Only 36% of Americans admit to cooking daily. However, home-cooked meals offer several benefits than eating out or ordering takeout. It might be too much work for some people, coupled with doing the dishes or stuffing the plates into the dishwasher. Others, however, see homemade meals as healthier, comforting, and even more nutritious. Indeed, there are many advantages of homemade meals, including the following.
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- You are directly responsible for hygiene and food safety
Some people have always had suspicions about foods bought from diners or restaurants. Their doubts stem from the fear of eating foods cooked under unhygienic conditions. Fortunately, such people can allay their fears by resorting to homemade meals. By cooking at home, you become directly responsible for the safety and cleanliness of your food. Indeed, it is easy for food contamination to happen, especially when you know nothing about cooking fundamentals.
For example, the cutting board used for meats and fish cannot be the same for your fruits and vegetables. The same applies to kitchen knives used for different cutting purposes. Once you understand these kitchen rules, it becomes even more convenient to be aware of the conditions in which you cook.
- You control portions
Commercial food industries understandably cook on a large scale to cater to the masses that patronize their services. This is different when it comes to home-cooked foods. When you cook at home, you already know how many people will be eating. Therefore, you can avoid wastage to some extent. For instance, a small-sized bowl of homemade teriyaki sauce can last for about a week for a family of four.
Moreover, because it takes only ten minutes to cook, your teriyaki sauce can actually be made from scratch whenever you need it without having to cook it in bulk. Indeed, there is no pressure to consume everything on your plate simply because a waiter served you in a fancy restaurant. With homemade meals, you have the pleasure of refrigerating any leftovers for later use. Once again, food wastage is taken care of here.
- You decide the cookware to use
Over the years, scientific research has proven that some types of cooking utensils can affect food’s overall taste and wholesomeness. For example, traditional cookware made from aluminum and other metals deteriorates over time. For that reason, anytime you use them for cooking, the reaction of heat, salt, vinegar, tomatoes, and other trace metals can make the food unhealthy.
Indeed, if you had ordered takeout, you wouldn’t know the kind of utensils used in preparing the food. Fortunately, by cooking more at home and using the right tools and methods, you can reduce the chances of exposure to elements that can harm your health.
There are many other benefits of homemade meals. It saves cost, improves your cooking skills, and allows you to eat foods cooked under hygienic conditions. Hopefully, you will do a lot more homemade meals in the coming year. If you have a tight schedule, you can schedule your cooking for when you have some spare time.
