In one of the hundreds of food industry blogs available online, I read speculation that the millennial generation could kill kitchens altogether. Their lack of cooking knowledge and growing access to pre-prepared foods and meal kits, not to mention delivery, could just make this “heart of the house” redundant.

Well, except for a microwave and perhaps a stand-alone electric burner or two.

The point of the blog was to suggest ways of merchandising and marketing foodstuffs in a way to appeal to these shoppers, assuage their culinary fears, and bring them happily back to the kitchen: Meal ingredients in one place or even in one package, wine-and-food pairing ideas, instructions for cooking delicious sides, and the like.

But what if companies did the opposite? What if some meat processors and marketers zigged instead of zagged? What if they doubled down on the pre-preparation and kits and made it easy and affordable to turn that kitchen, or at least a large part of it, into a playroom or an office?

This is not as far-fetched an idea as it may strike some readers. My niece and her fiancé lived for a couple of years in an apartment in Brooklyn that had no kitchen. It meant their rent was lower. Full disclosure: They are both chefs, and so have easy access to good food at a discounted price. As well, they didn’t want to come home after spending a 12- to 15-hour day in the kitchen — and spend more time in the kitchen.

The trend toward micro-apartments in large cities, and “tiny homes” anywhere, also plays into this dynamic. The 50- to 300-square foot mini-apartments offer economic and ecological advantages in desirable urban neighborhoods. A 450- to 1,000-square foot "house" does the same in small towns and rural areas. Such small spaces rule out a six-burner Viking stove, the warming oven, the popular, entertainment-ready granite island.

Rather than feel nostalgic for the warm smells of Grandma’s kitchen (my Irish grandmother, may she rest in peace, wasn’t much of a cook), I see this as the logical end-point of a trend that began, in earnest, after the end of WWII. The amount of time spent preparing dinner has dropped steadily and now rests at an average of 37 minutes, according to USDA.

Thirty seven minutes. That sounds like a couple of countertop burners, a slow cooker and a sturdy toaster oven to me.

With every meal-kit iteration I feel we’re getting closer to the ideal balance between fresh and healthful, and convenient. Frozen meals are getting better and some of the products the meat companies have rolled out that provide the vegetables and sides are right on point. I see more pre-diced/cubed, pre-marinated options in the meat case every month.

Continuing further along that value-added, prepared-ahead path can only be profitable for meat companies. Between the huge millennial and Gen Z generations, and the aging boomers who are downsizing, more households will be looking for the most flexible, small spaces they can find.

What does the kitchen of your future look like?

Everything but the kitchen

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