Men in the Kitchen

Let me begin by saying that my hubby is a gem.  Unlike many men, he actually enjoys cooking, and is more than willing to help in the kitchen, including with clean up.  He even takes it upon himself to bake cakes now and again, all by himself.

That said, he is oh, so like so many men in one particular way when it comes to operating in the kitchen.  He is Tupperware-challenged.  I don't know what it is about men that makes them almost universally 'hate Tupperware,'  and declare their hatred in those exact words.  Most of us women know and love the stuff for its ability to both preserve food longer than the original cardboard box or plastic bag, and the way it stacks and nests to allow more food in the same space.

It mystifies me why men do not understand that there are some containers you 'burp,' and others you do not.  It's really very simple:  round burps, square or rectangular does not.  Center-seal 'push button' ones are 'self-burping.'  (Although I'll admit to an exception--those new ones with the expandable lids, in case you mis-judge the size bowl you needed, do not require 'burping' even though they are round.)

And get the containers sealed properly?  OY!  You might as well try to teach a Chimpanzee how to play football.  Come to think of it, that might be a simpler task.

I have lost track of how many times I've gone into the 'fridge to find food somewhat dried out due to an improperly closed lid.  It is most often the square or rectangular ones--the men just can't seem to get that last corner down!  It certainly is not a matter of muscles--we women do it quite effortlessly all the time.  Even the 'how to' analogy presented at the in-home demos should appeal to men, as it's baseball-themed:  "Start at home plate with both thumbs, work the seal down in opposite directions toward 3rd base and 1st base, meet at 2nd base and snap shut."  Simple, eh?  Apparently not for the male of the species.  Funny, as all it requires is opposable thumbs.

Men also seem to have problems with the center-push-to-snap-shut seals.  They just don't push quite hard enough, and the seal does not go all the way down.  This has led to more than one surprise spill on reaching for a bowl and finding out the hard way that the lid was not all the way closed.  Maybe I should have made hubby clean the resulting mess.  "If you don't hear the 'snap,' it's going to be in your lap!"

Many moons ago, I used to be a Tupperware dealer.  As a result, I own more of the stuff than should be legal.  Even I will admit to an excess.  I don't have room for all of it in my kitchen, and frankly, there are pieces that were not my favorite.  These items have found their way into the attic or are boxed in a closet. It was quite the joke for hubby when we moved in, and were opening boxes labeled 'kitchen.'  After most of the boxes were open and the items stowed in cupboards, yet more boxes appeared.  I'd hear him bellow from the other end of the house:  "Moooorrrrrrree Tupppeerrrrwaaaaaarrrrre!"

Now, do men simply feel that learning to use Tupperware containers is beneath them?  Undignified?  Un-manly???  I can't figure out the problem.  It is really very easy to use, and saves a lot of other kinds of bother.  It certainly beats trying to go 3 rounds with a roll of plastic-cling wrap.  But that's a whole other article.