A Sneak Peek to a Modern Family's Mealtime Tradition

by - Monday, December 23, 2019

I witness our home's evolution over time — from chaotic to quiet. Our house used to be noisy, with six of us laughing or fighting with each other over petty things. One of the few things that silents us is mealtime at home.

My mom is always in charge of preparing the food. Her Garlic Butter Shrimp and Caldereta get me every time! My role in the kitchen? I help her slice the ingredients so we can fast track the cooking. lol

A once in a blue moon complete family photo
As the years passed by, there were lesser people at home as each of us started pursuing college in the metro. Because we took turns in staying at a dormitory, our household's only complete on the weekends where it's also time to get baon for the coming week. lol Every time we come home from a week's worth of studying, we always look forward to mom's lutong bahay meals.

My mom's first Samgyupsal experience
When my sister moved to Japan for a career opportunity, it was noticeable how we shifted from praying to FaceTiming before meals. Most of our lunch or dinners are usually documented as a way of catching up with my eldest sister since she's away.

My sister made it to my dad's birthday celebration virtually
Come 2019, my family discovered the wonders of Foodpanda and Grab Food. At first, we enjoyed ordering food online because of its convenience. However, it was only a matter of time before we started craving our favorite homecooked dishes again. 

Here's our current setup in a nutshell: Most of us finished our undergraduate studies and are back in our parents' home. Mealtimes are made fun again because we get to taste our mother's cooking more often, and we get to chat with everyone over meals.

My dad usually kicks off the conversation by asking, "kumusta ka na?". His simple way of reaching out to us breaks the silence in the table and gets everyone talking about how their day went. Add to that my youngest sister's neverending stories that entertain us as we enjoy our food.

Dad never fails to ask for a selfie with the fam before eating so we can update our siblings with our whereabouts haha
Simple bondings like this help deepen my relationship with my loved ones. In the day and age where gadgets make us unsociable, gatherings as lowkey as lunch or dinner with the family strengthens foundation over time. Just like in Chef Jeremy's video with his mom, their conversation on Filipino superstitious beliefs while munching on pork steak and fried chicken easily reveals their tight family bond. 💕

The house is starting to get chaotic again. Also, my sister's coming back from Japan this 2020. This only means that my mom will be required to cook Filipino dishes for my sister during the entirety of her stay. If only I can fast forward the time and devour on those dishes already catch up with my sister over mom's amazing dishes! 👅

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