I grew up believing that cooking is an important life skill and should be hygiene for everyone. Now, according to a study conducted by Elsevier, developing cooking and food preparation skills is important for health and nutrition, even decades down the line. But this begs the question, why is cooking not taught in schools?
We spend a lot of our time every day thinking about our food and nutrition. And the best way to make our food intake count towards good health is by cooking your own food. According to the lead author of the study, the impact of developing cooking skills early in life is more visible in adulthood.
Why should one learn to cook
Apart from being convenient, making your meals can also help with weight management. You are more likely to use less fats, sodium as you have more control over what is being made.
In the study, most participants perceived their cooking skills to be adequate at age 18 - 23, with approximately one quarter of adults reporting their cooking skills to be very adequate. There were no differences in perceived cooking skills by sex, race or ethnicity, educational attainment, or age. Perceived adequacy of cooking skills predicted multiple indicators of nutrition outcomes later in adulthood including greater odds of preparing a meal with vegetables most days and less frequent consumption of fast food.
If those who perceived their cooking skills as adequate had families, they ate more frequent family meals, less frequent fast food meals, and had fewer barriers to food preparation. “Opportunities to develop cooking skills by adolescents may result in long-term benefits for nutritional well-being,” said Utter.
{{/usCountry}}If those who perceived their cooking skills as adequate had families, they ate more frequent family meals, less frequent fast food meals, and had fewer barriers to food preparation. “Opportunities to develop cooking skills by adolescents may result in long-term benefits for nutritional well-being,” said Utter.
{{/usCountry}}“Families, health and nutrition professionals, educators, community agencies, and funders can continue to invest in home economics and cooking education knowing that the benefits may not be fully realized until young adults develop more autonomy and live independently”, concluded Utter.
Cooking as therapy
Apart from the health aspect, learning to cook makes you independent and most importantly helps you save tonnes of money. Cooking is known to have therapeutic value too. Activities such as chopping and slicing can be meditative. In fact, culinary therapy is offered as part of treatment at various mental health clinics.
(With inputs from ANI)
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