Mothers of generations
past probably couldn’t imagine what a “food processor”
was — that wonderful, relatively new machine that
chops, slices, juliennes, and processes (and which
I use nearly every day). Nor did mothers necessarily
think of themselves as “food processors.” They thought
they were just mothers who provided dinner for their
families as a nightly routine.
Mothers today cannot
only be “food processors;” they can also enjoy the
benefits of a myriad number of food processing devices,
such as hand-held mixers, heavy-duty stand mixers,
bread makers and bread machines, electric woks, pasta
machines, table-top grills, premium-quality pots and
pans, to name only a few. Modern mothers have
been given an incredible gift of time-saving tools,
as well as the largest choice and availability of
foods in history, to cook healthy and nutritious meals
for their families.
While the task of cooking
dinner can be shared with other family members (including
Dad on occasion), nevertheless, mothers are primarily
the cooks in most homes. It is part of the job description
and a much-needed effort. Because food plays such
a vital and continuous role in everyday life, a mother
who cooks is to be highly esteemed. Meals around her
table will be fondly remembered for generations. Mothers
who cook nurture their children socially, emotionally,
spiritually, and physically. Children who grow up
on home-cooked dinners are indeed blessed on many
levels.
One woman remarked, “In
the childhood memories of every good cook, there’s
a large kitchen, a warm stove, a simmering pot and
a mom.”[2]
Though to some it may
seem archaic, mothers who cook are as needed in the
21st century as they were in generations
past. A researcher for the food and beverage industry,
Harry Balzer concluded that meals, in most cases,
are still the responsibility of wives and mothers.
He said, “If Mom doesn’t cook in this country, who’s
going to cook?” Without Mom in the kitchen, “we’ve
lost a caretaker for our eating habits.”[3]
A mother who teaches her daughters
to cook will help assure pleasant mealtimes for her
grandchildren.
A writer for National
Geographic ended her lengthy article on obesity
in America by pleading with mothers to cook for their
children so as to provide them with a healthier life.
Cathy Newman wrote, “Perhaps what this country really
needs to fight fat is a mom. Make that a vintage mom,
with a gingham apron tied around her waist as she
places a bowl of vegetables on the table next to a
skinless roast chicken.”[4]
Julie B. Beck, first
counselor in the Young Women general presidency, grew
up with her ten siblings in a home where their mother
created — a warm, welcoming venue around the
Bangerter dinner table, not only for the family, but
for visitors and missionaries as well. Julie said,
“My mother is a champion nurturer. It is not uncommon
for her to ask visitors if they are hungry, and one
doesn’t often leave her home without first eating
a sandwich or warm soup.”
Following her mother’s
example, Julie also fed and nurtured her own family.
“As a young mother I
did not fully understand my power as a nurturer. Though
we were a busy family, I considered everyone’s presence
at dinnertime nonnegotiable. It was our most consistent
gathering time, and everyone planned to eat together
before going on to other activities. I learned of
the influence of my nurturing when your youngest daughter
wrote in a college paper: ‘Dinner in our home was
not just an eating ritual, but a special time for
the family to communicate and to share our thoughts
and stories of the day… We often sat together for
over an hour as we savored the conversation as much
as the food.’
“I thought I was just
cooking casseroles and soup. But I had created the
venue, the reason to gather. Because I prepared a
meal to share with my family, something special happened.
It was a simple process, and our style changed with
the ages of our children…
“Mothers, who are ‘primarily
responsible for the nurture of their children,’ can
be a powerful force for strengthening families when
they use mealtimes to gather loved ones. They follow
the example of the Savior to calm, teach, and help
their families remember important things as they feed,
cultivate, educate, and rear at the consecrated tables
in their homes.”[5]
.
You mothers who cook
deserve an extra potted geranium at church, a second
bouquet of flowers from your husband, and two handmade
cards from each child — and hopefully a day off from
cooking this Mothers’ Day — when your family cooks
dinner for you!
[1]
Sue Berkman, quoted in Kate Rowinski, ed., The
Quotable Cook (New York: The Lyons Press, 2000),
56.
[2]
Barbara Costikyan, quoted in Kate Rowinski, ed.,
The Quotable Cook (New York: The Lyons Press,
2000), 32.
[3]
Henry Balzer, quoted in Valerie Phillips, “Americans
Get Fatter, Don’t Care,” deseretnews.com, June 18,
2003.
[4]
Cathy Newman, “Why Are We So Fat,” National Geographic,
Aug. 2004, 60-61.
[5]
Julie B. Beck, “Powerful Nurturing,” Ensign,
Dec. 2005, 37.
