Young people don’t have basic cooking skills

Following Christmas dinner, my family engaged in its annual post-meal discussion, which consists of the thank you’s and gossip about neighbors (who’s pregnant, who’s in jail, etc.). But it was during the thank you’s when it dawned on me that I had absolutely no idea where to begin on a meal, let alone Christmas dinner. But upon asking others around my age what they could cook, I found that others were in the same struggle that I was.

This generational ignorance to cooking is not completely their faulty. In a world of cheap instant meals and fast foods, there is little need for young people learn how to cook. Nearly a third of all Americans eat fast food on a weekly basis. Two-thirds of these consumers are young people.

Additionally, the classes that would teach students to cook (i.e. Home Economics) are frequently overlooked for more rigorous courses. Those who do take the classes are frequently met with outdated material and dull content, making these classes less than desirable for students.

As a result, teenagers do not have the slightest idea how to cook basic foods, which are considerably healthier than the over-fried fast foods. With the high consumption of fast foods, obesity climbs, leading to shorter, unhealthy lives for young people.

To alleviate these issues, schools should place a greater emphasis on cooking. It will create more productive and creative adults. One study found that cooking creates healthier lifestyles and reduces stress, which could help teenagers lead more wholesome lives. Plus cooking creates more independent young people, which the world clearly needs.