Why Cooking at Home is a Healthy Idea

Millions of people make resolutions to eat healthier each New Year, but following through can be difficult to do. One of the best ways to improve your diet is to eat more home cooked meals. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people are cooking at home, and the NPD Group found that when meals are made just under half contain fresh products.

When you eat in restaurants or purchase food that’s already prepared there’s no way of knowing what all you’re eating. You won’t know where the ingredients came from, who cooked it or how the food was prepared. And unless the restaurant supplies nutritional facts, there’s no way of knowing the fat, calorie or carbohydrate quantities. However, there’s a good chance restaurant food won’t be as healthy as a home cooked meal. Studies have shown that meals that are prepared outside of the home have more calories, fat and sugars, but less nutrients.

Eating at home you’ll also consume less salt, which is a serious concern. Today, the CDC reports that many Americans consume over 3,400 milligrams of salt daily, but the recommended amount is just 1,200-1,500 milligrams. The CDC notes that eating out at restaurants and consuming processed, ready-made foods is a contributing factor for taking in too much salt each day.

Cooking meals from scratch at home gives you control over what you eat from the ingredients to the condiments. You can select the freshest produce and meats for the best nutritional benefits. Planning out your meals you can make sure that each one is balanced with the right amount of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates and dairy products.

Other home cooking benefits include:

• It saves money.
• It makes you more connected to your food.
• Enjoy more time with family while you cook.
• Studies show you’re more likely to eat healthier when you eat out.

Instead of making a resolution to eat healthier this year, be more specific and make it a goal to cook dinner at home more nights a week. Keep reading for tips on how to make home cooking as healthy and convenient as possible.

Healthy Home Cooking Tips

Ready to get cooking? The tips below will get things fired up in the kitchen and help you keep more money in your wallet.

• Plan out your menu for the week. This can help you prepare food for multiple days all at once.
• Keep meals simple and straightforward.
• Make a grocery list before you go shopping so you are less tempted to buy unhealthy foods.
• Take a few cooking classes if you don’t have a lot of experience making your own meals.
• Stock up on essential cooking tools and utensils like a set of pots, a crock pot, a few pans with lids and a grill.
• Use herbs, spices and vegetables to add flavor to food without adding calories.
• Cook enough so that you have leftovers for lunch the next day.
• Watch your portions. Overeating is never a good idea no matter how healthy the food is.
• Try out vegetarian meals. Tofu and beans are healthy and cost less than meat.
• Look for ways to save even more – buying in bulk, using coupons and looking for sales.

Healthy Food Ideas from Pro-Vision Academy’s Superintendent

Healthy eating starts from the top down at Pro-Vision Academy charter school. Below are a few of the superintendent’s favorite healthy dishes that can be paired together for a delicious, nutritious meal.

• Mesquite grilled salmon with dry cherry steak sauce for glaze
• Grilled asparagus with garlic and olive oil
• Half-baked yam with light brown sugar and light butter
• Kale and spinach salad with tomatoes, red onions and baby bell peppers (red, yellow and orange) with light vinaigrette dressing

People in the Houston Sunnyside community can stop by Pro-Vision Academy’s Urban Farm to get fresh produce for their meals. It’s a great way to get healthy ingredients for your next dinner!

 

Original Source: http://www.provision-inc.orgs/why-cooking-at-home-is-a-healthy-idea/