ABCs of Nutrition: Learn How to Cook

A fundamental (but maybe not obvious) way to improve your health and well-being is to learn how to cook. In fact, that’s why I wrote a book about it.

After all, how can you possibly count calories or grams of fat if someone else is always making meals for you? Buying and preparing your own food is one sure way to manage the addition of additives, preservatives, sugar, gluten or anything else you might want to eliminate or reduce in your diet.

Another bonus to cooking at home is planning and preparing meals which meet your family’s approval, thus saving money and reducing waste. If you buy and use whole foods that are in season, you’ll likely save time, too.

If you are overwhelmed at the thought of boiling water, worry no more! There are numerous resources to walk you through the learning process, including  websites and food blogs with recipes, helpful how-tos and videos. There are wonderful shows on television, and better yet, live classes in your local community. Cooking magazines are entertaining and informative while books offer never-ending ideas.

Others of you may enjoy cooking but lack the time to slice, dice and sauté. Or maybe you want to avoid the kitchen altogether, preferring instead to thwart responsibility  on someone else.

EAT IN NOT OUT helps take a beginner chef through nutrition basics, stocking the cupboard and learning the cooking language. It also provides a more experienced cook helpful hints and refreshers, such as easy pick-me-ups to transform meals, making the cooking process less stressful and more enjoyable.

There are myriad resources which can help transform cooking from a dreaded burden to one worth savoring – alongside family and friends.

You don’t have to take my word for it – just do it.  Learn how to cook and you won’t regret it.

 

Melinda Hinson