Kevin In the world of holidays and observances, both official and unofficial, things can get weird AF, not gonna lie. But here in these parts, I like to talk about those that resonate w/ me in some way. Just thought I’d throw that out there for those of y’all who are newcomers to this blog.
Today’s observance is no different: it’s none other than National Cooking Day 2024! Right up my alley, if you haven’t been over on the ‘gram lately. Yes, it has indeed fallen by the wayside, but my cooking hasn’t. At least it hasn’t fallen by the wayside in quite some time.
I’ve tried to find the origin story of National Cooking Day, but have come up empty. This post talks about the genesis of this observance starting in prehistoric-era communities, where cooking was a communal thing. Over time, this evolved into what we now know as National Cooking Day.
One of my favorite places to visit at the mall is Williams Sonoma, and I always love seeing what’s new there. I’ll look around, and see what I’d like to have in my kitchen someday. I also love seeing their demos, and finding out how I can create what they make on my own at some point.
It never used to be this way for me. Nope, as a kid, it was basically a merry-go-round of takeout, and it was never from any of the local restaurants. Only the national/chain brands, along w/ a store deli that was my mom’s be-all, end-all for like ever.
If those places didn’t sell it, it didn’t exist as far as my mom was concerned.
To this day, I look back at all that, and I’m both horrified that was how it was, and surprised that finances weren’t any worse than they already were.
I think I may have mentioned it here before, but I learned to cook on my own time. I’d watch the cooking shows on PBS that aired on Saturday mornings when the cartoon programming blocks no longer aired my favorites, and all my mom would do is trash-talk whatever they were making.
I used to play into that, but years ago, I realized that hey, nobody was forcing me to make whatever those ppl on those cooking shows made. I was free to seek out other ideas if what they made on whatever episode wasn’t sparking interest.
As I moved forward losing weight this time around, I saw mention of the saying that weight loss begins in the kitchen again. I’d seen it around before I lost the weight, and while I was having home-cooked meals, portion sizes didn’t register w/ me back then.
Hell, I used to take the entire pan of what I made, and eat it in my room. It wasn’t outta the norm for me to have an entire can of Hormel chili cheese dip w/ chips in one go, as an example.
Then, when I learned that portion sizes count, even if it’s made at home instead of ordered in or brought home from some rando restaurant, I had my lightbulb moment.
I also saw something that said to leave the pan in the kitchen instead of taking it somewhere, so this way, it makes you go back for seconds if you want it that bad. I tried that, and it’s been history ever since.
I also feel like this paved the way for meal-prepping, which I started doing when I began my mission to lose this damn weight.
I used to meal-prep at night, so I could have some peace and quiet, and listen to the radio in the kitchen w/o being disruptive. I’d found some old candles in jars I’d had since college, and plopped those in the window to run while I was making stuff for the week.
There was just something about meal-prepping in the middle of the night, while my late girl cat and my late boy cat got into their latest of many swat-fests and zoomies.
Now, my meal-prepping is on Sunday mornings, before I leave for my customary walk to get steps in. I’ll have those old candles running, and an album on my stereo playing from my room while I’m mixing, chopping, and baking. I’ll meal-prep my breakfast, which hasn’t been comprised of traditional breakfast foods, but whatevs. It’s something to have in the morning, and that’s all that counts as far as I’m concerned. It may be something I made up forever ago, a restaurant dupe I happen to have the stuff to make it w/, or it may come from a recipe I found online.
Besides, who says it has to be eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and waffles anyway? I’ve meal-prepped that shyt for dinner in the past, so it works.
I’ll also prep something for my lunch to take w/ me to my day job. This way, it’s ready to grab and go right off the bat.
The great thing about meal-prepping is that you know what goes in it, and in order to skip the takeout, it’s a reminder that you got stuff at home you need to get through. At least that’s what helps me whenever I get the idea in my head that I wanna have some takeout sometime.
It’s takeout from the local restaurants my mom refused to even give the time of day to, but still. I feel like if it’s something I can’t either make on my own time, or can’t have any ol’time, then I’ll try it, but only if I run outta whatever I made.
I remind myself that I got stuff I meal-prepped at home, ready in the fridge to reheat, take into my messy office, sit on the floor, and watch some TV.
It’s been years since I started meal-prepping and cooking for myself, and I won’t have it any other way. It gives me something to look forward to in the morning when I wake up, and something to look forward to, come lunch.
Over to you, readers. How’re you gonna spend National Cooking Day 2024? Got a favorite recipe you like to make? Where’d you find it? Got a restaurant favorite you like to re-create at home? I’d love to hear your thoughts and takeaways, so drop it all like it’s hot, and let’s talk.
