The Virtues Of Having A Home-Cooked Meal

Homemade food is something that will always be special. Unlike restaurant or takeout food, it’s something that evokes feelings of warmth, happiness, and is ultimately a great stress-reliever.

When thinking about the physical and mental health benefits of homemade food, there are numerous ones. From being in control of what you eat, to having reduced emotions of loneliness when watching someone you love cook, home-cooked meals are the way to go when it comes to experiencing positive emotions.

Let’s go in depth on the great physical and mental health benefits of having a home-cooked meal.

Physical Benefits

You Choose What to Put in Your Own Body

This EatingWell article by Lauren Wicks emphasizes the importance of choosing your own ingredients to cook a healthy meal. When choosing your own ingredients, you are safe with the knowledge that what you are putting in your body is a health benefit and not a detriment.

Rather than going out to a restaurant where you won’t know the amount of sodium or unhealthy ingredients that will be put into a meal, in your own home you have the power of knowing.

In fact, Wicks also mentions the insight of Lisa Valente, M.S., R.D., nutrition editor for EatingWell and Cooking Light, who mentions being in control of the ingredients is “one of the best parts about cooking at home”. So the next time you decide whether or not you want to eat out or in, consider eating in. After all, it’s much better for you!

You’ll Find Joy in Cooking

In Wicks’ article and in a bambuLiving Blog Series article by Jeffrey Delkin, both stress the importance of home-cooking being an ultimate stress-reliever. Whether you’re cooking with loved ones or on your own, the concept of simply moving your body, going to the grocery store, getting the ingredients to start a home-cooked meal is a great physical benefit to have.

Not only are you moving your body to cook and get the ingredients, you’re experiencing the joyous emotions of standing over the stove and seeing your own concoction come to life. It’s not the same as going to a restaurant, ordering food and waiting. It’s food you’re making yourself, which makes it all the more special.

Mental Health Benefits

Cooking Brings Calm

Now that we’ve explored the physical benefits of having a home-cooked meal, let’s talk about the mental health benefits. Just like cooking can bring joy, it can also bring calm.

Think about it. When you’re listening to the delicious aroma of your food coming to life, the hiss of the pan and that irresistible smell, it’s simply, undeniably calming. It makes you imagine what the food will taste like. And as you’re working on your food, even the action of that brings calm.

In a Simply Local Magazine article by Renata Haidle, she mentions how “the repetitive motions, like chopping or stirring, can be meditative”. It can make you forget about your worldly responsibilities for a second and focus on what’s right in front of you, a meal that will bring you calm, health and joy.

Cooking Brings Happiness

Cooking at home is a different feeling in itself, especially when you’re eating the food a loved one has made. It brings about feelings of warmth, energy, and happiness.

It’s different from eating a takeout dinner and having lukewarm feelings about it.

When you eat food your partner, grandparent, parent or food that anyone you love has made, it makes the experience of eating richer. It dissipates feelings of anger, loneliness, sadness, and it shows you you’re not alone.

Simply watching someone you love doing their thing in the kitchen? That alone can alleviate stress. It’s simply joyful; a warm, fuzzy feeling.

So the next time you step into a loved one’s home for a nice meal or if you’re doing the cooking yourself, revel in those feelings of warmth, for they will always stay, forever and always.