I didn’t grow up in a house where the television was in the same room as the kitchen. You’d think that meant we had formal meals on fine china, with silverware folded nicely in cloth napkins, and gourmet presentations of food were the norm.
Nope. Not even close. Except for holidays, then yeah, maybe so.
The only part that’s the truth is the television being in a different room.
Fine china was more in the form of paper plates,
maybe a napkin or at least a paper towel to wipe our fingers and faces with.
Most of our family meals were an eat it as it comes out of the fryer kind of deal. Oh, and of course, the dipping of whatever it was in ketchup on the way to our mouths happened as well. We all ate around the kitchen island counter, pulling up a bar stool, and shot the sh*t together, sharing happenings about the days we all had. It always reminded me of the show Cheers we’d watch after dinner was eaten. That was only after Dad got to watch Wheel of Fortune first – Vanna was a looker back then. We rarely missed an episode.
My dad cooked a mean fish fry, (still does) with fresh-cut potatoes made into deep-fried chips, and of course, there was always a beer chaser. And the fish was beer battered as well. I didn’t even miss the fact that television wasn’t in the room, it was fascinating to watch my dad, the short-order cook tossing together meals from the fish he caught and filleted himself. He was proud to be able to provide for his family. I still adore that beer batter recipe of his, and when we’re hankering for a fish fry, I do the cooking.
My Mr. either grew up with or adopted the idea of having a television in the kitchen to watch or listen to while preparing meals. When our kids were little sometimes it was on, and sometimes it wasn’t on while we ate. But we always (as much as possible with schedules) made sure we sat down with Corelle plates, napkins, and silverware appropriate for the meal and ate together as a family.
We attribute our children’s successes in their adulting lives to the family meals we had while they were growing up – or at least the tradition to have a meal together every day. We read it in a how-to-raise healthy kids book.
Now in our empty nest, the TV is on while meals are cooked – I like to catch the local news while I wait for the meals to appear. Or I grab my camera to capture the steps in action. I film my own little TV show to share here on social media.
I’d like to say both the local news and my photography action shots are stellar stuff, and I learn something new, but, its local stuff. So yeah…it can be condensed to a 5-minute shtick. But then all those advertisers would be disappointed. Plus all the local news stuff gives Mr. something to rant about while he’s cooking. And while he’s doing that, I get to capture his handiwork. It all works out for us in the end.
I digress…and I get in the way in the kitchen. I mostly just sit on the sidelines after setting the table.
All I know is if the TV on helps Mr. cook, I’m all for it. Some damn amazing meals are cooked while I watch.
Like last night’s – HELLO…are you drooling too?! The only thing that may have made it better is a glass of Chardonnay…but water worked just as well.
I do miss eating meals with the kids – hearing about their days and what they learned while they were off somewhere being educated about life. The TV off while we’re at it. When they come back to visit us, we make sure to have a meal at the table together. They get our undivided attention – no TV those nights, that’s for sure!
It’s a draw for them. The local news stories we share over gourmet meals cooked by dad(s) are the stuff a lifetime of memories are made of. Cheers!
Post inspiration – Linda G. Hill’s double prompt for #SoCS and #JusJoJan – Television.
PS – Do you watch (listen) to the TV while you cook? How about while you eat meals? Do you think eating family meals together is important as kids grow up? Do you remember the Vanna White 1980’s posters? That all the guys drooled over? Why I remember that? Duh…every girl was jealous…maybe…maybe not!?!
Your family got the best part of the family meal – coming together at the table and talking. I miss that with the kid’s too. When I was a kid, we ate at the table sometimes, and always on Sunday. But I remember TV dinners in aluminum trays in the living room were a thing too.
Thanks, JoAnna – I agree, the talking is such a fun part. I have fond memories of the TV dinners too – I loved the desserts in them! I loved your take on the prompt today – for my readers, check it out, you won’t be disappointed! https://joannaoftheforest.wordpress.com/2019/01/19/trek-through-the-socs-vortex/
Thanks for the link! 🙂
Yum! Yeah, don’t unplug the man’s TV in the kitchen!
LOL – no plans for that in the future if my tummy has anything to say about it! 😉
We can see the TV from the kitchen area (in an open concept condo), so sometimes it is on when we cook. But the problem can be taking glasses off and on. To see the TV means chopping veggies looks blurry. Not good LOL.
Never had a TV in the kitchen when I was a kid. The big treat would be to watch in the living room with Swanson’s TV dinners on trays once in a while. Woo Hoo!
I have always been a big proponent of family meals. I agree with you…so important!
LOL – Thanks for sharing! Oh, my, goodness, you’re right on the glasses thing. We’ve graduated to THAT here as well! Yes, I remember Swanson’s TV dinners too – I loved the cherry pie!
Vanna White is still a looker. I know it’s all plastic surgery, and I really don’t care.
The kitchen is right outside the living room here in the old manse, so yes, we watch it while things are cooking, and of course through dinner and pretty much the whole evening. Mary does pretty much all the cooking in the Breville oven, the Instant Pot, and the microwave, all of which make noise when they’re done, which is convenient for her, plus everything is on the counter, so she doesn’t have to bend over.
LOL – Vanna would be flattered, I’m sure! That’s awesome – we do much the same, and Mr. uses the Instant Pot a lot too.
TV on while cooking. Off while eating. Back on after cleanup.
I think it’s important and we did have family dinners when the kids were little and still at home. Every weekday night. Weekends were more of a crapshoot.
I learned more while carting them around to their activities though. Put em in the backseat and they’d spill everything.
I think Vanna looks the same!
Yes, perfect TV schedule you had! LOL – oh, my, yes, those backseat spills happened plenty in our house too! Vanna has found ways to keep herself looking the same through out the years. I don’t think I’d want that or could afford it, but it doesn’t deter me or Mr. from watching the show!
Yea I am drooling. I need to come watch TV at your house. LOL. Its wonderful how you and mister enjoy each other now that the nest is empty.
You’re welcome anytime! Yes, we’re getting into the groove of the empty nest. 🙂
I’m so easily distracted as a cook, I couldn’t have a TV in the kitchen, or we’d never eat! But, what the cook wants, the cook gets. Your dinner table–and view from it–looks so lovely! We try to sit down together every evening. We did that in my house, growing up, and so did my husband. Sometimes it’s just a reheat or “dribs and drabs” dinner of leftovers, but eating together is the point. So nice you can still do that with your kids!
LOL – I’m like that too, depends on the show though. Thank you – we do enjoy our view. You’re smart to encourage the family dining experience – I tend to think that encourages them to make meals for themselves when they move out on their own. At least that’s our experience.
When I was growing up we all ate dinner together and no TV. When our kids were born my husband had so many stomach issues that eating together as a family went by the wayside and most of the time it is in the living room in front of the TV. Now they are all grown and mostly out of the house so we only eat together twice a year (unless we go out to eat).
Thank you for sharing, Janet. It sounds like you made your family’s situation work best for your lives. That’s very important in my book!
We always tried to sit down for dinner while our daughter was growing up. It does make a difference
I bet there were lively discussions – I’m speculating so because your SoCS bar chats are enjoyable!
My oh my, that’s a fine looking meal. We’re hit or miss on dinner but when we sit it’s without the tv. Better to look my kiddos in the eye as we try to practice civilized conversation. 😉
LOL – I’m chuckling – ‘practice civilized conversation’ – you crack me up!!
Very enjoyable post Shelley … it was just my parents and me and we never had the TV on in the kitchen or another room either. We just sat at the table and spoke to one another and that was it. I don’t remember there being a news program on the TV, like local or the national news, but my parents would read the newspaper after dinner, then dishes (for my mom) were done before going to watch TV.
Thank you, Linda. I’m curious…would you consider yourself the era of kids raised that were supposed to be seen and not heard, or as an only child did your parents encourage you to converse with adults?
Yes, very much Shelley – I was very quiet as my parents did allow me to have my few TV shows geared to kids, but most of the time my mom spent time teaching me spelling, vocabulary or I had a lot of books to read. This was before and after I started kindergarten. I was raised that I was seen and not heard and I would have never questioned anything my parents said or directed me to do. I was raised very strictly. I was encouraged to converse with adults and as a result, I have always thought of myself as old for my age, preferring the company of older people than my peers as I often thought of as immature … that was my upbringing. Since I had no siblings, it was natural for me to gravitate to adults for interacting with people … I actually have cousins that are around my age, give or take a few years, and that was my uncle’s family, but he/my mom were estranged for decades and I only saw them at my grandparents’ funerals and my grandmother’s 80th birthday, a few months before she died. So I really know nothing about them, and my father is estranged from me – he decided he no longer wanted to be part of the family and announced he was leaving on Christmas Day 1983 (very nice of him) and before he left, he took all the money out of the bank and lied about my mother’s signature and got all the funds “cashed out” of an annuity as well. I understand he is still alive – had a genealogist check it out last year – he went back to his native Germany and is 92. I am not interested in knowing anything about him except that he died … I believe my strict upbringing and family values changed my life … I did grow up in Canada (first ten years anyway).
Aw, my heart aches for you and your challenges you had with your family. I wish I knew how to respond better – I do care about you, I hope you know that.
Thanks Shelley – yes, I had nice childhood memories, but later on, not so much. Well at least I had my mom and grandmother, but they are both gone now. My grandfather was nothing special either to be honest.
I’m glad you have treasured memories of your mom and grandma! Hold on tight to those, they matter the most!
I didn’t grow up with a TV in the kitchen either. We, as a family, sat at a small wooden table in the kitchen while my mother made dinner nearby. It was a good time for conversations and silliness. Of course, today we have a TV in the kitchen that we watch while eating dinner. At first I was against it, but now I realize that it facilitates conversations, just different ones… during the commercials. 😉
Aw, I like how you included ‘silliness’ too, how fun to have such great memories! The TV does have that benefit to spark conversations! Thank you for sharing your thoughts!