PETALING JAYA – While some may find the time to be able to go shopping for ingredients and cook their own meals at home, many feel this advice warrants “further research”.
The Vibes recently spoke to several Malaysians and the response is the same – that they have no time to cook their own meals as both husband and wife are working and get home only in the late evenings.
Samuel Tan, 48, from Kepong said he and his wife are working, while his two children, aged 14 and 17, get back home around 2pm every day after school.
“Both my wife and I are working and get home only about 7pm on working days, depending on the weather and traffic.
“If it rains, then we will be lucky to be home even by 8.30pm. We cater lunch for the kids, while either my wife or I buy dinner on the way back home from work.
“Imagine if my wife or I start cooking after work. We would probably only have dinner at 9.30pm the earliest, which is past the time my kids go to bed,” he told The Vibes.
Tan said there is no way a couple who works in the big city has the time to cook their own meals.
“To me, this would only be possible if the wife is not working. But that is almost impossible these days as the cost of living is tremendous. Even with both of us working, we barely make ends meet,” he said.
For Rohanis Ismail, 32, a mother of two, who works as an account executive, earning even up to RM20,000 per household in the Klang Valley is far from sufficient these days.
“To us, eating out is cheaper. One visit to a supermarket to get essentials could come up to RM300 easily while having lunch as a family in a reasonable ‘mamak’ restaurant is cheaper.
“I am taken aback by suggestions from certain politicians for people to eat Maggi mee. Do they even know what the contents of these noodles are?” she asked.
She urged those concerned to do more research and understand the challenges people are facing before making suggestions.
Eating mixed rice is cheaper and more nutritious
Andrew Donalds, 42, an information technology specialist, also brushed off suggestions that it would be cheaper to eat at home than eating out.
“Buying stuff like cleaning detergents, soap and other essentials already costs an arm and a leg, what more buying foodstuffs to cook.
“For my family of five, having ‘chap fun’ (mixed Chinese rice) is way cheaper and also healthier.
“My wife is a vegetarian and we have no issues eating at mixed rice shops as there is a variety of vegetables and meat to choose from,” he said.
He said some Indian vegetarian restaurants also offer set meals at only RM10, which he says is cheaper than cooking at home.
“I agree with others that time is also a very crucial factor. Just look at the jam each day. We will be lucky to get home before the sun sets.
“For me and my wife, who is a nurse, getting home in time to see my kids before they go to bed is a blessing enough,” he said.
For fitness instructor, Charles Rabien, 32, one can get nutritious food either from eating out or even at home.
“Eating healthy all depends on your choice of food. For me, I am single and have no time to cook but make an effort to eat healthily.
“So my choice of food is mainly steamed chicken, fish and lots of vegetables, which one can easily find from restaurants outside. It would also be a waste for singles to cook their own meals as I believe there would probably be plenty of wastage.
“I believe this advice from politicians that it is cheaper to eat at home only applies to a very ‘privileged’ few who have the time.
“Probably those sharing such advice have their own maids who prepare meals for them,” he added. – The Vibes, September 26, 2023
