Monday 8 November 2010

A family tradition

YK sounded surprised when he told me that most of his friends eat out everyday. "You're the only mum who cooks dinner. My friends tapau (buy packed food) everyday. No wonder we're so well fed!"

I was equally surprised to hear that. Well, I've been eating home-cooked meals all my life. My dad still eats dinner at home no matter how late he returns from work. Growing up in the countryside, we didn't have easy access to food stalls. When mum was too busy to cook, we would take over. We never had junk food, we ate lots of fruits instead. The only flavoured beverage we drank was Milo. At 20, I tasted coffee for the first time and was hooked!

My peers who grew up in the city had a totally different lifestyle. Everything could be found outside their doorstep. Kids as young as 3 drank coffee and didn't sleep until they had their late night supper of char kuay teow. The satay man came around at night hawking freshly grilled pork and mutton kebabs. Talk about convenience food!

The kids today have even more choices. If you leave them to pick their own meals, they may not make the wisest decisions. I've seen how most food stalls operate. They use the cheapest palm oil and ingredients to save cost, and they don't wash the vegetables thoroughly before cooking.

I can't allow my kids to eat deep fried food and artery-clogging meals everyday. That's why I choose to cook no matter how late I get home. Afterall I need to feed myself too. Even Rusty gets his home cooked food twice a day.

When my kids grow up and set up their own homes, I hope they keep to this tradition of eating home-cooked meals together as a family too.

6 comments:

Wen-ai said...

I love home-cooked food! When I was growing up, I ate my mum's cooking 90% of the time. So much so that, eating at hawker center was considered a "treat". Now that I'm married and mum is back to the workforce, she seldoms cook anymore. But it's my turn to cook, I try to cook at least twice or more a week, nothing beats home-cooked food!

grace said...

i totally agree with you. home cooked meals are the best but they do take work and a commitment to cook no matter how tired you are.
i live alone and most of my single friends just live on take-outs, they say it's too much work to cook for just one. then again, it'll still be lots of work to cook for a family! i guess it's just society's attitude.
my mum cooked for us and all my siblings love to cook now, i hope your kids take notes

Blur Ting said...

Wen-ai - You see, it runs in the family. Your mum cooks, so now you cook!

Blur Ting said...

Gracekay - I am more motivated to cook for the family. It's worth the effort. I'm glad you're cooking for yourself. It's a healthy practice!

Open Kitchen Concept said...

You are lucky! I was one of those who always ate out. It's bad.. but my parents were just too busy. Nowadays, I try to cook once or twice a week at home but even that can be difficult at times.

Amel said...

My Mom also always cook meals for us, though she did allow us to buy from food stalls every once in a while. My Mom is also a firm believer that home-cooked food is always better than whatever is sold outside (plus cheaper, too!).

But anyway, it's good that your kids know this fact and they appreciate you even more. :-D

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