The disappearance of cooking is merely one of many factors in the Great Break with tradition that took place in the 1970s.
A comprehensive study published in 2013 showed that all Americans, no matter their socioeconomic status, are cooking less than they have in the past. Between the mid-1960s and late 2000s, low-income households went from eating at home 95 percent of the time to only 72 percent of the time, middle-income households when from eating at home 92 percent of the time to 69 percent of the time, and high-income households went from eating at home 88 percent of the time to only 65 percent of the time.
Men and women, collectively, are spending less time at the stove. On average, the two genders spend roughly 110 minutes combined cooking each day, compared with about 140 minutes per day in the 1970s and closer to 150 minutes per day in the 1960s. The main driver of this trend has been a significant drop-off in the time women spend cooking.
This subject came up in a recent Darkstream, when we were discussing how the Millennials and Generation Zyklon simply don’t remember America as it was. They were fascinated by stories of what growing up in a homogeneous suburban white America that was still recognizable as Norman Rockwell’s America.
That’s what gave me the idea to publish a non-fiction anthology, by Generation X writers, about their recollections from their childhood. If you’re interested in submitting, write one – ONE – story between 2500 and 7500 words, and email it to me with LOSTWORLD in the subject. Do not send me inquiries or questions or attempt to discern whether I’m more interested in story A or story B. Non-Generation Xers should not submit; we’re not looking for Tales of the Baby Boom or perspectives from younger generations.
This is intended to be a chronicle of the world that we knew that our children and grandchildren will not. Keep that in mind. It’s not about you, or trying to demonstrate how clever or unique or wonderful you are, it’s about sharing the things you saw and experienced that no longer exist for the benefit of those too young to have seen them.
UPDATE: In answer to several questions, we’re using the period 1961 to 1979 to represent Generation X. So, please don’t submit unless you were born between those years.