7 Reasons Why You Should Learn to Cook

I'm obsessed with cooking shows and you should be too.

And I'm not just talking about the shows where Gordon Ramsay is chucking a frying pan at someone's head for having the boiling water 1 degree over perfection, I'm talking about the shows that actually teach you to cook something.

There is a lot of money in the chef business. TV chefs releasing umpteen books just for you to buy it, flick through it and then let it gather dust on the shelf.

But there is a reason as to why there are so many TV chefs out there. There are countless dishes that can be made and given the current economical crisis we are in, it can actually be a gamechanger learning to cook.

The recipes aren't just something that the chef themselves can cook. It turns out that if you actually follow the recipe, you can have the same (or at least a similar) result to that of the chef.

There are multiple benefits to cooking, but here are some reasons why you should learn to cook.

Cheaper

As I write this, the UK's economy isn't looking too hot right now. The cost of living is dramatically increasing and everyone is feeling the squeeze.

The budget for takeaways or eating out for a lot of people is declining and is forcing people to cook for themselves. If it is something that you are going to be doing a lot more of, you would probably want to get better at it.

Cooking delicious meals will allow you to save money in the long run as you won't be spending hundreds of pounds a year on takeaways when a healthier alternative can be created from the ingredients in your kitchen.

And this isn't me saying that you shouldn't buy takeaways ever. I love takeaways as much as the next guy. But it is certainly a time where smart money decisions need to be made.

Nutritionally Healthier

By learning to cook, you are able to understand what actually goes into your food. You're able to control the amount of oil, fat, sugar, salt that goes into the dish which means that you can eat healthier from simply cooking the meal instead of buying it in.

You're also able to determine what ingredients are used. If you buy a microwavable meal, you're going to eat what is given to you. If you make the same meal yourself, you can bulk it out with vegetables or tinned goods that add a great amount of nutrition that you wouldn't get in a pre-bought meal.

It is a lot more hassle I completely agree, and if you buy a pre-packaged meal every once in a while, that's OK. But the long term benefits need to be prioritised here, because cooking is a lifestyle habit that can open so many doors.

Tastier (when you get good)

Honestly, the first couple of meals you may find will be bland, or they won’t taste the same as our beloved takeaways. That is completely normal. It's like learning anything, the first couple of times won't be world class.

But the more you get comfortable in the kitchen, the better it will be.

And when you start to understand the flavour profiles of commonly used ingredients, you can start to understand which combinations work well.

A little tip for you, the flavour star consists of 5 points: salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami. Umami is that meaty, savoury flavour. If you can find a balance between those five when cooking, you're off to a great start.

Easier Portion Control

Following the point about cooking being healthier, you also get to determine the portion control.

If you're trying to lose weight, you can provide yourself a smaller portion. There is a psychological tendency to finish something through, and for a lot of us, that means finishing the portion that is clearly a double serving.

By cooking, you get to see how much goes on your plate. A psychological trick for you to implement; use smaller plates to eat off of. It makes the portion size you have look a lot bigger than it actually is, especially if the same amount of food was put on a big plate.

If you batch cook, you can also make yourselves lunches and dinners for later in the week also bringing down cost and already having meals made for you, to really help with the convenience side of things.

Social Activity

Cooking for friends and family is another great benefit of learning to cook. It is a very social activity (unless you’re my mum at Christmas who insists on doing everything).

It allows you to open up the kitchen to others to help you or to speak to you while you do it or even talk about what you're cooking. It is a great way to invite friends round, provide them a warming meal and be a great host.

You'll be winning £1000 on Come Dine With Me in no time!

Boost Self Esteem

Cooking can help you boost your self-esteem in more ways than one.

Intrinsically, it is the most primitive form of independence; providing yourself with food. Now whilst it isn't going out into the wilderness on your own to provide for yourself, it is sustaining yourself with something you've made.

Your primal brain understands that you're able to look after yourself and not rely on anyone else in order to feed yourself.

When you start receiving compliments on your cooking, it is a positive reinforcement that really solidifies your place as someone who can provide and look after themselves and others.

It shows competence in your new skill and it will make you want to do it again. And again. And again. And... well, you get the idea.

Can Make you More Attractive

Because your confidence is skyrocketing, and you can look after yourself and your culinary brain is firing on all cylinders, you become more attractive.

For guys, being able to cook shows that you are independent and able to provide for your partner and family. For girls, the first woman who cooked for him was his mother and there is probably a link here to the Oedipus complex that comes into play (although not as sinister).

Being a cook means that you are willing to make something out of nothing in order to survive. It is a multi-dimensional skill that involves maths, science, reading, hand-eye coordination and so much more.

It allows you to develop your independence and evolve your persona to be the person who can look after themselves if proverbial (or actual) shit hit the fan.

A primitive art form that has developed at a million miles an hour, the world of cooking is for everyone and there is certainly enough online resource on there for you to get started.