I’ve never been a fan of cooking. Friends often suggest, “Just give it a try; you’ll eventually enjoy it.” Spoiler alert: I don’t. Not everyone can be a culinary genius like Gordon Ramsay. If that were the case, every neighborhood would be filled with gourmet restaurants, and I’d have ample opportunities to yell at people in my kitchen for their cooking mishaps. The reality is, not everyone has a passion for food beyond simply enjoying it. I certainly don’t excel in areas beyond the ability to operate an oven, and there have been times I’ve even forgotten to vent the plastic lid on my frozen lasagna. My dislike for cooking has been a constant, and now that I’m a parent, it’s downright torturous, and here’s why:
- Dinner Every Night
The request for food every evening is relentless. Where’s the variety? If we visited the same amusement park daily, we’d grow tired of it. Why not switch to an every other night dinner plan? It would not only build anticipation but also ensure everyone is starved enough to actually eat what’s served. - Time-Consuming
The hours spent attempting to prepare a meal could easily be spent ordering a pizza, allowing us to skip straight to baths and relaxation. - Boredom
Let’s be honest, watching chicken cook is hardly riveting. You can’t even zone out for a moment without the risk of burning down the kitchen. - Messy Chaos
There’s no such thing as a tidy cooking experience unless you’re dining out. Even when I clean as I go, food seems to escape, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. Cooking is like a messy art project—no matter how careful you are, there’s always an aftermath. - Stressful Environment
You never see contestants on cooking shows trying to dodge kids running around and sabotaging their meals. Add children to the mix, and cooking transforms into a mini version of The Hunger Games. - Complexity
Venturing beyond tacos and spaghetti complicates matters. Recipes start using fancy terms like “fillet” and “render,” which is just a complicated way of saying, “cook your meat until it’s mush.” - Picky Eaters
No matter what I prepare, unless it’s peanut butter sandwiches or sugary yogurt cups, my kids will stare at their plates with tears in their eyes. - Dishes, Dishes, Dishes
This is unavoidable. Even if I resort to paper plates, I still have to clean the cookware. Trust me, I’ve tried cooking on paper plates, and it doesn’t work. - Food Prep is a Chore
From grocery shopping to meal prep, it all takes time. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or throwing something together at noon, it all cuts into time I could spend not cooking. - Leftovers Galore
Also known as “the food no one wants to eat that’s mysteriously growing in the fridge.”
For those of us who feel burdened by cooking, it can be a real hassle. “Let them eat cake,” we say, as long as we don’t have to bake it. Dining out every day isn’t realistic, so I try to keep things simple for myself and my kids. Maybe someday I’ll find the time to experiment in the kitchen, but that day always seems to be just out of reach—after all, in the time it takes to ruin a meal, I could’ve just ordered a pizza.
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Summary:
Cooking for a family can be a grueling task filled with stress, mess, and picky eaters. From the monotony of nightly meals to the chaotic environment it creates, many parents find cooking to be more of a burden than a joy. Striking a balance between convenience and healthy meals remains an ongoing challenge.