How Cooking at Home Can Transform Your Health

Having plenty of options for fast food appears like a great thing — maybe even the height of modern civilization! At the click of a button, we can have hot meals delivered from DoorDash or Uber Eats. But fees and a tip quickly double, maybe even triple, the initial cost of a single unhealthy meal.

Nearly all of us can relate to the struggle of getting in three nutritious meals a day, let alone cooking them. And let's be honest — there are plenty of reasons not to cook! Cooking can simply feel overwhelming in our busy lives. Only 1 in 10 Americans claim they enjoy cooking (1), so if you don't currently love it, you're not alone! But incorporating cooking into your day-to-day routine is an excellent way to boost mental, emotional, and physical health in the long term. Plus, research indicates home-cooked meals are an effective medical prevention against diabetes, high blood pressure and sugar, and overall diet quality (2). 

At The Plug, we don’t only care about your liver health, but rather your overall lifestyle. A few habits, practices, and mindset shifts can make cooking more approachable. So let’s put you at ease with simple guidelines for reaping the benefits of cooking.

5 Benefits of Home Cooking & How to Achieve Them

 

 

1. Saves Money

With food prices steadily on the rise, dining out or ordering in can add up. Through buying food in bulk, you can cut down on costs over time. Research states that a diet filled with healthier food saves around $1.50/day (3). A $20 to $30 dollar meal every day adds up to over $200 dollars for one week — that’s a hefty grocery fund!

2. Improves Mental Health

Cooking a meal is often seen as stressful, but it can easily be reframed as decompressing after a long day. According to the director of the Cleveland Center Lou Ruvo Center for the Brain, many of the brain processes employed while cooking involve executive function that preserve brain fitness. Executive functions trigger the part of the brain that multitasks and organizes, along with regulating emotions (4). Cooking also makes you more creative by engaging the right side of the brain (the creative side) (5). As a daily habit, it helps transition your brain from morning to day and evening to the night. If you pair it with another activity like listening to music or talking to a friend on the phone, cooking can become something to look forward to!

3. Promotes Intentional Nutrition Choices

Even when we choose the healthiest restaurant options, you never truly know how it is being prepared. The average restaurant meal contains around 1,200 calories. With home-cooked food, it is easier to regulate the exact ingredients and proportions of food going into your body. This way, you have complete control over your nutrition goals!

4. Fosters Connection

Meal time is a way to connect with loved ones. Cooking with others is a great activity for promoting healthy habits. Within families, bringing children into the kitchen sets an early example of lifestyle choices that compound positive health impacts throughout their lives (6). You can also promote quality time by hosting an event with friends where everyone brings ingredients from scratch and creates the meal together. Not only will you enjoy the finished product, but taking part in the process will strengthen bonds!

5. Decreases Waste

Preparing food in larger quantities greatly cuts down on waste. Anything that is not eaten can be saved for another day, or even repurposed for a different meal. This is where meal prepping comes in handy — saves time, money, and waste!

Now that we understand why we should cook, the question now is what we should cook!  Research indicates that cooking directions make the difference in health outcomes by translating nutrition information into usable instructions (2). For kitchen-shy health nuts, the recipes below are simple, liver-friendly, and easy to prepare. Let’s dive in!

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

 

 

Ingredients:

● 8 ounces chicken breasts

● 2 tablespoons olive oil

● 2 cups broccoli

● 8 ounces tzatziki

● 2 tablespoons feta cheese 

● Optional: 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Set the oven to 400°F. Pat 8 ounces of chicken breast dry, then drizzle with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 18-25 minutes. Once cooked, let rest, then cool in the refrigerator.

2. In a medium pot, bring ¼ cup of water to a boil with broccoli. Bring to boil, then cover for 5-8 minutes. When done, cool in the refrigerator.

3. When fully cooked, chop chicken and broccoli together into small pieces. 

4. Toss chicken and broccoli in tzatziki dressing and feta until fully coated. 

5. Squeeze ½ a lemon if desired.

*Makes 2 servings

Ground Turkey Bowl

 

 

Ingredients:

● 2 large sweet potatoes

● 2 tablespoons olive oil

● 1 yellow onion 

● 1 cup ground turkey 

● ¼ cup salt

● 3 cups spinach

● ½ cup water

● 2 avocados

● Optional: Cumin

● Optional: Garlic powder

● Optional: Chili powder

● Optional: Black pepper

● Optional: Lime juice

Directions:

1. Set the oven to 425°F. Chop sweet potatoes into 1-inch cubes, then coat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and desired seasoning.

2. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through.

3. Chop one whole yellow onion and sauté on medium heat in a saucepan with remaining olive oil. Once transparent, add in ground turkey.

4. Cook turkey on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, breaking apart and flipping it over as it browns. Salt and season to taste, then cook for another 5 minutes on low heat until fully brown. Put turkey and onions to the side.

5. In the same saucepan, add spinach and ½ cup of water on medium heat until spinach is wilted and water dries up.

6. Slice avocados in half and remove the pit, then scoop flesh into a bowl. Smash with fork, adding the salt and lime juice (if desired) to taste. 

7. In a serving bowl assemble sweet potatoes, ground turkey, and spinach, then top and stir in the smashed avocado. 

 

*Makes 2 servings

Butternut Squash Veggie Soup

 

 

Ingredients:

● 1 butternut squash

● 1 red onion

● 2 medium carrots

● 1 head of garlic, peeled

● 4 tablespoons olive oil

● 1 tablespoon turmeric

● 1 tablespoon black pepper

● 1 tablespoon salt

● 4 cups vegetable broth

● Optional: Paprika

● Optional: Nutmeg

● Optional: Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Set the oven to 425°F. Roughly chop butternut squash, onion, carrots, and garlic cloves.

2. Coat chopped veggies in olive oil, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and any other seasonings of choice.

3. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (or non-stick pan) and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes, tossing halfway through.

4. Transfer ingredients into a blender and blend with vegetable broth.

5. Transfer blended soup to a pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Spoon 1 cup of soup mixture into a serving bowl and drizzle with a touch of olive oil.

*Makes 3 servings

Practice Makes Perfect

You don’t have to be a master chef to prepare a meal that's nutritious and delicious! Even if you’ve never scrambled an egg, these recipes will have you on your way to better health. A good rule of thumb is including a variety of proteins, veggies, and whole grains on your grocery list, then assorting them into different meals (5). Slow and simple is the way to go!

Eating out and ordering through an app can be tasty and convenient on occasion, but they become costly over time. Cooking is a great way to take the reins on your health. It is a mindset and practice that supports you in more ways than one. If it doesn't come out right the first time, just try again! Feel free to replace ingredients with ones you like more and don’t be afraid to add your own creative flair.

Luckily, The Plug is here to support you along the way toward all your health goals and new habits! When you have fun with your food, it makes the finished product and the long-term results even more beneficial!

Bibliography

1. Yoon E. The Grocery Industry Confronts a New Problem: Only 10% of Americans Love Cooking [Internet]. Harvard Business Review. 2017 Sept 22. Available from: https://hbr.org/2017/09/the-grocery-industry-confronts-a-new-problem-only-10-of-americans-love-cooking 

2. Tello M. Home cooking: Good for your health [Internet]. Harvard Health Publishing | Harvard Medical School. 2018 Aug 15. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/home-cooking-good-for-your-health-2018081514449

3. Rao M, Afshin A, Singh G, Mozaffarian D. Do healthier foods and diet patterns cost more than less healthy options? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open [Internet]. 2013 Oct 24;3:14-15. Available from: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/3/12/e004277.full.pdf 

4. Cleveland Clinic. Cooking for Cognition: Why Making a Meal is Good for Your Brain [Internet]. Cleveland Clinic. 2018 Sept 4. Available from: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/cooking-for-cognition-why-making-a-meal-is-good-for-your-brain

5. Wicks L. Why Cooking—No Matter the Recipe—Is Better for Your Health [Internet]. EatingWell. 2022 Dec 7. Available from: https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291719/why-cooking-no-matter-the-recipe-is-better-for-your-health

6. Ring M. Healthy Eating Starts With Cooking For Life [Internet]. Thrive Global. 2020 May 8. Available from: https://community.thriveglobal.com/healthy-eating-starts-with-cooking-for-life