The Family Holiday Meal

What ever happened to staying at home and roasting a turkey? It seems now days, nobody does this, as evidenced that the restaurants are all packed every holiday.

It seems the old traditions are fading away. Nobody stays home and cooks anymore. Everyone seems to just load up the car and haul them off to the local eating establishments.

It's not only the holidays either. Seems that it's every day of the week. Nobody cooks at home anymore. In the town I used to live in, this was abundantly clear. At about 7pm most every day, the restaurants would be jam packed. Granted, it was a small town, about 55,000 people with not a lot of restaurants to choose from, but still, every day of the week, they are full.

Is it just me? Has the world moved so fast that we don't stay home anymore and eat? Has the world gotten so busy that it is just easier to load the family up and go out to eat several times a week?

I think you may be right. I'm just not sure how how people AFFORD to do it so often. I may eat a sit down meal once or twice a week on the road. Even at Denny's, Country Pride or places like that, a meal for one with a beverage and tip can be close to $20.00.

I agree, feeding a family of 4 at chili's or outback will run you $100 to $150. And some people do this a lot apparently. I guess they have the resources available.

Do Restaurant's accept Snap Cards?

That comment is only about half tongue in cheek.

I may not be at home but my wife and mother are cooking thanksgiving. 175-200 dollars in groceries for the meal though. I can understand why some people would rather go out for it, the cost would be similar and they don't have to clean up the mess.

While I do see what your are saying, I have to say the in my neck of the woods, or swamp, we still do enjoy cooking, VERY much. Granted, like you said, I see a lot of people eating out almost all the time.

I'm with my family "camping" in the woods because tomorrow is a big hunting day. My dad cooked a turkey with most of the fixings for lunch. I had to open my big mouth and mention how I like to use leftover turkey to make a homemade potpie. Guess who's cooking dinner!

A lot of my generation of Cajuns take pride in learning and cooking like our parents. I have yet to eat at a restaurant that has anywhere near as good of a sauce picant, fricasse, or gumbo as good as we cook at the house.

Where I do see what you're talking about more is the next generation. Very few of them are interested in going in the kitchen and learning with the older generation. It's really sad, to be honest with you.

175-200 dollars in groceries for the meal though.

I'm Sure that will feed at least a dozen people, or groceries are VERY expensive where you live!

While I do see what your are saying, I have to say the in my neck of the woods, or swamp, we still do enjoy cooking, VERY much. Granted, like you said, I see a lot of people eating out almost all the time.

I'm with my family "camping" in the woods because tomorrow is a big hunting day. My dad cooked a turkey with most of the fixings for lunch. I had to open my big mouth and mention how I like to use leftover turkey to make a homemade potpie. Guess who's cooking dinner!

A lot of my generation of Cajuns take pride in learning and cooking like our parents. I have yet to eat at a restaurant that has anywhere near as good of a sauce picant, fricasse, or gumbo as good as we cook at the house.

Where I do see what you're talking about more is the next generation. Very few of them are interested in going in the kitchen and learning with the older generation. It's really sad, to be honest with you.

This is true with most restaurant meals. While eating at a restaurant can be good, usually it never lives up to a good home cooked meal. Now the things you are mentioning, such as gumbo those can rarely ever be duplicated by a restaurant. Gumbo is a very personalized dish, usually made be people with a recipe handed down through generations of families, especially in the Cajun lineage. Restaurants have to mass produced it and cater to everyone's liking, which means it can never live up to a good home brew of gumbo.

I know, as a single man, that I eat out more than I should, and often, I crave a home cooked meal to the point where sometimes there is no restaurant that I can think of that sounds appetizing.

What ever happened to staying at home and roasting a turkey? It seems now days, nobody does this, as evidenced that the restaurants are all packed every holiday.

It seems the old traditions are fading away. Nobody stays home and cooks anymore. Everyone seems to just load up the car and haul them off to the local eating establishments.

It's not only the holidays either. Seems that it's every day of the week. Nobody cooks at home anymore. In the town I used to live in, this was abundantly clear. At about 7pm most every day, the restaurants would be jam packed. Granted, it was a small town, about 55,000 people with not a lot of restaurants to choose from, but still, every day of the week, they are full.

Is it just me? Has the world moved so fast that we don't stay home anymore and eat? Has the world gotten so busy that it is just easier to load the family up and go out to eat several times a week?

It's the Millennials that don't cook. They go out to eat all of the time. Probably because they don't know how.

We make enough for 15-16 people haha. I didn't think about it that way, 100 or more at a restaurant for a family of four is an awful lot.

175-200 dollars in groceries for the meal though.

I'm Sure that will feed at least a dozen people, or groceries are VERY expensive where you live!