4 Reasons to Cook Your Own Food

Is dinnertime a complete ordeal for you or your family? Do you find yourself forgetting to prepare, only to grab the first food-like substance in sight? 

You are a normal person! More than half of Americans report eating out at least once per week. We're a little convenience-happy. In 2015, the amount that the average person spends on dining out actually surpassed the amount of money spent on groceries. 

Why? Because we don't have to cook anymore! Nearly eight percent of Americans work in the food service industry, so there are tons of people who could be preparing our foods other than us! We're busy. We have a million other things to do. 

But shouldn't we be making nourishment be a little more of a priority? 

Some compelling reason to prepare your meals from the comfort of your own home:

Food Knowledge

When I go out to eat, I realistically have no idea what's going into that food. There are thousands of additives that are used in restaurants that I would never, ever, ever use in my kitchen. Ask anyone with a food allergy or sensitivity who has to ask about every meal not prepared in front of them. In order to feel my best, knowing what is going into my food is essential!

Portion Size

A casual restaurant tends to serve two to three times the actual, recommended portion size on their dinner plates. It's value! Wrong. It's skewing our perception of a decent meal.

Mindful Eating

Part of eating mindfully is preparing your food, appreciating what went into it, and anticipating the meal. It's much harder to mindfully eat if your food is just brought to you! 

Cost

Do a little homework. Calculate your average grocery bill and compare it to a meal you dined out for. For example, for a household of two, I spent $197.13 on groceries (including household items), and our meals are planned until the end of the month, when we will go grocery shopping again. I went off my monthly meal calendar to estimate that we will eat 26 meals at home this month, averaging about $7.50 per meal for the two of us. Now, on one meal eating out (not a super nice meal, mind you), we spent $18.62. That's more than double what we spent on average for each home cooked meal! 

Try it on your grocery bill!