Homemade meals are the endangered species of eating habits.
“…when people eat homemade meals, they consume fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and less fat than those who eat fast foods or not at all, even if they are not trying to lose weight.” A study posted in National Library of Medicine – Is cooking at home associated with better diet quality or weight-loss intention?
- Whether you’re living alone or are a busy parent, finding the time and energy to prepare homemade meals can be a daunting task. In today’s society, most people plan their daily meals around their busy schedules so eating out or ordering takeaways might feel like the quickest, easiest option. However, devouring fast food is one of the worst choices you can make. In order to maintain proper health and prevent numerous illnesses and diseases, eating healthier meals is definitely a more ideal choice.
- Because many people work full time and get home rather late, people continue eating fast foods without being aware of how unhealthy it is for them and the health risks that it can eventually bring on. Based on the demand for quality food choices of today’s generation, it is important to compare and contrast the effects of eating healthy, homemade meals versus relying on fast food restaurants for their daily eats. Eating healthy homemade meals can set one up to live a much healthier lifestyle, since quality ingredients are used which make them as natural and organic as possible and help avoid the intake of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other preservatives.
- In 1900, a paltry two percent of meals were eaten outside the home. In 2010, that number had climbed to approximately 50 percent. Meanwhile, under 33 percent of families sit down for a meal with each other more than twice a week, and, on average, we eat 46 percent of our meals alone. When we do eat with other people at home, we often sit in front of the television or have to rush to the next task on the to-do list and in the process, we miss out on an activity that can make everyone healthier, happier, and more connected.
- Urbanisation is the main driver of the obesity pandemic and associated chronic diseases. This is because urbanisation comes with unhealthy lifestyle changes, including increased consumption of ultra-processed and energy-dense foods which are generally unhealthy. A large proportion of these unhealthy foods are fast foods, which are convenient to obtain at relatively low prices, but are generally high in energy, fat, salt and even sugar. Why South Africa should introduce mandatory labelling for fast foods
- From personal past experience, fast foods can sometimes be more of a bother, as the ques at drive throughs could take a lot more time and most often what is supplied is not what was ordered, which is most probably only noticed when unpacking the bag back home. Or the latest trend of meal delivery services, where the driver is arrogant and opinionated about your shake that arrived upside down and then still expect to be tipped.
- Fast food is typically high in chemical additives, hormones, sugar, salt, unhealthy fat and calories, all of which can adversely affect your brain and outlook. It can leave you feeling tired, irritable and exacerbate symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. According to multiple studies, homemade meals are filled with a lot more natural goodness and one will reward oneself with better nutrition, a regulated metabolism, and achieving a goal of eating a healthy, balanced diet. So why not eat fresh, wholesome meals that can help you look and feel healthier, boost your energy, stabilize your weight, and mood, and improve your sleep and resilience to stress.
- Homemade meals offer more controlled nutrients such as sodium, sugar, cholesterol, fat, calories, and carbs to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. The cornerstone of a balanced diet is to eat food that is a close as possible to the way nature made it. That means replacing processed food with real food whenever possible and eating plenty of vegetable and healthy source of proteins.
- Healthy, fresh, wholesome, homemade meals can help you look and feel better, boost your energy, stabilize your weight, improve your mood, support your immune system and reduce the risk of illness such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. In woman it can help reduce symptoms of PMS and menopause and boost fertility. Homemade meals also help sharpen the mind, helps fight cognitive decline and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s. Eating healthy can even add to the joy of life, as when your body feels healthier, you feel happier, inside and out.
- There are so many reasons why homemade meals are better than fast foods, it’s surprising that we aren’t all eating them at least some of the time. For starters, research shows that regularly eating homemade meals as a family, is linked to healthier and happier kids, and teens who are less likely to abuse alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes.
- Since obesity is a big problem in our generation, eating homemade meals would also teach children healthier eating habits and would allow for families to spend more time together. Consuming nutritious homemade meals on a daily basis has a few downsides that may lead some people to overlook the benefits of choosing this type of lifestyle. Due to the fact that many people live busy lives, preparing healthy meals at home can be very time consuming and expensive. For many people, it may be difficult to find certain ingredients due to the season, limited edition, etc, so one has to make sure that the right ingredients are available before cooking your own meals at home. Because some people may find cooking their own meals inconvenient, they may find it easier to consume fast food.
- Fast food menus often serve a bunch of variety and options to suit everyone’s taste buds. Although fast food may seem like a more suitable option for some, there are many harmful outcomes that can be triggered by regularly eating this way. Fast food is typically considered very unhealthy, because most of it is fried, processed, fake, or extremely fattening. It is usually prepared with low-quality ingredients and you’re unaware of how sanitary the environments are that these meals are being prepared in.
- Adults also reap considerable benefits from eating home-made meals. Research has found that people who eat homemade meals on a regular basis tend to be happier and healthier, and consume less sugar and processed foods, which can result in higher energy levels and better mental health. Eating homemade meals five or more days a week, is even associated with a longer life. Those mental health benefits increase considerably when we eat homemade meals with other people. In fact, communal meals can make us feel happier even outside of meal times. That’s partly because social connections reinforced over meals can help us cultivate a sense of belonging and even reduce symptoms of depression.
- Convenience food is typically high in chemical additives, hormones, sugars, salts, unhealthy fats, and calories, all of which can adversely affect your brain and attitude. It can leave you feeling tired, bloated, and irritable, and exacerbate symptoms of depression, stress, anxiety, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. Eating fresh wholesome meals can help you to look and feel healthier, boost your energy, stabilize your weight and mood, improve your sleep and resilience to stress, fight cognitive decline and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s’. In women, healthy food can also help reduce symptoms of PMS and menopause and boost fertility. In kids it can stabilize their energy and help them grow into healthy, confident adults.
- Food is a very essential part of our lives, it’s the bane of our existence, and thus it is something that we should not compromise on. The cornerstone of a healthy, balanced diet, is to eat food that is as close as possible to the way nature made it. That means replacing processed food with real food whenever possible, and eating plenty of vegetables and healthy protein sources.
- When comparing the nutritional content of fast foods to homemade meals, homemade meals are almost always healthier. Fast food and restaurant meals may be heavy in sodium, cholesterol, and calories, which can clog arteries. Another distinction between fast food and homemade food involves the amount and quality of oil used. Homemade meals most likely contain less oil, whereas restaurants and fast-food joints use a lot to increase flavour. The quality of oil used is also way better, as oils used outside contains so many impurities and mixtures that can potentially cause you harm. Fast foods could also contain the number of recommended calories you require a day in a single order. So, if you’re watching the waist line, then fast-foods are definitely not your best option.
- The average calories found in a single fast-food order range between 1200 to 1500. The recommended daily intake for women is 2000 and 2500 for men. Should you be considering a smaller restaurant with the hope that their meals may contain less calories, think again as their meals average 1300 to 1800 calories.
- As if all that weren’t enough, homemade meals can also benefit the environment, and all of us, by extension by saving money and reducing our carbon footprint. Home cooking uses component ingredients over processed meals, which cuts down on packaging. Homemade meals also support local farmers buy sourcing ingredients from them and make an even bigger impact on the environment by significantly reducing the amount of transportation required to get them to your plate.
- More than the physical health benefits of homemade meals, the emotional family bonding over it is very important and should also be taken into account. Food unites people, and enjoying homemade meals is a terrific way to bring the family together around a table and keep each other informed about their daily lives. It will help boost the relationship among all members of the home.
- Sure, shopping, chopping ingredients, cooking, and then cleaning up afterwards can be time-consuming, but it is high time we understand that treating ourselves does not mean buying ourselves junk food just because our taste buds like it.
In conclusion, when your body feels healthier, you feel happier, and everybody loves a homemade meal, even moody teenagers and picky eaters.
Given all the benefits of homemade, why aren’t we all doing this for ourselves?
The most common excuse is that there’s not enough time. In fact, people who work more than 35 hours outside the home each week tend to cook less. Although in reality, many of us spend more time watching TV than we do cooking.
Other reasons for avoiding our own kitchens include long commutes, the widespread availability of fast-food options, and the notion that convenience should always be our ultimate priority.
Now there’s really no more excuse thanks to this new concept of sourcing ready-made homemade meals available in your area.
Munchies4U does not provide professional dietary advice. If you or someone you care for has special dietary requirements, medical needs or an eating disorder, please seek advice from a registered healthcare professional.
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