My friend made me laugh the other day when she gave advice for when my husband travels. She reminded me that some nights, you just feed people. Other nights, you are cooking a meal.
There’s a difference.
That’s how her own mother survived when her husband traveled.
Sometimes, feed. Other times, cook.
She tells me that feeding children could mean mac-n-cheese or something from a can, and that’s perfectly OK when you just need to get through the week. You don’t need to always cook a meal. I give myself permission to feed and not cook sometimes!
It’s funny to think of all that’s involved with cooking a meal: the setting of the table, the serving dishes, the lit candles, the balanced theme of it all including pairing the right vegetables with the meat you serve and making rice or potatoes or fresh bread. Don’t get me started on the shopping for ingredients, the prepping of food, the actual cooking, the serving, and then the cleaning up. The Italian Mama always warned me that cooking for a family was really a four hour affair from start to finish.
I know what she means. I’m not really complaining; I want to have meals when we can. I love the family dinner table. I love the delicious, home-cooked meal!
But sometimes, you don’t have to always cook a meal. You can feed people, and that’s OK. Sometimes, it’s OK to have a bowl of cereal, a bowl of popcorn, soup from a can, or any thing else quick and easy. I forget this all the time! I laugh when I tell my children, “Tonight, I’m feeding you. Tomorrow, I’ll cook a meal.”