Written by : Natasha "Tash" Feldmanʉۢ

Home Cooked Happiness

There are countless reasons we are lucky to live in a time with the internet.  Here are a few examples…

1. Maps: I can't believe we ever didn't have cell phones with maps. 

2. Information: The sheer volume of information that we have access to that we didn't used to, mind-boggling. 

3. Culture: The access to other people, their ways of living and new ideas for expanding your own life.

I begin with these three slightly arbitrary, but important, details about how the internet has made life better because the point is that it's clearly a net positive (get it?!?) BUT we all know there is a dark side to the internet… social media.

Social media can make us feel less than, provides endless quantities of FOMO, and most importantly provides an ample example of unrealistic everything. But, we're not here to talk about everything. We're here to talk about FOOD. And more specifically how to shut out the noise of Instagram-perfect dishes and unrealistic expectations of what your meals at home should look like. 

As a person who has worked in and around the food industry for years, I can tell you with 100 percent certainty that most of what you see on the internet is completely inedible. It's been touched by ten hands, lit from every angle, probably sprayed with some preservative or shine enhancer, and is likely festering some sort of bacteria from sitting out too long. The idea that your food should look as perfect as a picture is an unrealistic and unfair expectation, especially for new home cooks who just want to cook a steak without burning the house down. 

I challenge you to stop comparing your food to an Instagram feed, or to what you saw on TV, or to your favorite food magazine. I challenge you to make food at home and feel really good that you're nourishing your own body and the bodies of the people you love. I challenge you to make dinner about the communal experience of enjoying a night in. I challenge you to put down shame, fear, and anxiety about your dish not being right and just going for it. I challenge you to embrace possible failure.  

For me, this is happiness in the kitchen. Making simple recipes (and videos) that are easy, delicious, that express love for the people in my life, and that doesn't require an entire day of my life to prepare. Reframe your idea of an ideal meal at home and get cooking! By the way, you know the great thing about the internet? You have access to amazing, simple recipes right at your fingertips and some even have video!
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