There have been different seasons in my life where I did not work outside the home, even times when I stayed home and did not have any children and still kept busy and involved.
It's beyond my understanding when people tell me they are bored. Seriously? When there is a plethora of things to be created, things to be learned, people to invest in, books to be read, plain old-fashioned work to be done (not for pay, just keeping up one's home), a beautiful world to explore -- how can one be bored?
And then ... I realized there is one boring area of my life ... and that is in the kitchen.
After all, when one has been cooking for over 41 years, the same old, same old gets ... mind-numbing.
My family is dedicated to the philosophy of eating what they love, and they want no changes. They are rut-people and picky. One likes spices, two do not. Five of us love any kind of noodle, one does not. Three like things with ground beef, three do not. You get the idea.
So, I keep rotating the same tried and true recipes until, I, myself, can no longer eat them. Those dishes have become disgusting to me. Something has to change.
As always, change has to start with ourselves. I realized today - with the help of a good friend - the problem boils down to the fact I must make mealtime an adventure, taking the time to plan meals incorporating our likes and dislikes while using new recipes and trying new things. I DO have access to Pinterest, I should use it.
Sure, that means extra work, but feeding my family is a sacred responsibility. I am feeding much more than their bellies, I am creating the family table where eating, sharing life and making memories happen.
With all of that to consider, again I ask you, how can one be bored?
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This post was written in response to Writer's Workshop prompt 4. "Write a blog post the ends with the word: bored." Want to read other responses? Visit Mama's losin' it!
I will also be linking this post to the communities at Arabah Joy's Grace&Truth and Crystal's #FreshMarketFriday.
Bored, no. Frustrating, challenging, tiring, surprising...planning meals day after day is one of the hardest things there is. But when the family all eats and is satisfied and happy, when one after another compliments the meal, when you overhear one saying "you should try my Mama's..." or hubby saying "it was so good I hurt myself"; when things like these happen, all the trouble, time and planning almost seem worth it. 😉
ReplyDeleteVisit me @ Life & Faith in Caneyhead. 😉
I try to make sure there is at least one thing on the table that someone will like; hopefully more than one thing, but at least one thing. Challenging these days, as per my latest blog post, in trying to make sure there is a toddler "friendly" item. I'm just thankful we haven't had to deal with food allergies!
ReplyDeletebetty
At one time, I was feeding 5 kids so I know what you are talking about. But now it's just me and the hubby and he appreciates something different thankfully. I just told them to eat as much as they could because I was not cooking anything else. thanks for the moms who need it today, a friend from Fresh Market Friday.
ReplyDeleteIt's time to get up and move when boredom is entertained in my brain. Hope your new kitchen inspiration is embraced by your family!
ReplyDeleteI am never bored either. There is still too much I want to do.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine the challenge of cooking for your family through the years. Our likes and dislikes seem much more manageable than what you describe here. Hope Pinterest helps you successfully shake things up!
Maybe you can rotate in just ONE new recipe a week and see if there is something out there that might please the whole lot of you! I can definitely get bored cooking the same stuff all the time!
ReplyDeleteI love to cook, but mealtimes can definitely be a challenge. Several years ago I discovered the meal planning cookbook "Saving Dinner" by LeAnne Ely. I incorporated the recipes into my menu here and there and we found several recipes that are still favorites for family of 6.
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