Nowadays, to save time or to satisfy their taste buds, teens the world over order meals on apps and have them delivered to their doorsteps. There is no denying, however, that cooking is an essential life skill. We cannot always eat out or have delivery, can we? For one thing, it is a drain on the purse to dine at a restaurant or to order in. For another, delivered meals and takeaways are still a significant health concern. Without rigorous regulations in place, their hygiene leaves a lot to be desired. So many of my friends suffered from stomach-ache after consuming food ordered through an app.

Despite the fact that home cooking is a wise choice, the majority of Chinese parents seldom give their kids an opportunity to try their hand at using a wok. They take only their grades seriously, thus leaving the younger generation’s key life skills, such as food preparation, neglected.

Unlike my contemporaries, I like making a meal from scratch because fresh ingredients make tasty, nutritious dishes. Pre-made meals can’t compare. I learn a lot from the creative process, washing, cutting and cooking. When I savour a dinner I concocted on my own, I feel a sense of independence and accomplishment.

One day in the summer vacation, my best friend, Alice, messaged me on QQ. She said that her parents had been on a business trip for days on end. Every day she had to either eat out or have food delivered. At the moment she was at a loss what to feed herself on. “I have tried almost all the food offerings available in town, Jiahui,” she confessed.

No sooner had I got the message than I went over to her house and prepared a lunch for her. To be honest, I am a novice in the kitchen compared to my mother. I just tossed together a cabbage salad and stir-fried some rice with egg. They were simple stuff. While she was digging in, Alice was all tears. “I admire you a lot!” exclaimed my friend. “Were I a man, Jiahui, I would marry you.” My home cooked meal pleased her like a feast.

Since the summer culinary experience, Alice has mentioned it to a lot of people. It is not a chef thing, but she simply does not have the know-how. As you can see, a lot of teens do not know how to do a dish but putting meals on the table is truly an indispensable part of life’s toolkit.