In the fast paced world of today, home cooking is an important and valuable skill that needs to be taught to both boys and girls within the family home. There are many studies that show families that eat a meal together each day are much closer and much more involved in one another’s lives. In the early 20th century, the family meal was monumental to the family unity. Yet, in recent years, the speed of life has taken off as rapidly as the speed of technology and we have lost the focus on the family unit. The concept of fitting more activity into a twenty-four hour period has consumed the American ideal of productivity and with that change in mindset; we have lost sight of our basic American values. We sing about home cooking in country music, we talk about its importance in televised therapy sessions and we advertise it on television commercials but we still cannot manage to get everyone to the dinner table to at the same time.

What Went Wrong With Home Cooking?

The act of bringing the family together for a home cooked meal is not a new concept in the American culture, however it is one that has suffered greatly in recent years. At one time, every member of the immediate family gathered around the dinner table to enjoy family conversation and a home cooked meal. It was considered a family heirloom to pass down recipes to each female member of the family, teaching the young girls how to prepare a home cooked meal. Today, with ten hour work days, two income families, over committed athletic teams and other demands on family members time, we seem to be losing the image of a family joined together for the family meal.

Images Of Home Include Home Cooking Made With Love

Home cooking is a term that conquers up images of family closeness, healthy warm entrees and a complete and nutrious meal. Unfortunately, with the heavy schedule demands of the 21st century, many children think fast food is a nutritious meal. There is a popular food chain that has recently made a commercial advertising the family as sharing a meal and the “home cooked” meal is a bucket full of chicken bought from the retailer. It is unsettling that the fast paced world of today is moving away from the family and into the idea that fast-food is the healthy answer to a home cooked meal.

It is not surprising with this attitude that diabetes, obesity and many other health issues are on the rise in our society. We are a nation of plenty that eats high fat commercially prepared foods rather than sitting down together to enjoy a home cooked meal.