Learn to cook! (Wait…why is that good for my health, exactly?)
Cooking at home is good for your health and your wallet. For example, we occasionally enjoy steak. (Yup. As a health coach. :) With bacon!) If we order from one of the local restaurants, a steak, with sides and a salad for one person, can be anywhere from $20 per person and up. On the other hand, if I buy a steak at my local grocery store, I can frequently get two, perfectly-sized cuts of meat (with bacon!) for $8. Let’s say the potatoes are $1 each and I buy two. So far I’m at $10 for a meal for two people. Let’s work on the expectation that I already have the fixings at home for a salad or for a green veggie on the side, so that expense has been figured in and stretched over several meals. $10 for dinner for two people instead of $40 or more? That’s pretty good! I have to invest some time in the preparation and cooking, but that doesn’t take long. (Of course, I’m a moderately experienced cook. As a new-to-the-kitchen sort, it will take longer.) I have dinner on the table in a fairly rapid fashion and for a reasonablecost. (Granted, sometimes I don’t want to do the cooking and I’d rather let someone else do the dishes…) I will frequently make random meals out of whatever veggies I have in the kitchen, tossed with a little chicken or gluten-free pasta. One of my favorite fall meals is a huge pan of ratatouille, which is a fancy way of saying veggie stew. And the leftovers are good for several meals over several days!! So that's good for the wallet too!
So there’s an example of why learning to cook can be good for the wallet. What about good for your health?
Let’s start with salt. I like salt in moderation. I find, more and more, that restaurant food is too salty for my taste. So if I’m cooking at home, I have more control over how much sodium is in my food.
I have control over what kind of oil I use to cook, and how much. I have control over the ingredients, for example, I can choose to spend a little more on organic or chemical free produce from a local grower. (Huh. I never thought of it this way. Cooking at home might make me a bit of a control freak!) :) I have control over how I choose to prepare the meal. I can make it exactly the way I want it.
Learning to cook can be overwhelming. Recipe instructions are not always complete; the authors make certain assumptions that everyone who reads the recipe will know exactly what they mean by <whatever>. (Yes, it is necessary to boil water before cooking pasta; it is at least faster and more effective.) Recipes can look complicated, and if you haven’t done much cooking, trying to wing it and do something by yourself can be completely intimidating
Learning to cook can also be an adventure! If you like to experiment or do new things, then playing in the kitchen can be a lot of fun.
I’m not suggesting you start cooking with an eye toward becoming a chef (although kudos to you if that’s the adventure you choose)! I’m not even saying “EVERYONE SHOULD LOVE TO COOK.” I know people (I’m related to people) who think cooking is one of the most awful chores on the planet and they don’t want to have to do it. Ever. I’m suggesting that learning to cook some basic, simple, healthy recipes at home can have a huge impact on your health and your financial bottom line. And in the long run, that’s critical to your success!
Cheers! :) Here’s to your health!