The Joy of Cooking!!
Upon reflection, my roommate Annika’s answer the Longway question was “meal prepping”. As her roommate of 3 years, I can attest to Annika’s commitment to meal prepping on Sundays, as it’s something I’ve always admired because I’m not very consistent in this area. It’s something that I hear all the time about the benefits of doing, but I guess I haven’t taken the time to let what I hear soak in so that I prioritize it.
However, as Annika talked about how it’s become something she enjoys so much, I can see why it’s what popped into her head (even though, honestly, it wasn’t the first answer that I expected from her).
Every Sunday after church, Annika takes the time to grocery shop and meal prep for the week. She loves cooking, so it’s an enjoyable experience for her, and makes her feel accomplished and prepared for the week ahead. She’s also a runner (see blog post on running) so it’s been cool to walk alongside her throughout college and see her love learning about nutrition and how she can properly fuel her body and have a healthy relationship with food!
When I asked this question to my discipleship leader Elle, who is in her early 30s with a baby (and thus has a different perspective from us college girls), she also mentioned cooking… which I expected! She is a joyous host and fantastic cook – whenever we have discipleship group at her house she is always feeding us even though she doesn’t have to!
Notably, though, she mentioned that this year she made a goal to make all of her own bread products, sourdough in particular, and so far she’s really enjoyed it and hasn’t bought bread for the store thus far! She’s also made a lot of her baby’s food through the past year, which originally was puree but now is transitioning to toddler snacks.
Why does she choose to make her own bread when she could easily buy it from the store? Especially when it comes to sourdough – making bread is not a simple or fast process. She says “I choose to go the extra route for food in particular because I know it’s healthier for our bodies, compared to processed foods that are sitting on shelves with other additives.” Additionally, she does admit she just loves cooking, so she truly does enjoy the longer way of homemade meals and food.
My friend Maddie, who is newly married and just moved to North Carolina, also briefly mentioned making sourdough bread as a process that yes, is super long and tedious, but so rewarding and it tastes good too! Combined with the health benefits of fermented food – now that she has the time and flexibility because she’s out of school, to her the time and effort is totally worth the satisfaction and reward.
Especially after talking to these three women, I’m excited to graduate college and have more space in my fridge to cook and meal prep, and I’m hoping to have the time to try sourdough! I love eating, so I’ve always enjoyed cooking, but I think that if you don’t have a “WHY” for homemade meals then it’s all too easy to fall into the ease of processed, packaged, and “on-the-go” convenience foods.
Personally, homemade meals and cooking from scratch are always something that I’ve looked forward to in adulthood because I’ve experienced the blessing and deliciousness of homemade meals from my family. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, allowing her the time to cook us meals growing up, and as long as I can remember every evening was “sit down family dinner at the table” – something I took for granted at the moment but now, looking back, I have learned is actually such a privilege and not something that many people grow up with. First of all, homemade meals were simply delicious, but it was the memories and conversations made around the dinner table that glow in my mind when I think of my childhood, and definitely a family tradition that I want to prioritize in my own family someday.
Furthermore, both of my Grandmas are fantastic cooks, and I grew up in a smaller church that held a lot of potlucks and other opportunities where members brought food to share. There’s something so sentimental and sweet to me when I think of how sharing food and meals builds community – and how much more so in a culture where fast food and hustle often prevent us from sitting down and savoring every bite! I’m constantly convicted of devouring my food and eating mindlessly – but I also haven’t spent that much time on my meals during this busy season in college.
Moving forward, I hope to prioritize and find JOY in cooking because it means I get to use my hands and time in a way that blesses those who eat my food – even if it’s just me! I’ve heard it said “Cooking is love made visible” and I’m thankful for the chance to reflect on how I definitely want to set aside the time for it, and take the “long way” that’s full of love, intentionality, and delicious food!
