Why you should learn how to cook

In the era of freezer meals and a variety of restaurants nearby, it can be hard to see why cooking is important. However, cooking is very valuable for a variety of reasons.

1. It gives you an amazing sense of pride. Hearing, “Wow, the ____ you made is so good!”, is probably one of the best feelings I have experienced. Cooking isn’t easy, but being able to master new dishes helps you become confident, not only in cooking, but in various other areas of your life.
2. It gives a chance to explore and connect with your family heritage. Coming from an Indian family, the act of cooking meals has always been heavily ingrained in my family’s traditions. Learning to cook from my mom has helped me absorb the styles of cooking she learnt from my grandmothers. For example, when making sweet chutney, my mom taught me how my maternal grandmother made it with tamarind, while my paternal grandmother made it with dry mango powder. Learning about these techniques and ingredients helps me feel closer to my grandparents and extended family in India.
3. Cooking allows you a sense of control. Especially with my allergies to gluten and dairy, along with other preservatives, I never truly know what restaurants are putting in their food. On the other hand, when you cook at home, you know exactly what is going into your food.
4. When I was younger, I never really realized how much time goes into cooking anything. But as I have started cooking, I have realized how many hours can go into a single dish. Even making a smoothie bowl can take up to 25 min to make and blend (not that it isn’t enjoyable to watch). Experiencing the act of cooking gives us a new appreciation for the food our parents and other family make for us, also giving us a new awareness and gratitude for all they do for us.
5. Finally, creativity. When you become more experienced at cooking, you don’t need to follow recipes every time and you can start creating your own recipes. I have found creativity to shine through when adapting existing recipes to the limited ingredients you have available or to create foods without allergens. For example, instead of creating a pizza crust with wheat flour, looking at other grain-free recipes for pizza crusts helped me create my pizza dough recipe using cassava flour and coconut milk. While it may seem daunting, you too, can start creating your recipes within a few months of starting to cook.

Stay tuned for my next article, which will be all about the steps you can take to learn how to cook.