Cooking’s important cause we all gotta eat.
When we were growing up we always ate at home. The meals were sometimes meager but they were almost always prepared from scratch. There were no microwaves and nowhere as many fast food restaurants or grocery store “heat ups” as we have today.
Consequently many of us have gradually drifted away from home cooking.
One problem with this is much of the prepared foods in chain restaurants and grocery stores contain ingredients that are frankly not good for us. Hydrogenated oils and chemical preservatives clog our arteries and build up in our systems causing a multitude of health and physiological problems.
According to the American Academy of Adolescent Children poor eating habits is the number one cause for obesity in children.
Junk food can be everything from a double hamburger with bacon and cheese to the heat at home pizza and microwave popcorn.
Thankfully there are alternatives that are not too hard to swallow.
Cooking from scratch is easy, fun and you can eat like a king on a fraction of what it costs to eat out.
By no means are we suggesting that people stop eating out. Just get control of the situation. For example take a few minutes to pack a nutritious lunch instead of grabbing a fat packed burger, fries and shake at the fast food restaurant.
A typical fast food lunch can average about $7.00 per day. Multiply that times 5 days and it adds up in a hurry. More if the whole family is eating out.
Instead of eating out for lunch, use the money you would have spent to prepare a great tasting and wholesome lunch. Then at the end of the month use the surplus savings to treat your self to a really nice meal out.
Cooking at home has other sometimes unrealized benefits as well. Including the kids or partner in the whole process from planing meals to preparation will usually help the family bond. Better eating habits will promote better health and everyone will feel better for it.
And don’t just approach the main course. Eat frozen vegetables instead of canned. Make your own desserts. Remember because you are cooking it yourself you can decide what ingredients to use and how much to include. Even popcorn tastes better and is better for you if you pop it on the stove.
It’s never to late to learn how to cook.
I love cooking with the family. You guys taught me some great eating and cooking habits. My friends and room mates are always impressed by how well I cook and even more so when I tell them how little fat and junk I use to cook a meal. Popcorn popped on the stove with canola oil and smart balance is a favorite at my house.
I’m very happy I learned how to cook early on. My other half always demands popcorn on the stove! My best friends all love cooking too.