Comments on: Once a Month Cooking – Lean or Not?

By: Ron Pereira

Ron Pereira — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 21:00:57 +0000

Hi Dave, thanks for the comment. I joked with my wife that the recent “Transportation Muda” post overtook this Once a Month cooking post on the most popular list. She was bummed… but perhaps this post will find life again and spark some more conversation. Thanks for stopping by.

By: Dave Bilger

Dave Bilger — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 20:30:38 +0000

One more very late observation as my wife does this too. We’re also leveling the work too, and maybe responding to TAKT time. With two kids the work to be done preparing a meal can’t always be acomplished JIT. The goal for us is to make satisfying meals within our budget. A little planning and two trips to the market a month and some preassembly and the “company” goals are met and all of the workers are happy.

By: Ron Pereira

Ron Pereira — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 08:18:00 +0000

Ah Linda you nailed it! One thing I forgot to mention was how happy my wife is when she comes home from her once a month cooking. She goes on about all the stories and fun she shared with her friends. This, I guess, trumps any potential overproduction! Thanks for all the comments all. I hope to see more of this. Funny how “once a month cooking” struck chord with so many men. Hmmm… what does this say about us men? Just joking. Cheers!

By: Linda Fayerweather, Editor

Linda Fayerweather, Editor — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 15:41:00 +0000

Hey Guys – you‘re missing one key ingredient – spending two hours cooking and talking with your girlfriends is building culture and corporate culture keeps workers happy. Happy workers (especially wives) like to have a girlfriend culture! So, it my not be lean in the strict sense, but think about it – guys:

When was the last time you spent 2 hours with your buds that had an edible outcome?

Ah – a new concept – when guys want to spend time with their buddies, they must bring home the dinner, too! Oh, this has potential.

I’m a great cook but during the week, I believe in the JIT cooking. I have a wonderful grocery store that has great food and also some ready to eat. I can slide into the driveway before my hubby and get the food out of its wrappers, stir fry a veggie and I’m happy, we’re all fed, and we always spend less $ and more time talking than going out to dinner. Hmm – may be one of the reasons were still married after all these years.

New thought – getting kids to cook. I bribed my kids to each cook a meal in exchange for not having to go to after care when they turned 10. I now have a daughter with a master’s in culinary education and a son that can cook exceptionally well. I must say that the 6 sigma black belt husband is still mystified by the large metal boxes that reside in our home. He has mastered the frig but the stove, washer, dryer are scary.

Lean in the family - c'est la vie!

By: GrahamC

GrahamC — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 13:18:00 +0000

JWDT said…

Is that you outsourcing a key competancy to the wife? Or just a case of not enough cross training for multi-skilled workers.

By: JWDT

JWDT — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 04:10:00 +0000

I have a friend of mine who does this type of cooking, which I never really saw the value in.

As for me & my crew, a lot of times my wife is JIT on the thinking, preparing & delivering of the food. Most weekends I have to remind her in gentle ways, like on the way to Mass, ask her what is for dinner (in case I invite guests), typical is I knew I forgot to do something this morning. Now to make it visual.

By: K T Cat

K T Cat — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:57:00 +0000

Yeah, I can appreciate that. Mine are at the age when they need to be learning the art.

By the way, are you going to be at BlogWorld Expo? Check out the link on my left hand column at the top.

By: Ron Pereira

Ron Pereira — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 20:40:00 +0000

Hi kt cat,

Ahhhh… I look forward to the day when my wife and I can enjoy some nice meal preparation together. Our current reality is the kids hit their witching hour around this time and my wife is not interested in “enjoying” the moment if you know what I mean. But one day… yes one day… I promise we will follow your great advice!

By: K T Cat

K T Cat — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 19:35:00 +0000

Cool idea. I prefer to make something with the whole family participating. Check out the book “Cooking Time is Family Time.” We typically make something from Paul Prudhomme or Terry Thompson.

Efficiency ruins the whole point of Southern Cooking. Southern Cooking is meant to be an experience in and of itself, accompanied by Zydeco music or some Louis Prima.

In fact, the best cooking of all is an experience that leads up to the eating. Yes, you could pull food from Nutrient Bin 43 and place in the rehydrator prior to consumption (thus saving 12.8% of your production costs), but I gaurantee you, you won’t find a Louis Prima song about it.

Dig this and apply LSS to it.

http://www.danacountryman.com/Prima/prima.html

By: Ron Pereira

Ron Pereira — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 14:37:00 +0000

Hey Mark, isn’t it fun how a silly post like this generates all this discussion. This proves the point that as educators of Lean and Six Sigma we must keep it real and even make fun our wives a little! Ha!