Thursday, November 5th 2009

By unknown

Alex Steiner

It seems like now more than ever cooking is a convenience rather than a necessity. As students we have several options when it concerns food. We eat out; we eat in. If we eat in we prepare something pre-made or we cook. If we cook we cook simple or we cook like we’re on the Food Network. Students in residence have even fewer options. You will be forced to eat out and if you are the cooking type, then it will be hardest for you, especially if those on your floor dislike people cooking proper meals while they watch their beloved shows on TV.

I was the rarity in residence as I’m one of those people who love to cook. From meat to full dishes, desserts and random concoctions of food left over from past endeavors, I cooked in residence and now that I’m off campus I cook at home. But an interesting thing happens to us all at the point when we move off campus. We can continue to eat out, eating on campus or getting take-out from neighboring restaurants (see the ever growing tower of Gino’s pizza boxes), or we can learn to cook. We decide whether food is a concern or an annoyance. If it’s the latter then the most important tool in the kitchen will inevitably be the microwave. If you grew up with this appliance then you’re more likely to fall into the category of the “instant cook” as I’ve come to call them. If you’re one of these people then the vast section of frozen foods in supermarkets is aimed directly at you.

Ramen noodles will be the basis of most of your meals and your cutlery drawer will be scarce and devoid of variety. My family never had a microwave as my parents were continually around cell phones and felt that they received enough radiation without throwing even more into their food.

Misguided perhaps, but this continued up until a few years ago when my sister bought one for the family. Now it sits in the basement and is used for popcorn and the occasional bowl of soup. When I got to residence I brought my pans and I bought spices. I shopped regularly and tried to make real food to counteract the food that Commons provided. But over time that desire caved to convenience and I cooked less. Then I moved out and started cooking again. Real food. And now I’ve run out of space on top of my stove because of all the spice jars.

It was an odd feeling to talk to people about food and find that those who cook real food instead of plastic-wrapped meals are by far the minority. I’m not sure if it’s our culture that has made us lazy or if we’re coming full-circle to the Roman ways of always eating out and leaving the food preparation to the professionals who know what they’re doing and enjoy doing it.

There is, of course, the extreme opposite to me. I know several people now who live off of a combination of supplement shakes, vitamins and various powders to fill in the chemical building blocks. I suppose they are motivated by the annoyance of cooking, or even going out to eat. I’m actually surprised that a pharmaceutical company hasn’t yet put out a pill that contains everything a person needs for the day. One less human trait to have to worry about.

We may try to change our habits as we grow through university and our eating habits are no exception. So before you commit yourself to a life of take-out or pre-made frozen meals, consider the alternative and try it out. Go outside of campus and buy some groceries. Fresh fruits and vegetables. Meat that has never touched a block of ice. Pasta that still has flour on it and breads that aren’t squeezed out of tubes. Try your hand at cooking, regardless of whether you’ve ever done so before. Eat good food and spend the extra money to get the ingredients to make it. There are a handful of places to buy groceries within walking distance of McMaster and dozens if you jump on a bus. Make the effort, try something new, and be creative.

Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go take lasagna out of the oven.

Tags: cooking, eating in, fast food, residence