Think twice before buying another “convenience.” In an episode of Cathy Guisewite’s comic strip “Cathy,” the kitchen equipment of the ‘50s shows a pan, a spoon and a knife. Out of it came a typical Sunday dinner of roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, salad, two vegetables, homemade rolls and an apple pie. It then show the standard equipment of the ‘90s: food processor, bread maker, pasta maker, juicer, rice steamer, laser-cut European knife system, 20-piece cookware set. The typical Sunday dinner of the ‘90s? Microwave pizza.

Paula Jhung, How to Avoid Housework, (Simon & Schuster), quoted in Reader’s Digest, p. 90