Is it worth the effort?

As an Air Force spouse, I've spent lots of time cooking for only one (before my son was born) or two people. I hear a lot of people say that it's difficult to cook for just one or that it's not worth the effort. After 20 YEARS of experience, I can say that preparing meals at home is worth the effort and beats out all the other options.

Here's why:

• Plain and simple, we eat healthier when I cook. Otherwise we may eat snack foods that aren't really filling, and we end up overeating and feeling uncomfortable or sluggish the next day.
• Cooking our own foods (not eating restaurant or processed foods) fuels our bodies and provides us with the energy we need. If you often find yourself tired, run down or experiencing stomach problems, I'd recommend to start preparing more meals at home, slow down to enjoy those meals and eat an apple each day (read this previous post!)
• Leftovers! I typically cook the same size meals when my husband is away, so we either have lunch the next day (and next), or I use some of it for dinner the next night. So you're still eating home-cooked meals, but you might get a kitchen pass some nights with leftovers.
• When we cook a meal, we take the time to sit, relax and enjoy the food (and less likely to overeat).
• We're more likely to invite friends over to join us if we're cooking and know we'll have a little extra.
• And face it... we're just as important and deserving of a delicious, home-cooked meal no matter if anyone joins us or not.
• It maintains some of our routine even when Ron is not home.
• At home we are likely to only eat what we need. Eating at a restaurant often leads to overeating partly due to the large portion sizes. 
• The obvious - it's healthier and less expensive than eating out.

Now don't get me wrong, choosing not to cook one night when my husband is away is a treat. But it's better to keep in a habit of making/eating most of your meals in your own home where you have control of what goes into your body. 

Some tips to make cooking easier and less time-consuming:

• Find a few recipes that make you happy and cook those regularly.
• Your meals don't have to be extensive or even require a stove or oven. Some nights I "clean out the refrigerator" and our dinner consists of raw veggies, hummus, cheese, bread, boiled eggs and leftovers from the days prior. The thing is that we still sit at the table and enjoy the food and talk about (or reflecting on) the day.
• If you have a green thumb, grow some of your own food! Grilled fresh-from-the-garden vegetables make a wonderful meal. 
• Be creative. If you're only cooking for yourself, it's easy to try new ideas or alter a recipe based on foods you have in the house already. 
• If you're making something you can freeze, put half in the freezer right away. You won't have to eat it for three days as leftovers, but you'll have it ready the next day you're running low on time. 
• Ask friends to share their simple recipes. 
• Keep unhealthy foods out of your home. If you come home famished and start snacking, you won't convince yourself to cook and enjoy a good meal. Good food tastes even better when you're hungry!
• Turn on the music and pour a glass of wine while you cook!

Eating healthy is difficult for too many people due to work hours, medical conditions, financial constraints, availability of fresh food and lack of transportation. If you are fortunate enough to be able to shop for groceries when you want and buy basically what you want, then please take the time to be thankful, choose real food that supports the farmers, cook nutritious meals for yourself and take care of your body. We speak with our purchases. If people stop purchasing fake food, companies will have to listen and make changes. It will help everyone in the long run!

Action Item: If/when you find yourself in this situation, tell yourself that preparing meals is an important part of your daily routine. The same as exercising, visiting family, work, volunteering, etc.

For Further Reading: On Finding Motivation to Cook for Yourself.