I had already clicked over to National Geographic to read their post, Bring Back Home Economics: Three Food Writers on Teaching People to Cook, when I saw that one of the food writers taking part in this brainstorming session was Boston's own maven of many things food, Jacqueline Church. That gave the discussion great credibility.
Once upon a time, students at Boston schools learned life skills like cooking. The photo above, from the Boston Public Library Collection, is of girls at the Everett School in th 1890s. (I loved the old home economics photos in the National Georgraphic piece, so I went hunting for some local versions.)
Today, we have many adults who don't know how to feed themselves and resort to buying highly processed food and fast food that damages their health.
With each successive generation, fewer people have the skills these eight young women were gaining in the Boston Public Schools. (Photo from the Boston Public Library Collection.)
Or, this group of boys identified as being part of "An experiment of Miss Fuller's: boys' cooking class." (This is from the City of Boston Archives and is circa 1898-1899.)
Here's Jacqueline Church, a modern woman with a modern approach to teaching cooking skills.
If you cook, how did you learn? Are you a confident shopper? Are you feeding yourself in a way that is keeping you healthy or that addresses the health issues that concern you?
If cooking and feeding yourself is a goal you'd like to set for yourself, consider consulting with a professional like Jacqueline. Here is a link to her site where she explains how you can gain Kitchen Confidence.
Just as you might want to consult with a personal trainer to learn proper exercise techniques to achieve your fitness goals, you can turn to a cooking coach to "learn the skills you'll use for a lifetime," as Jacqueline says.
By the way, here is Jacqueline's own follow up post to the National Geographic conversation with a cooking lesson!
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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Boston Public Library and City of Boston Archives used under this creative commons license. Jacqueline Chruch photo courtesy of www.jacquelinechurch.com