UNITED STATES—It is perhaps the question that everyone hears a lot, daily all the time. What do you want to eat or what’s for dinner? Ugh, I absolutely hate that question, and I mean I hate that question with an absolute passion. Why? Whenever the question is posed you NEVER GET THE ANSWER YOU WANT! It’s like you’re placed in a situation where everyone poses potential options, but all the options you hear you hate. I think that question is posed because you don’t want to make a decision that everyone else around you hate.

You might be asking what prompted this column for this week, well it was an outing with the family, where no one had an idea what they didn’t want to eat, but everyone sure seemed to shoot down every idea that was proposed. With that being said, we settled at a restaurant, where while the service was great, the food was mediocre to subpar at best. Was I frustrated? Yes.

This was an establishment I really did not want, but the majority overruled and in the end, I was the one feeling burned because I think my food was the worse. The salad was lackluster at best; the chicken wasn’t even grilled, which annoyed me to the core. I’m coming to the realization that it is much better to just get into the kitchen and craft a dish instead of hoping to please the world when you eat out. The likelihood of that ever happening is slim to none because when you toss out food cuisines there is ALWAYS one in the bunch who will not be pleased with the choices.

You have Chinese, Mexican, Italian, American, Korean, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Southern, the list goes on and on and on. Out of all those choices, why, oh, why can’t everyone agree on something? It’s like pulling teeth to get children, teens, young adults and adults to come to a consensus with something. You know what is even more frustrating? The fact that you’re the one paying for it and it puts you to a point where you’re screaming to the top of your longs, either you choose a dish or you won’t eat anything at all. That only leads to people complaining about something else.

The point in all this drama is that you cannot ever win, so don’t go to battle. Simply put, whatever is tossed out there to begin with is the end result. If no one makes a choice and you’re paying, wherever you choose will be the final destination. Those who don’t like it feel free to get out there wallet and pay for supper. That is the irony in it all; no one wants to spend their money, but they have no qualms about spending yours. Not one single bit America!

The kitchen is the best place to craft a meal for a multitude of reasons. For starters, it will save a ton on your budget, you can craft a dish where you have leftovers and the passion that you put into your food will make you fuller than any dish at a sit down restaurant ever. Sorry, I totally believe this because it’s like when you prep food or you cook a dish, you appreciate it more and there is heartiness to the meal that you don’t get everywhere else. So the next time you hear, “What do you want to eat?” The answer is simple: whatever I decide is the result, no ifs, ands or buts about it!

Written By Kelsey Thomas