Dear readers,

Everytime you drive past a fast food restaurant, do you see the long line of cars waiting to get to the drive-thru? What are those cars really in line for? Diabetes? Clogged Arteries? High calorie foods? Now, think of how much faster and healthier it would be to create your own meals at home. According to The Decline of Home Cooking, the total amount of money spent on food away from home (vs. at home) has risen 94% since 2003. Too many people are eating at places like McDonalds or Chic-Fil-A, instead of making meals themselves. Americans know that they love food that is fast and easy, but what they don't know is how much more they would enjoy home cooked, delicious, fresh meals. When making meals at home you get life skills, time to be with family and better nutrition. Home cooked meals should be a substantial part of anyone's diet.

To start, eating home cooked meals is better for you because eating at home means being healthier. Today, the number one cause for obesity, according to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, is fast food. They said, “What’s become the typical Western diet-frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks-plays one of the largest roles in obesity.” When eating meals that you cooked, you feel better. Benefits of Home Cooked Meals said, “Research finds that people who eat home-cooked meals on a regular basis tend to be happier and healthier and consume less sugar and processed foods, which can result in higher energy levels and better mental health. Eating home-cooked meals five or more days a week is even associated with a longer life.” People generally eat healthier when they make their own food because fast foods offer tasty but high calorie, high fat, and high cholesterol meals. When I learned how to cook my own meals at home instead of eating out, my whole life was changed. When I ate fast foods I felt sick and gross. When I learned how to cook hearty and healthy meals, I felt delightfully full and fresh after eating. After cooking my own meals, I knew I would never go back to buying fast foods because home cooked meals had many more benefits. As I learned how to cook, I made meals such as salads, chicken, fish, pasta etc. Just by slightly altering what I ate, I felt brighter and happier.

The next benefit of eating at home is that it gives you more time to be with family and friends. Eating has always been a way of bringing people together. It’s how parents stay in touch with what’s going on in their kids’ lives. When you sit down with your friends and family at the table, for a home cooked meal, you get to enjoy the feeling of having fresh food and get to talk with your favorite people. People can enjoy the benefits of good nutrition while they are building stronger relationships. Also, a lot of parents pass down recipes to their kids, grandkids, etc. If these people only eat out and don't make meals themselves, these special traditions will be gone. It is important to keep tradition alive. I know in many families, teaching kids to cook family recipes is a substantial part of their culture and heritage. According to The Whole U, “Studies show that when we eat together, our kids and family are much healthier. Eating together is linked to less obesity, kids doing better in school, and less substance abuse within the family.” 

Another reason making home cooked meals is better is because kids acquire life skills by cooking. The benefits of cooking with preschoolers says, “Cooking encourages children's thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. It also allows children the opportunity to use the knowledge they have and apply it by counting, measuring, following a sequence, following directions, and cause and effect.” When kids cook they gain not just the ability itself, but also independence. These kids will learn patience, creativity and responsibility while making meals. Cooking can even help a child have confidence. The Spruce Eats says, “When kids can say, "I made it myself," they feel a sense of accomplishment. Even more, when other family members say they liked what the child cooked, he or she feels a sense of pride and achievement. That can lead to the child becoming more self-confident in other areas of their life, too.” This quote shows that kids get joyful and excited when they cook, which is another benefit to cooking as kids.

Some people may argue that there is not enough time to cook meals at home. However, I believe differently. If you are really tight on time, make extra food beforehand! On the first day you cook, make an extra batch, store it in the fridge and reheat it. It takes even less time to pull out and reheat this food than it does to go out and buy processed food. The Whole U article says, “It might seem like grabbing something to eat at the local supermarket or driving to get take-out at the closest restaurant might be a quick solution when you’re in a hurry. In reality, many times it can be much faster to cook something at home, especially when you plan ahead. There are so many meals that can be made in less than 30 minutes. And if you choose a more complex recipe, you can always cook in bulk and eat the surplus later in the week or freeze it.” This quote proves that it's quicker to actually make your own food than to get fast food.

Even though Americans may think they are saving time and improving their lives by eating fast food, they will actually have healthier and more enjoyable lives if they change the way they cook and eat. Making dinner from scratch is obviously more beneficial than ordering burgers and fries at a fast food restaurant. As a solution, families should implement 2-3 nights a week to cook. Make meals to store in the fridge for the upcoming week, and throughout the week the family can make more. This will ensure that there is enough time to eat at home that week, without going out. People get more than just a full stomach from eating healthy, they also get more time with family and friends and a joyous feeling from creating something fresh and delicious. If we alter the way we eat, we can improve our daily lives. With this, we could create a better lifestyle for all humans.

CITED ARTICLES

www.fix.com/blog/perks-of-home-cooked-meals/   

hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/ 

pos.toasttab.com/blog/on-the-line/why-more-people-are-choosing-to-eat-out 

thewholeu.uw.edu/2015/03/06/homemade-meals/ 

ifstudies.org/blog/the-benefits-of-a-home-cooked-meal#:~:text=1)%20Healthier%20Bodies%3A%20Research%20consistently,then%20children%20who%20do%20not.

thespruceeats.com/reasons-to-teach-kids-to-cook-2098274