Is It Bad If You Don't Like To Cook?

Discussion in 'General Discussions' started by Rihana, Jan 22, 2022.

  1. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    I am capable of preparing nutritious meals and consider it a necessity of life. Cooking isn't something I like doing on a regular basis. I try to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. There's always something else I'd rather do than cook. When I'm looking for a recipe, I quickly rule out any recipe that has more than 20 minutes prep time.

    I'd never put in my bio that I "love testing out new recipes." I occasionally spend 1-3 hours on a complicated recipe, but the pleasure of seeing a delicious dish that I made from scratch fades when I consider how much effort and time it took.

    I know a few people who don’t like cooking. By some strange coincidence, half of my friends are like me: they cook on a daily basis yet are always happy to find alternates.

    My mother would complete cooking as quickly as she could so she could spend time on her beloved stitching projects. That was also true of some of my aunts. I remember the ladies in my neighborhood who used to tell us little girls that they would rather be reading a book or writing stories for magazines than cooking. Then, there were those who shortened their cooking routines in order to devote more time to basket weaving, embroidery, or running chit-fund clubs. Women like them were labeled as work-averse or unwomanly since they didn't care for the annual pickle-making or papad-making activities.

    There hasn't been much of a change, in my opinion. Even today, a woman is often judged by how much she cooks, how well she cooks, and how frequently she cooks. These are the parameters by which a woman will judge herself too.

    How about you? Do you love cooking? Enjoy it tremendously? Or do you cook only as much as needed and then run from the kitchen?
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    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
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  2. shravs3

    shravs3 IL Hall of Fame

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    I mostly belong to a category where I only love to eat but hate cooking.

    But after marriage I dint have any option but to experiment all new dishes out of which some used to turn out into disaster.

    Oh there where also days where my DH used to teach me how to cook since he knew more than basics :tongueclosed:

    I still remember how I used to cry for not rolling out round chapatis and the end result would be like papad..

    As days progressed by I kind of started to enjoy cooking and also thanks to pandemic where most of them used to post only about food on Whatsapp status.

    It’s been almost an year since I cooked full fledge meals. Now that I’m in India haven’t got much chance to cook :grimacing:

    But honestly I want to get back to my kitchen and cook something!!! My Magic pot and IP are calling me :grinning:
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
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  3. anika987

    anika987 IL Hall of Fame

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    I don’t particularly enjoy cooking but ironically I can classify myself as a good cook ( sorry to sound a bit immodest:))

    I cook variety dishes coz my kids and hubby love my cooking and shower me with compliments :rolleyes:

    My husband was able to lose a lot of weight coz I count his macros and cook food that is edible and liked by him to eat.So he enjoys the food but the behind the scenes prep work 3 times a day plus snacks was a tough process but well worth it.

    It is also absolutely true in my case that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach ha ha..

    I love it when guests enjoy what I cook and it gives me utmost fulfillment when someone feels happy and enjoys my food.I consider it as a blessing..

    I love to eat out a lot too but try new tough dishes as a challenge.Especially during winters..my family loves it when I serve hot pakoras, chai and garlic bread when they relax with a blanket curled up on the couch and watching a movie.BLISS!!!!

    For me not just cooking..Lot of other things I learnt to enjoy.

    Nothing needs to excite us but one can create excitement in everything we do…

    I can keep going on:smile:

    Happy positive day today!! Spreading it to all! Cheers!!!:)
     
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  4. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    I still do this judging of myself. I still feel guilty that I don't make anything special for family birthdays. I have found unbelievably healthy Indian food service with reasonable cost but still balk at spending money on it. I will never be able to get over the guilt that my cooking is what my kids will remember as "mom's cooking." : ) I have never been asked by H or the kids, "Can you make x/y/z today?" :facepalm:

    I wish I was not so hard on myself. One child asked for and took Indian food for school lunch for 12 years. Bought lunch at school only 3-4 times in 12 years! We had dinner as a family together every night and no TV. It became the topic of a college essay : ) after we discovered this is a rarity with teenagers who are busy in high school activities and studies. At 16 each child knew enough cooking to plan, shop and cook for themselves. In fact, I told my daughter she knows enough that I need not lie to the boy's side in any girl-dekko. : )

    Yet I count myself as a failure in the kitchen area. Sad sad sad.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
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  5. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Aah the Instant Pot.. it has been a lifesaver for me. I modified all my recipes to dump and go.

    Ok I am seriously beginning to have a girl-crush on this new you, Anika. : )

    Pakoras... long long ago, I used to have besan at home and few times made spinach pakoras. Then, I started to find managing the oil storage, exhaust fan, smell in the house and the clean up of the besan bowl too much work. In the pandemic, I tried to make garlic bread at home. : ) Came out quite good, but the whole butter management was too much.

    My kids have memories of helping me make poories. Standing on step-stool and rolling out the poories, even putting them in the hot kadai. One recently asked me why we stopped. : ) I said cleaning the flour off the floor became too much work.

    My happy day is that I am sitting typing this thread while someone is making beans poriyal in the kitchen. Lovely aroma wafting up on a cold winter day. : ) And what makes me happier is this: I taught them how to cook and wrote the recipes too for them, but they cook the same dishes better than me!!! Not one dish but most of the dishes! My husband says the ingredient of "patient love" is missing when I cook. LOL.
     
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  6. shravs3

    shravs3 IL Hall of Fame

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    Hahaha I get the same remark from my husband as well :grinning:
     
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  7. anika987

    anika987 IL Hall of Fame

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    I feel one need not have any regrets or consider themselves as failures if they don’t do a particular thing or enjoy.Not at all needed.

    You might excel in other areas of life which others might not enjoy.


    Everyone has their own likes and dislikes towards a lot of things and just coz one family works a particular way..need not be the same for others.

    Even I used to feel when others tell me I need to do this or be that.U know what I finally told myself? “Screw them! They are not me and they will never know my priorities or who I really am.Why should I define myself in their perception?”..

    This society which itself is a so called mirage has defined men and women to be a certain way and if we do not abide to those norms we are made to feel guilty.When we micro analyze..everything is just an illusion:)

    One mother told me to my face am spoiling my kids and I am also spoilt coz am cooking 3 times a day! She laughed and said that.I am like “yes! Am going to! Coz I love it and they are happy!”:.

    So no matter what we do..people compare and make us feel guilty but let’s take control and throw off the guilt.

    You be and do what you want to:)

    Your kids will surely look up to you for so many other things!!:)

    philosophical me today..:laughing:
     
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  8. anika987

    anika987 IL Hall of Fame

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    There you go! You super mom!:beer-toast1:
     
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  9. shravs3

    shravs3 IL Hall of Fame

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    I’m the one who is so lazy to even put tadka for coconut chutney. Whereas my DH has got so much patience that he never misses it when he does…
     
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  10. Caide

    Caide IL Hall of Fame

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    @Rihana
    I don't prefer cooking and I try to run away as soon as possible but I am very very slow when it comes to cooking and washing dishes

    Before marriage, my parents never asked me to enter kitchen for "cooking". During my childhood I have tried it even though I have succeeded I ran away because of sweat and continuous standing

    But now after marriage I have no other way but to cook. I tried to escape this when I used to go to work. I love to eat but hate cooking so i ran away from kitchen :cheer:as soon as possible

    As I have resigned I am restricting myself from ordering food and started to cook. But though I hate to be there for long time, i am very eager to see my husband's expression and get his comments on the food.

    Still standing alone and washing on my own it really is frustrating sometimes. And literally understood the pain (in my words) of my mom and mil doing all chores plus working and they still do. Hard to see them getting weak day by day.

    But unlike them I do simple dishes and run away from cooking
     
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