helped my parents to do other things like preparing family meals, going on family outings, etc.

Lastly, going out to dinner for me is a treat. I love to cook for friends and family and would rather do so than go out to a meal in a restaurant. Plus, lately the restaurants I have been to have not met my expectations. They are too expensive for the quality of food that I received, but that is another topic.

again, now how much control do YOU have over the salt & sugar content in all the pre-packaged and fast foods that kids eat today?

and we continue to wonder why there's soooo much childhood obesity, etc.

at the same time, how many ladies here want/desire/ask for expensive dinner tables... and they don't cook. if EVERYONE is eating fastfood, takeout, or pre-packaged, in-front of the TV set, or eating while driving, why do you need a dinner table?

and since no one is sitting down, enjoying dinner together... i wonder what impact that has had on the traditional american family where you ACTUALLY had discussions with your parents & kids over dinner.

 

[Ishbel]

Some of us did teach our children how to cook nutritious, delicious foods. They learned at my side, the same as I learned from my Mum and grandmothers.

Even though there are only the two of us at home nowadays, we always eat dinner at the dining table with the correct plates, cutlery etc.

The next generation of my family also do it!

 

[bubblygal]

How young is considered young? I'm 26 yrs old now... i cooked almost alternate days or as and when i am free. Surprising my cooking skills wasn't passed down from my mum CAUSE to my mum.... she would rather i donno how to cook @ all... BUt somehow its my interests since young to learn how to cook n bake myself without attending any classes....

I still remember... the 1st time i really cook is fry rice when i am 10yrs... and fr then on.. i will try new dishes AND one day... i scalded by hand by oil & it leave a deep scar on my palm...

But luckily nw... it faded .... and i'm proud to say... i can cook rather well compared to many of my frenz....

 

[jkath]

..............at the same time, how many ladies here want/desire/ask for expensive dinner tables... and they don't cook. if EVERYONE is eating fastfood, takeout, or pre-packaged, in-front of the TV set, or eating while driving, why do you need a dinner table?

Excellent point! I liked watching "trading spouses", and often saw these women who had professionally styled giant kitchens....who couldn't/wouldn't cook!
ack!

I think this site shows us that, while many people are reaching for their to-go sacks of food, those of us here, who are passionate about food and cooking will no doubt pass on our love of this to our friends and children.

 

[southerncooker]

My daughter is 25 and is a wonderful cook. My son is as well and he's 22 although he's deffinately not a lady. LOL They both love to cook and experment in the kitchen but maybe it's due to growing up in a family that loves to cook and try new things. My great neice is 6 and she loves to cook as well. Both my neices on my hubby's side of the family are good cooks too and I think they enjoy cooking., they're in their early 30's.

 

[luvs]

yep, southerncooker, as a 25-yr. old, i appreciate your response to this thread. i will cook my felines meals, let alone myself, & look forward to such. some nights i may order in or go out for dinner, yet i cook & enjoy it.
why group an entire generation as 'non-cooks'? my Mom is 48 & only cooks like 5x/yr. i cook quite often. this thread was thoroughly rude.

 

[txoldshirley]

It would be really nice if high schools offered culinary art classes. Not everyone is cut out to go to college, but learning to be a chef would be a great profession and it is something that could be taught at the high school level.
When my son was in high school, he took German as his foreign language. He was in German Club and German Nat'l Honor Society. As part of German Club & German Nat'l Honor Society, they each had to prepare an authentic German dish. My son prepared a sauerkraut soup. (not my cup-o-soup--as they say), but he said everyone in the club LOVED it.
I think it would be great if kids were taught how to cook different ethnic foods. Mexican food is very big in my area. (Tex Mex that is). I wish I knew how to cook Asian cuisine (since I love it). We actually have a junior college here that offers culinary classes.
I am not much on fast food. We have a home cooked meal every night except Friday & Saturday night. Those are usually pizza or bar-b-que nights unless we go out to eat. Sunday is definitely home cooked (roast, roasted chicken, fresh fish/shrimp, grilled foods). I'm glad (and proud) my kid knows how to cook.