Found a stat that made me feel old about my go-to dinner

I was reading through a food blog the other day and it said the average family meal in 1970 took about 25 minutes to prep from scratch, but today most people spend under 15. That hit me because I remember my mom spending way longer making things like meatloaf or casseroles after work. Am I the only one who feels like quick dinners have gotten way more processed since then?

2 comments

2 Comments

piperf401mo ago

I read somewhere that back in the 70s, boxed mixes and canned soups were still pretty common shortcuts, so it wasn't all from scratch... but my mom always had a jar of bacon grease on the stove for flavor. The difference now is just how many steps are already done for us, like pre-marinated stuff or minute rice. It feels less like cooking and more like assembly sometimes.

kair651mo ago

Stop overthinking it. Get a cheap slow cooker or instant pot. Throw stuff in before work, come home to real food. Makes weeknights way less like assembling a meal kit.