If you cook your own food, you are likely to prepare healthy meals. However, why is a significant portion of Americans prefer take-outs rather than spending time in their kitchen?
One of the obvious reasons is that they could not cook. But it is more of a mindset than anything else. For instance, YouTube has millions of videos that you can follow to whip up a delicious meal. Also, you can browse online for quick easy healthy recipes, which you can prepare in literally minutes.
Nevertheless, according to the survey commissioned by Tufts University in Massachusetts, 28% of Americans claim that they do not cook. One reason why they steer clear of that chore is that the spouse is doing the cooking. Another 25% of the 1,097 surveyed claimed that they do not like to clean the mess afterward. Still, another 21% said they simply have no time.
It is, therefore, no surprise that 85 million Americans are eating fast food every day.
As per the US Department of Agriculture, Americans are spending more eating out than they do cooking at home. In a typical household budget for food, 54.4% represents “food away-from-home” compared to home-cooked ingredients.
So, why should you spend more time in your kitchen? Here are the top reasons why:
- Save money. It is perhaps the greatest motivation for you to prepare your meals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spent $3,000 dining out in 2015. If you eat out frequently, it is easy to imagine that you spend at least $50 a week on top of your typical food budget. In contrast, you can already follow quick, easy healthy recipes on a budget of $4-5 for the ingredients.
- Eat smaller portions. When you cook your food, you can measure the quantity, which means less waste. You know how much each of your loved ones can consume, so you can adjust accordingly. In contrast, when you eat out, you have no choice but to eat what is served in front of you.
- Saves you a lot of time. Based on the Tufts University survey, Americans have no time to cook. But it can be argued that cooking their meals will save them a lot of time. When they buy ingredients, they make sure to buy enough for several portions. You can then set aside the extra food to be reheated the next day. Theoretically, you can prepare freezer meals for three to four days in advance. It should free a lot of your time to do other tasks.
- Learn a new skill. It is never too late to learn how to cook. You start by following the quick, easy healthy recipes to the letter. Once you get more comfortable, you can then experiment in the kitchen to customize your food according to what your family prefers. It feels great when you finish a meal and receive compliments for your cooking.
Finally, cooking your meals is a good bonding experience for the whole family. To help instill a love of cooking in your kids, you can follow delicious baking recipes so you can bake cookies or muffins. It is a good way to teach your kids the value of food. They will learn that whipping up a meal is not easy, from buying and preparing the ingredients to cooking them. They will have a newfound appreciation of what is in front of their table.
