Moving to one of the major cities in the world is a dream come true for a lot of millennials. When you lived in a small town for most of your life, being in the metro feels as if you are a step closer to fulfilling your goals. Any job you can think of is available, and it’s effortless to build connections with various individuals.
Despite such benefits, though, what I don’t appreciate about the city life is the abundance of restaurants in every block. Yes, you get to try different cuisines regularly, but you also fail to hone your cooking skills, which can make your mama proud. I’m not just saying to the ladies, mind you – guys need to learn to prepare tasty dishes too in this lifetime. “Now, most of us think that eating out is a treat, and that indulgent meals are a special reward. But this study found that women were significantly happier and less stressed after eating at home, and after eating healthier meals,” said Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.
In case it’s still unclear why cooking meals at home is a great option, find out its seven advantages below.
- You Know What Goes In Your Food
Creating a meal by yourself is important because it makes you aware of each ingredient that gets mixed with your food. It is mainly important when you are sensitive or allergic to products like dairy, nuts, etc. While you may ask a chef in a fine-dining establishment to customize a dish for you, that may not be possible when you’re in a fast-food chain where everything’s ready beforehand.
- The Expenses Won’t Be Too High
The retail prices of the dishes you see on a menu are typically high because the owners need to take taxes, the employees’ wages, and other miscellaneous fees into consideration. If you cook at home, however, you’ll only need to pay for gas and groceries that can last for a week or so.
- You Can Choose Healthy Ingredients
Healthy living is difficult to achieve when your friends always pull you towards burger joints. But when you have cooking skills, you may entirely skip going to such places and prepare delicious foods with better ingredients. “Start at the supermarket”, suggests Jaclyn Lopez Witmer, Psy.D., a licensed clinical psychologist in New York. “Give yourself plenty of time to shop.”
- It’s Easy To Savor The Meal
Regardless of how beautiful the ambiance is at your restaurant of choice, people tend to wolf down the food and leave, especially when there’s a long queue of diners outside. Its downside is that you can’t savor every bite. You won’t have to be in a hurry to finish your meal, of course, if you made it yourself at home.
“Allow yourself to get curious about the smells and colors as well as how the ingredients change as they combine,” says Denver psychotherapist Brittany Bouffard, LCSW.
- You Have Control Over The Portions
Dieting is useless once you go to food joints that serve dishes in large portions. It’s all good in case you have someone else to share it with, for instance. Considering you’re alone, though, you may need to finish everything in one sitting. At least, when you create the food in your place, you can make something delicious without the high probability of overeating.
- It’s Possible To Prepare Weekly Meals
Being a busy person isn’t a valid excuse either to not cook meals at home. Feel free to adopt meal prep ideas in which you only need to fix dishes once for the entire week. You merely have to divide them into different containers – microwavable or not – and reheat the food during mealtimes.
- You Can Serve New Dishes To Your Loved Ones
Cooking also allows you to satisfy the craving of your beloved friends and family members for great food. When you invite them over, you no longer have to order from a restaurant and wait for delivery for 30 minutes or more. They can feel your affection better as well through your home-cooked meals.