Why do people cook from scratch?

Do you prefer cooking your own meals, or eating ready-made food? Grocery stores are filled with convenience foods for a reason. Granola bars are filled with flavor and it’s easy to heat a frozen pizza or ramen noodle bowl in the microwave. Why then would anyone bother with cooking from scratch? Here are some common myths and truths about cooking from scratch.

Myth: You have to live on a farm, be a housewife and wake up before the sun rises to cook from scratch.

Truth: Anyone can cook from scratch; how you use the spirit of cooking from scratch is up to you. You can opt to overhaul your entire diet - making your own bread, pasta, mayonnaise and sweet beverages – or you can just incorporate small changes to make the food on your plate more natural. Gardening is one way to produce your own fruits, vegetables and spices, while buying organic, GMO-free versions of these items from a supermarket is another way.

Myth: There’s no reason to cook from scratch – people just prefer it over other ways to prepare food.

Truth: While it’s true that some people prefer cooking from scratch because it’s a family tradition, there are other benefits. Cooking can be a therapeutic pasttime and a valuable skill that parents can pass on to their children. It gives people control over their consumption, which is especially helpful for those with food sensitivities, health problems or those seeking to avoid food-related illnesses that their relatives have struggled with.

Myth: You have to be an expert in the kitchen to cook from scratch.

Truth: There’s a learning curve involved with trying anything for the first time. A significant part of learning to cook is being able to follow a recipe's directions. While you may have your share of burnt pancakes and eggs along the way, it’s worth the effort.

Myth: Food with a long list of ingredients - or ingredients you can't pronounce - tastes better than food made at home.

Truth: Good cuisine is judged by the one tasting it. Many people believe that food prepared at home is superior to other choices. Perhaps you’ll discover that you prefer some items made at home and other items already prepared by someone else.

Myth: It costs too much money to cook from scratch.

Truth: Most things become more economical by planning ahead. Sometimes a cost savings happens from cooking from scratch while other times the cost of store-bought or fast-food meals is the same.

Myth: It takes too much time to cook from scratch.

Truth: Coming home after a long day and trying to scrounge up a meal isn’t the best way to get a healthy dinner. Taking a day on the weekend to do some preparation – such as dicing vegetables and storing them in the fridge or cooking a meal and freezing it – can make the work week calmer. Again, keep in mind that cooking from scratch doesn’t have to be an “all or nothing” venture – it can be implemented in small steps that are enjoyable for you.