Hey Cooking Urge family!
Today, I have a very exciting topic for you.
And it’s one that you will love.
For some people, cooking can be fun and exciting, and for others, not so much.
But what if I told you that there are some benefits you can get from cooking your own food, would you be interested in knowing?
Guess your answer is yes.
Without wasting time, let’s find out why cooking is enjoyable.
10 Reasons Why Cooking Is Enjoyable
1. You Can Create Your Fantasy
Have you ever wondered what combining certain ingredients into your special dish will taste like?
At the restaurant, there is a limit to how a meal can be prepared.
And no offense, but you will agree with me that some take out foods taste bland.
So, if you are someone that loves spicy foods, or want to add certain ingredients to your food, cooking your own food can help you achieve that.
You can mix different vegetables, proteins, and carbs to come up with a unique recipe.
It may not make sense to someone else.
But as long as your taste bud enjoys your creation, that’s all that matters.
2. You Save Money
Yes! This is obviously one of the most important reasons for cooking your own food.
With the rate of inflation everywhere in the world, there is no doubt that cooking your own food will save you a lot of money.
To find out how much eating out costs you, just record how much you spend every time you go out.
Then at the end of the month, go over your record and you will be shocked at the amount.
3. You Know What’s In Your Food
One way to ensure you are eating a healthy meal is to make your own food.
Restaurants and take outs can easily throw in certain ingredients that are not so healthy just to make their food tasty.
Nothing beats fresh food.
Plus, the simpler, the better.
4. It’s Calming And Soothing
I don’t know about you, but one way to calm my nerves after a stressful day is by cooking.
The smell of the sautéed onions, garlic, and peppers alone gets my senses all working well again.
The mixture of spices and colorful food ingredients has me admiring my meal even before I start eating it.
Food provides comfort for a lot of people.
What you may not know is that cooking the meal does wonders in relieving you of stress.
Do you know that cooking increases the level of dopamine (the feel-good hormone) in the brain?
Now that you know, try it today and thank me later!
5. Positive Psychological Effect
Everyone wants to be appreciated for what they do.
So, for me, when I get compliments from my family and friends on the meals I make, it boosts my ego and confidence.
I get overwhelmed with happiness when I see the satisfaction on the faces of the people I cook for.
For days that my cooking may not be so wonderful, I always console myself with the praises I got in my previous meals.
6. It Creates Bonds and Promotes Healthy Relationships
Just like eating together creates a bond, cooking for someone also creates a bond.
When I cook for others, it’s mostly because I care about them.
It’s an intimate activity that I do with all my heart which results in a sumptuous, healthy meal.
And because a lot of people value homemade foods, you will be creating some sort of closeness with the person you are cooking for.
It affirms the love or care you have for such a person.
And most times, it doesn’t go unnoticed.
7. You Create Memories
Yes, you love to cook, but having someone help you out in the cooking can be a memorable experience.
Whether it’s the laughter, the tears, the thrills, and the food, you will be creating experiences that you will cherish in years to come.
I remember while I was growing up and had my friend come over to our house for dinner.
I was so excited and asked my mom to let me and my friend make macaroni and cheese.
As young teenagers who were allowed to take over the kitchen for the night, we aimed to impress.
Well, let’s just say we failed.
But even though the food didn’t turn out well, however, that event has me and my friend laughing every time we remember it.
8. You Get to Explore other Culture’s Cuisines
Whenever I salivate over a particular culture’s food that isn’t mine, I won’t rest until I try it out.
I make sure to get the recipe, follow the instructions to the tee, and then relax to reward myself for a job well done.
And how does that make me feel? Like I just took a trip to that country.
9. You Create Unique Family Recipes
Have you ever heard the phrase, “this is my grandma’s special recipe” before?
Well, yes. These recipes were created from trying out different ingredients and coming up with unique recipes that are passed on to the younger generation.
By cooking your own meals, you can create such recipes that you can pass on to your children and loved ones.
10. You Learn to Cook
This one is quite obvious. But if you don’t know how to cook, you can learn it by cooking your food.
All you need is a well-detailed recipe and you will be surprised at what you will come up with.
This can be actually fun because there is no one to judge your cooking but you.
Even for experienced cooks, continuous cooking can perfect their mastery of some recipes.
If cooking can do all these, what’s there not to love about cooking?
Tips to Make Cooking More Enjoyable
There are simple ways you can make cooking easy, fast and enjoyable. Here they are:
Prepare your ingredients before cooking: Wash and cut all your vegetables before cooking. Make sure everything you need for the cooking has been assembled.
Don’t wait until you’re hungry before cooking: You are more likely to grumble when cooking if you’re already hungry. To avoid this, ensure your food is ready one hour before your next meal.
Get other people involved: Getting your kids or other people to join you in cooking can be a lot of fun. Even if all they do is wash or cut up the vegetables, you will find that it relieves you of one more thing you would have done by yourself.
Always have stock in your fridge: Many recipes call for beef or chicken stock. Instead of making it fresh every time, you can make a large batch and store in the fridge for when you’ll need it.
Frequently Asked Questions
I get confused about measurements in kilos and pounds. How can I make them tally?
It’s common to see some measurements in a recipe that read differently from what you are used to. To help you solve this, if the measurement is in kilo and you are used to pounds, go to Google and convert the kilo measurement to pounds.
I’m afraid that I will never be able to cook. How can I overcome this fear?
You won’t know if you are a good or bad cook if you don’t try. The only way to face this fear is to actually cook. Start with simple recipes and move on to challenging ones. Even if you fail at it, dust yourself up and keep trying. You will be amazed at the improvements you make.
I want to cook my own food, but I’m always busy. How do I find the time?
The solution is to cook in large batches. If you can find time to rest in a week, then you can make your own meals during that time. Cooking in large quantities will allow you to store up food that can last the whole week. If you can’t find time to shop for what you need, you can order them, or have someone run the errand for free or at a fee.
Conclusion
Cooking can be enjoyable if you apply the tips I mentioned in this article.
Although recipes are meant to guide you, however, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to cooking.
Tweaking the cooking ingredients and methods can lead you into discovering new recipes.
If not for anything, the fact that cooking your own food ensures that you eat healthy can motivate you to enjoy cooking.
Let me know what you think about this article in the comment section.
And for more interesting topics on cooking, recipes, and best cookware, always watch this space.