How many of you actually cooked yourself dinner last night from scratch? And I mean something that required more than assembling a sandwich, reheating leftovers or throwing something in the microwave. Did you seriously take a number of ingredients and turn them into something more than just palatable, but actually delicious?
For the majority of students, I can guess the answer is no because most college students lack the necessary skills to properly prepare themselves a meal that they look forward to as much as one from a restaurant.
Cooking entails more than simply assembling food into something resembling a meal, but transforming ingredients into something delicious. Preparing your own masterpieces can save you money and improve your health, and yet many students still see the kitchen as a foreign battlefield without the necessary tools to navigate it. Dorm-residing students are partially exempt due to their jail cell-like living quarters, but those with easy access to a kitchen don’t have an excuse.
If N.C. State takes it upon itself to teach the basics of fitness and exercise, then why doesn’t it offer classes to teach basic culinary skills?
Requiring basic fitness and wellness classes is unnecessary, but the University has made these a requirement. Why doesn’t it teach students how to take care of themselves in the kitchen as well as in the gym?
Some might suggest that cooking skills are supposed to be acquired in high school in some foods class or maybe through family, but the same argument can be made for fitness knowledge. Aren’t exercise fundamentals supposed to be taught in high school physical education or through parents and guardians?
I’m not asking N.C. State to offer classes that rival the Culinary Institute of America, but maybe classes that rival the nearby civic center. The classes can be offered to students, and if they don’t fill up (which I doubt would happen), they can be extended to the general public. They could give people the confidence to properly cook meat and assist students to turn once unpalatable vegetables into edible delicacies. Like most 100-level fitness classes, the culinary classes would simply cover the basics.
Currently, culinary schools are separate entities that require complete commitment to a specialized school to capitalize on a possible interest. Classes outside the University are expensive and often short-lived, whereas a semester-long introductory class would create kitchen-savvy adults ready to conquer the kitchen. And if the basics of culinary instill a sense of fulfillment, then it gives students the chance to venture to the correct institution.
We know the path to successful health and weight loss includes more than just exercising, so why are we ignoring the obvious? Cooking is more than just a path to good health—it can also instill a sense of accomplishment that can transition elsewhere. Successfully transforming a set of ingredients into a delicious dinner can do wonders for your self-esteem and confidence, just like visual or performing arts. Furthermore, the classes could create a fun escape from the normal drag of sitting in lecture halls and give students a chance to apply what they learn immediately and share their knowledge with friends.
If the University feels responsible for educating students about basic health and wellness, then it should also offer students the opportunity to learn how to conquer the kitchen.
