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Original poster

Do your "people" cook from scratch?

360 replies

JohnSmithDrive · 26/12/2021 15:35

My mum did and I do mostly. If I have people round for a buffet, things like quiche and sausage rolls, cake are homemade. If it's for dinner it won't be particularly exciting, but I'd do a homemade chilli or lasagne, something easy to prep ahead and feed lots of people..

Among my friends no one cooks, to the extent that it feels pretentious to do so. They are all generous hosts, but everything will be from a packet or they'll suggest takeaway pizza or similar.

I worry that my cooking seems like showing off and also (sometimes) wonder why I bother!

OP posts:
ufucoffee · 26/12/2021 16:06

Sometimes cook from scratch. Make lots of fiddly party food though? No way. Everything for today's buffet came from
M&S. Very nice too.

onedayoranother · 26/12/2021 16:06

Pretentious to cook? That's weird and doesn't make sense. I do half and half. Tonight I'll cook a roast, tomorrow might be chicken Kiev I've bought prepared.

Pumperthepumper · 26/12/2021 16:06

What is cooking from scratch though? Are you making your own sausages?

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General food
Bagadverts · 26/12/2021 16:06

@Parker231

I find many of the ‘cook from scratch’ brigade act very righteous about it when in fact their meals are unhealthy and they would be better using short cuts, loosing weight and taking much more exercise.
I notice this on quite a few MN threads. I think it’s great if someone has the knowledge and time and facilities to cook from scratch all or most of the time. I can’t but most people I know cook quite a bit from.

If people think you are showing off they aren’t great friends unless you criticise their food for not being home cooked. That could be verbally direct question - pizza is so easy to make why don’t you? or indirectly by mentioning that you always make pizza yourself and it’s fresher.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 26/12/2021 16:06

The most surprising thing about your post is that you refer to "people" as if they're all the same. Don't most people know a mixture of different types of people, from different backgrounds, with different budget levels, with different skill levels and preferences on how to host?

Also the fact that individual parties might be done differently at different times even within an individual household? eg depends on time available around work schedules. If you're having to host someone's birthday party, for example, but all members of the household work FT and not got any time off, then that's an occasion where they'd probably do a lot of ready made stuff, with minimal home-made. Simply due to time constraints. Whereas if they hold a summer BBQ in their house and they've had a day's leave the day before, then they might enjoy doing a lot of home made dips, rice salads etc.

I don't care either way, really, as it's the people I go to parties for, and I understand that everyone has different amounts of time/money/skill available.

ufucoffee · 26/12/2021 16:07

@FreeBritnee

Is this thread a script from a Catherine Tate sketch? Confused
GrinGrin
ballstoit · 26/12/2021 16:07

Sometimes cook from scratch, sometimes partially cook from scratch (eg a pre made curry paste/puff pastry sheet), sometimes use ready meals and sometimes have takeaways. Depends on time, how many other expenses we've had and how busy we are.

I had a friend who liked to say she was 'a proper mummy' because she cooked from scratch. We're not friends any more Grin

My Mum cooked and still cooks everything from scratch. She was a SAHM until we were teenagers and then worked part time so I guess she had the time to do that. It's not something I think about much - what other people eat makes no difference to me.

Kite22 · 26/12/2021 16:09

If I were catering for other people, I'd make something like a lasagne or cottage pie if they were staying / coming for a meal, but if I were catering for larger numbers I would definitely buy in things like quiche and sausage rolls.
I want to enjoy the day / event / occasion not be stressed and exhausted from hours of preparation.
However I wouldn't think anyone who did was "showing off", I'd just assume they enjoyed cooking a lot more than I do.

Parker231 · 26/12/2021 16:09

www.cookfood.net/menu/main-meals

Most off our meals are from here as was our Christmas dinner. The stuffing balls and roasted parsnips were very popular. Anything for an easy life!

Hairyfriend · 26/12/2021 16:11

I nearly always cook from scratch and get a take away maybe fortnightly. I don't make pastry from scratch, or bread, but sometimes make pasta and pizza bases. DH can cook some things but I enjoy it more. He normally prefers BBQ cooking.

In our friends circle, most of the men cook daily and the women only occasionally. I dont know anyone that lives off frozen meals though.

SheWolfOFFrancee · 26/12/2021 16:11

I cook from scratch about 90% of the time. Sometimes I make my things like sausage rolls but that’s because most of my family don’t eat pork so I make them using chicken or beef

MarshaBradyo · 26/12/2021 16:11

If you mean common in family then yes

Homemade stuff but not everything - would buy bread from bakery and sausages / butcher

Grew up with dgm placing a lot of emphasis on food (French passed it down through DM)

TheHoptimist · 26/12/2021 16:11

I cook from scratch which is why I am so pissedoff that Ocado moved from Waitrose to M&S

Cyw2018 · 26/12/2021 16:12

I try to cook from scratch at least 3 days a week, which then gives us homecooked freezer meals for other days.

But I wouldn't bother making some things myself, eg pizzas (I always by Tesco finest).

ShanghaiDiva · 26/12/2021 16:12

I make most things myself, because I have time and I enjoy it. I lived overseas for 25 years so if if you wanted to eat certain dishes, you had to make it yourself.

gogohm · 26/12/2021 16:14

I do mostly

Simonjt · 26/12/2021 16:14

Yes, but then the premade things you can buy for the food we eat are crap, so you really wouldn’t want to use them.

Caspianberg · 26/12/2021 16:16

Mostly yes. We aren’t in the uk and many convenience options just don’t exist here at all, and takeaway options basically don’t exist.
So if we want a curry, naan bread, sausage rolls, blueberry muffin etc that we have to make it.
But ‘from scratch’ isn’t always long winded. It just means we can’t get a quick ready made quiche in a hurry so would just do scrambled egg on toast for fast meal

Oblomov21 · 26/12/2021 16:16

I cook from scratch sometimes, use a sauce other times. Can't see what the issue is.

iwanttobeonleave · 26/12/2021 16:17

@JohnSmithDrive

My mum did and I do mostly. If I have people round for a buffet, things like quiche and sausage rolls, cake are homemade. If it's for dinner it won't be particularly exciting, but I'd do a homemade chilli or lasagne, something easy to prep ahead and feed lots of people..

Among my friends no one cooks, to the extent that it feels pretentious to do so. They are all generous hosts, but everything will be from a packet or they'll suggest takeaway pizza or similar.

I worry that my cooking seems like showing off and also (sometimes) wonder why I bother!

I also don't know anyone who wouldn't cook from scratch. Stick to your home cooking and be proud of your efforts, it's not pretentious at all.
Molly499 · 26/12/2021 16:17

Surely it’s a lifestyle choice. Cooking from scratch is expensive and time consuming but so much better from a health point of view.

I’ve tried Cook meals but they are pretty average, as for M&S and other ready meals or snacks, have a look at the ingredients, it should give you every reason as to why these are second rate and bad for you.

Time seems to be the enemy for lots of people but please don’t try and convince us that an Aunt Bessie Yorkshire pudding comes even close to being acceptable.

Kshhuxnxk · 26/12/2021 16:18

I mostly do unless it's easier just to purchase ready made e.g. pasty. It's not that hard and anyone trying it for me the most important part is having all your ingredients weighed out and ready to use when required - just like on TV, really is a deal breaker!

Ionlydomassiveones · 26/12/2021 16:18

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the poster's request.

ufucoffee · 26/12/2021 16:19

@Molly499

Surely it’s a lifestyle choice. Cooking from scratch is expensive and time consuming but so much better from a health point of view.

I’ve tried Cook meals but they are pretty average, as for M&S and other ready meals or snacks, have a look at the ingredients, it should give you every reason as to why these are second rate and bad for you.

Time seems to be the enemy for lots of people but please don’t try and convince us that an Aunt Bessie Yorkshire pudding comes even close to being acceptable.

Thanks so much for taking time to write this post in between cooking from scratch and polishing your halo Grin
MrsFezziwig · 26/12/2021 16:20

@Newfrontdoor

Cooking from scratch is really important in my circle. Even if it is just nibbles. eg crackers (possibly) and cheese may be bought, but it is genuinely not unusual to find someone putting a (simple) home made cheese on the table with (home made) dips and home made bread. All quite high flying, full time working people, so not loads of time on their hands, but fairly foodie. Hosting a full meal would involve lots of prep. It's isn't snobbery or showing off though, just that they all enjoy food and hosting. Quite often there will be a bought in desert like a lemon tart or something, just because they've found somewhere that makes an amazing one.

So, no. In my experience it is your friends who are odd, and you are completely normal!

Making your own cheese? I’ve heard it all now.