Healthy home cooking: Why making your own food is better for you

Sometimes it’s the right call to have a pizza delivered or to grab something from takeout. But it’s an even better idea to fix your own food when you can.

Aside from being expensive, fast food can be high in fat, sodium, sugar and calories. And serving sizes make it easy to overeat.

Here’s why cooking at home is your best bet.

You can:

• Tailor your meals. 
  • Decide what to put in or keep out of the dishes you prepare, based on allergies, likes and dislikes in your household.
  • Limit salt, sugar, fat or other unhealthy additives that can raise blood pressure and contribute to insulin resistance.
  • Control how much you make and eat. 
  • Choose the type or quality of ingredients you use. Fresh. Canned. Frozen.
  • Pick a cooking method that fits your tastes and time. Grill. Stovetop. Oven. Crockpot. Air fryer. Instant Pot.
• Save money. 
  • Stock your pantry with everyday staples that can mix or match in meals.
  • Cost-compare. Many popular home-cooked meals cost substantially less than restaurant fare or meal kits.
  • Stretch your food budget with low-cost veggies and proteins that can be added to recipes. Read more about healthy eating on a budget.
  • Enjoy the leftovers or pop them into the freezer for another day.
• Enhance your kitchen skills. 
  • Feel a sense of accomplishment when you make your own meals. It feeds the soul as much as the food fuels your body.
  • Decide how much and when to make from scratch. Sometimes baking from a box mix can be fine.
  • Opt for easy or get fancy. Sheet pan dinners or one-pot meals can be super simple. If you have more time and energy, test your cooking skills.
  • Prep once for the week. You can spend a little time meal prepping for the week by chopping veggies or cooking other items ahead of time to be used in various meals later.
• Invite others to join you.
  • Eating with others can ease loneliness -- yours and theirs.
  • Buying takeout for a crowd can be expensive. Cooking at home makes sharing meals more affordable.
  • If others join you, they could bring something to add to the table. 
  • Shared dinners are also a chance to swap or try new recipes. 
  • Cleaning up together can be part of a healthy way to end the day.

Takeout is fine sometimes. But in the long-run, the advantages of home-cooked meals can be far more satisfying.