Obviously I am an advocate for homemade meals. That’s what I have built the basis of my business on. Inspiring people to take control in their kitchen and make the most out of their meals at home. It’s truly as simple as that. It’s not about long labourous hours putting difficult meals together for the family, who has time for that?
It’s about simple, quick, easy and of course healthy tasty meals that can be made right at home. Whether it’s one person prepping for the whole family or you are cooking for one, all palette’s can be accommodated when you are in control of the ingredients. Not only that, but you are in control of the quality of the food and have a chance to really ensure that there is nothing hidden, added or modified.
With the rise of food allergies, added sugars and oils in commercial and processed food – you are running the risk of letting others control what goes into your body and ultimately the status of your health. If for no other reason alone, cooking at home should be your priority.
However, here are just a few more reason why homemade meals can save your health.
Homemade Meals
Get back to basics. Making more meals at home allows you to get back to basics. It allows to you to be mindful of the simplicity and cleanliness of a home cooked meal. You can keep the ingredients basic and even the recipes simple.
You are the creator. You get to whip out your creativity hat. You can now be your own master chef at home and put together meals that maybe you’ve always wanted to dine out for but now you get to be in control. It’s rewarding and it’s fun and the responsibility is on you.
You are in control. If you are shopping for the ingredients, then you know what is going into the recipes. There won’t be anything hidden or added. You also can manage portion sizes and everything else about your meal. But remember, it all starts when you are grocery shopping – what you buy will reflect what you have at home. So make wise choices to start with, then you will have good ingredients to work with. Stock your kitchen cupboards and your fridge, freezer or other crevices that you store food in with the goods. By goods, I mean the best quality stuff that you can get your own hands on.
Get your partner and/or family involved. There is no greater pleasure then to work with the ones you love most in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I like my space and want to surprise everyone with the meal at the end. But if you have the chance to have your kids or your partner or other help at home chop veggies or put final touches together – it becomes team work. Everyone is happy and every may even get a say as to how they like their meal done. That way there are no surprises or disappointments when dinner lands on the table.
Build a balanced plate. If you are the curator of ingredients, then you have the chance to build a balanced plate from scratch. You don’t need to ask the waiter for a side of this and that, if you have it stocked at home then you can ensure that your meal will be balanced from protein to fiber and fat. This is the best way to help control portions and control cravings as well. The more balanced your plate the more balanced your blood sugar levels will be.
Reach your weight and health goals. You can’t be super healthy or reach your complete health goals when you are dining out or leaving your meals to the take out window. Even if you are eating at relatively healthy places, it’s not the same as a home cooked meal. When food is processed outside of your home sugar, salt, oils among other mixed ingredients can find themselves into your plate. Just that extra spoonful of dressing or side of something can mess everything up. Not to mention the quality of the salts and other ingredients. If they are in the back and you don’t see them, then you don’t know. So don’t guess and don’t assume – make more meals at home!
More money in your pocket. Have you ever added up the amount of money spent on meals out. Even just your daily latte which seems to only be $2.50 adds up. Then you add in the lunch salad, the dinner with friends and the date night on the weekend, oh then the family meal on Sunday. It all adds up. The cost to make the same meals that you continually dine out for at home don’t even compare. Once you have base ingredients like veggies, fruits, grains, nuts and seeds and your favourite condiments you can create from there you can completely revamp your spending. So think twice and consider your bank account each time you go out for a meal. With more money in your pocket you can spend these dollars on days with your family, loved ones or doing things that build up your health. Whether it’s yoga, an art class or something else that makes you feel good.
Quality. You have the chance when you hand pick products to make sure you are getting organic, non gmo ingredients to work with at home. This doesn’t happen at many restaurants and cafes. Although there are some, and many of which I love to continually support. But overall if you are not mindful of where you are picking up your next meal and think that the salad or sandwich you are eating is a good option…how good is it really? Again this is all relative to what you can make at home.
Dining out should be a treat – only once in a while if need be. There are times we just don’t want to cook and we want to be wined and dine and enjoy a break from the kitchen. Make it a special occasion and truly enjoy it and truly take the extra time to select the best places that exist where you live. Many restaurants will accommodate your dietary restrictions and allergies. I am pleased to see the number of amazing organic places popping up all over the world – so go and support them. Just not every night 🙂
