Cooking Survey Reveals That 28% Of Americans Can't Cook

A new survey of American adults reveals that, despite the tireless efforts of the Food Network, Mark Bittman and KitchenDaily, 28% of Americans -- almost a third -- don't know how to cook. Said ignorance was the second-most-cited reason for not cooking regularly.

The most-cited reason, with 51%, (and one assumes there's a certain amount of overlap in these two cohorts) was that the surveyed party had a spouse or partner who does most of the cooking. The other major excuses were "not having enough time" (21%) and "not wanting to clean up afterwards" (25%). Many also indicated that the time it takes to go grocery shopping is a major impediment.

The survey was sponsored by the makers of Bosch Appliances, so it's possible the results are skewed in such a way as to encourage the purchase of work-saving kitchenware. But the results generally jibe with other surveys of American cooking habits. One from 1996 showed that 53% of Americans felt that they knew less about cooking than their parents did. A survey from last year, though, found that only 7% of Americans "do not cook." One hopes there's some methodological or demographic mismatch between that survey and this most recent one -- otherwise, one in five Americans are cooking without knowing how to do so.

Comments

[puzzled500]

12:08 PM on 09/21/2011

If you can read a recipe, you can cook.

[kmc528]

08:50 PM on 09/21/2011

Absolutely. My mother and my grandmother started me cooking as soon as I could reach the top of the stove, and I had a decent repertoire by age 8. When Mom was confined to bed for 6 weeks when I was 12, I ran the entire household; the only thing Dad had to do was drive me to the grocery store. We ate as well with me cooking as we did when she was healthy.

[Michele McKian]

07:54 PM on 09/20/2011

"Can't" or "Don't"? There's a difference. Very few people are incapable of cooking but quite a few don't for various reasons: confidence, lack of time, laziness or lack of interest, to name a few. I've found that a lot of people proclaim proudly that "I don't cook!" and happily let others do it for them.

[Wayne Luke]

07:08 PM on 09/20/2011

I know how to cook and do so quite often. My wife will tell you that she doesn't know how to cook but she always picks recipes off of Allrecipes.com and can make them easily enough on her days off. She doesn't cook on days she works because her days are often 10-12 hour days. So we eat in 5 days a week and usually eat out twice a week. I cook three and she cooks the other two.

I think many people don't feel a need to cook because you can order just about any type of food and have it delivered. At least in most cities and suburbs. Plus it is often perceived as cheaper than making it yourself. For people who live in more rural areas, the amount of cooking and knowledge will increase.

[CharmaineThomas]

06:51 PM on 09/20/2011

My 10 year old daughter just basically addressed this issue this past weekend when she delivered a TEDxKids speech in Vancouver. Check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__0UsjAqqDQ

[MotherWouldKnow]

02:59 PM on 09/16/2011

The motivation is key - it's not hard to cook simply, just have to want to do it. The amount of time to shop and cook is inconsequential compared to the amount of money saved over take-out or restaurant meals.

[kmc528]

08:55 PM on 09/21/2011

Because I live in a historic neighborhood where fast food chains aren't permitted, it would actually take longer for me to leave the neighborhood to grab fast food than it takes to cook at home. If I'm going to be really rushed after work, I will throw something in the crockpot in the morning. Chop the veggies the night before, store them in Tupperware in the fridge, and in the morning all you have to do is dump the meat and the veggies in and turn on the crockpot -- you can do that while you're waiting for your tea to brew.

[MotherWouldKnow]

09:17 PM on 09/26/2011

I haven't cooked with a crockpot yet. But I just borrowed one from a friend and I'm looking forward to trying it out. Your comment makes me want to start soon. I'm with you on cutting up stuff the night before - for me, it's usually stir fry or roasting veggies when I get home for quick dinner.

[RdSparrow]

06:32 AM on 09/13/2011

How about a survey of those who CAN cook but are just really bad at it? I can read a cookbook and follow the directions but it often doesn't look or taste as it should. My husband always impresseses me how he can look at the (half empty) cupboards and just create something. Thats a skill I think most of us should have.

[jetle25]

04:45 PM on 09/12/2011

I don't consider Sandra Lee cookbook as a good example though

[jetle25]

04:44 PM on 09/12/2011

I just follow the directions in a cook book. I mean is it really that hard?

[DMSmith]

02:44 PM on 09/12/2011

I'll never forget the day I was at a grocery store with a 20 yr old male friend when he grabbed a 25-cent box of Macaroni and Cheese - add milk and the powder - and said "I wish I knew how to make mac and cheese."
I laughed for about a half hour - the instructions were in picture/comic form. The next day, he asked how to boil water when I was telling how to make a hard-boiled egg.
Kids these days!!! LOL

[Yam716]

12:46 PM on 09/12/2011

28%? Is that all?

[CRZY I]

10:10 AM on 09/12/2011

What irritates me is the number of people who are proud of the fact that they can't cook. I think they associate the ability to cook with being low-class. I can cook, and love to. My mom started teaching us how to cook when we were around age 8. It is also nice to be able to tweak a recipe when it doesn't taste "right".

[Yam716]

12:47 PM on 09/12/2011

To piggy back on your point, I've found that both men and women can't cook...Some men think it's a 'woman' thing and some women don't want to be associated with the old idea of being 'barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen'...come on folks! Everyone should be able to cook, in the least!

[gaffagirl1]

08:09 PM on 09/13/2011

I agree with both your points. I think at some point (probably in the 80's?) it became chic to be too busy to cook, and much more fashionable to be able to order in constantly.

Another thing to consider - a lot of women started going to work full time during periods when men weren't open to helping out at home. My grandmothers and great-grandmothers all worked full time their entire lives, and their husbands did not think it was their place to help with childcare, cleaning, laundry, etc. So when convenience foods stated working their way into the marketplace it offered much needed relief for a women who in essence worked around the clock.

[KurtMichaelFriese]

09:50 AM on 09/12/2011

I'd bet the percentage is even higher. The Madison Avenue Manufacturers of Want work hard to keep it that way so Americans will continue to think cooking is an expensive chore (which it's not). That way we'll continue to think the factory food they peddle is something we want and need (which it's not).

[illustratorblog]

09:33 AM on 09/12/2011

I'm one of them who can cook! Raise your hand!

[Bluesky555]

06:53 AM on 09/12/2011

I'd bet if you took that survey any time before say... 1930... the percentage would have been about 50% couldn't/didn't cook. And of that number about 95% would've been males. There was no McDonalds back then, no KFC, no fast food at all... but SOME one cooked and fed those non-cooking people. So what is the point? This survey is useless information.

[journ student]

06:45 AM on 09/12/2011

I'm limited to what I can/will cook now, based on a dorm kitchen lacking in appliances and roommates who are extremely unhygienic (I do not want to prep raw meat of any kind in there). But I do love cooking and enjoy it, particularly baking. I learned from both of my parents. I have a lot of recipes bookmarked and saved that I'm eager to give try.
I also suspect that a lot of this statistic comes down to just laziness.

[journ student]

07:04 AM on 09/12/2011

Speaking of baking, I wonder how many people have ever made their own cupcakes and brownies from scratch? I baked all the time last year during my year off: cupcakes, banana and pumpkin bread, linzertorte bars, brownies, Irish soup bread, etc. You can really taste the difference.