Hate spending time in the kitchen? You’re not alone, but learning to cook at home could change your life in ways you didn’t expect. From saving money to starting healthy eating habits, cooking at home is a simple habit with big rewards.
This year, strive for less takeout and more home cooking. Not only will it transform your wallet and waistline, but it can also bring a sense of accomplishment and connection to your daily routine. Here are its top benefits, with helpful insights from experts.
Control over what you eat
If you’re mindful of what you feed your family, cooking at home is a game-changer. As Tamara Tsaturyan of Thriving In Parenting explains, you can make sure that your family eats nutritious food without hidden additives or unhealthy ingredients when preparing the meals yourself. She says, “While I hate cooking, I’m very mindful of what I feed my family. To ensure my kids have healthy, nutritious meals made from wholesome ingredients, I prepare most of our food at home.”
By cooking from scratch, you have full control over every ingredient, from the salt levels to the quality of the vegetables. This means fewer preservatives and more wholesome meals for your loved ones.
Not into complicated recipes? No problem. Start with simple dishes like roasted vegetables, grilled proteins or even a healthy pasta dish with fresh, homemade sauce. These are quick, easy and healthier than store-bought alternatives.
Save big without sacrificing quality
Dining out or ordering in adds up quickly, especially for families. Dizzy Busy and Hungry’s Kristin King highlights that cooking at home can save you a ton of money while still allowing you to enjoy tasty, satisfying meals. She notes, “I can quickly throw together a sheet pan dinner with whatever veggies and proteins I have on hand instead of spending $50 or more on takeout for my family.”
Her advice: Keep a few go-to recipes on hand that use pantry staples and are easy to customize. Not only will you save money, but you’ll also cut down on food waste by using what’s already in your kitchen.
Simplify your life
Cooking doesn’t have to mean elaborate meals that take hours. Kristin also points out how having a few simple, reliable recipes can make life feel more manageable. Knowing you can whip up a meal in 20 minutes takes the stress out of last-minute decisions or expensive takeout runs.
Think about dishes like stir-fries, soups or one-pot pasta. These meals are quick, require minimal cleanup and can often be made with ingredients you already have. Plus, cooking at home makes accommodating picky eaters or dietary needs easier without reading through a menu.
Teach valuable life skills
Cooking at home isn’t just about feeding your family, it’s also a chance to teach valuable skills. Bitty of Eighty Recipes emphasizes how getting kids involved in the kitchen is not only a fun way to spend time together but also a sneaky way to teach them life skills. From stirring sauces to safely chopping veggies, kids learn to appreciate food and become more adventurous eaters.
Bonus: They’ll take pride in what they helped make. Even something as basic as chips and homemade dip feels special when little hands play a part in it. And for you? It’s an easy parenting win on busy nights.
Make cooking work for your lifestyle
Learning to cook at home becomes even more important when dealing with food allergies or dietary restrictions. For Sage Scott of Sage Alpha Gal, who contracted a tick-borne food allergy to all things mammal a few years ago, home cooking is a matter of necessity.
Her strategy? Cook a few larger meals each week, portion them into individual servings and freeze them. This way, even on days when cooking feels too much, there’s a healthy, homemade meal ready to serve and enjoy. Scott asserts, “When I don’t feel like cooking or don’t have the time to cook, I can pull from my freezer stash and have a home-cooked meal ready to eat in just a few minutes.”
This approach works well for anyone juggling a busy schedule. Batch cooking and freezing meals save time, reduce stress and make home cooking a realistic option no matter how hectic life gets.
Make cooking fun, or at least bearable
Hate cooking? You’re not alone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make it more enjoyable. Bitty suggests starting small and creating an environment that makes cooking feel less like a chore. Blast your favorite playlist, try a recipe that reminds you of home or experiment with simple dishes that still feel special.
You don’t have to love cooking to make it work for you. Use shortcuts like pre-chopped vegetables or store-bought rotisserie chicken to reduce prep time. Invest in tools like a slow cooker or air fryer to simplify the process. And remember, even a humble meal like pasta with butter and garlic counts as home cooking — and it’s cheaper and healthier than takeout.
Reap the rewards
Cooking at home might never be your favorite pastime, but the benefits are undeniable. You’ll eat healthier, save money and feel more in control of your meals. Plus, you’ll gain skills that you can pass on to your kids, make life easier with batch cooking and maybe even find moments of joy in the process.
So, if you’ve always hated cooking, take it one step at a time. Start with a simple recipe this week and see how it feels. Who knows? You might just surprise yourself — you might discover a new hobby for the new year.
Jessica Haggard is dedicated to helping people cook easy everyday recipes focusing on bioavailable and nutrient-dense foods. She helps people overcome food allergies and discover healthy recipes that make a difference in their health with gluten-free, low-carb and keto cooking at Primal Edge Health.