With the ability to deliver fast food pretty much anywhere at any time you may wonder why bother using your kitchen at all? Here are four good reasons to keep cooking a part of your lifestyle:
- Cost.
You do pay for convenience and cooking at home will save you money. Saving can increase further if you buy food which is in-season and are savvy with leftovers for lunches the next day. The supermarkets want to sell you chocolates to be a staple in your diet and unfortunately care little for your health. The best way to avoid supermarket marketing and going over budget is to shop smart by sticking to a list and using staples like canned legumes, frozen vegetables, eggs, and no brand choices of a product.
- Opportunity to connect.
When was the last time you connected with your family or loved ones through preparing a meal? The act of cooking can enhance social connections and take you away from your smart phone. Research has shown families who eat together are more likely to perform better in their academic studies, have greater mental health and are less likely to cause acts of crime.
- Offer a healthier alternative.
There are healthy fast food options available but not to the level which you can provide yourself when cooking your own meal. By cooking you decide how much and what type of oil (if any) is used, the quality of the protein and if the extra fat is trimmed off the steak of left. Also, if any added sugar and salt is used with control over the type of sauce made, or if you chose the health benefits and flavor of herbs and spices alone. Restaurants often use refined grains in pasta, rice, bread or wraps and this leaves your body missing many health benefits from whole grain alternatives. If you cook at home you decide how much vegetables are included, which are often a single leaf or a piece of tomato in a fast food meal.
- Kitchen skills are dying.
The ability to cook is a dying skill in society. You can benefit your health through cooking but also help set your children up to have the ability to take care of themselves by cooking their own food from scratch to create a meal. Start by playing with easy recipes, there is a smorgasbord available online, you can tune into your favorite cooking show for support and ideas or even book a class or two at your local community center!
The key is to start small, aim for one day a week and go from there, before you know it your skills and efficiency will increase, and you will find yourself in the kitchen more and more out of habit and enjoyment!
