#44 Attempting to Learn How to Cook

There’s something about not having a job that suddenly brings out the inner cook in the unemployed. Some theorize that unemployed people turn to cooking because they want to save money by not eating out all the time. Others believe a sudden interest in cooking can be attributed to a complete lack of other things to do. In reality, it’s a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B. 

For many people who were not born loving to cook, finding a job after school was such a relief because it finally meant not being too poor to eat at restaurants or order delivery on occasion. When budgeting was required, entry level workers would revert to their college days of eating cereal, ramen, and whatever could be microwaved or boiled in a bag. As they climbed the corporate ladder more and more time and money was spent on fancier foods, “networking” happy hours, and basically just rejecting the notion of eating at home in favor of “fine” dining. If single, sometimes it just made sense to order for one rather than attempt to cook for one. Or, they were always great at seeking mates who loved to cook, thereby never making it imperative to learn how to create a decent meal from scratch. Either way, budgeting ridiculous amounts for food was never an issue when employed.

Once unemployed, several factors make learning to cook more appealing. For one, it’s often too much work to leave the house in search of food, so for hunger’s sake, eating at home makes more sense. In most cases, buying groceries to cook at home is more cost effective than eating out unless for some reason everything has to be gourmet or organic. Also, ordering in doesn’t necessarily work because not showering regularly makes the unemployed embarrassed to open the door for the delivery guy who has seen their better days. 

Boredom and a desperate search for hobbies is probably one of the key reasons the unemployed turn to cooking. While they’ll say they’re doing it because it saves money and is healthier, the truth is they all want to be the next Rachel Ray complete with the whole “E.V.O.O, Extra Virgin Olive Oil” thing. Some might start off small from boiling water to pour into a Cup o’ Noodles to actually boiling water in a pot for Top Ramen, maybe even throwing in an egg to be fancy. Others might jump right in and try a recipe not intended for beginners. Both groups are just as likely to start a kitchen fire and fail repeatedly at cooking. Eventually the unemployed might actually find they like cooking, if only because their ineptitude at prepping food and getting the recipe right helps kill time. Besides, nothing excuses a filthy house and a drab appearance like slaving over a hot stove all day.

Tags: learning how to cook, not taking showers, things to do when unemployed