Foodtainment: The Myth of the 30-Minute-Meal

I'm sitting here watching a "behind the scenes" of the Food Network celebrity cooking shows and getting progressively more upset. I'm trying to get my husband to get as upset as I am, but instead, he says, "Dear, maybe we should just change the channel."

Arg.

So, of course, I turn to my sisterhood of women out there trying to do “all the things” for our families (and feeling like we are failing miserably) for some "hell yeah" support.

We have all watched at least one of these shows at one time or another. We've seen Rachel whip up a meal in 30 minutes, watched Giada handle pasta like it is playdoh, and become mesmerized as Bobby Flay masters his grill. Everything in Food Network Land is so "simple," "easy," "takes no time at all!" Yet, somehow, in my kitchen, those same "easy" recipes are never as "simple" as they claim!

Now, if I had a STAFF of people in my kitchen who did all the shopping ahead of time; to say nothing of the peeling, chopping, dicing, and slicing; and THEN would clean up my messes as I went along.... well, then, perhaps the Food Network Land wouldn't seem so much like a fantasy land.

Don't get me wrong. I do enjoy watching the Food Network, and I'll continue to do so. But I watch it for its entertainment value and not its real-world experience. I do most of the food preparation for my husband and me. And I do like to host the occasional dinner party. Of course, I desire to cook a good meal, but I also feel the pressure to live up to Giada's, Rachel's, or Flay's example. And that is a dangerous trap to set.

I remember once that I watched a show where Rachel Ray was doing a live demo for a food festival of some sort in Florida. A woman from the audience stood up and asked, "Why is it when I do your 30-minute meals they always take at least an hour?"

I almost dropped my remote control. As she was stirring her roux, Rachel was somewhat flustered but remained focused, replying, "Oh, umm, well, you know, sometimes when you are doing a new dish, it can take a little longer. When you are cooking just have fun and go with it. Don't worry about watching the clock so much."

Ummm, yeah, sure. Well, I'm glad to know it isn't just me.