When it comes to healthy eating, people who can cook their own food definitely have a leg up.
Home cooking is usually going to be lower in fat and salt than take-out.
When we cook for ourselves, we can choose fresh ingredients, lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats. And we always have the option to add extra vegetables to any meal (hint, hint).
If we don’t cook, we may end up relying on processed items; frozen meals, canned soups, or snack foods that are convenient, and maybe even taste good, but lack nutritional value.
Being capable of a DIY meal also usually means spending less on food overall – in money that is.
The hard truth, is that cooking your own food from scratch will cost you in time.
Half the reason I started my original YouTube channel was to show people how to cook healthy foods and meals at home (the other half was to become famous, of course 😉). I’m always gratified when I hear that people have actually tried out some of my suggestions. But there are definitely some things I have made on my channel that even I don’t take the time to make on a regular basis.
I usually eat store bought hummus…
…though I have demonstrated how easy it is to make at home:
Though I have shared how to cook beans from dry...
…I most often buy canned:
I rarely make my own plant-based milks at home…
…though there is some value in the DIY version:
Although we may aspire to bake our own bread and make our own salad dressings every week, it is reasonable and practical to take the easy path sometimes.
Healthy eating patterns come in all shapes and sizes, and figuring out what works for your schedule and your budget is just as important as learning what foods are good for your body.
Sure, if you have all the time in the world, DIY to your heart’s content.
But if buying a pre-made sauce makes it more likely you can quickly pull together a flavorful stir-fry with veggies and some protein to serve over a grain, taking this short-cut is going to win out over fast food or a frozen pizza every time, nutritionally speaking (though of course pizza or burgers are also okay on occasion).
If premade hummus or salad dressing makes it MORE LIKELY that you will eat some fresh vegetables, it’s not worth stressing about the fact that they may contain an ingredient or two we wouldn’t find in our kitchens.
If that hearty crockpot stew you’ve been meaning to try calls for a can of cream of mushroom soup, alongside lean protein, beans or grains, and a plethora of vegetables, one component will not negate the nutritional value of the other items.
We need to pick our battles, and doing SOME COOKING, even if not every element is from scratch, is a worthy aim. Remember my previous post about SUSTAINABILTY? Doing YOUR best is going to have every advantage over trying to be THE best, when it’s the difference between getting the job done, or not.
All that said, sometimes we do have a little extra time to put into prepping our food. Sometimes it’s fun to try things out and experiment in the kitchen. If that’s you, check out the video links I have shared above.
Who knows, after some practice, you may find that some previously daunting DIYs are within reach after all!
By the way, if you or someone you know could benefit from one-on-one nutrition counselling, I am currently taking new clients. I am licensed to practice in IL, and am even in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Click here to schedule a FREE consult.
