It's so much more than cooking

The mental load of food prep is heavy — and women often are the ones to carry it

Food.

Picture the inside of your fridge — stuffed or bare, messy or clean. Without actually looking inside, name three foods that you know are in there. (Off the top of my head: eggs, Little Gem lettuce, and pre-shredded cheddar cheese.)

Think about how much of each item you have. (A dozen plus three, about half a head, one unopened bag.) Think about when they were purchased, and how soon you'll need to use them before they go bad. (The eggs are all right — I bought them a couple weeks ago. The lettuce needs to get used before the weekend, for sure. The cheese … it's unopened, but I don't remember when I bought it. What's the sell-by date?)

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Zoe Fenson

Zoe Fenson is a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her writing has appeared in Longreads, Narratively, The New Republic, and elsewhere. When she's not writing, you'll find her doing crossword puzzles in cocktail bars or playing fetch with her cat.