Why homemade food is better than fast food

Homemade foods have always been a better option for our health. Cooking it at home gives you control of what you're putting into them. Also, they have been a money saver for Indian households. Undoubtedly, food and water are the components that keep us alive; hence, what things we eat should be chosen wisely. Today, most people get drawn to food items that are readily prepared to eat. Such foods attract people as they can grab them anywhere at any time. Also, people sometimes do not have time to prepare a meal due to work or classes. Regardless of the reasons, one's eating habits quality should not be taken lightly.

Where online fast foods increase the risk of health issues, home-cooked foods are healthier for your overall body and mind. With homemade foods, you get to eat quality grains, pulses, and other items that are sources of proteins for our body. Moreover, while at-home cooking, you have the option to prepare your food with organic oil, which is known to be advantageous in controlling cholesterol levels. All these advantages are not possible in take-outs as you as a customer will have no idea about the quality and actual content of the ingredients you are consuming. 

Things that make home-made foods better than fast foods

The difference in nutrition level:

There is no doubt that meals prepared at home often have a better level of nutrition and hygiene than that of the restaurants or somewhere else. If we compare them both, then our kitchen's food will be much healthier. Meals prepared in restaurants or fast foods generally contain high salt, high calories, and high cholesterol that can clog arteries if consumed in excess. 

On the other hand, when you make your food, you can oversee the variety of ingredients you are putting in your dish. You have full access to substitute ingredients from normal to organic items and use sugar-free sweeteners instead of gluten, lower-sodium alternatives, etc. In addition to this, you get to add more green veggies and whole grains to your diet, which are exceptionally good for your health. When you choose healthy fats while cooking your dishes, it will benefit your heart health. 

Additionally, you can control the amount of food you want to eat. In some restaurants, customers get served with dishes that are larger in amount than they need to eat. It can significantly lead to overeating. Hence, in place of eating the whole 12-ounce steak, you can have only 2-3 ounces of meat along with the healthy vegetable filling the rest of your plate. This is how you can cut off your intake of saturated fats, which will automatically boost your nutrition intake. So, instead of being tempted with sugar-filled desserts at baristas, you can have fresh fruits that can fulfill your daily sugar needs.

Amount of sodium:

The other difference is the amount of sodium present. In most junk-food outlets and restaurants, chefs use generous quantities of salt to make the dish flavorful. Also, the use of food preservatives and additives contains considerable amounts of salt. Although junk foods like loaves of bread, donuts, and pastries do not taste like having high salt, they tend to have an elevated level of sodium in them. 

On the other hand, the sodium content is significantly low in our kitchen food. Generally, food items made by us tend to have balanced nutrition, mostly lower in harmful substances. For example, jaggery is known to be rich in nutrients, including iron. Moreover, it has been in use as an ailment to the common cold, boosting the immune system and treating the flu. 

Risk of Obesity in Children:

Obesity is an emerging health issue in children, which further increases the risks of Type-2 diabetes and heart problems in the coming future. Understandably, fast food is a time-saver for you, as you already have 100s of other chores to do, but these time-saving foods will take a toll on your kid's health in the long run.

Risk of Food Sensitivities and Allergies:

The risk of cross-contamination in restaurants and any other food outlets is higher. It takes place primarily because of improper training given to food-serving staff regarding proper handling of food items. Moreover, cross-contact is common in most restaurants. 

Whereas, while you cook a meal at your home, there is a surety that each ingredient is clean and does not carry any contamination. Hence, that when one manages their kitchen, the risk of uncleanness and contamination automatically reduces. 

Effects on Weight: 

The home meal is advantageous to weight management, as you can scale the calories and put ingredients carefully. 

On the other hand, a single bite of outside food item brings high calories into your body. Infact, fast foods can reach the number of calories you need to take in an entire day in just a single sitting. Hence, if you plan to lose weight, then food of home is the best option for you. 

Home-cooked meals are advantageous to weight management, as you can scale the calories and put ingredients carefully. 

Some undeniable benefits of cooked meals:

●    Eating together with family builds a reconnection among them

Cooking and eating together at home offers an opportunity to reconnect with family members. It will help boost the relationship among all members of the house.

●    It gives you a healthier lifestyle

Many studies indicate that people who prefer cooking their meals rather than considering take-outs tend to maintain an overall healthy diet. This is because home meals have lower amounts of total fats, saturated fats, calories, and other components that are bad for health. 

You can bring and store fresh ingredients by yourself or get them from online grocery stores that sell quality and organic products. It gives you the power to check and allow what ingredients your meal will contain. And this practice can entirely change your overall lifestyle.

●   You can efficiently watch your calories

The average calories found in one fast-food order ranges between 1100 to 1200 calories. Interestingly, this quantity alone covers the recommended dose of calories for a whole day for women, which is around 1600 to 2400 calories. Additionally, it also covers ⅔ amount of the calories requirements for men, which is about 2000 to 3000 calories. 

If we consider data on smaller restaurants and if you have any hope that they might add lesser calories to your food, then think again. The average calories you can find per order reaches 1327 calories. 

Hence, making food for yourself gives you control to limit calories counts and the size of fats in meals. Cooking ingredients usually come with nutrition information and recommended serving amounts, making it easier to scale the calories.

●    It saves you time

Cooking at home won't put you in the position where you'll need to wait for food arrivals or driving distance to get them. You become free from inconveniences like dealing with a delivery guy if he is not good with directions etc., it might take you more time than cooking the meal in your kitchen. 

Many online grocery stores offer to deliver all the ingredients you need at your doorstep. So, make a pre-order before you run out of cooking items at your home. It will cut down the need to roam around stores. Hence, again it saves you time on this as well. 

●    It saves you money

If you make a habit of preparing meals at home, you will save a considerable amount of money in the long run. So, this is because most of the cooking ingredients come at lower prices compared to a restaurant dish. Hence, you can make several dishes by using the same ingredients, and eventually, you will notice the amount of money you are saving each month. Additionally, cooking ingredients last much longer and come in adequate quantities even at a low price. 

●    It lets you personalize your dishes

When you cook meals at home, you can make them the way you like to eat. For example, you might like having dry vegetables in place of regular veggies, or you may like making everything with organic ghee only to add the taste you want to your meals. 

Also, it's fun to experiment with different ingredients, recipes, and seasonings. The more you invest in cooking in your kitchen, the better meals you will make. After all, good foods are known to lift anyone's mood. 

Conclusion

The way we eat defines how our health is going to look in the future. Are we going to be fit or suffering from diabetes or high cholesterol? It all comes back to the meals we eat. With in-home cooked meals, we are free to adjust the sweetness, spices, seasoning, and each ingredient in use. Apart from making you healthy, home-cooked meals even indirectly help you better your relationships with your loved ones by letting you spend more time with them.