Tiny Woman, Big World

Two years ago you would never catch me in a kitchen. And if I was, it was to microwave a TV dinner or boil water for my ramen. When I first started making meals from scratch, all I could wonder was “why haven’t I started sooner?” I can’t begin to express the importance of cooking most, if not all of your meals at home. Learning how to cook is an investment you make for yourself, your family, and your personal connections.

Money saver

You will save a tremendous amount of money by preparing your own food at home compared to buying take out. Restaurants have to factor in operating and shipping costs which will raise the price of their dishes. Typical cost of takeout can be around $12-20, while the cost of this plate I made in a matter of minutes below was just $5.89.

If you want to compare this to fast food, fast food can be cheaper. But fast food is not a nutritious food option and should be avoided as a staple meal. Which brings me to my next point…

Healthier for you – and no, healthy isn’t “expensive”

Cooking your own food at home is without a doubt healthier. You have full control over what goes into your meals. Sure, some fancier items like steak and organic produce are typically expensive at a grocery store, but you don’t have to be fancy. This is where that myth of “but buying healthy groceries is more expensive than eating out!” comes from. If you’re eating steak everyday, then yes. If you’re eating things like ground beef and eggs, it’s very affordable. Prices will vary by city and location, but at my local grocery you can get ground beef for $5 per lb and 36 eggs for $7. Add on a small bag of rice for just $5. So for a total of $17, you can now make not one, but multiple healthy and nutritious meals.

A great skill to add to your arsenal

Cooking is useful for everyone to learn. Being able to combine different ingredients, manipulate temperatures, and balance time leads to the creation of a variety of dishes. The better you get, the more complex dishes you can make! The featured image of this article is of a recent dish I made, mussels in a white wine sauce paired with bruschetta. My most complex meal to this date, and my most tastiest. Follow a recipe or create your own from scratch and add it to your personal cookbook. You can make cooking as simple or difficult as you want – from preparing eggs and bacon to making a Beef Wellington, the options are endless.

Cooking is a love language

A mother and her kids cooking a home cooked meal for when their father arrives home. A husband and wife baking bread together. Friends creating their own dishes to bring to a potluck. All of these activities have one thing in common: the aspect of love. Cooking creates a culture and conversation with your loved ones. There’s someone peaceful about sitting at the dinner table, talking and laughing with one another over a delicious meal made right in the comfort of one’s own home (and if you’re family never did this when you were a child, break that tradition and be the one who does it for your family). It’s a way to bond, and express your deep appreciation for one another.

Learning to cook is the single greatest investment anyone can make for themselves. What foods do you enjoy when you go out to eat? Recreate them at home and see the joy it brings not just to you, but the ones you care for as well. The ROI of cooking is tenfold, and there’s no way to get a bad return from it. The next time you have the urge to order from UberEats, put your phone down and go check what your cabinets and fridge have to offer.

Stay rooted, my friends!