Smart ways to improve your health and save money by cooking at home

Most of us will agree, cooking at home is not always as practical or enjoyable as eating out. +90% of Americans don’t like to cook. For some of us, there is simply no time to cook for ourselves or our families. Remember that cooking at home doesn't always mean cooking elaborate meals. When you make your own food, you invest effort and time, which increases the likelihood that we will like the taste. You've probably experienced this many times: you're invited to someone's house, maybe your family's, and while you're eating you wonder if a little less salt wouldn't have been enough, or if you're the only one who thinks the meat is too dry. But when you cook something yourself, you tend not to find it too salty, dry or bland... You're also more likely to defend your food against critics.

When you think of fast food, you might think of hamburgers and fries. But also "something from the grocery store" like ready-made food for the microwave count among them. The predominantly fast-burning carbohydrates (with a high glycemic index), the lack of fiber and the "bad" fats are unfavorable. In addition, they are industrially processed foods in which the nutrient content is no longer very good. Once in a while it's okay. But it's not a permanent solution and often doesn't taste great either.

If you make yourself pasta with a ready-made sauce or ketchup every day as an alternative, that's not a particularly balanced meal either.

Smart ways to improve your health and save money by cooking at home

To get started, we recommend keeping things simple. Keep simple and healthy food staples on hand, and don't put too much pressure on yourself to prepare elaborate meals every night. Even a quick grilled cheese sandwich or microwaved burrito is likely to be better for your health, the environment, and your wallet than eating out. Of course, there are times where it makes sense to eat out, if it fits your budget.

Bringing your own take-out containers to restaurants, requesting that your favorite take-out place deliver your food with as few single-use plastic items as possible, and choosing restaurants known for environmentally friendly practices are all ways to make eating out a healthier, more sustainable practice. But for most of us, eating out should be a rarer delicacy than it usually is. We encourage everyone to make a little more time and space to enjoy the many pleasures and benefits of eating at home. It’s good for your wallet, your body and your soul. The planet will thank you, too. People who ate at home at least three days per week had an overall healthier diet and made healthier food choices than those who did not.

Taking family of four out to a restaurant can easily cost $50, and that’s on the low end. Doing this a handful of times a month or a week, can really add up quickly, realizing it by the end of the month.