Cooking Might Be The Most Important Life Skill

Have you noticed your habits change ever since the Pandemic started? Maybe you’re going out less and ordering with GrubHub or Uber Eats more?

Sounds about right. That’s because it’s super convenient! But you know what else is even more convenient? Knowing how to cook.

I’m not an expert chef by any means, but lately, I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen making new dishes that are far out of my comfort zone.

It brings me joy to eat food that I made. It also makes me very happy to see my family eat food that I prepare too.

Whether you’re living on your own or with your family, cooking is a top-tier skill that will last you a lifetime. Let’s dive right in.

Your Food Carries More Meaning

We go to Chick-Fil-A (except on Sundays), stop by McDonald's, or order some Domino’s Pizza from time to time, but the food is just food. It doesn’t hold a special place in our hearts the same way a nice home-cooked meal would.

Think about when you were younger, and your elders cooked meals for you. It was always reassuring to know that you not only had food on your table, but you had really delicious food.

When you take the time to prepare a meal yourself, it requires firstly, thinking about what you want to make. Secondly, going to the store and buying the ingredients. And finally, executing your meal in the kitchen.

The preparation involved with cooking may seem tedious and all, but by the end of it, you’ll feel accomplished. I think back to when I took a cooking class and was always so happy with how the food I made tasted (plus it was free food).

There’s no restaurant or fast food joint that will bring you the same fulfillment or sense of accomplishment the same way a nice home-cooked meal does.

Cooking is about creating something delicious for someone else.

— Ayumi Komura

You’re In Charge of How Your Food Tastes

When you get your food from a drive-thru or delivered to you, there are times where they forget your fries or something’s a bit off. It’s not a good feeling because food is essential. Food is a big part of life.

Have you ever gotten food that was too salty or tasted bitter? The food no longer carries the same value as it would because something’s not right.

But when you yourself get to start the stove at the temperature you like it, cook your food just the way you like it, and add your own little spin on it, that’s where the magic happens.

Not everyone in the world is as blessed as we are. Unlike them, we can go to the store, pick out literally any grocery item we want, and execute nearly any meal we feel like making.

Back in the stone age, do you think that cavemen and cavewomen had the choice to eat spaghetti and meatballs versus a delicious caesar salad? Probably not. We have such a huge advantage over most people.

In the kitchen, you’re in charge of your food, and you get to make the calls on every detail, down to the sauces, spices, and ingredients.

No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.

— Julia Child

Cooking Can Be Your Creative Outlet

Most people have some creative outlet such as writing, making music, drawing, painting, basically anything out there. But not many people consider cooking an art. News flash, it is!

Food will be part of your life until the day you die. You’re going to need food to survive. That’s why it's such a perfect creative outlet for literally anyone looking for something to do.

With cooking, you get the opportunity to craft your food just the way you like it, save money, and share it with those you love. It’s a triple win!

Gone are the days of scrolling through your phone and settling for whatever is most convenient. With the Pandemic and all this extra time on our hands, we should make an effort to cook.

We’ll become more culturally aware through food, be open-minded to new cooking styles, and learn a ton of information along the way.

Cooking and shopping for food brings rhythm and meaning to our lives.

— Alice Waters

Why More People Should Cook

Gone are the days where it’s only the woman who cooks the meals. Men should be more involved in making food because it’s a sign of respect and admiration to cook.

Without this skill, you can’t really offer too much when your belly starts to rumble. Your bank account will drain faster than you’d expect, and you would always leave it up to chance that you’ll truly enjoy your meals.

How to Start:

You don’t need to take any cooking classes to learn. All you’ve got to do is go online, search up a recipe, buy the ingredients, and follow the directions.

If you feel uncomfortable doing it on your own, you can learn from someone else. This can be someone in your home, or it could be from YouTube.

Thanks to the internet, we’re running out of excuses not to know things, but not knowing how to cook almost seems inexcusable. You can do it, though!

Every meal you cook will teach you something new about tastes, flavors and boost your creativity. Once you get a routine down, you’ll be unstoppable and can share everything you’ve learned through the food you make.

Final Thought

Whether you’ve been cooking all your life or you’ve never turned on a stove, it’s not too late to commit to cooking. There are so much value and knowledge to be gained through cooking, it’s not even fair.

Not everyone is as lucky as us to do the things we do.

Since food will be part of our livelihood, we might as well make an effort to do it. It can become a hobby, our means of survival, and a way to be happier and healthier.

It’s never too late to start!