Why Cooking at Home is Better than Eating Out

Let's close our eyes and think of those hot rotis or parathas with some ghee made by our moms or grandmas daily—pure nostalgia. Homemade food is one of the most comforting and joyous feelings. So many of our memories are associated with food, even when the food is being cooked in the kitchen or the simple, age-old discussion of what to make for dinner. It is a rather scary question, but with a bit of planning and setting up a routine, it does become easy to cook at home daily, and it is a much healthier and more economical option than eating out.

Cooking at home vs. eating out is almost like the angel vs. devil debate in our heads. While it is very easy and tempting to step out for meals, and cooking at home might seem like a big task on busy days, cooking at home has many benefits.

Restaurant Nutrition Vs. Homemade Nutrition

When you cook at home, you have complete control over the ingredients, amount of oil, sugar, etc., whereas restaurants generally add more oil, might not use fresh ingredients, and still charge more.

So, if you want to get fitter, watch your weight, or improve your overall health, cooking at home will always be more beneficial than dining out.

An interesting study states that more family meals at home led to better food consumption habits(more fruits and vegetables and less sugary food) for both parents and children. Eating at home also helps people sleep at a decent time and wake up fresher the next day.

Why are Home Cooked Meals Better than Takeout?

So far, cooking at home is winning the battle against eating out. Let's examine some points in more detail to determine a clear winner!

• Healthy: When cooking at home, you are conscious of what ingredients you use, both in quantities and qualities. Restaurant food often has more sodium, saturated fats, higher calories, etc. People who cook at home regularly are usually healthier and can maintain their diet and fitness.
• Easier to watch your calories: Restaurants usually make calorie-dense food to make it more tasty and easy to cook. You can cook healthier food as per your calorie intake and diet requirements.
• Economical: Eating out daily means spending a lot of money on food. But if you cook at home, buy groceries at good deals from the supermarket, get staples in bulk, and plan to purchase required items and ingredients, you will save money.
• Creative and flavourful: Think of a simple fusion—a burrito made with ragi roti or tortilla! This is an easy, quick item that tastes great and is healthy. Experimenting and getting creative in the kitchen is a fun way to include nutritious food in the diet and come up with new fun and fusion recipes.
• Proper portion sizes: You know your and your family's food intake and try to cook only the required quantity. Leftovers can easily be stored in the fridge, unlike in takeaway orders, where there is a chance of the portion being either too large or too small.
• It gives you a chance to reconnect: Cooking together is a great way to spend time with your partner, children, or parents! It brings people closer, creates loving memories, and divides the task.
• It is personalized: You can skip the cinnamon in your pie if you don't like it or add extra basil to the pasta. Make it your way. All this personalization is easily possible when cooking at home.

Tips to Cook and Eat More at Home

• Start with your favorite recipes: If the item you cook is your favorite, you will be more motivated and excited to cook it.
• Organize your grocery list: It is so easy to get lost in the grocery store aisles and end up in the snacks section every time! So, it is best to keep a grocery list ready before heading out. This will also ensure the pantry is not overstocked.
• Prep in advance: Most of us get tired after a long day at work, and if we have to start making a meal from scratch, we are always tempted to get takeout. Instead, a little prep in advance helps quite a lot. Clean and chop vegetables over the weekend, boil a big batch of dals/lentils and freeze them, etc. This will make cooking at home quick and efficient.
• Invest in appliances you will love using: A small thing like a vegetable chopper saves time and helps with meal prep. Making rotis or tortillas can be time-consuming at times. A machine for making soft rotis quickly means no more need for frozen parathas.

• Plan for leftovers: Planning and making a bigger batch of your favorite food helps on dull days when cooking seems more difficult. It is a better option than ordering in or going out to eat.
• Use a recipe app: It is better than a food delivery app! Download a recipe app that syncs with your calendar and gives you recipe ideas and tips. The app will also help you with grocery and pantry lists.

This weekend, take some time to chop your vegetables. Start with small steps and slowly get into cooking more at home. You will start enjoying it and including your family to help out. Home-cooked meals are always better than takeaways, and this way, going out to restaurants once a week or occasionally will become more exciting and a good change from the routine.