The importance of home cooking
Nothing beats a home-cooked meal. We all know this phrase and for good reason. While the convenience of dining out or ordering a takeaway can seem all too tempting, cooking for yourself and others is one of the most nourishing things you can do for your mind and body. It is an act of self-care and self-love.
We are what we eat
The food we eat affects almost every aspect of our overall health and wellbeing. It provides us with the nutrients our body needs to work effectively, while helping to prevent disease, fight illness and feel more energetic. When we eat something, it is eventually assimilated into our bloodstream. That makes it all the more important to eat well and we don’t mean at your local salad bar.
Learning to cook high quality foods at home can transform your life in unexpected ways. When we put energy into cooking food, this energy and love is soaked up by the food and put back into our bodies. It fuels our body in more ways than one. It has a different feel to the food you buy at a cafe, restaurant or takeaway. Simply put, it changes everything. We have control over the quality of ingredients and the entire cooking process - we know where the produce came from, how much salt was added and what kind of oil was used. Plus, if you suffer from food intolerances or digestive issues, homemade meals with fresh ingredients are your best friend. It can help you to pinpoint what foods are causing the issue and eliminate them completely.
More time to be mindful
There’s also something to be said about the ritual of both cooking and dining. Cooking can be an enjoyable experience, a form of escapism and a mindful activity. In fact, as you concentrate solely on peeling and chopping that carrot, it is indeed pure mindfulness. Time, effort and love is put into making a dish. The entire process from preparation to cooking and setting the table can help us to experience and appreciate our food even more. Furthermore, cooking for and eating with another person is a ritual that bonds people and helps to foster relationships. If you live with others, you can get everyone involved. Kids can peel vegetables, set and clear the table while older siblings can help chop and cook. Our favourite policy is that the cook doesn’t have to clean up after! So if you have a housemate or partner, someone can do the cooking and the other can clear up. Win win!
With such busy lifestyles, one of the main reasons people don’t cook is because they feel they don’t have enough time. Mastering the basics of cooking however can be simple and help save you time and money in the long run. The most important aspects are that it is homemade, fresh and made with love (emphasis on the love). Homemade means simple, healthy fare, so you don’t have to stress about creating picture-perfect food that’s plated like a pro on Insta. If you’re feeling low on inspiration, here’s some ways to help you get back into the kitchen.
10 tips for home cooking:
Use fresh ingredients. They’re healthier for you!
Look out for seasonal, local and organic ingredients when possible.
Plan your meals beforehand. This will avoid the last minute temptation to eat out or order takeaway.
Avoid the inner aisles of supermarkets - that’s where the packaged goods and highly refined foods live.
Choose simple recipes with no more than 4-5 ingredients for everyday cooking. We love one-pot meals that are high in nutrition and low in effort.
Frozen foods are ok but avoid canned goods when possible. Frozen foods retain nutrition as they are usually frozen after picking but canned goods are high in sodium and some cans are coated with chemicals that can leak into your food.
Cook once, eat twice. Prepare more food than you need and save them as leftovers for the next day and/or freezing.
Stock up your pantry with dried goods that will make meal planning easier.
Switch up your style! Try out baking, grilling, steaming, boiling, stir frying - the options are endless.
Experiment with a new fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before. Variety is the spice of life and you’ll feel proud of yourself by stepping outside your comfort zone.
Mastering the basics of home cooking doesn’t have to be stressful. Check out our online session with holistic chef Alessandra Mariotti on how to fall in love with cooking. You’ll learn about key ingredients to stock up on, the best utensils, how to arrange your space, meal planning, batch cooking and ways to make your cooking healthier.