The option for food takeaways and deliveries have made it easier for many households to provide food on the table without the hassle of a greasy kitchen or to juggle between allocating time for cooking amidst many other responsibilities.
Though, on the other side of the coin, there are families who despite a busy schedule still take the effort to whip up home-cooked meals almost daily. Now, there must be a good reason as to why many households still choose to cook their own meals instead of opting for food from restaurants.
Well, to tell you the truth, there’s more than one good reason! We will be revealing five solid reasons that will inspire you to cook at home more often!
#1 Pocket-friendly
Even if you’ve already allocated a monthly budget to your meals, if cooking your meals at home can help you save more money, why not opt for that instead? Plus, the money you save can be channeled to various other uses or to your savings.
If you’re one of them who jumped on the home-cooking bandwagon after the Movement Control Order (MCO) was implemented earlier this year, you’ll probably realise the amount of money you’ve managed to save.
Eating out or ordering food via food delivery will always cost more than enjoying a similar option that is home-cooked. In other words, when you cook at home, you’re avoiding the additional costs and profits that a meal at a restaurant would incur.
Plus, you’re able to save even more when you buy in bulk or when there’s a sale at the supermarket. If you’re worried about storage, there are many options available that can help you with this. Freezing is one popular option to retain the natural flavour and nutrients. Besides that, you can also process fresh goods to give them a longer shelf life without the use of chemicals
or preservatives such as through the process of dehydration or by turning goods into pickles.
Don’t allow time to be a reason: For many, time is the main reason why they choose not to cook at home. Here’s how you can make time to cook at home more: Stock up on basic ingredients. Cook extra and freeze. Keep it simple. Cook your favourite dishes.
#2 Hygiene levels
Eliminate the risk of poorly prepared and mishandled food by cooking your own meals. When eating out, the risk of falling ill due to food poisoning increases, as you can never know the level of freshness when it comes to the ingredients used as well as the way the food was prepared.
Bacteria and viruses such as Escherichia Coli (E.Coli), Salmonella and rotavirus can contaminate poorly prepared food and this could lead to food poisoning with symptoms varying from mild to severe and possibly death.
By cooking at home, you’re able to keep these health risks at bay. Hence, keeping your family healthy and happy.
Quote: By cooking at home, you’re able to keep these health risks at bay.
#3 Ingredient control
Besides ensuring that food is prepared well, cooking at home also gives you the opportunity to decide on every ingredient that goes into your meal. Thus, you’ve the flexibility to prepare healthier options of your favourite dishes.
Firstly, you’re able to opt for fresh ingredients and decide on its quality such as antibiotic-free poultry or seafood from sustainable sources. These decisions impact your health in various ways such as avoiding potentially harmful pesticides, antibiotics and hormones.
Secondly, another advantage to controlling your ingredients is that you’ll be able to eliminate any form of artificial flavouring and substitute it with ingredients that provide natural flavouring such as herbs and spices. Dining out or eating food prepared in restaurants will not give you this flexibility as ultimately, all you see is the final outcome.
As much as it may taste delicious, you will never know what goes into your meal that makes it so tasty. Believe it or not, it is possible to replicate your favourite restaurant dishes at the comfort of your own home, minus the unhealthy ingredients! Hence, you’ll be able to provide wholesome meals for your family.
#4 Quality time
Is spending time at home with your loved ones a concern? Well, cooking at home can be turned into quality time with your family too. Plus, nothing is better than enjoying a home-cooked meal prepared and enjoyed as family.
Instead of wasting time searching for a parking lot, waiting for your meal to be prepared and returning home while possibly getting stuck in traffic, you could turn the time wasted to quality time with family.
While we understand that there are times you might want to opt to dine in a restaurant or pack your meals such as for a celebration or if you’re running late, perhaps you could slowly introduce home-cooked meals in your household. For instance, if your weekday schedule is packed, perhaps you could start by cooking your meals on weekends. You don’t have to make an immediate switch as this could demotivate you as you might feel tired on some days.
Instead, take this step gradually and as you enjoy the wonders of cooking at home, this will encourage you to take your initiative a step further.
#5 Prevent impulsive decisions
Cooking at home makes it easier to plan balanced and nutritious meals. Being able to control your food portions and provide a balanced meal for your family encourages your family to eat healthily together and this will also instill a good habit among the younger generation.
Eating out in most cases will not give you the opportunity to decide on the right portion sizes. The simple guide of 50 percent fruits and vegetables, 25 percent meat and 25 percent fibre-rich carbohydrates is almost never achieved when eating out especially when it comes to enjoying an individually prepared meal. Simply think about a pack of chicken rice, a plate of chicken chop or a serving of biryani rice. While these dishes may have the essential food groups, its portion sizes are mainly carbohydrates such as rice or mashed potatoes.
By cooking at home, you’ll be able to plan your meals well and prepare food that you love while deciding on the portion for each food group. This will also eliminate impulsive food decisions. For instance, you’ll avoid opting for fast food because it’s the quickest option when you know that you’ve a meal planned out already.
Preparing home-cooked meals can be a joy. There are many ways for you to get started and all you need is the will to learn and try. When you’re feeling demotivated, remind yourself about these amazing benefits as truly, these are benefits every family can enjoy!
