Eating home-cooked meals more frequently can be an effortless and effective way to improve your health. Homemade dishes contain less sugar, salt, unhealthy fats, and calories compared to those prepared elsewhere. Our findings indicate that home cooking frequency is associated with cross-sectionally better diet quality and cardiometabolic health markers, including lower body mass index (BMI) and a healthier cholesterol ratio.
1. Save Money
Though groceries can be an obstacle for some families, cooking at home saves money over dining out—an estimate suggests a family of four could save hundreds every year by creating their meals at home instead of going out.
Adopting the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits and vegetables, is associated with more frequent home-cooked meals. Eating at home helps cut sugar intake as well as calorie and fat intake that contributes to weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and the risk of diabetes.
2. Reduce Junk Food
To ensure the healthiest meals at home, be wary of adding too much sugar or salt. Instead, spice blends and herbs can add flavor without overshadowing the dish itself.
This study used ecological momentary assessment data collected from 150 families as part of the Family Matters Study to analyze home cooking data to ascertain if fully or partly home-cooked meals were more likely to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than pre-prepared and restaurant foods. Families living below the poverty line served more restaurant and pre-prepared food than other families, thus highlighting additional research targeted specifically at identifying barriers to home cooking among these groups.
3. Avoid Food Allergies or Sensitivities
Consuming home-cooked meals more frequently was associated with improved diet quality and cardiometabolic health indicators in a population-based study; however, this association no longer held after accounting for sociodemographic and behavioral factors.
Food allergy sufferers require careful label reading and meal preparation in allergy-friendly environments (keeping a separate pantry or fridge for allergy-friendly ingredients) to prevent cross-contamination. Luckily, many common allergens can be avoided through recipes made from scratch using alternative ingredients; flaxseeds soaked in water can replace eggs in baking applications, while coconut milk adds creaminess when making dairy-free dishes.
4. Make Meals in Bulk
Cooking at home can effectively reduce the intake of sodium, sugar, and saturated fat from convenience food products. Instead of turning to food delivery services for your weekly dinner needs, try batch cooking a few meals ahead of time so you have ready-made options when life gets hectic!
By making meals ahead, you will not only save time but also money and the hassle of driving to and from grocery stores or restaurants; this practice will also reduce stress levels. When making bulk dinners, be sure to double or triple recipes so there will be enough leftovers for later enjoyment. Additionally, keep flavors simple so the foods can easily be transformed—chili can become chicken and leek pasta bake or an addition for spaghetti dishes!
5. Make Single-Portion Meals
Studies indicate that people who regularly cook tend to enjoy healthier diets and are less likely to be obese. Preparing meals at home also offers benefits regarding any food allergies or sensitivities you or your family members have, while eating out can often result in overeating since restaurant portions tend to be two to three times larger than recommended dietary allowances; home-cooked meals allow you to control calories more accurately as well as improve weight loss, energy levels, sleep quality, resilience to stress, as well as blood sugar, cholesterol, and sodium values. Furthermore, you can create delicious healthy dishes by adding various spices, herbs, or sauces!
6. Make Leftovers for Lunch
Food leftovers can easily be turned into delicious lunchbox meals with little effort, from pasta dishes and chicken to baked goods and pizza—simply scoop the food into bento-style lunchboxes and pair it with fresh salad, cut veggies, or whole-grain crackers for maximum impact!
One study showed that cooking at home more often is linked to better health outcomes, like having a normal BMI and body fat percentage, even when considering different social and lifestyle factors, and that cooking at home itself leads to these healthier results, regardless of those factors. This evidence indicates the benefits may extend beyond food alone. To establish causality, longitudinal studies need to be completed—until then, enjoy this tasty, protein-packed chicken and sweetcorn stir-fry served over rice!
7. Save Time
Cooking healthy meals doesn’t need to be complex or time-consuming, either. Simply select recipes with simple ingredients, avoid overemphasizing sugar or salt in dishes, and keep the cooking process quick. A slow cooker is a wonderful way of creating full dinners for one meal per night or creating proteins like roast chicken, ground turkey, or grilled steak that can then be used in other healthy meals, such as salads, soups, enchiladas, or pasta dishes during the week.
Participate as a family in meal prep so your children can develop healthy eating habits from an early age and help wean themselves off convenience foods and junk foods over time.
8. Make Healthy Dishes Everyone Loves
Making healthy home-cooked meals more often can improve your health, particularly when prepared using recipes comprised of fresh ingredients. Enjoying nutritious food helps promote better skin, sleep patterns, and mood—three key indicators of well-being.
Eating together as a family can bring people closer, helping reduce stress levels and creating memories together. Eating out can also provide the perfect way for solo residents to meet people. No matter your level of experience or expertise in the kitchen, cooking at home can be enjoyable and satisfying! Try creating some healthy meals each week to see how they impact both your body and wallet!
9. Make Meals in Bulk
Home cooking often means creating dinner in bulk, which can reduce time spent on food prep. Plus, batch cooking allows you to prepare meals that can be easily reheated later in the week for busy weeknights—for instance, a vegetarian pad kee mao soup or filling grain bowl is a versatile dish with endless applications—for instance, it could become either soup or a grain bowl depending on its flavors and use of ingredients that can be reused, such as roast vegetables that can become side dishes when served alongside chicken, or lean shrimp tacos that can become salad the following night!
