While raising my children, there are some instant foods that I buy for them that weren't available when I was growing up. Foods such as oatmeal, grits, pancakes, mashed potatoes, etc. all had to be cooked on the stove or made from scratch. Along with those foods came the evolution of the microwave oven. While I find these things ridiculously convenient and am guilty of utilizing all of it, I turn my nose up at it at the same time.
I buy the instant foods that I listed for the convenience of feeding my children without effort during those times when I don't feel like cooking. I also find them useful in guiding them towards independence, making it easy for them to learn to fix their own food.
However, I hate those instant foods...almost all of them. I'd much rather cook my oatmeal, grits and mashed potatoes on the stove and make my pancakes from scratch instead of throwing a couple of frozen ones in the toaster. They just don't taste the same to me.
How do you feel about instant foods? Are you okay with them or would you rather make all of your food from scratch?
Another thing can't seem to get with is the convention of cooking certain foods in the microwave. I've witnessed people cooking a little bit of everything in the microwave, from boiled water to bacon and eggs to hot dogs, and the list goes on an on. There is something about the results of foods that are cooked in the microwave that they don't taste the same to me. The food texture is different, too, which takes away from the pleasure of eating it for me.
Are you a microwave chef?
