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Or alternatively, consider that other people may not have the same priorities as yourself. I say this as someone who cooks and prepares most meals from raw, fre

Or alternatively, consider that other people may not have the same priorities as yourself. I say this as someone who cooks and prepares most meals from raw, fresh ingredients: it is time consuming, tiring and often boring. If you're a two parent household with very limited time, and you have to choose between spending that time with your children or spending it cooking - why is the virtuous choice necessarily to cook? To make tasty, varied, high quality food is not even always as cheap and healthy as one might imagine. Fresh ingredients go bad quickly, and can sometimes be difficult to source, so you have to plan carefully. Many of us live in small apartments with limited space for preparing food and small refrigerators. We work long days, and both adults need to work now. Saving time on planning, buying ingredients, cooking and washing dishes is very appealing. Why do many people think food should be immune from innovation? We have replaced manual clothes washing with automated washing machines, most people now take their car to a mechanic rather than mending it themselves.

01Michael10 10y ago
Wait... You don't cook meals for your children but give them Soylent? You talk about doing things with your kids. Sitting down with kids and eating a meal is an important family bonding time. You analogies made no sense. The clothes and cars are get washed and fixed the same way. Soylent is NOT the same as eating real food.
- pavel_lishin 10y ago
  newhere420 didn't mention Soylent one way or the other. If I had to guess - and I do - I'd wager that his family just orders in or goes out for dinner more than others. And as a new parent myself, I can completely understand.
  - 01Michael10 10y ago
    Fair point and rereading the OP post it was stated they do prepare most meals. I read it as they used to prepare most meals. If that is case they do prepare most meals what was the OP's point? No one said one had to prepare all their meals. The title of the story should be changed... Liquid meals were mentioned but not Soylent specifically.
    - pavel_lishin 10y ago
      > I read it as they used to prepare most meals. I did, too, at first.
randomgyatwork 10y ago
Aren't all article suggesting an alternatives based on another set of priorities? This is also targeted at people who are choosing fast food over home made food because they want to, not because they have to. Innovation is great, but if you read the article it talks about many benefits to making food, I'd say the intangible benefits are the greatest, i.e., purpose and accomplishment.
CmdrSprinkles 10y ago
US, but I generally find that starch (rice, potatoes, etc) holds up for quite a while and meat can be bought in bulk and frozen, so that mostly leaves vegetables as the difficult item. And that can be resolved by buying frozen or canned for the most part. As for family time: Why not both? My mother made it a point to have me hang out in the kitchen and help out and, as a result, I like cooking and know how to do things ranging from "What do I have left in the fridge?" to "Alright, let's make something fancy". Obviously having the kids use knives isn't smart until they are older, but just having them peel potatoes or hand you stuff is a good bonding experience. And, when they ARE older: you got yourself some cheap labor And, to get back to the skillset thing: That really helps with saving time. I generally DON'T plan my meals (weekends when I am not out and dates are the only times I really use recipes). My food shopping is generally "What is on sale? Alright" and then I roll from there. And a lot of that goes down to being a kid and watching my mother figure out what was left in the fridge. Sometimes you make an awesome quiche or casserole. Sometimes you just throw some rice in a pot, saute some meat, and then throw a can of vegetables in near the end. And sometimes you are eating bologna and ramen. Nobody sane is saying to go super all out or to never eat out/eat takeout/frozen food. But home cooked meals are generally healthier, a lot cheaper, and teach kids how to eat right and fend for themselves.
- marknutter 10y ago
  > As for family time: Why not both? Because cooking isn't everyone's idea of a good time.
  - CmdrSprinkles 10y ago
    And bath time, watching a bunch of uncoordinated kids flop around on a futbol field, and hearing chopsticks get butchered is? That is kind of parenting. You put up with crap to teach your kids. Also, cooking can be pretty fun. Again boils down to the kind of mentality you have and how you approach it.
    - marknutter 10y ago
      I mean, sometimes it's fun to cook, but sometimes it isn't. We're not a big foodie family so it's just not a priority. I'm sure there's plenty of activities that we do that others see little to no joy or value in. It's a mistake to assume one's own preferences are superior to others'.
nemo44x 10y ago
> Why do many people think food should be immune from innovation? Food has been innovated on massively over the last 70 years. From the way it is produced to shipped and stored and finally how it is prepared. The industrialization of food has produced instant meals, TV dinners, fast food and led a mono agriculture policy. A lot of what is labeled as a particular type of food isn't even what it says it is. Look at a loaf of bread sitting on the shelf. It will have 20+ ingredients! Many of them synthetic or unnatural. And it's not just these things added but the process of how it is made that it makes it "not bread". And that's just the start. The way animals are raised and pumped full of drugs because of this method of raising them. The packages of pre-made food that is full of a list of who knows what to add color and consistency and preservation. The food industry has been plenty innovating. Between packaged and ready made food and fast food restaurants selling inexpensive meals the innovation is there and widely accepted. The problem is a lot of this stuff is bad for people and responsible for many health problems today and honestly it mainly tastes awful (that parts an opinion to be sure, but it's no wonder that "American food" has such a low opinion around the world). The food industry had a revolution and it optimized for low price and convenience as people were sold a message that planning, buying ingredients, cooking and washing dishes is a hassle and not something to be proud of and to enjoy. I live in Manhattan and don't have much space but I can cook without hassle. If I had kids I'd be cooking with them and teaching them the value of it.
- TeMPOraL 10y ago
  Innovation in food manufacturing != innovation in end-user food preparation. Those are two different things. > Look at a loaf of bread sitting on the shelf. It will have 20+ ingredients! Many of them synthetic or unnatural. And it's not just these things added but the process of how it is made that it makes it "not bread". How "synthetic" they are depends on a bread (toast bread vs. normal, etc.), but a reminder - "bread" is not an atomic ingredient; even the most "natural" one would have a bunch of them on the label. Also, note the ingredients of a perfectly natural banana: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--o2mC_akJ--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/19cthsq3h02qrpng.png https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--o2mC_ak... -- The point being, many people - myself included - consider preparing many of our meals a chore, not a pleasure. Preparing a fancy dinner every now and then is cool, but having to do that every day cuts into free time we'd like to use for something more interesting. I don't see why so many people have a problem with that.
codingdave 10y ago
Why is it a choice between spending time with children and cooking? I use shopping as a chance to take a kid with me and get some time together. They help me prep the food and cook it, too. Sure, when they were babies and toddlers, it wasn't practical. But I've found that both your life, and the life of your children is better when you integrate them into the work that needs done and the life you want to live, and do not treat spending time with them as a separate activity.
- athenot 10y ago
  > But I've found that both your life, and the life of your children is better when you integrate them into the work that needs done and the life you want to live, and do not treat spending time with them as a separate activity. This! We have so much fragmentation on roles already, it is increasingly harder to find time to do things with our children, for both teaching and spending time with them. Cooking is that one thing that can build this relationship, teaching (and entrusting) the child to deal with potentially dangerous tools yet yielding a result that is immediately appreciable.
- newhere420 10y ago
  Surely that depends on the age of the child, what you're cooking, and the size/accessibility of your kitchen? Personally, I live with a kitchen that can't reasonably fit more than one person, and all the counters are inaccessible to children.
  - codingdave 10y ago
    Yes, of course, tiny children are limited in how much they can participate. But not as much as you might think at first glance. We built platforms for them to stand on, so as soon as they were on their feet, they could access the counters. And we could slide the platforms away when we were working with anything that might harm them. As they grow up, simple footstools work, then eventually they are tall enough to work with you just as an adult would. Likewise, when they are tiny, you don't really give them knives or anything. But they can see what is going on, you can talk to them. They learn quickly. My kids have been making their own lunches since they were 6, starting with simple thigns like sandwiches or nachos. My 10 year old frequently cooks breakfast for the family -- eggs, pancakes, waffles, etc. My 8 year old does simpler things - grilled cheese, mostly. Give kids a chance - they may surprise you. As far as working in small spaces where people do not fit, that does sound like more of a challenge. But parenting is full of problem-solving opportunities.
PetrolMan 10y ago
As much as I would love to be able to cook homemade meals everyday, I simply don't have the time. That being said, I think that learning how to cook is important. There are so many things in life that people are unwilling to do for themselves because they've never learned how initially and now the bar seems too high. I'm not saying that we need to forgo innovation but I think that learning how to cook, or generally understanding how your car operates should be at least low level priorities even if you don't plan on using that knowledge on a daily basis. Drink Soylent if you want, but try baking a loaf of bread some time as well.
joe463369 10y ago
Is Soylent even an innovation? My cursory research suggests there are multiple nutrition drinks available. The NHS recommends several that seem to have been been tested more rigorously than Soylent appears to.

01Michael10 10y ago

Wait... You don't cook meals for your children but give them Soylent? You talk about doing things with your kids. Sitting down with kids and eating a meal is an important family bonding time. You analogies made no sense. The clothes and cars are get washed and fixed the same way. Soylent is NOT the same as eating real food.

pavel_lishin 10y ago
newhere420 didn't mention Soylent one way or the other. If I had to guess - and I do - I'd wager that his family just orders in or goes out for dinner more than others. And as a new parent myself, I can completely understand.
- 01Michael10 10y ago
  Fair point and rereading the OP post it was stated they do prepare most meals. I read it as they used to prepare most meals. If that is case they do prepare most meals what was the OP's point? No one said one had to prepare all their meals. The title of the story should be changed... Liquid meals were mentioned but not Soylent specifically.
  - pavel_lishin 10y ago
    > I read it as they used to prepare most meals. I did, too, at first.

randomgyatwork 10y ago

Aren't all article suggesting an alternatives based on another set of priorities? This is also targeted at people who are choosing fast food over home made food because they want to, not because they have to. Innovation is great, but if you read the article it talks about many benefits to making food, I'd say the intangible benefits are the greatest, i.e., purpose and accomplishment.

CmdrSprinkles 10y ago

US, but I generally find that starch (rice, potatoes, etc) holds up for quite a while and meat can be bought in bulk and frozen, so that mostly leaves vegetables as the difficult item. And that can be resolved by buying frozen or canned for the most part. As for family time: Why not both? My mother made it a point to have me hang out in the kitchen and help out and, as a result, I like cooking and know how to do things ranging from "What do I have left in the fridge?" to "Alright, let's make something fancy". Obviously having the kids use knives isn't smart until they are older, but just having them peel potatoes or hand you stuff is a good bonding experience. And, when they ARE older: you got yourself some cheap labor And, to get back to the skillset thing: That really helps with saving time. I generally DON'T plan my meals (weekends when I am not out and dates are the only times I really use recipes). My food shopping is generally "What is on sale? Alright" and then I roll from there. And a lot of that goes down to being a kid and watching my mother figure out what was left in the fridge. Sometimes you make an awesome quiche or casserole. Sometimes you just throw some rice in a pot, saute some meat, and then throw a can of vegetables in near the end. And sometimes you are eating bologna and ramen. Nobody sane is saying to go super all out or to never eat out/eat takeout/frozen food. But home cooked meals are generally healthier, a lot cheaper, and teach kids how to eat right and fend for themselves.

marknutter 10y ago
> As for family time: Why not both? Because cooking isn't everyone's idea of a good time.
- CmdrSprinkles 10y ago
  And bath time, watching a bunch of uncoordinated kids flop around on a futbol field, and hearing chopsticks get butchered is? That is kind of parenting. You put up with crap to teach your kids. Also, cooking can be pretty fun. Again boils down to the kind of mentality you have and how you approach it.
  - marknutter 10y ago
    I mean, sometimes it's fun to cook, but sometimes it isn't. We're not a big foodie family so it's just not a priority. I'm sure there's plenty of activities that we do that others see little to no joy or value in. It's a mistake to assume one's own preferences are superior to others'.

nemo44x 10y ago

> Why do many people think food should be immune from innovation? Food has been innovated on massively over the last 70 years. From the way it is produced to shipped and stored and finally how it is prepared. The industrialization of food has produced instant meals, TV dinners, fast food and led a mono agriculture policy. A lot of what is labeled as a particular type of food isn't even what it says it is. Look at a loaf of bread sitting on the shelf. It will have 20+ ingredients! Many of them synthetic or unnatural. And it's not just these things added but the process of how it is made that it makes it "not bread". And that's just the start. The way animals are raised and pumped full of drugs because of this method of raising them. The packages of pre-made food that is full of a list of who knows what to add color and consistency and preservation. The food industry has been plenty innovating. Between packaged and ready made food and fast food restaurants selling inexpensive meals the innovation is there and widely accepted. The problem is a lot of this stuff is bad for people and responsible for many health problems today and honestly it mainly tastes awful (that parts an opinion to be sure, but it's no wonder that "American food" has such a low opinion around the world). The food industry had a revolution and it optimized for low price and convenience as people were sold a message that planning, buying ingredients, cooking and washing dishes is a hassle and not something to be proud of and to enjoy. I live in Manhattan and don't have much space but I can cook without hassle. If I had kids I'd be cooking with them and teaching them the value of it.

TeMPOraL 10y ago
Innovation in food manufacturing != innovation in end-user food preparation. Those are two different things. > Look at a loaf of bread sitting on the shelf. It will have 20+ ingredients! Many of them synthetic or unnatural. And it's not just these things added but the process of how it is made that it makes it "not bread". How "synthetic" they are depends on a bread (toast bread vs. normal, etc.), but a reminder - "bread" is not an atomic ingredient; even the most "natural" one would have a bunch of them on the label. Also, note the ingredients of a perfectly natural banana: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--o2mC_akJ--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/19cthsq3h02qrpng.png https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--o2mC_ak... -- The point being, many people - myself included - consider preparing many of our meals a chore, not a pleasure. Preparing a fancy dinner every now and then is cool, but having to do that every day cuts into free time we'd like to use for something more interesting. I don't see why so many people have a problem with that.

codingdave 10y ago

Why is it a choice between spending time with children and cooking? I use shopping as a chance to take a kid with me and get some time together. They help me prep the food and cook it, too. Sure, when they were babies and toddlers, it wasn't practical. But I've found that both your life, and the life of your children is better when you integrate them into the work that needs done and the life you want to live, and do not treat spending time with them as a separate activity.

athenot 10y ago
> But I've found that both your life, and the life of your children is better when you integrate them into the work that needs done and the life you want to live, and do not treat spending time with them as a separate activity. This! We have so much fragmentation on roles already, it is increasingly harder to find time to do things with our children, for both teaching and spending time with them. Cooking is that one thing that can build this relationship, teaching (and entrusting) the child to deal with potentially dangerous tools yet yielding a result that is immediately appreciable.
newhere420 10y ago
Surely that depends on the age of the child, what you're cooking, and the size/accessibility of your kitchen? Personally, I live with a kitchen that can't reasonably fit more than one person, and all the counters are inaccessible to children.
- codingdave 10y ago
  Yes, of course, tiny children are limited in how much they can participate. But not as much as you might think at first glance. We built platforms for them to stand on, so as soon as they were on their feet, they could access the counters. And we could slide the platforms away when we were working with anything that might harm them. As they grow up, simple footstools work, then eventually they are tall enough to work with you just as an adult would. Likewise, when they are tiny, you don't really give them knives or anything. But they can see what is going on, you can talk to them. They learn quickly. My kids have been making their own lunches since they were 6, starting with simple thigns like sandwiches or nachos. My 10 year old frequently cooks breakfast for the family -- eggs, pancakes, waffles, etc. My 8 year old does simpler things - grilled cheese, mostly. Give kids a chance - they may surprise you. As far as working in small spaces where people do not fit, that does sound like more of a challenge. But parenting is full of problem-solving opportunities.

PetrolMan 10y ago

As much as I would love to be able to cook homemade meals everyday, I simply don't have the time. That being said, I think that learning how to cook is important. There are so many things in life that people are unwilling to do for themselves because they've never learned how initially and now the bar seems too high. I'm not saying that we need to forgo innovation but I think that learning how to cook, or generally understanding how your car operates should be at least low level priorities even if you don't plan on using that knowledge on a daily basis. Drink Soylent if you want, but try baking a loaf of bread some time as well.

joe463369 10y ago

Is Soylent even an innovation? My cursory research suggests there are multiple nutrition drinks available. The NHS recommends several that seem to have been been tested more rigorously than Soylent appears to.