Does the New Generation Lack Cooking Skills?

Many think the new generation lack cooking skills compared to the previous generations because of the readily available choice of ready to eat meals and snacks instead of cooking from scratch. There are fast food restaurants, food deliveries, and pre-cooked meals which allows people to eat effortlessly. These conveniences are viewed as an influence on the new generation not to bother to learn cooking skills.

The new generation eat more than previous generations but they are not cooking as much as the older generations. This can be easily observed in the restaurants and food courts which are always full especially during lunch and dinner. Mobile food apps are also a trend which allows people to order foods within minutes from different restaurants at their fingertips. Moreover, there is a wide range of frozen and pre-cooked meals that are quick and easy to prepare.

The busyness and the demands of today’s lifestyle is one of the contributing factors on why people look for convenience including in food preparation. Time is scarce, there are deadlines to meet and many things to do in a day but we always get the same number of hours every day. People seek quick and easy ways to do things to save time.

The hectic schedule we have today is also the reason why many people invest in modern appliances that allow them to cook conveniently. Modern kitchen appliances are handy and eliminate some traditional cooking skills such as cooking over an open fire and slicing of vegetables manually.

Another contributing factor that affects the cooking skills of the new generation is that most of their mothers were working. When these young adults were growing up, women were entering the work force which lead women not to have enough time to teach their children how to cook. Mothers are the primary transmitters of cooking skills thus women’s labor participation greatly affects the transmission of cooking skills to the next generation.

Modernization may bring many influences that allows the new generation to enjoy food without the need to cook from scratch but it does not eliminate this generation’s love for quality and healthy foods. In fact, they are enthusiastic to learn how to cook as they desire for a healthier diet. Home cooking is much healthier than relying on restaurants and pre-cooked meals. Cooking their own food allows them to know every ingredient of their meal which is important to maintain their healthy diet.

Aside from health, the new generation enjoys cooking as it allows them to experiment and try new things including exploring foods from other parts of the world. Cooking is a personal enjoyment for the new generation as they like being praised for the food that they prepare. Seeing their family and friends enjoying the food that they cook is an achievement that makes them feel happy.

Cooking is a valuable life skill that is good to pass down to the next generations. However, we should not limit ourselves to the cooking skills that we learned from the previous generations as the world is innovating. Adapting to modernization is never wrong. Experimenting and exploring new things are great help to get through the changes that are coming in this world.

The new generation may not have the same set of cooking skills and practices as the older generations but have new techniques and skills that are helpful in day to day lives and are worth sharing to the next generations.