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By Debra Waters July 22, 2013
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How Often Should Mums Cook Meals From
Scratch?
Comments (0)
The Independent has relayed that not
having the time to cook from scratch for
our children “creates feelings of guilt”. This
is partly because “out of touch” TV chefs
are setting the bar too high.
Which TV chefs would these be? The lovely
Nigella, who’s so rich I couldn’t compare
myself in a squillion years, despite her re-
cent woes. Jamie? Ditto.
Dr Woolhouse from Leeds Metropolitan
University, who conducted the research,
also said: “Now convenience food has be-
come relatively cheaper, middle class
mums who want to distance themselves
from the working classes have taken up cooking from scratch.”
So this is not a food issue. It’s a class issue. It’s about middle
class mums not daring to be seen as working class. Because
all working class mums feed their kids Doritos for breakfast
– I don’t think.
I second children’s food writer Annabel Karmel, who talks a
lot of sense – and has her own range of ready meals.
Karmel believes cooking from scratch needn’t be every day
and says: “a hungry child is a less fussy child”.
Basically, resist your kids’ pleas to gobble up 10 fruit loops
before dinner and they’re more likely to eat what’s on offer.
To appease mothers’ shame I’ve decided to pitch a TV programme called ‘Guilty Mum’s Gast-
ronomy’. I’ll present the first episode still breathless, dishevelled and irritable from my long
commute. I’ll start cooking whatever produce is not past its sell by date whilst simultan-
eously loading a white wash, pouring a glass of wine, and reassuring my ageing parents that
I’ve spoken to BT and their broadband will be back on tomorrow by 3pm.
In episode two, I’ll rustle up a tin of something on toast, garnishing it with parsley so the kids
get their greens, whilst alternating between snapping at them and hugging them.
In episode three, I’ll defrost the casserole I made at 10pm on Saturday night only to be told
they had chicken for lunch and “you know I hate mushrooms, mum!” I’ll laugh nervously to
camera when they refuse to eat at the table because The Simpsons is on and I’ll acquiesce so
I don’t lose face.
Then, as it goes to fade while I lovingly watch my offspring stare at the TV screen, there’ll be
flashback scenes of us sat down as a family for a delicious Sunday lunch, which the kids
helped cook; of my two-year-old trying burrata at a local food market; of us watching food
shows together and learning what’s in caponata. Nice foodie stuff we actually do together.
You get my point…
My mum made some lovely stews, but I also grew up on fish fingers, oven chips and Ice Ma-
gic. The tartrazine in orange squash made my skin itch. I didn’t know what pesto was until I
was 19. The olden days weren’t that rosy.
It’s the quality of food not quantity of time spent cooking it. An omelette or boiled eggs and
wholemeal soldiers with a piece of fruit and yoghurt for pud is a balanced dinner; spaghetti
in homemade tomato sauce takes 15 minutes; salmon and potato mash takes 15 minutes;
crudités, cheese, pitta and hummus is a meal; baked beans are one of our five-a-day and full
of fibre.
My top tips:
1. Always have cheese in the house.
2. Always have eggs in the house.
3. Always have bread in the house.
4. Replace fizzy drinks with fizzy water and cordial.
5. Sweet snacks are like dog biscuits – for treats and post-exercise fuel only.
6. Instant rice and slow cookers are God’s way of saying it’s ok to go back to work.
Read more in Word of Mum.
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About The Author
Debra Waters
Debra Waters is a London-
based lifestyle writer and
editor, and mum to a
spirited toddler.
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