A few months after I got married, I discovered I have this passion for cooking. My experiments in the kitchen don't always turn out, but when they do, I have the greatest sense of accomplishment! I was raised with home cooked meals every night, so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. In fact, the first time I ever prepared/ate a hamburger helper meal was when I was engaged.
Ever since I have decided to make cooking part of my life, I have been more than pleased. It's so worth the effort! Here are some of the benefits I've seen since I've been cooking.
1. It can be much cheaper. I honestly don't think people realize how much money a home cooked meal can save you. Michael and I always have a few basic ingredients on hand that can be used in countless meals. It's fun being creative with ingredients so you don't have to buy expensive items.
2. It's considerably healthier! Since you are the one making your own meal, you can control how much salt/sugar/oil goes into the meal. Not to mention, you know where all the ingredients came from. Looking on the label of frozen or boxed meals is a pretty scary wake-up call. Home cooking isn't only good for avoiding bad foods, but it's also easier to implement healthy foods into your diet.
3. It's a good way to spend your time. Yes, I'll admit it, cooking a nice meal is sometimes very time consuming. But when I think about it, instead of spending an hour or so watching TV or getting on Facebook, I was spending it cooking. I think that has much more value. In fact, sometimes Michael and I cook things together and it's a fun way to spend time with each other!
4. Correct Portion Sizes. Portion sizes have been getting out of control over the last few decades. This is weird, but I end up eating less when I make my own food. Not considerably less, but a more correct portion size. I did a little Google research to find out why this always happens to me. Turns out, sense of smell is a huge part of the whole eating experience. By the time the food is actually done, I've become so exposed to the smell of the food, part of my appetite is already satisfied.
