From the article: How to Cook
In hard times, people tend to return to the kitchen to cook, avoiding costly restaurant meals. What is home cooking to you? Is it strictly the cooking of fresh foods? Do you consider using canned, boxed, or frozen foods a part of home cooking? Share Your Opinion
Home cooked meals
- I think that any meal prepared at home should qualify. I like to prepare food at home even if some of it from a store and not my garden. I do not have a ranch and now do nt butcher at home and freez e the food s.
- —Guest David E. Yarc
Yes To Packaged Foods
- I incorporate packaged foods into my meals because of a hectic work schedule. I ensure that I get as much out of such meals by adding fruits and/or vegetables.
- —Christabel_Oyindamola
Cooking for Fun
- I've cooked for forty years. We live in southern Canada. Yes it gets hot up here. I've never seen an Eskimo. I have had a garden every year. I have canned and frozen numerous kinds of fruit and vegetables. I baked bread when I was 17. We had apricots, peaches, cherries, apples,pears, raspberries and strawberries on our farm. Made my own pies and cookies, so much that my kids l never tasted food that wasn't made from scratch. It's too bad everyone doesn't have the time to not buy prepared food. Many women work and have young children. Making everything from scratch may be what they long for. They still can put a steak in the slow cooker with a can of mushroom soup, maybe add some onion and canned mushrooms. Give them a pat on the back, because they aren't in a fast food restaurant, as many young families are.
- —terrier789
Prepackaged products.
- Hi: To me home cooking doesn't include a can of soup or seasoning package. It means things are done from scratch as much as possible. I do use canned tomatoes, refried beans (tho. I may change that), soup bases,pasta, sausages and those types of things. As soon as I read a can of (blank) soup or package of (blank) seasoning, I close the recipe and look for something else that doesn't use those ingredients. When I was briefly a "housewife" I was driven to make everything from scratch. I have to admit it was a great deal of work and required a full time commitment to doing so. Mayo, ketchup, tomato sauce, and once a from scratch puff pastry and crescent dough 2-day beef wellington.
- —iame1948
Home cooking means safety to me.
- Home cooking also means warmth, comforth, love, safety. It has this meaning for me because it means home. It means that the food is clean. For many years, I have organically grown as much as possible in my home garden, use no chemical sprays or fertizilers, just compost. I know my garden's produce is safe, fresh and tasty. The surplus I either can, dry, freeze or give to my neighbors. I especialy love cooking with the fesh herbs that I grow. Here's a tip - if you have a cat or cats and purchase kitty litter in plastic tubs with wire handles - use them as planters for herbs. Drill holes a couple inches apart on the sides of the pots, around the bottoms, and paint them so you no longer see the manufacturer's label. I have painted my a pale green, look good - I have already paid for the pots and why throw them away. Put them to good use, keep them out of the landfills. Happy gardening and cooking.
- —elijaprowler
Everyone into the kitchen!
- I was tempted to just say, "Potatoes!". But then I realized that beside that the world's best base for all comfort foods, is what's behind the whole process... - Holidays: everyone is put to work in the happiest place in the house, the kitchen. - Birthdays: everyone hides in there, and later helps bring out the cake. - Before and after the parties, friends gather to help the cook, and a constant clean-up relay of friends falls automatically into place. In other words, anything that is created in and comes from the kitchen is comfort food. (but I still stick with potatoes as a close second - I'm part Irish, Russian, German and Scottish - all of those are simply other names for Potato!)
- —Guest Carrie
wtp76
- home cooking means mom, love, carring, chicken soup, etc....and store frozen foods, lettutce,etc, does not hurt
- —Guest sharon
Home Cooking
- My general rule is " if I don't cook it I don't eat it. That way we stay away from package foods.
- —Guest Roy
Homecooking
- I use whatever is on sale and try to make a good meal out of it. What I do depends on how much time I have after work. I never use mixes and prepared foods. I definitely do not use canned soups for a meal. I frankly believe that is not cooking. Also they are high in sodium, fats, artificial ingredients I can't even read, and definitely have that wierd canned flavor. I can spot it a mile away when someone gives me something made with canned soup. I try to use my slow cooker as much as as I can. That way I can use cheaper cuts of meat and make the most delicious recipes that everyone loves and no one wants to go to a restaurant when there's something that smells so good when you walk in the door. It usually only takes me 30 minutes to put it together, turn it on, and I can walk away knowing it will be done when I get home. All I have to do is add a salad, or bread and dinner is done!
- —Guest shirleyT
Becoming a Homemaker in Kenya
- We have lived here about a year. I am so happy that there are lots of fresh vegetables and fruit available here. I cook most everything from scratch as the prepackaged food and even canned foods are definitely lacking the taste of the USA. I was pleasantly surprised to find maple syrup right in our town grocery store from US. Many things are available and then disappear from the shelves for 3 or 4 months. My husband says I am the best cook. I make a visit to Nairobi about once/twice/month to big grocery store. But best foods are homemade. Things appear and then in stores disappear for a while, not consistent. But this is my first time in 42 years of marriage to get to cook to my hearts content. I found a reprint of a 1952 Better Homes & Garden cookbook. Really nice. Also, I look forward to bringing things we can't get here, like sour cherries in water,canned for pie and a flour sifter. It's a great challenge, although my husband has not lost any weight.
- —Guest Rose Dobler
Home Cooking
- I love to cook and bake and my family loves my cooking, so I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I like to try new recipes and I almost always cook and bake from scratch. I don't buy frozen meals or dinner kits and I never buy hamburger helper. Yuck. I use a lot of fresh vegetables because we have a garden and I can things and I always make my own jam. My friends love getting jam as a gift.
- —Guest Suzi R
Home cooking
- I am an amateur. I must use recipes. I look for those which call for fresh ingredients. By doing this, I am able to keep the meals healthier. The challenge is to also provide tasty meals. Gradually, I am building a collection of tasty healthy recipes using fresh ingredients. Boxed meal kits are never used. When an interesting recipe calls for a boxed ingredient - such as a cake mix - I will use it. Brownie mix is regularly found in our home. I have begun making my own spice mixes - to avoid buying ready made mixes. The internet is a great source of multiple spice mix recipes, so I can find the one which suits our tastes and preferences best. Scratch cooking is so much more satisfying than having successfully read the directions on the back of the box.
- —MiltTotah
Cook "from scratch";but,
- I cook "from scratch";but, since living in Arkansas I do use frozen veggies. Moved here from California where I could purchase very good fresh foods... but, can't purchase "fresh foods" since this state is so far inland and produce is shipped. I do purchase from "farmers who sell the produce in the summer." Also have learned to raise my own tomatoes, potatoes, onions cukes, and herbs in the summer. Since I'm older I use raised containers... Works good. I've learned to make my own bread... Easy and good. Make my own Ice Cream too! Yep, tried it for fun and it is so easy and so much better than purchased... I continue to make it.
- —Arkansas_Granny
No problem using them...
- Refusing to use prepackaged foods as ingredients of home cooking is like refusing to write a poem unless you made the pen and ink yourself...
- —Guest yankeedog
Home cooked meals
- I 'd rather cook my own food than go to any restaurant as I prefer to have mine cooked from scratch and also have fresh vegetables.
- —Guest Theresa Lowe
packaged foods and home cooking
- other than canned tomatoes, I never use prepackaged or processed foods. It's less expensive, more value for dollar to use fresh foods. Nutrition, simple preparation and taste are added values as well.
- —Guest dunedalarc
I cook at home a lot
- I do use a lot of fresh foods in my meal-planning, but sometimes I do use canned or frozen foods as an ingredient. However, not the boxed meal mixes like hamburger helper. Sometimes I will fancy up a box cake mix for a dessert. I use a lot of frozen vegetables, simply because they are convenient and less expensive. If I am making a special main dish, I will usually make the entire meal from scratch. I do not use frozen meal kits, TV dinners, or pizzas. JMHO...
- —cyberchefjmf
