1. You know what goes in the food.
You can control the fat, sugar, and salt content. Remember the bliss factor in food is created by scientists finding the right combo of these three.
The bliss factor is when we crave a food and want more…. Think the ultra-processed foods. Can you eat one potato chip or one piece of a brownie?
Most restaurant food is going to appeal to your palate by increasing these. It is hard to stay off the diet path if you are overindulging in this group.
2. It will save you money.
And before you shout out that fast food is cheap. Yes, it is, but if you want to have a good relationship with your body and your weight, fast food must be limited. It can’t be a staple in your diet. The long-term cost to your health will eventually cost you more than the savings. Medications and medical bills are a big expense. Not to mention the loss in earnings when you are sick.
Once you learn a few simple dishes it gets cheaper to cook. There are plenty of YOU Tube sites that will show you inexpensive recipes that are not full of junk.
One great site for cooking recipes is the Pro Home Cook with Mike G. He will walk you through the benefits and give you some fabulous recipes and techniques
3. It is great way of socializing with friends and family. You can make it a potluck and have a theme (Indian, Thai etc.)
With a young family this is great time to stay connected in this busy world. Also, if you always have meals ready the teens are most likely to choose your house as the ‘hang out’ house. That offers another opportunity to see your kids’ friends and hear their conversation (they always ignore the chef!). During my son’s teen years I always had pasta ready ( cooked in the freezer) and fresh tomato sauce in my fridge … easy to feed a group of teens quickly and cheaply.
4. Portion Control
When I ‘eat out’ there is more food. Sometimes I will split a meal or take it home for leftovers, but often I overeat. At home I keep that balance of satiety and stop before I am stuffed.
5. The joy of cooking
It is a pleasure to cook and when you teach this to your children you share memories and give them the gift of nourishment, good nutrition and the joy of food. Cook with them, not just for them. It will create a lifetime of memories and you will pass on those skills.
6. Connection to our food
We get more connected to our food sources as we explore local foods and farmers markets. I love getting produce from our local farms and buying their bruised and over ripe produce is great for the budget and for freezing for the winter.
7. Oh how you glow!
You feel great when you fresh home prepared nutritionally balanced dishes with whole foods. Look at all the measurements of success: your skin, your energy level, your body functions and all the true signs of a body that is fed a well-balanced diet.
8. Cooking Magic
You get the pleasure of creating a dish from raw ingredients. It is the magic that happens when you take a few simple ingredients and create an easy but great meal…. think basil, tomatoes, olive oil and mozzarella!
9. Best Seat in the house!
And the atmosphere is always great, the music is my choice, and the noise level is too. (Especially as I get older, I don’t enjoy loud background music). How many great social events have been ruined because you were too cold or placed next to a loud group of people.
The most important:
10. If you want to be a Dieter in Recovery, it is essential that you cook most of your food at home.
Do you want to stop the madness of dieting? Pick up your knives and start chopping!