Save the Cook!

The ability to cook is underrated. People generally think that it is easier, which is most of the time, to just order out or eat fast food. Though the fast food culture has taken over most of the eating habits of the United States and other countries. The main appeal is the luxury of not having to cook, but at what cost?

Most of the time we are aware that eating out has both health issues and costs more. When it comes time to decide what to eat for dinner, it is easy to justify going to grab a hamburger or pizza. We don't think anything of a dollar here or there, but normally our meals range from $3 to $7 every when we aren't buying much.

When I was in high school, my best friend and I would go to lunch everyday because the food at the cafeteria was both expensive and disgusting. Occasionally, we would go to our houses to eat meals that were prepared or ready there, but generally we would spend about $5 on things nearby. When you consider how many days of school there are and how much each meal costs, we reasoned that we spent nearly $800 during the school year on food. Now imagine how much money cooking at home costs. Generally it is much cheaper, but you're also inclined to eat less. But these costs are only one meal in the day. How much more are you spending on breakfast and dinner?

People seem to suffer from the mentality of, "I bought it, so I have to eat it." The idea of saving what you have left over from lunch isn't something that you like to do. This is compounded by the fact that you have to reason what you want to eat before-hand. This means that you have to judge the amount that you want to eat and if you are wrong you are either hungry or have too much food. When you are hungry you will most likely try to find food that is in vending machines nearby to delight from, but these cost much more than from the store.

The principle of eating at home or bringing food from home with you is something that shouldn't be overrated. The cost of food is too high when you take into account all of the other factors which go into the decision process. Though there may be times when you are craving something, most of the time you just need something to fill your stomach. Learning to wait or to cook can save you money.

The technicalities of learning how to cook are life principles that should be learned at a young age, or as young as you can get. This helps you understand your tastes better, but also inspires you to eat healthier, spend your money wiser on foods, and be satisfied. There are times when it will be frustrating learning how to cook, but it is an investment. On average, I try to eat roughly $2 per meal. This doesn't go very far when you're on the go, but at home it can be pretty filling.

When you consider a bag of flour, eggs, and milk goes a long way when you cook right, the added cost comes to about $10. With these items, you can easily make pancakes or other breakfast items throughout the week, or space it out and save money. A typical meal of pancakes will cost you $.50 to $1 when you make it at home. Though there are added costs, you will generally stay below your budget.

There are many foods which you can make for on the go, so don't get tricked into spending excess money on fast-food which puts pressure on your budget. Take come time to learn how to cook. It's a life lesson that tastes better than others.