Read on to find out why you should be eating homemade food
Thanks to our increasingly hectic lifestyles, food has become one of the lower priorities in life. For example, we only eat when we meet someone at a fancy restaurant, or snack mindlessly while watching a movie. When was the last time you took a few hours to prepare food and enjoy it comfortably? When was the last time you put “LUNCH” on your daily to-do list? However, eating homemade food is one of the healthiest habits one can cultivate. It has a variety of positive effects on the body and also on the psyche.
Nutritious:- Restaurant and other commercially prepared foods are notoriously high in fat, salt and sugar. Home-cooked meals, on the other hand, are free of these and also have the option of substituting certain items with their healthier alternatives. Eating home-cooked meals on a regular basis prepares our taste buds for easier and healthier foods in the long run, which will eventually be reflected in our slim waistline and overall health.
Hygienic:- A recent video purporting to show a worker from one of our favorite dhabas kneading Atta with his feet had us all squirming in our seats. While not all restaurants follow standards like these, it is extremely difficult to maintain the desired level of cleanliness and hygiene in food preparation on an industrial scale. However, careful food handling and cooking techniques that are generally found at home tend to keep meals healthier and our stomachs happier.
Reasonable Portions:- Since childhood, we have all been taught never to waste food. I’ve followed this rule since childhood and I still do, even when eating out with my friends. However, restaurants are famous for their large portions, which eventually became one of the main reasons for my overeating and the resulting health problems. As the whole world moves towards the Japanese “hara hachi bu” (eat until you are 8/10 full), it is high time that we too made a paradigm shift and changed our eating habits. Eating at home gives us the luxury of exclusively customizing our portion sizes to our needs.
More Food Knowledge: Do you know what food to eat when you’re feeling down after those boring day-long meetings? A large plate of french fries and a medium portion of rice and dal have different effects on the body, mind and spirit. Since food is our main source of energy, it can have a satiating, healing or even negative effect on our body. Because home-cooked food is generally nutritious and consists of far fewer ingredients, the flavor and effects of each ingredient can be thoroughly enjoyed.
Builds Healthy Habits: – Eating home-cooked meals will kickstart many good habits that will prove beneficial throughout life.
Easy on the Pocket:- Read any book or article on “money saving hacks” and this one will be at the top. Eating home-cooked food more often is one of the biggest and easiest ways to save money. Even eating out of your neighborhood is a more costly proposition in the long run.
Of course, cooking is not for everyone. Many factors such as time pressure, being lazy after a long day and not being able to cook well often stand between us and a delicious and nutritious meal. For my brothers who still crave simple, homely meals but can’t find any, let me show you the light on the dark path.
Thanks to Priya M
