Beach house extended family vacation- why do women spend 80% of their time in the kitchen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

Amen! That’s why I’m never going on a family beach ‘vacation!’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I'm with you, OP! I love to cook, but not on vacation.

OK? No one is stopping either you or OP. No one has so much has asked OP to cook or anything. Like, why does it matter to you how other people like to spend their vacation time?

Why does it matter to you so much that you like to cook on a vacation that you are here posting so much? take your own advice and disappear from this thread! But, you can't, bcs there is something in OP's post that you think criticizes you, and you have recognized some behavior of yours that you see people find appalling, such as being a control freak who claims that OP should not care what people do on vacations, while you can't take the same advice and not care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I'm with you, OP! I love to cook, but not on vacation.

OK? No one is stopping either you or OP. No one has so much has asked OP to cook or anything. Like, why does it matter to you how other people like to spend their vacation time?

Why does it matter to you so much that you like to cook on a vacation that you are here posting so much? take your own advice and disappear from this thread! But, you can't, bcs there is something in OP's post that you think criticizes you, and you have recognized some behavior of yours that you see people find appalling, such as being a control freak who claims that OP should not care what people do on vacations, while you can't take the same advice and not care.

This is my second post. The only other thing I said was when someone told a poster to take a walk, and I said nope, it's more like you should. Feel free to verify with Jeff.

[Anonymous]

I agree with OP. I’m ok with fixing a quick breakfast and maybe lunch. But if I’m on vacation, we’re going out to eat. Also, unless it’s my own extended family, the idea of a multi-family vacation sounds like hell on earth. I want a hotel room. I don’t want to cook or clean. I want to relax and play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I do this but I do it all the time so I’m fast. We eat that way, and I’d way rather that than eat crap. Sorry. But if people that don’t cook regularly like you - and I work in an office too, I just care about this - try to “help”, yes, it’s slower. Much slower. And messier. So, don’t help. Chances are you aren’t helping. Offer to pay for some dinners out.

But doesn’t it take you longer when you’re in someone else’s kitchen and don’t know where everything is and may not have all the things you normally have?

[Anonymous]

My SIL is like this too and my brother actually gave me attitude on our last trip about how his wife was spending so much time in the kitchen while I was out playing in the pool with my kids.

Not only does she have to make her own pizza crust and sauce to make homemade pizzas instead of just letting me order Pizza Hut, she also has the need to scrub the kitchen from top to bottom after every meal. Like wiping out drawers and scrubbing every inch of the counters,

Sorry, Dude. Cleaning up means loading dishwasher, putting leftovers away, and a quick wipe down. That’s all I’m up for.

We won’t travel with them again for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I'm with you, OP! I love to cook, but not on vacation.

OK? No one is stopping either you or OP. No one has so much has asked OP to cook or anything. Like, why does it matter to you how other people like to spend their vacation time?

Why does it matter to you so much that you like to cook on a vacation that you are here posting so much? take your own advice and disappear from this thread! But, you can't, bcs there is something in OP's post that you think criticizes you, and you have recognized some behavior of yours that you see people find appalling, such as being a control freak who claims that OP should not care what people do on vacations, while you can't take the same advice and not care.

This is my second post. The only other thing I said was when someone told a poster to take a walk, and I said nope, it's more like you should. Feel free to verify with Jeff.

Whatever the right pp hopefully got the message. She was shelling out post after post, upper case letters that op and the rest are this and that.

[Anonymous]

The most stressful night of any OBX trip is the night someone insists we have to go out to eat.

First, we have to corral everyone and get them showered and dressed.

Then we have to decide where we're going/what everyone wants to eat.

Then we climb into three or four cars and head out.

Parking is always a joy.

Inevitably, the first place we want to go has a 2-hour wait. So then we have to choose another place.

And don't get me started on how much it costs.

I would SO much rather throw some steaks on the grill, whizz up some margaritas and eat in my bathing suit overlooking the ocean.

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m not sure if this has already been suggested, but before the next trip, what about gently saying that work has been really stressful and you need to relax and have fun with the kids. But to provide your contribution, you’d love to cover the food supplies, or all the alcohol, and you’ll help keep the kids occupied and out of their way so they focus on their fun cooking. That establishes that you will not be in the kitchen but you want to help in other ways. If that arrangement ends up working well, then you could do the same on subsequent trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The most stressful night of any OBX trip is the night someone insists we have to go out to eat.

First, we have to corral everyone and get them showered and dressed.

Then we have to decide where we're going/what everyone wants to eat.

Then we climb into three or four cars and head out.

Parking is always a joy.

Inevitably, the first place we want to go has a 2-hour wait. So then we have to choose another place.

And don't get me started on how much it costs.

I would SO much rather throw some steaks on the grill, whizz up some margaritas and eat in my bathing suit overlooking the ocean.

Or you could get takeout…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I'm with you, OP! I love to cook, but not on vacation.

OK? No one is stopping either you or OP. No one has so much has asked OP to cook or anything. Like, why does it matter to you how other people like to spend their vacation time?

Why does it matter to you so much that you like to cook on a vacation that you are here posting so much? take your own advice and disappear from this thread! But, you can't, bcs there is something in OP's post that you think criticizes you, and you have recognized some behavior of yours that you see people find appalling, such as being a control freak who claims that OP should not care what people do on vacations, while you can't take the same advice and not care.

This is my second post. The only other thing I said was when someone told a poster to take a walk, and I said nope, it's more like you should. Feel free to verify with Jeff.

Whatever the right pp hopefully got the message. She was shelling out post after post, upper case letters that op and the rest are this and that.

I…don’t have anything to do with her. Anyway, do you get that OP literally posed the question to us “ladies” about why we spend time in the kitchen on vacation? And then when we actually answer the question—we like cooking, like introverting away from the group, like taking a break from the sun and sand—we get crap for it.

You do you. I will continue to enjoy wine and taking my time to do something I love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most stressful night of any OBX trip is the night someone insists we have to go out to eat.

First, we have to corral everyone and get them showered and dressed.

Then we have to decide where we're going/what everyone wants to eat.

Then we climb into three or four cars and head out.

Parking is always a joy.

Inevitably, the first place we want to go has a 2-hour wait. So then we have to choose another place.

And don't get me started on how much it costs.

I would SO much rather throw some steaks on the grill, whizz up some margaritas and eat in my bathing suit overlooking the ocean.

Or you could get takeout…

Oh yea -- cold mushy food from bags! SO much easier and better than grilled steak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most stressful night of any OBX trip is the night someone insists we have to go out to eat.

First, we have to corral everyone and get them showered and dressed.

Then we have to decide where we're going/what everyone wants to eat.

Then we climb into three or four cars and head out.

Parking is always a joy.

Inevitably, the first place we want to go has a 2-hour wait. So then we have to choose another place.

And don't get me started on how much it costs.

I would SO much rather throw some steaks on the grill, whizz up some margaritas and eat in my bathing suit overlooking the ocean.

Or you could get takeout…

Oh yea -- cold mushy food from bags! SO much easier and better than grilled steak.

NP. We grill steaks, and we also order out for crabs/seafood feast, and we do a rib/BBQ night. We cook, and we order good food. Best of both worlds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here- I guess I'm asking, what makes my SILs want to prepare every single meal from scratch- like homemade pancakes (flour, egg, etc), homemade pizzas, homemade salad dressings, homemade noodles. Dozens of pots/pans/ cooking utensils for every meal...

Why not just go the simple route? the kids and dads don't care if they eat cereal or carryout or PB&J sandwiches, so why do they overengineer every meal?

I work full-time in an office, so I WANT to be OUTSIDE with the kids as much as possible.
Basically, I want a real vacation. Not a new full-time kitchen job for a week.

I'm with you, OP! I love to cook, but not on vacation.

OK? No one is stopping either you or OP. No one has so much has asked OP to cook or anything. Like, why does it matter to you how other people like to spend their vacation time?

Why does it matter to you so much that you like to cook on a vacation that you are here posting so much? take your own advice and disappear from this thread! But, you can't, bcs there is something in OP's post that you think criticizes you, and you have recognized some behavior of yours that you see people find appalling, such as being a control freak who claims that OP should not care what people do on vacations, while you can't take the same advice and not care.

This is my second post. The only other thing I said was when someone told a poster to take a walk, and I said nope, it's more like you should. Feel free to verify with Jeff.

Whatever the right pp hopefully got the message. She was shelling out post after post, upper case letters that op and the rest are this and that.

I…don’t have anything to do with her. Anyway, do you get that OP literally posed the question to us “ladies” about why we spend time in the kitchen on vacation? And then when we actually answer the question—we like cooking, like introverting away from the group, like taking a break from the sun and sand—we get crap for it.

You do you. I will continue to enjoy wine and taking my time to do something I love.

There’s more than one person who enjoys cooking, but at least one nutter is irate in here that other people like to cook and don’t eat cereal for all their meals. Even on vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The most stressful night of any OBX trip is the night someone insists we have to go out to eat.

First, we have to corral everyone and get them showered and dressed.

Then we have to decide where we're going/what everyone wants to eat.

Then we climb into three or four cars and head out.

Parking is always a joy.

Inevitably, the first place we want to go has a 2-hour wait. So then we have to choose another place.

And don't get me started on how much it costs.

I would SO much rather throw some steaks on the grill, whizz up some margaritas and eat in my bathing suit overlooking the ocean.

Or you could get takeout…

Oh yea -- cold mushy food from bags! SO much easier and better than grilled steak.