I'm not editing these, except where I may have spelled something incorrectly in my angry fervor.
Originally published August, 2006
Can you pay them to feed it to you, too?
Call me cheap, call me old-fashioned, call me anti-social (and you might be right on at least one of those fronts...), but when did it become such a chore to prepare a decent meal at home that we now have stores that let you order your 'home made' meals, then arrive at a pre-determined time and throw together ingredients that someone else has purchased, cut up, organized, arranged, chilled and categorized for you? Isn't this one step removed from picking up TGI-AppleFactory Curbside-to-Go?
One of my friends has started doing this, paying $100 for the privilege of other people's potentially unwashed hands in her dinner, just so she doesn't have to buy a few odd spices.
My spice rack IS odd spices. I love my trip to the grocery store, and wish the conventional grocery store arrangement of produce - deli - meat/seafood - dairy was rearranged, since my trip usually includes produce - meat - produce - meat - deli - dairy, I'm always composing once I see what looks the best. I love the adventure of planning a week's menus at a time (I've tried to schedule further, much to my schedule-breaking dismay).
Why do things have to be so complicated when they were always so simple before? And why didn't I think of it first? It must be a goldmine!
8 comments:
I cook quite a bit, coming from a long line of home-cookers. I mean, don't get me wrong -- you can definitely take me out to dinner! -- but I often find the leftovers to be better than the original meal and look forward to re-heating...
Pearl
Oh, and I love a good meal at a restaurant, probably more often than I should. I just don't think 'combining what someone else bought into a container' is the same as a home-cooked meal. Especially when you consider the mark-up.
I've never used the "You make your dinners at our place" places. Frankly, take out is still easier and why would I go someplace else to cook? Will that make it more fun? Doubtful. Now, if someone brought the prechopped stuff to my house for me to throw together, THAT would be something! (I wish my kitchen was like Rachel Rays, with all the componants of a meal at her finger tips, prewashed, premeasured, and all perfect!)
But if I'm not going to put it together at home, I'm not going to put it together someplace else and take it home. I'll go someplace where they bring it to me. Moooooo.......
Not that I plan on ordering "homemade" dinners to my doorstep any time soon, but what's the difference between that and Chinese delivery, except for taste?
Sarah, I really don't get it. The worst part for me is the expense of convenience. Those places cost more than a bad carry-out dinner.
Gina, the difference is the smug factor. You can order Chinese and claim it's home-made, but at least people will know you're joking. I take issue merely with the delusion of home-made-edness.
I'm way too cheap to purchase things like pre-cut vegetables. I'm a New Englander, yo, we slice our own carrots!
I plan my meals in the grocery store too, usually depending on what looks good and what's on sale. Like you, I can't seem to buy enough to plan two week's worth of meals. Things end up rotting in my crisper enough as it is!
Wooo, sexytime at the CDS!
Thanks, 'ladies'...now I know who to call if Lori ever dumps me and I head to India to seek solace and...well...head.
I plan my meals right before I cook them standing in front of the freezer and cupboards every night after I get home from work and deciding what looks good. HA! Planning meals ahead is not something I do. Cooking is not my strong suit, but we all get fed here. I certainly wouldn't pay someone to chop up vegetables so I could claim that it was homemade. No one is impressed by me saying something I serve is homemade anyway. :D
Oh and speaking as someone who is already on the other side of that hill you are cresting, I just have one thing to say.
"Hey you kids get off of my lawn!"
Have a good day, whippersnapper.
:-)
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