As the world changes every day, so does the establishment of family and the day-to-day routine they participate in. A few of these routines include family meals and homemade cooking. Sadly, the relationship between family and food has changed throughout the years. According to research from a New York Post article titled ‘Here’s How Many Meals the Average American Eats Alone’, “Americans eat 387 meals by themselves every year”. A leading factor of these declining habits is the busy work schedules of low-income individuals, which take up their free time and leave them resorting to eating unhealthy fast foods. For example, as stated by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, “Individuals who work more than 35 hours a week outside the home also cook less often”. However, British food celebrity and chef Jamie Oliver performed a TED Talk in 2014 that gained more than 8 million views, where he lectured the audience on getting their priorities straight to be more efficient to include this activity in their daily lives by cooking in groups or invest in gadgets that save time like Instant Pot. The significance of cooking at home should be an essential part of our daily routine as it can be advantageous for our health, contribute to family unification, and provide a better education about food.
One of the most beneficial results that can come from homemade meals and eating with family is a positive change in our diets. With the heavy workload and stress that a lot of jobs bring, people should take even greater precautions when it comes to their health. “People who frequently cook dinner at home consume fewer calories than those who cook less, according to a study of more than 9,000 people published by Public Health Nutrition” (‘Get Cooking at Home’). In another study, called the Seattle Obesity Study, researchers asked 437 people from King County to remember the last week they ate in and ate out, what they ate, and where. Results showed those who ate more homemade meals possessed diets that were more up to par with the federal standards of a healthy diet. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was used to measure diet quality so they can determine whether these participants are receiving the correct balance of nutrients that also follow the essential recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Those who made food at home three times a week scored an average of 67 on the index, whereas those who cooked six times a week scored around 74 (‘Cooking at Home Tonight? It's Likely Cheaper and Healthier, Study Finds’). This is merely one of many studies that conclude the fact that people who constantly cook and eat have better diets. Julia A. Wolfson, a CLF-Lerner Fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, speaks about the importance of educating society about the benefits cooking has to offer. Recognizing strategies that motivate and allow more of this activity at home and simply help those around us, regardless of how much they cook, eventually leads to making healthier decisions overall (‘Study Suggests Home Cooking Is a Main Ingredient in Healthier Diet’). On top of that, Kara Lydon who is the owner of Kara Lydon Nutrition and author of ‘Nourish Your Namaste’ observed from research studies that people become increasingly aware of the portions they intake when preparing their own meals as they cannot control what is being served to them when eating out. Because we would be handling the food ourselves, we would have more capability to tune into our satiation cues to know when to cease eating. Most of the food prepared in a restaurant is processed and contains high volumes of sugar, salt, and fat, which negatively affects people’s weight. However, by making dishes at home, the consumption of those ingredients significantly decreases, resulting in greater health.
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Domestic cookery with family also gives the perk of bonding with others through meaningful interaction. The nature of cooking strengthens the social ties between family members. A study done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reported how children who have dinner with family at home for at least five days a week were closer to their parents compared to those who did not eat with their family as often. It is important to understand that the experience of being in a family setting can shape our preferences when it comes to food and how we devour it. Dr. Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, a professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health who has specialized in observing the effect of family meals amongst the youth, states that if a child eats with his or her parents regularly, problems will be identified earlier on. It has been shown that children who often spend time eating with their families have a lesser chance of contemplating suicide, having depression, and eating disorders. Because family meals can also function as an intervention, children can become more open to sharing their problems when negative emotions arise in them. Therefore, their bonds with other family members grow stronger as they participate in this activity together. Besides that, the struggles a lot of people may feel in the kitchen can be removed when cooking becomes a team sport. Once cooking is made into a social event in itself, we begin to shift our perspectives into viewing it as a memory we can all share together. Even though not a lot of individuals possess much confidence when it comes to their culinary skills, simply having another person there to share the task can make the situation a lot easier to handle. The joy of having familiar company around can allow everybody to appreciate cooking and eating homemade meals as it creates a satisfying experience.
Lastly, cooking serves as a way to educate about food as we personally go through the process itself. In order to cook, we must understand what ingredients we are putting in our bodies. Because this is a hands-on activity that involves prepping food, it creates a thorough experience for people. This activity provides a memorable education process because it compels us to use all of our senses. A study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics attests that kids who engage in tactile activities, such as dealing with food, are less likely to develop food neophobia (fear of new or unfamiliar foods) and instead become more open to eating all kinds of different foods. An article titled ‘Cooking with Kids in Schools: Why It Is Important’, posted on a website that is supported by Cornell University’s Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs and the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement, makes a point about how cooking is a great opportunity for acquiring nutritional knowledge, including meal planning and making better food selections. As people begin to understand where the food comes from and how to make something from it, this type of education teaches practical life skills. One of the most essential things to learn when cooking is why specific ingredients act and react the way they do, as well as comprehend measurement and volume. Moreover, it allows us to familiarize ourselves with the kitchen environment, as well as certain vocabulary by reading recipes and ingredient information. Also, when cooking becomes a group activity with others, each person has a duty that requires teamwork and communication. That being said, it can be a good way to improve listening and leadership skills. Since cooking leaves room for a lot of experimenting and creativity, it compels those who engage in it to embrace a cultivating mindset and attitude.
Overall, cooking is an art that should be encouraged more as the benefits it has to offer certainly pays off. The relationship between the food we share and who we share it with creates a reciprocal bond that impacts us as a society, as a family, and as a person. Cooking is an incomparable practice that is crucial to stabilizing and creating relationships with others. A sense of unity and inclusion adds to creating a prospering environment. Furthermore, knowing how to eat right and engaging in kitchen duties are arguably one of the best places anybody can learn from. Although time and financial restraints are obstacles to cooking more frequently, people can still do their own research on menu preparation, learn how to pick and choose at the supermarket and educate themselves on the number of calories they are consuming. This multi-sensory pursuit produces various positive outcomes that range from health to reinforcing family bonds and teaching food to understand what we take into our bodies. Developing this habit at one’s own pace will come easier with time and repetition. Thus, despite the limited time and energy people have to cook, it should always be somehow incorporated into our everyday lives. Ultimately, cooking acts as a joyous and cognitively stimulating activity that can drastically transform the lifestyle for the better.
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