Cooking and eating in a senior mobile home park.

[Mr.Bill]

We just spent seven years in a mobile home park made up of seniors. Among them are a number of widowers who live alone. A number of them have meals on wheels delivered. Not because they are poor. They actually make the voluntary donation of $5 a meal. It's because they don't know how to cook. They are the generation where the wife did the cooking.

It baffles me that someone could reach the age of 75 or so without knowing how to feed themselves. They are, in my opinion, missing one of the great pleasures in life.

[Walleye]

1. It's no fun just cooking for yourself, though. Making a meal for one

[amerikat]

4. I made beef bourguignon tonight.

Lots of work, but it came out great.

[Deuxcents]

5. I will agree.

I don’t cook like I used to. Grocery shopping for one is not as easy, either.

[amerikat]

2. I love to cook.

It's going to be even worse in the coming years. So many younger people order out all the time.

[msongs]

3. oreder out all the time then wonder where their money went lol

[Walleye]

9. Then when they come up broke they blame Joe Biden

[usonian]

6. Single male cook.

It ain't easy.

[Mr.Bill]

11. I spent my 20s living alone in an apartment.

I found that I had to be content sometimes eating the same thing for two or sometimes three days in a row. That made it easier.

[usonian]

12. I'm retired now, and cooked a lot for the family, now dispersed.

I should get more comfortable with repetition, but variety is spice.

Hope things are better for you!

[Warpy]

7. My dad was like that, pushed the job off on my mother, who loathed it

When my mother died, I took him to the grocery and introduced him to the frozen foods aisle. It was all higher in salt than he needed, but it was either that or try to hire a cook, and I don't know of many of them for hire anywhere these days.

Marie Callender became his new girlfriend.

These old dudes who think cooking is wimmen's work can easily stuff prepared foods into a microwave. No, it's not the healthiest stuff in the world, but it will keep them going. Meals on Wheels is a great organization and they do their best, but there aren't enough calories in most of the meals, the frozen stuff is superior in that regard.

I agree that sons need to be taught how to do basic kitchen things like read a recipe, measure what's in it,. and follow instructions. That way, when the supply of domestic servants has dried up, they can buy a cookbook and fend for themselves. Some of them will probably like it and look for women who hate cooking.

I hope all those 50s guys are the last ones who find themselves helpless when the wife dies.

[BlueTexasMan]

8. Love to cook

80 in around a year. Love to cook, make lots of soups and stews, chili, stir frys.. I feed my younger girl friend and her 91 year old mother. It takes wanting to and practice (how much salt?) Turnip greens, black eyed peas and cornbread, YUM!
Latest experiment; flat bread from lintels, more protein, less carbs. Pile it high with scrambled eggs from our chickens.

[littlewolf]

10. learned to cook in the Military

lived off base
wasn't going to go on base just to eat
so cook or starve.
now after working a midnite shift
yeah I would eat Breakfast on base.
drive home do some stuff and sleep.
my crockpot was my best friend.
put the food in and turn it on and that night
supper was ready. genus ...
wife and I take turns cooking ...

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

13. Cooking is not at all difficult.

I have no patience with those who proudly say they can't cook. If nothing else, there are lots of videos to look at on line to see just how to make something.

[NJCher]

14. not difficult, also therapeutic

I find it relaxing to chop vegetables. I also enjoy the esthetics of a vegetable, such as the color of beets, the beautiful greens of various lettuces. The aroma of cucumbers!

I watch tv or listen to music or podcasts while I do this, but sometimes I just do it while looking out the window at the forest.

[spinbaby]

15. I know one of those guys

He’s been living on takeout for years and his health is the worse for it. He’s lately taken up cooking because he’s finally realized that takeout is just an expensive way to ruin your health. I’ve been encouraging him long distance. So far, the project has resulted mainly in the acquisition of kitchen gadgets, but it’s a start.