Danielle
1. Score A Date
Cooking is an impressive skill to have nowadays. According to a survey from Impulse Research, nearly one third of Americans can’t cook, despite the tireless efforts of the Food Network. This may not go over well with your significant other, though. In our own survey, 80% of men and 83% of women prefer that their partner know how to cook. Apparently learning to cook keeps your love life sizzlin’!
2. Lower Cancer Risk
Nearly one third of the calories Americans consume on a daily basis come from restaurants, double the percentage of 30 years ago. With over a million new cases detected annually, the National Cancer Institute attributes 30% of cancer mortality in the US to diet. That’s 150,000 people each year. Learning to cook and having control over ingredients may significantly lower your risk.
3. Save Money
The BBQ Chicken you order from Brother Jimmy’s? It costs you about $20 after tax and tip. Hitting up the grocery store for chicken breast ($11), rice ($4) and summer squash ($5) will have you spending the same $20 for five meals instead of one! That puts $80 in your pocket for happy hour on Friday. Trust us, you’ll need it.
4. Promote Weight Management
On average, restaurant meals have 50% more calories, fat and sodium. Restaurant portions have supersized, increasing by five times in volume over the last 20 years alone! Plate size has also increased, going from 10 inches in 1990 to 12 inches in 2010. Home-cooking enables you to control serving sizes to combat overeating.
5. Improve Family Life
Sitting down to a homecooked meal has positive effects on the family. Encouraging family bonding and discussion, “frequent family meals are associated with lower risks of smoking, drinking alcohol, using marijuana and having depressive symptoms as well as increased grades in 11 to 18 year olds” (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 2004).
6. Teach Children Nutrition and Chores
Encouraging children to explore in the kitchen exposes them to various ingredients, food groups and nutritional knowledge they will have for a lifetime. After all, food preferences are established growing up. Also, when each person is designated a dinner-related chore it emphasizes responsibility and teamwork.
7. Relieve Stress
Using certain herbs, spices and aromatics in your cooking elevates your mood:
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Looking for…? |
Try |
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Energy |
Rosemary or Lemon |
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Stress Relief |
Lavender or Sage |
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Mood Booster |
Mint or Basil |
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Sleep Aid |
Peppermint or Chamomile |
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Upset Stomach Relief |
Ginger or Cinnamon |
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Metabolism Booster |
Cayenne Pepper or Cumin |
Find a cooking class that’s right for you on Vimbly and learn to cook your way to greatness!
Sources
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/09/cooking-survey_n_955600.html
http://www.menuplanningcentral.com/articles/family-dinner.html
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/cut-stress-by-chopping-food-cooking-for-stress-relief.html
http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2011/10/07/mark-bittman-cooking-solves-everything