The benefits of cooking
Many individuals prefer to eat fast food instead of cooking their own meals due to the lack of time. The benefits of cooking are really important, even though you may spend some time in the kitchen. You need to know that fast foods and other prefabricated products have little or no nutritional value at all, and they can also affect your health. There are numerous reasons why you should learn how to cook. Here are just a couple of the reasons why you need to learn how to cook:
1) Save money:
Cooking from home will prevent going out for dinner, so you will be able to save some considerably amounts of money monthly. Apart from the fact that that it is unhealthy, fast food is also really expensive, especially when you buy it pre-packed. Cooking your favourite meals at home will not only help you to save money, but it will also guarantee the fact that you will eat exactly what you like.
2) DE stress:
In order to reduce the stress caused by this hectic society in which we live in, we can take some time and cook a wonderful meal right from the start.
3) Independence:
You can experience a sense of freedom and independence each time you cook your own meals. The fact that you are able to prepare your own meals may offer you a sense of independence because you are practically looking after yourself.
4) Cooking your own food is tastier:
Home cooking is really something special and unique. The way in which different ingredients interact with each other and influence our health can be learned only through home cooking, a practice that can also provide us the flavour we like. You will feel excited about every meal that you prepare, even when the ingredients used in the process are uninteresting.
5) Instant gratification:
You probably recognize this emotion if you have ever prepared some cookies or a quick meal. I can say that my first experiences in the kitchen were awful, however, at the end of each cooking session I was happy, even if I succeeded or not. I felt a sense of accomplishment due to the effort I have put in the preparation process.
6) Quality control of the food (healthier and hygiene):
Cooking from home will offer you the possibility to select the portion that you want to cook, the ingredients that you want to use in the process and the way in which you want your meal to be prepared. This means practically that you will be able to eat healthier. The higher level of healthiness will be ensured by the pure and fresh ingredients that you use for cooking. This is an aspect that cannot be guaranteed if you wish to eat in a restaurant or fast food location.
7) Family time
When you are eating out you are in a rush and you do not have time to enjoy your meal. When you want to connect with your family and feel a sense of unity, cooking at home may be the best choice. This connection is practically impossible to accomplish if you continue to eat out, avoiding your loved ones.
8) Food brings people together
Food is practically present in any major event or celebration in life. Numerous great relationships and friendships can arise from a cooking session at home.
9) Cultural Lineage
Information regarding some particular types of food or recipes is passed down from generation through generation whenever you teach a friend to cook the most popular type of food consumed by your family, or vice-versa.
10) Expression of love through food
When you want to express your love and care for somebody: your spouse, child, mother etc, you can simply do so by cooking.
11) Convenient
It is far more convenient to eat from home since you do not have to travel of dress up in fancy clothes in order to enjoy your favourite meal.
Women who cook are attractive!
As a woman, if you want to reach a man’s heart, you might easily do so by cooking. Many women have forgotten, or have not learned at all, how to cook due to the explosion of fast food restaurants. Even though many women still consider cooking a wonderful activity, they have less and less time to spend on testing it out due to the hectic world in which we live. You will probably want to have a go at it if you consider the following reasons:
Men love women who cook
Eating fresh and delicious meals is really important for all males. Preparing fresh and delicious meals for your man will guarantee you the fact that he will love you unconditionally and will always appreciate the work you invest in your cooking activity.
Considering the fact that men love to eat, it is obvious that they will prefer a woman that knows how to cook over a woman that doesn’t. A woman that knows how to cook will express two things to her man: she will remind him of his mother and she will show him that she is able to take care of the family.
A man will feel happy when he knows that a wonderful meal will wait for him at home after a stressful day at work. Make sure that you man is not hungry if you want him to be happy and love you unconditionally.
Cooking maintains your silhouette
You may observe some unwanted fat deposits on your waist when you eat out regularly. Following a good diet will help you to slim down and eliminate all the fat deposits. What you eat and when you eat can be controlled only if you know how to cook. Besides that, you will also be in a position to save money.
Cooking is fun
Cooking sessions can help you to use your creativity. We all appreciate a tasty and delicious meal, so we can say that cooking is an art. You are always in a position to improve your cooking skills when you share your recipes with other individuals and carefully analyse their reactions. For some women, cooking is something like a hobby.
Cooking can make you sociable
Sharing your home made recipes with the friends that you have invited at your place for a party can build your relationship with them. Eating only usual meals at your parties can get boring, so learning how to cook some special recipes may help you to impress your friends and never get rejected when it comes to an invitation.
Cooking is enabling
You may feel really free while you are cooking. Knowing that you can cook your favourite meals by yourself can offer you a sense of independency. By learning how to cook, you will be able to control your diet, incomes and your schedule. Considering the fact that confident women are more attractive in men’s eyes, you may find it really useful to be self-reliant and take control of your life.
Mommy can cook!
It is really important for you to be able to assure the nutrition of your family when you become of mother. As a mother, you will be very proud to hear your son or daughter saying that he/she enjoyed the dinner that you have prepared for them.
Men who cook are extremely charming!
Men should learn to cook
Even though cooking is considered mostly a girl’s activity, men should be able to cook as well. Girls need to learn how to cook right after they enter in the adolescence period. We all know that the times have changed, and women are no longer required to sit only at home and perform all the daily chores, while men handle education and work. Consider the equality between the genders imposed by the current society; men should be able to cook as well as women.
Men need to learn how to cook! This is a really handy skill for everybody. Apart from the fact that you will never go hungry when you do not have anybody to cook for you, you will also be able to cook your favourite meals.
Cooking brings numerous advantages. Apart from the fact that you will be able to cook your favourite meals, you will also be in a position to save money since you can prepare something good from home, without going out.
There are numerous situations in which men are required to live alone and far from home. Not knowing how to cook may be a really severe problem if you are a bachelor. You will spend lots of money, and you will not eat healthy as well. You can eliminate all of these problems only if you learn how to cook. A man that knows how to cook can even arrange meetings at his home, without having to worry about what to put on the table.
Women have jobs these days. This makes it really hard for them to cook all the time in a family, so men should be able to help occasionally. Helping one another when it comes to cooking is fun and will help the female to rest more as well. Instead of expensive gifts, a man should appreciate a good meal on a special occasion prepared by the woman.
Men usually reach the top chef positions. Finding a job as a chef or cook may be wonderful for men that can really cook well. Setting up food stalls is another advantage for men that can cook well, because you never know when you can get fired from your job.
Cooking may also increase your social abilities. Preparing a delicious meal would impress every woman, regardless if you are single, in a relationship or married. This is really a surprise that will charm your lady. It is also an advantage if you want to win the heart of a woman, since not many women expect men to cook. Showing your abilities in the kitchen will help you to impress your lady right from the start.
Moreover, cooking may also help you to be a great host. By learning to prepare some delicious and tasty dinners and breakfasts, you will be able to share some information about your personality to whoever visits your home in the morning or at noon.
Here are some reasons why men should learn how to cook:
- Learning to appreciate the women work in the kitchen much deeper
- Showing you love and appreciation for the people that you care for. Just think about what impression you will make by preparing something special for your wife or kids once they get home.
- A guy that does not know how to cook does not possess the advantages of one that knows. This can be easily recognized by the college students that do not know how to cook. They spend more money on their foods and they do not eat healthy as well.
- This is a great skill for every man. Independency is the main advantage of knowing how to prepare a meal.
- An independent, mature and responsible man should know how to cook.
- Usually, the female is the one that is entitled to take care of the nutrition aspect in the family, but sometime they need a break as well. A man that knows how to cook would be in a position to help his wife relax in some occasions and prepare healthy and delicious meals.
- A boy that knows how to cook would also be able to help a single parent, so we can consider this activity a social connector as well.
- Many couples can have lots of fun while cooking. Spend some quality time with your girlfriend and use your imagination.
Ignite the PASSION of cooking in kids
Top ten reasons to get kids cooking
Amongst the numerous important family activities that you can experience, is cooking together with the kids. Just consider these aspects:
1. You can strengthen the relationships between you and your kids.
You will observe that your kids will feel very important when you allow them to participate in the cooking sessions. Cooking is really an important family task, so this will make your kid feel more responsible.
Moreover, you can also engage in certain discussions while cooking with your kids. Many kids avoid discussing with their parents certain problems from their usual lives, but you may be able to get closer to your kids while cooking with them.
2. Cooking builds self-esteem.
Any kid will experience a sense of accomplishment whenever they manage to cook something on their own.
3. Cooking makes kids more open to test out new recipes.
A kid will be really excited to eat or test everything that he prepared on his own. Some may only taste a little bit, while others may not eat anything at all. But in time, if you prepare more and more meals with your kid, he will test new foods eventually.
4. Cooking teaches kids math skills.
Some recipes must be prepared at some particular temperatures and with some precise measurements, so this may help him to develop and learn some new math skills.
5. Cooking teaches kids reading skills.
You can grab any kind of instructional food book and have your kid learn how to prepare some recipes step by step. This activity will also allow your kids to improve their reading skills.
6. Cooking teaches kids chemistry skills.
One clear example of this fact is when you are cooking Brownies. We all know that on top of the Brownie there are marshmallows. However, in order to obtain the brown colour, we must put them under the boiler. This is a wonderful chemistry experiment for the kids.
7. Kids who cook tend to eat more fruits and veggies.
Kids may discover some new fruits or vegetables that they like while cooking, even though they may not feel so attracted to them immediately.
The more time you spend with your kids cooking, the more foods they will be able to discover and test out, including fruits and veggies.
8. When kids cook they learn about the origins of food.
You need to shop in order to cook. While cooking, your kids will be able to learn new recipes and how to create them from scratch. Take an easy example: bread. There are numerous kids that do not know how bread is made. You will see how surprised your kids will be when they discover that they can make bread at home. This does not have to be a manual process. You can obtain some delicious warm bread simply by adding the necessary ingredients to a bread machine.
9. Cooking teaches kids about different cultures.
Some books may teach you how to cook recipes from other countries, and this may help you kid to understand different aspects related to the history and culture of a foreign country.
10. Cooking alongside your kids gives them an important lifelong skill.
There are numerous college kids that do not even know how to prepare a simple meal. If they do not learn this necessary life skill, they will end up spending large sums of money on fast foods and some of them may not afford it.
Now we recognize the importance of knowing how to cook and how this activity can help us in our daily lives. Let’s fall in love with cooking!
Growing Together
The first day of summer. The sun shined a little brighter. The birds tweeted a bit louder. Cadie slid her feet from her bed sheets and stood up in her pyjamas. The bright sun sparkled through the window to her bedroom. The bedroom she shared with her 7 year old sister Nacema. Who had already left the room. Cadie stretched a little and yawned wide, she almost walked into the door.
The hallway was quiet too. Just a few distant mumbles that came from the kitchen. “Why is everyone up so early?” Cadie yelled with a croaky voice. Walking down to the kitchen.
When she arrived in the kitchen she saw her big sister Nacema and her little brother Codie. They were both dressed and ready to go somewhere. Mom and Dad were dressed too, waiting.
“Cadie didn’t you hear us calling you?” Her mom asked. “No mom, sorry are we going somewhere?” Her dad smiled and knelt down to her. “Cadie remember we said last weekend that this weekend we are helping out next door?”
“The gargantuan garden?” Cadie asked curiously. “Haha yes Lipton’s Organic Farm next
door. It's a good chance for you guys to see and smell and eat organic food.” Her dad smiled.
“That’s right Cadie.” Nacema said excitedly. “We get to take what we want if we help out.”“Within reason Nacema.” Her mother reasoned. Cadie beamed from ear to ear. She had talked non-stop about “The Gargantuan Garden” next door. And all of the busy people that seemed to work there. She had bored her family at length with stories of the men and women next door. How they had dug up a whole truck load of potatoes and wheeled them. In wheel barrows to a big red truck. So this for Cadie was a chance to get closer to the mystery.
The family garden was itself very large. But at the side of it there was a gate that led into Lipton’s Organic Farm. Cadie thought that maybe at one time. The farm and her house were connected. Mom and Dad led the way and pushed the heavy metal gate to let the children inside. Once inside it was like a secret garden. The old Victorian walled part of the garden, led out into the rest of the farm. And then beyond into the field over yonder. “Oh strawberries!” Cadie squealed as she ran dragging her Dad toward the strawberry beds. Her mother, Codie and Nacema had found the Cucumbers.
“Look dad!” Cadie said excited. “Aren’t they cute?” She said kneeling down to one of the strawberry bushes in the bed. Her dad handed her the wicker basket that her mother had bought only a week ago. “Is it OK to pick them?” She asked nervously.
“Yes of course Cadie. We have permission. And we can use them to make a meal.” Her father said patting her back. Cadie found a single red strawberry and clasped it in her fingers tightly. Popping it of the stem. “Oh this is a big one dad.” She beamed.
“Cadie have you noticed that a strawberry has its seeds on the outside?” As he pointed quickly. Cadie took the strawberry and examined it closely. Indeed dad was right. The red skin was dotted with hundreds of little seeds. “You see Cadie. When strawberry’s fall off the bush. They rot into the ground and what’s left is the seeds. And the seeds grow new strawberry bushes.”
Cadie smiled and picked a few more. Two or three really big handfuls. Rolling them down the side of the basket and into the bottom. “Oh very good Cadie you rolled them in.” Dad chuckled.
“Of course. I don't want to bruise them.” Cadie chuckled back. “So what could we make with strawberry’s then?” She asked inquisitively.
Her father paused for a second. Pondering her question. “Well I suppose on a lovely day like this a strawberry smoothie would be nice.” He answered, smiling. And they made their way to the others.
Codie her little brother was busy swinging a cucumber around like a sword. When Cadie bumped into him by accident. She was about to show him her strawberry. He knocked into her elbow. “Ouch Codie watch what you are doing.” She said furious. But Codie waved his cucumber at her. “I’m a knight. Get out of my way.” He yelled. Holding the cucumber to her nose. Everyone laughed. Until dad took the cucumber off him and placed it inside the basket. “Nice try Codie. But that’s for dinner not for fighting.”
Nacema leaned in and took a quick look in the basket. “Oh nice strawberries. Good job Cadie.” She smiled ruffling her kid sister’s hair. “OK so I guess we better see Mrs Lipton and ask what needs to be done.” Cadie’s mom said to her father.
“Perfect well let’s go to the farmhouse then and see what we can do.” Her dad said. As they all turned to head off. Walking toward the farmhouse.