Man people are LAZY these days...

[jkmaletic]

I just have to get something off my chest that's buggin' right now...
A co-worker of mine just told me that she went to Vons (a grocery store) this weekend to order her pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner and they told her they weren't taking any more orders as they already have 400 orders for the dinner! :eek: This particular grocery store is in a relatively small community. The fact that 400 of these dinners were sold boggles my mind. I mean, I understand if you really don't have time, like if you have to work Thanksgiving morning or something, but otherwise I just don't get it. :distress: People want tradition these days, but it seems they don't want to do the little bit of work that makes it a tradition in the first place. Do you guys get me, or am I just being a bitch? :shrug:

~jamie

[skcin]

I get you. :)

[SuzeQuze]

I've been shocked by the number of ads for these pre-cooked meals myself. There's no way they can be like the homemade stuff. I made Thanksgiving dinner once and honestly I thought it was fun and it came out great. You just need a cookbook and a Butterball which comes with instructions. Plus I used to watch my parents and ask them lots of questions so I knew how to make stuff. It is all very simple too, boil, cut, mash, bake and slice! That's kind of it! And the secret to lump free gravy is to first mix the flour with some of the fat and then when it is smooth mix in the rest of the pan drippings. Mmmm, gravy!

[strandinthewind]

We have had Christmas dinner catered for as long as I cam remember and we dine out for Thanksgiving.

Then again, my mother wanted at one time to build a house without a kitchen :eek:

[chiliD]

I just have to get something off my chest that's buggin' right now...
A co-worker of mine just told me that she went to Vons (a grocery store) this weekend to order her pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner and they told her they weren't taking any more orders as they already have 400 orders for the dinner! :eek: This particular grocery store is in a relatively small community. The fact that 400 of these dinners were sold boggles my mind. I mean, I understand if you really don't have time, like if you have to work Thanksgiving morning or something, but otherwise I just don't get it. :distress: People want tradition these days, but it seems they don't want to do the little bit of work that makes it a tradition in the first place. Do you guys get me, or am I just being a bitch? :shrug:

~jamie

The latter. What are you, from the year 1850? Get with modern times.

Not everyone HAS the time & energy (nor the HEALTH) to cook a big traditional T-Day dinner...and the supermarket pre-cooked dinner is just f-ing GREAT. What about those "moms" who HAVE cooked the "big traditional meal" for 20+ years and have just grown tired of the hassle (or can't DEAL with the hassle)? Even those grocery store dinners take a bit of additional preparation once you get 'em home, so its not exactly "slam dunk, here's your dinner, dig in".

[dissention]

Society in general is lazy these days. It's been an ongoing progression for years. :laugh:

[jkmaletic]

The latter. What are you, from the year 1850? Get with modern times.

Not everyone HAS the time & energy (nor the HEALTH) to cook a big traditional T-Day dinner...and the supermarket pre-cooked dinner is just f-ing GREAT. What about those "moms" who HAVE cooked the "big traditional meal" for 20+ years and have just grown tired of the hassle (or can't DEAL with the hassle)? Even those grocery store dinners take a bit of additional preparation once you get 'em home, so its not exactly "slam dunk, here's your dinner, dig in".

I totally get if you don't have the time, or the health to do it. But if you do, what's the big deal? I just think a lot of kids that are growing up these days (I sound old) are missing out on some really nice traditions such as Thanksgiving dinner. What will they do when they grow up? To each his/her own I guess. Myself, maybe I just haven't done it enough yet to be sick of the "hassle" of it all.

[Merf]

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's just my dad and us kids this year, and we're not really into the whole cooking thing. So we're getting a turkey and 3 sides with it, and we will be making some stuff of our own to go along with it. It's going to make Thanksgiving more enjoyable for all of us, which is really the point, right? It's no fun if there's drama. :laugh:

[chiliD]

So for T-day, let's shut down all the electric generator plants, turn off the piped in running water, shut down the natural gas pipelines and THEN let people cook their T-Day dinners. No running water, no piped in heat, no electricity. Sure, let's just all go back to the Mayflower, too. Get real.

[jkmaletic]

Society in general is lazy these days. It's been an ongoing progression for years. :laugh:

I know. And it's quite sad.

[chiliD]

I think you're confusing "ease" with "lazy".

[dissention]

I don't see anything wrong with it. It's just my dad and us kids this year, and we're not really into the whole cooking thing. So we're getting a turkey and 3 sides with it, and we will be making some stuff of our own to go along with it. It's going to make Thanksgiving more enjoyable for all of us, which is really the point, right? It's no fun if there's drama. :laugh:

I can only imagine the stress that you guys will have saved. If I actually ate meat, I'd buy a precooked turkey anyway because every turkey I've ever eaten on Thanksgiving has been overcooked to point where it could double as turkey jerky. :laugh: One year my grandmother made her first turkey and she got pissed because she couldn't get it to brown, so she melted butter, poured it over the turkey, and cranked it to broil. By the time she realized it was burning, it must have been burnt an inch thick.

[danax6]

Isn't part of the fun of celebrating Thanksgiving spending it with family and friends and all chiming in to cook a nice big dinner?

At least, that's what we do for Christmas around here. :shrug: I love that part, cooking is lots of fun when you do it with a few people (and a bottle of wine!).

I don't see the point of ordering a T-day dinner. You might as well get Chinese take-out or drive by McDonalds then.

[chiliD]

I totally get if you don't have the time, or the health to do it. But if you do, what's the big deal? I just think a lot of kids that are growing up these days (I sound old) are missing out on some really nice traditions such as Thanksgiving dinner. What will they do when they grow up? To each his/her own I guess. Myself, maybe I just haven't done it enough yet to be sick of the "hassle" of it all.


As Bob Dylan said 40+ years ago...

..."the times they are a-changin'..."

How many people in the US are REALLY directly decended from those at "The First Thanksgiving"? Probably a small minority...so we're all just "play acting" a false tradition in the first place.

[Merf]

One year my grandmother made her first turkey and she got pissed because she couldn't get it to brown, so she melted butter, poured it over the turkey, and cranked it to broil. By the time she realized it was burning, it must have been burnt an inch thick.

Now that's awesome. Ha ha ha. :blob2: One of these days, I'm going to get a turkey frier! Mmm, fried turkey. Whee!

[hayley]

Everybody makes their own traditions. :shrug: There are plenty of reasons that people can't or won't go all out cooking for Thanksgiving, I don't see how it's anyone's right to judge how people spend their holidays. If it's important to you to make your gigantic gorge-fest, then make sure that's a tradition in your family. I don't get what the big deal is.

eta:

Now that's awesome. Ha ha ha. One of these days, I'm going to get a turkey frier! Mmm, fried turkey. Whee!
My dad's been deep frying the turkey the last couple of years. It's disgustingly good.

[GardenStateGirlie]

We did it last year :shrug: My mother was working and it was too much for my dad to do by himself so we ordered it and then my dad made a few extra sides and added more flavor. It was a really good meal. Some people just don't have the time while perhaps others either are unable to cook (maybe because they don't cook well or because they're physically incapable) yet still want the traditional meal. I don't see anything wrong with it :shrug:

[Richard B]

I always thought Thanksgiving was about the gathering and family and friends and not the food. The food was the bonus.

I think it's fine to have the dinner catered. Growing up in a divorced family, my Dad is not a cook by any degree of the imagination, but he would lavish my brother and I when he got us for the holiday (alternating years...but Mom got us more) he would take us out to dinner at somewhere really nice, like the Fairmont or Sheraton Palace in SF. It was decadent and actually surprisingly fun.

I mentioned in a earlier Thanksgiving thread, that I'm making tacos for my cuz and I and whoever else swings by my place. So again, it's about the family and friends, not the food.

Besides Christmas is another turkey day. Turkey is over rated anyway. In fact all the "traditional" thanksgiving food is pretty lame. I hate stuffing, sweet potatoes (especially with those marshmellows), cranberries, GRAVY (diarrhea). And being health conscious in the first place, I eat a lot of turkey (breast) year round.

[GardenStateGirlie]

My dad's been deep frying the turkey the last couple of years. It's disgustingly good.

We're having three turkey's this year and a ham at my aunt and uncles house. One is deep fried, one is roasted, and one is regular :laugh: Something for everyone.

[JazmenFlowers]

I can only imagine the stress that you guys will have saved. If I actually ate meat, I'd buy a precooked turkey anyway because every turkey I've ever eaten on Thanksgiving has been overcooked to point where it could double as turkey jerky. :laugh: One year my grandmother made her first turkey and she got pissed because she couldn't get it to brown, so she melted butter, poured it over the turkey, and cranked it to broil. By the time she realized it was burning, it must have been burnt an inch thick.
have you heard of Tofurkey? I try to eat as little meat as possible, especially red meat. Love me some Boca burgers.

[hayley]

have you heard of Tofurkey? I try to eat as little meat as possible, especially red meat. Love me some Boca burgers.
Tofurkey is so nasty. I love meat substitutes, I live on Boca & Gardenburgers, but tofurkey? Eww. One Thanksgiving when I was in college my parents came up and cooked for my roommates and I, and my Dad made a Tofurkey for my vegan roommate, shrimp & crawfish for my vegetarian roommate, and turkey for everyone else.

We're having three turkey's this year and a ham at my aunt and uncles house. One is deep fried, one is roasted, and one is regular Something for everyone.
Oh, yum. My dad used to smoke our turkeys before he went nuts with the deep frying. THAT was the best.

[dissention]

Now that's awesome. Ha ha ha. :blob2:

You should have seen her trying to salvage the turkey by scraping off the burnt sections with a BUTTER KNIFE. The kitchen looked like a crematorium.

One of these days, I'm going to get a turkey frier! Mmm, fried turkey. Whee!

Ha! I've seen those at BJ's and they're absolutely huge. :laugh: Too funny.

We're having three turkey's this year and a ham at my aunt and uncles house. One is deep fried, one is roasted, and one is regular :laugh: Something for everyone.

This made me cackle with amusement. Your family must be enormous!!

[dissention]

have you heard of Tofurkey? I try to eat as little meat as possible, especially red meat. Love me some Boca burgers.

Tofurkey offends my sense of taste. It's so putrid. I *love* Boca burgers, though.

[hayley]

Tofurkey offends my sense of taste. It's so putrid. I *love* Boca burgers, though.
My favorite fake meat product ever is Trader Joe's veggie meatballs, have you had them? I am so severely addicted to them.

(I am posting constantly today just so I can watch my banner. I'm shaaaameless.)

[strandinthewind]

Tofurkey offends my sense of taste. It's so putrid. I *love* Boca burgers, though.

You are such a freak :p

[Richard B]

Funny how some of you hate meat or don't eat it...but yet crave it nonetheless and for some reason buy fake meat to quench that real meat need. Weird.

[hayley]

Funny how some of you hate meat or don't eat it...but yet crave it nonetheless and for some reason buy fake meat to quench that real meat need. Weird.
I like meat well enough, I just don't like cooking it. Boca burgers are easy and quick to make, and are delicious. I crave the taste of them, not what they're supposed to be faking me out for. They also have more protein and fiber and other healthy junk etc. than meat has.

[SuzeQuze]

Fried turkey really is insanely good.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ordering the meal. I'm fortunate enough to be able bodied and actually like to cook but for those who aren't and don't why not? I just love the tradition of having my Mom's stuffing, which was my grandmother's, plus the same smells and flavors at the table. It is just comforting. But whatever the traditions are is what's comforting. Or if you don't have traditions the wine or whatever you like is comforting. I guess whatever gets you through the frikkin day. I have so few actual traditions in my family though that this one I like to keep. I love the smell of that Bell's seasoning cooking in my stuffing. Mmmmm...

[Merf]

My favorite fake meat product ever is Trader Joe's veggie meatballs, have you had them? I am so severely addicted to them.

(I am posting constantly today just so I can watch my banner. I'm shaaaameless.)

I'm partial to the Morningstar Corndogs, myself. My best friend is a vegetarian and her freezer is stock full of things. Her boyfriend and I mostly just mack on the corn dogs. :thumbsup:

[chiliD]

My favorite fake meat product ever is Trader Joe's veggie meatballs, have you had them? I am so severely addicted to them.

(I am posting constantly today just so I can watch my banner. I'm shaaaameless.)


ANYTHING from Trader Joe's is great...one of my favorite stores.

We're hooked on their pre-packaged frozen meals...especially the Shrimp & Veggie Stir Fry (from the frozen section). 11 minutes from freezer to table and tastes like it came from a restaurant.

[Lee]

Well, I don't know. Maybe some people are lazy :shrug: , but then again, some people just don't like the hassle or they just don't like to cook. Me, I really don't like to cook, but I'm into tradition & my mother always cooks a turkey with all the trimmings. So I started cooking a turkey with the trimmings for my husband & a few members of his family for Thanksgiving. And my husband, who knows I hate to cook, always helps me out, so it's really not too bad. And I always get a free turkey from work. I think of Thanksgiving as the "forgotten holiday". I hate that Christmas seems to start earlier & earlier every year, like the Halloween & Christmas decorations at right next to each other. I just feel kind of sorry for Thanksgiving, the forgotten holiday. :lol:

Lee :)

[jannieC]

One year my grandmother made her first turkey and she got pissed because she couldn't get it to brown, so she melted butter, poured it over the turkey, and cranked it to broil. By the time she realized it was burning, it must have been burnt an inch thick.

Oh god. Too funny. TOOOO funny.

Anyway, my mother-in-law had Thanksgiving dinner catered once- we had a lot of things going on in the family that year, and no one was up to the whole cooking thing but everyone wanted to eat a traditional dinner together. I know she paid a small fortune for it, but man it was so good. So, I can understand it. We probably won't do it again, but it was a real treat.

[sparky]

I've cooked an entire dinner a few times and it can be a lot of fun. The pre cooked dinners I have had were okay, but not great. The best thing about them was the fact that no one present had to cook them. There is nothing like fresh homemade food, if you know what the hell you are doing. Or fresh baked rolls and homemade pie. But, not everyone has the time, energy and ability.

Of course people are lazy. And getting lazier by the day.
We want it now, we want it cheap, we don't want to struggle for it, and we want it ALL. God Bless America.

[strandinthewind]

I've cooked an entire dinner a few times and it can be a lot of fun. The pre cooked dinners I have had were okay, but not great. The best thing about them was the fact that no one present had to cook them. There is nothing like fresh homemade food, if you know what the hell you are doing. Or fresh baked rolls and homemade pie. But, not everyone has the time, energy and ability.

I just want to be the first to say that the Pilgrim's Platter at Copeland's (a popular rest. in the South) are FAR better than anything I could ever cook and I have gone to several cooking schools - and its like $19.99. But, I have done the whole thing from chosing the bird to cracking the eggs for the pies. I do not mind doing it and if I had anyone to do it for I would - though that $19.99 Pilgrim's Platter will always look good to me :laugh:

Of course people are lazy. And getting lazier by the day.
We want it now, we want it cheap, we don't want to struggle for it, and we want it ALL. God Bless America.

Yep - and I am so guilty of it :eek:

[sara1998]

Fried turkey really is insanely good.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ordering the meal. I'm fortunate enough to be able bodied and actually like to cook but for those who aren't and don't why not? I just love the tradition of having my Mom's stuffing, which was my grandmother's, plus the same smells and flavors at the table. It is just comforting. But whatever the traditions are is what's comforting. Or if you don't have traditions the wine or whatever you like is comforting. I guess whatever gets you through the frikkin day. I have so few actual traditions in my family though that this one I like to keep. I love the smell of that Bell's seasoning cooking in my stuffing. Mmmmm...
I don't think there's nothing wrong with ordering the meal, but, I myself will never do it so long as I am able to do it myself. I agree with the tradition of family recipes passed down... the turkey thing I do is all my own, but I'm making my grandmothers cranberry jello, and my mom is making my grandmothers sweet potato casserole.... It really is comforting. I hope to pass the love of making the dinner and the traditions down to Sara, who will be taking part in helping mom in the kitchen this year.

[Richard B]

Of course people are lazy. And getting lazier by the day.
We want it now, we want it cheap, we don't want to struggle for it, and we want it ALL. God Bless America.
Yes, the aggressive need for instant gratification.

[Livia]

We're doing 2 fried turkeys and someone's bringing a brisket. The bonus to frying turkeys is that (1) they cook faster and (2) your oven is free for all the other stuff.

Whenever I've done it at my house, my tradition is to drink mimosas all day while I'm cooking. And God forbid anyone should bring a can of whipped cream into my house. I will inhale the nitrous out of it before the appetizers have been served. LOL Good times...sounds like an Ab Fab episode, if they were American...

Seriously, to me, Thanksgiving isn't all about the meal - whether it's a Swanson turkey dinner, or you pick it up at Boston Market, or you're chowing down at the Salvation Army, or you go to a buffet at the Four Seasons. It's really about being thankful for our blessings. :nod:

[strandinthewind]

. . . God forbid anyone should bring a can of whipped cream into my house. I will inhale the nitrous out of it before the appetizers have been served. LOL Good times...sounds like an Ab Fab episode, if they were American....

I am coming over with five :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :D

[Richard B]

I am coming over with five :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :D
Just bring whip-its!!

[Livia]

I am coming over with five :wavey: :wavey: :wavey: :D

Hee-hee! I'm going to a friend's house! It will be a fun group. I'm making my sweet potato casserole and parmesan herb bread. I just went shopping after work to pick up the ingredients I needed - the store was a nightmare. I went thru the self check-out with more than 10 items just to get the f*ck out of there asap!

[Livia]

Just bring whip-its!!

There's a convenience store here called Whip-In. They sell beer, cigs, and whip-its! Whip it good!

[strandinthewind]

Just bring whip-its!!

But then we can't chow on the whipped cream.

Actually, I used to know this drag queen named Varla Jean Merman (the illegitimate daughter of Ethel and Ernest Borgnine) who could sing Madame Butterfly while downing a can of Cheese Wiz :eek:

Similar things would happen with me at Livia's house :cool:

[strandinthewind]

There's a convenience store here called Whip-In. They sell beer, cigs, and whip-its! Whip it good!

Who could ask for anything more!

[dissention]

I'm making my sweet potato casserole

You, too? :laugh: I make a truly gluttonous sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving with heavy cream, brown sugar, pecans, and walnuts.

[Livia]

You, too? :laugh: I make a truly gluttonous sweet potato casserole for Thanksgiving with heavy cream, brown sugar, pecans, and walnuts.

Yum! That sounds more gluttonous than mine - I posted the recipe here:

http://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/showthread.php?t=23971&page=7

[gldstwmn]

I will be picking up dinner from McCormick's and dessert from the Cheesecake Factory. I don't cook. I'd rather just relax and hang out with my family than spend the day cooking and cleaning.

[dissention]

Cheesecake Factory

When I'm downtown, I have to fight the urge to run into that place and ingest everything in sight.

[gldstwmn]

Now that's awesome. Ha ha ha. :blob2: One of these days, I'm going to get a turkey frier! Mmm, fried turkey. Whee!

It's supposed to be really good. I've never tried it, though.

[gldstwmn]

It's really about being thankful for our blessings. :nod:

There you go. :)

[gldstwmn]

When I'm downtown, I have to fight the urge to run into that place and ingest everything in sight.

Their cheesecake is so decadent. They put that whip cream on top of it! I should probably go over there tomorrow if I want to get any of the pumpkin cheesecake.

[Lisa1769]

My Grandma cooked all the holiday meals up until 2 years ago. She put on a feast. She makes the best homemade noodles in the world! Everybody else would bring a dish also, so the dirty dishes was ungodly. My Mom, sister & I always did the dishes. We had another cousin who always comes to dinner. She is the true definition of LAZY. She would never bring a dish and never offer to help with dishes.:rolleyes: Here our 70 yr. old Grandma went thru all this effort and she couldn't even open a container of cottage cheese and dump in some pineapple or wash a plate? Bitch:laugh:

[tuigirl]

If it's "fast food" meals (ie store to microwave in 10 secs) your'e worried about in general..tell me about it. I have been thrown on the tills at work and the amount of pre-packaged junk that goes through is awful. Especially, young families with kids (and single young guys...), it's the crisps, the sweets, the frozen burgers..even the "baby" food (some of which have 6 month "use by dates" on them!)..Lord knows what rubbish, wer'e feeding our kids from the word go. I honestly think also, alot of people don't know how to actually cook "real" meals anymore and convenience food (with it's added E numbers) is all they know what to do.It's a shame, yes actually cooking can be a pain at times, but at least you know whats in it!

[sparky]

If it's "fast food" meals (ie store to microwave in 10 secs) your'e worried about in general..tell me about it. I have been thrown on the tills at work and the amount of pre-packaged junk that goes through is awful. Especially, young families with kids (and single young guys...), it's the crisps, the sweets, the frozen burgers..even the "baby" food (some of which have 6 month "use by dates" on them!)..Lord knows what rubbish, wer'e feeding our kids from the word go. I honestly think also, alot of people don't know how to actually cook "real" meals anymore and convenience food (with it's added E numbers) is all they know what to do.It's a shame, yes actually cooking can be a pain at times, but at least you know whats in it!

Even though you are in the UK and the obesity problem isn't as bad there, I would be curious to know if these people are overweight.

[Janet]

The latter. What are you, from the year 1850? Get with modern times.

Not everyone HAS the time & energy (nor the HEALTH) to cook a big traditional T-Day dinner...and the supermarket pre-cooked dinner is just f-ing GREAT. What about those "moms" who HAVE cooked the "big traditional meal" for 20+ years and have just grown tired of the hassle (or can't DEAL with the hassle)? Even those grocery store dinners take a bit of additional preparation once you get 'em home, so its not exactly "slam dunk, here's your dinner, dig in".

I agree. It's too hard sometimes you know? I never cooked a Thanksgiving meal and I never want to. Some years I don't even have turkey, some years I do. The day is about being thankful, not the meal you eat. I know from the weekend until Thanksgiving, I work about 65 hours. I am sure many others do as well. All I want to do is rest.

[tuigirl]

Even though you are in the UK and the obesity problem isn't as bad there, I would be curious to know if these people are overweight.

In general..yes, you can see theyr'e headed that way. After, our eldests health scare at the beginning of the year (we were advised not to have ANY processed food), it made me realise it's really hard not to open a bottle of sauce, eat a ready made cake, stop drinking "fruit" juices etc....everything has so much damn junk in it, you just don't know what your'e feeding yourselves unless you cook it yourself and alot of people don't.BTW...a young guy, went thru my till not long ago, with everything fresh (vege) and healthy, not abit of rubbish and I congratulated him on such a healthy choice (yes, he was trim)..he seemed very chuffed, and we had a nice chat..haha.

[GardenStateGirlie]

This made me cackle with amusement. Your family must be enormous!!

No, they're just effing pigs :laugh: It's my mother, my father, my aunt, my uncle, both my cousins and both of their spouses, my grandparents and then we're bringing my nana over (my mom's mom) because originally, we were supposed to cook. There's also talk of my other aunt and uncle coming up from the shore with their two kids and then my aunt Barb as well. I guess that's like, 17? :laugh:

[amber]

No, they're just effing pigs :laugh: It's my mother, my father, my aunt, my uncle, both my cousins and both of their spouses, my grandparents and then we're bringing my nana over (my mom's mom) because originally, we were supposed to cook. There's also talk of my other aunt and uncle coming up from the shore with their two kids and then my aunt Barb as well. I guess that's like, 17? :laugh:
:shocked: :shocked:
That's a lot! At the Thanksgivings my nona always cooked, there was like...8....
That sounds really fun, though. You'll need all that food, because if you don't have leftovers, it's not Thanksgiving! :nod:

[GardenStateGirlie]

:shocked: :shocked:
That's a lot! At the Thanksgivings my nona always cooked, there was like...8....
That sounds really fun, though. You'll need all that food, because if you don't have leftovers, it's not Thanksgiving! :nod:

Usually we stay at home and it's just my mom, dad, and I and maybe a guest or two. But, my uncle invited us over -- both of my cousins have two new babies -- I think everyone gained some sort of new perspective after they were both born.

That food will be gone. My mother is still insisting on cooking our own Thanksgiving on Sunday :laugh: (they have a free turkey)

[sasja]

Agreed, Amber!
I am vegetarian as well, but though I really sigh at the turkeyslaying, I do appreciate the ceremony of serving up food prettily to bickering relatives with too much whiskey in them :blob1:
Don't know why that's special but somehow it really is :) It makes for the best group-dynamics, and later on, for the best gossip on the long car-ride back home!

And I am Dutch! So I never even grew up with Thanksgiving! But now that I live here in the US, I think it's an intriguing Holiday...

Sasja

[CelticGypsy]

I just have to get something off my chest that's buggin' right now...
A co-worker of mine just told me that she went to Vons (a grocery store) this weekend to order her pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinner and they told her they weren't taking any more orders as they already have 400 orders for the dinner! :eek: This particular grocery store is in a relatively small community. The fact that 400 of these dinners were sold boggles my mind. I mean, I understand if you really don't have time, like if you have to work Thanksgiving morning or something, but otherwise I just don't get it. :distress: People want tradition these days, but it seems they don't want to do the little bit of work that makes it a tradition in the first place. Do you guys get me, or am I just being a bitch? :shrug:

~jamie


Yes, too many people are just plain lazy. I am soooo thankful I am nothing like that blonde, lazy woman who was on Wife Swap last night:lol: She fits the profile of who buys these meals.

Cooking is alot of fun and making a large dinner isn't that difficult. Like anything else in our life, practice makes perfect:D

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone:wavey:

[strandinthewind]

I will be picking up dinner from McCormick's and dessert from the Cheesecake Factory. I don't cook. I'd rather just relax and hang out with my family than spend the day cooking and cleaning.

Lord love ya darlin' :woohoo:

[strandinthewind]

If it's "fast food" meals (ie store to microwave in 10 secs) your'e worried about in general..tell me about it. I have been thrown on the tills at work and the amount of pre-packaged junk that goes through is awful. Especially, young families with kids (and single young guys...), it's the crisps, the sweets, the frozen burgers..even the "baby" food (some of which have 6 month "use by dates" on them!)..Lord knows what rubbish, wer'e feeding our kids from the word go. I honestly think also, alot of people don't know how to actually cook "real" meals anymore and convenience food (with it's added E numbers) is all they know what to do.It's a shame, yes actually cooking can be a pain at times, but at least you know whats in it!

and then even then - you have to buy the non steroid laden/infested meats if you can afford them, which many cannot.

[SuzeQuze]

and then even then - you have to buy the non steroid laden/infested meats if you can afford them, which many cannot.

Fortunately as the demand for these products goes up the price will come down. I love Stop and Shop's Nature's Promise line of organic foods. Unfortunately I don't think they include any meat. When I do buy meat I buy the all natural stuff and the expense helps keep it to a minimum!

Anyone can cook with an oven, a recipe, and a timer. When I did Thanksgiving I did a few things the day before and had everything but the Turkey done before my guests arrived. That way I was able to focus on them. :)

But if you hate it, you hate it! I hear that. I hate ironing and I won't do it. My wrinkled clothes hang in the closet for months, its a shame. It isn't even hard but I just hate it. :shrug:

[skcin]

Well, I prefer a nice big homemade dinner, but it's easy for me to say since I'm not the one cooking it. :D

My parents' house in the early pm will just be the 4 of us (used to be 6 until bro moved 3000 miles away.) Hubby's parents' house will be between 14 and 20 adults & 4 kids. :eek: Quite a difference.

God bless my mom & his stepdad for feeding all of us. :angel:

[sparky]

Do you mean on a holiday or in general life? I hope you just mean on a holiday.

Of course. I was referring to a Thankgiving feast.

Cheap? It's cheaper to cook. I do not understand the big deal with cooking. It doesn't have to be a three course meal, it can be so simple and I'm by no means a good cook. In the time it takes to drive down and spend a comparitive fortune on take-away, you could have thrown on a stir fry that will last a week. It really is so much cheaper and does not have to be a fuss.

I totally agree with you. That little tirade was all about American Consumer Culture. People here don't care if it is cheaper to cook themselves. Everyone wants someone else to do things for them and they want all that stuff to be cheap - i.e. essentially most all want to live like kings when they aren't all wealthy. Thank goodness for cheap slave labor in developing nations. Where would we all be ?

[DavidMn]

I would like to cook more, but unfortunately I'm njot very good at it.:o

[gldstwmn]

I agree. It's too hard sometimes you know? I never cooked a Thanksgiving meal and I never want to. Some years I don't even have turkey, some years I do. The day is about being thankful, not the meal you eat. I know from the weekend until Thanksgiving, I work about 65 hours. I am sure many others do as well. All I want to do is rest.

I am really looking forward to two full days off. :)

[gldstwmn]

Lord love ya darlin' :woohoo:

:xoxo: Right back atcha babe. ;) I went to The Cheesecake Factory tonight, found a parking spot right next to the take out door and went in and got some pumpkin, dulce de leche, pumpkin pecan and banana cream cheesecake. Yum!

[Richard B]

I am really looking forward to two full days off. :)
Me too!!! And I really want to eat some Banana Cream Pie.

[gldstwmn]

Me too!!! And I really want to eat some Banana Cream Pie.

I sampled some cheesecake earlier. :woohoo:

[GardenStateGirlie]

We have a sugar free Pumpkin Pie in the fridge. It tastes out of this world -- only problem -- no Whipped Cream in sight :distress: I'm longing for the pumpkin roll I know i'm going to get to eat on Thursday.

[cliffdweller]

I can only imagine the stress that you guys will have saved. If I actually ate meat, I'd buy a precooked turkey anyway because every turkey I've ever eaten on Thanksgiving has been overcooked to point where it could double as turkey jerky. :laugh: One year my grandmother made her first turkey and she got pissed because she couldn't get it to brown, so she melted butter, poured it over the turkey, and cranked it to broil. By the time she realized it was burning, it must have been burnt an inch thick.


:laugh::laugh: That is RICH!

[cliffdweller]

cooking is lots of fun when you do it with a few people (and a bottle of wine!).

My favorite pass-time :laugh:.

[cliffdweller]

Funny how some of you hate meat or don't eat it...but yet crave it nonetheless and for some reason buy fake meat to quench that real meat need. Weird.

I've always found that to be odd myself <img src="http://tinypic.com/ftn594.gif" alt="Image hosted by TinyPic.com">

[cliffdweller]

We want it now, we want it cheap, we don't want to struggle for it, and we want it ALL. God Bless America.

My next signature. Love it :thumbsup:.

[Miss Vicky]

I'm having tacos. Morningstar Farms makes a really good ground beef substitute.

Though I will steal a slice or two from my parents' bird...

to feed to my cats.

[cliffdweller]

But then we can't chow on the whipped cream.

Actually, I used to know this drag queen named Varla Jean Merman (the illegitimate daughter of Ethel and Ernest Borgnine) who could sing Madame Butterfly while downing a can of Cheese Wiz :eek:

Similar things would happen with me at Livia's house :cool:

Then I suggest you come to Austin next Thanksgiving :cool::laugh:.

[cliffdweller]

Well, I prefer a nice big homemade dinner, but it's easy for me to say since I'm not the one cooking it. :D

:high fives: I know that's right. I can just sit back with a bottle of wine :laugh:. Oy...

[dissention]

I've always found that to be odd myself <img src="http://tinypic.com/ftn594.gif" alt="Image hosted by TinyPic.com">

Not really. Fake meat tastes nothing like the real thing and I can't say I crave the real thing. The thought of me ingesting a real animal makes me retch at this point. :laugh:

[Richard B]

The thought of me ingesting a real animal makes me retch at this point. :laugh:
You make it sound like you're just tearing into the animal. You know by the time a slab of meat is cooked to perfection and on a plate I really no longer see a animal. I see a steak, a breast.

Now fish is another story. Love having a trout staring at me on my plate. I always expect it to blink or something. I LOVE fish. My mom (from the old school) could suck a fish head, eyeballs and all clean to the bone. Cracks me up. Bless.

[cliffdweller]

You make it sound like you're just tearing into the animal. You know by the time a slab of meat is cooked to perfection and on a plate I really no longer see a animal. I see a steak, a breast.

Now fish is another story. Love having a trout staring at me on my plate. I always expect it to blink or something. I LOVE fish. My mom (from the old school) could suck a fish head, eyeballs and all clean to the bone. Cracks me up. Bless.

:laugh::laugh: Oh, this last part is richness. I'd like to agree with the first part too even though, logically, it doesn't make any sense! :laugh:. An animal is an animal is an animal...dead or alive. But see that's not my argument, I don't care. I like animals. They taste good! :laugh:.

[cliffdweller]

Not really. Fake meat tastes nothing like the real thing and I can't say I crave the real thing. The thought of me ingesting a real animal makes me retch at this point. :laugh:

I know, believe me I know, my sister was a veggie for umpteen years (she's since backslided back to meat) and I used to partake of the veggie delights with her sometimes...and some of it is very, very good. But still, you have to admit that faux meat (burgers, sausage, meat balls, made out of vegetables and tofu etc) is "modeled" into something resembling and somewhat tasting like meat which is just ironic and weird. "You have to admit that Ruben" :laugh:.

[Richard B]

I'd like to agree with the first part too even though, logically, it doesn't make any sense! :laugh:. An animal is an animal is an animal...dead or alive. But see that's not my argument, I don't care. I like animals. They taste good! :laugh:.
True dat.

I suppose I should have worded it muscle or the occasional liver. Hehe. I tried cow tongue once. It looked horrible...all the cracks...but damn it was succulent! So tender.