When the Kitchen Falls Silent…

 

When the Kitchen Falls Silent…

Have you ever noticed how a kitchen is more than just a place to cook?

It’s the heartbeat of a family — the invisible thread that keeps us connected.

As our families lean more on restaurants and takeout, this warning from a few economists of the US who faced similar situation in the 1980's comes to my mind:

“If companies cook our meals and the state cares for our children and elders, the very foundation of the family will weaken.”

Most people ignored it then in the US. However, then look at the numbers today:

• In 1971, 71% of households were traditional families (husband, wife, and children)

• Today, it’s down to just 20%

• Divorce rates have skyrocketed (50% in first marriages, 67% in second, 74% in third)

• More people live alone, children are often raised outside marriage, and family bonds feel fragile

This isn’t coincidence. It’s the hidden cost of closing the kitchen. We cannot ignore this stating what applies to the US might not apply elsewhere. It is about the families not countries. Human behaviour matters. 

Why home-cooked meals matter

Food made at home is more than fuel. It’s love, memory, and belonging. When families eat together, children learn values, elders share wisdom, and bonds deepen. But when everyone eats separately — often with a phone in hand — homes feel like guesthouses, and relationships like online “connections”: formal, distant, temporary.

The physical cost is just as real. Eating out constantly means cheap oils, processed ingredients, and fast-food habits that fuel obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — even in the young. While food corporations decide what’s on our plates, pharmaceutical companies profit from the consequences. As we all are aware allopathy perpetuates diseases for a sustained business.

The irony is, Our grandparents carried homemade meals on long journeys. Today, we stay home and still order out — all in the name of convenience.

The kitchen makes a family

It’s not too late to turn back. Reclaiming the kitchen is about more than cooking — it’s about health, culture, security, and warmth.

• In Japan, families still eat together, and their life expectancy is the highest in the world.

• In Mediterranean countries, meals are rituals — scientists link this to stronger families and healthier lifestyles.

• Even in business, “breaking bread together” remains a universal sign of trust and bonding.

A bedroom may make a house. But the kitchen? The kitchen makes a family. What do you think — is the decline of home cooking reshaping family life? Reply in the comment section.