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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 vegetable

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'.
    - CmdrSprinkles 10y ago
      And that is fine, but I think this thread and these kinds of sentiment show that it IS superior to teach your kids how to cook and to understand that it doesn't have to be a boring slog. Because then, when they are adults, they won't be discouraged because "it is too hard to get all the ingredients" or "it takes too long" because they'll have a better understanding of how to just roll with it. Maybe they won't be making fancy dishes ,but they also will understand how to do a twenty minute meal. Case in point: You seem to think you have to be a foodie (screw that word and everything about it) to cook with your kids. Going back to the sports analogy: No one is saying to force your kid to live outdoors. But taking the time to throw a ball around or take them on a hike or whatever conditions them to associate physical activity with fun which, in turn, encourages them to do it on their own.

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'.
  - CmdrSprinkles 10y ago
    And that is fine, but I think this thread and these kinds of sentiment show that it IS superior to teach your kids how to cook and to understand that it doesn't have to be a boring slog. Because then, when they are adults, they won't be discouraged because "it is too hard to get all the ingredients" or "it takes too long" because they'll have a better understanding of how to just roll with it. Maybe they won't be making fancy dishes ,but they also will understand how to do a twenty minute meal. Case in point: You seem to think you have to be a foodie (screw that word and everything about it) to cook with your kids. Going back to the sports analogy: No one is saying to force your kid to live outdoors. But taking the time to throw a ball around or take them on a hike or whatever conditions them to associate physical activity with fun which, in turn, encourages them to do it on their own.