Home Cooking

About a year ago, the thought of cooking anything besides scrambled eggs would have sent me into a panic. I was so scared of cooking, no actually I was scared of screwing up or catching something on fire, that I never even attempted it. This turned out to have been a big mistake. These days I cook myself and my family a delicious dinner just about every night. And I absolutely love it! Cooking is as much of a creative outlet as writing or painting. Not to mention, there are several health benefits of eating meals that you yourself have cooked. So if you are afraid of cooking, like I once was, read on and find out just how beneficial it is.

This USA Today article says that, when people eat out, they consume 50% more fat, calories and sodium. Not to mention that when dining in a restaurant, people often end up with less vegetables and whole grains in their meal and, ultimately, their diet. Couple that information with the fact that a diet rich in red meats and lacking in vegetables can cause cancer and you've got some pretty jarring facts to chew on.

Another problem with restaurants? Portion control. The plates and the portions are larger at restaurants. According to this Smallstep article, people actually do consume more calories when they are served a larger portion. So you may think that you're eating healthy at a restaurant by ordering your favorite salad, but in reality you probably aren't simply because of portion alone. One way to control this is to order an appetizer instead of an entree.

The major problem that I, personally, have with eating out? The ingredients. In America, we already have a problem with consuming processed foods and paying no attention whatsoever to the ingredients in these "foods." When you are eating something that a restaurant has provided, you have no idea what you are consuming. There is no way of knowing how much butter, salt or other ingredients are used in the food you are eating and it's definitely important to be aware of this.

Another benefit to home cooking? It's cheaper and, in this recession, saving money is what really counts. This NY Times article confirms that nearly half of the average family budgets goes toward eating food outside of the home. Imagine the savings of simply cooking a few more meals a week at home.

So we now know some of the many benefits of home cooking, but what about the time factor? Cooking at home can be time consuming, right? Well I've done some research for you and I have found some quick, easy recipes that can be prepared at home with little preparation and cook time. If you are so inclined, you can check these out here.

I cannot sing the praises of home cooking enough. Not only is it important for your personal health, but the health of your family as well. Cooking at home can be a fun task, especially if others, such as children, are involved. Not to mention, cooking at home with your children can teach them about health, food and how to cook for themselves which can be an important life skill that will serve them well down the road in life. So here are the facts: cooking at home can be cheaper, it's certainly healthier (depending on what you cook, of course), and it can create some much needed family time in our crazy society. So next time you're pondering what to have for dinner, put down that take out menu and pick up a recipe book. It could save your life.