Learn to Cook From Scratch

The reasons to learn to cook from scratch are countless. For example, cooking from scratch is often more economical, nutritious, and delicious.

I was introduced to cooking from scratch when I was a kid. We often made baked goods, cookies, and cinnamon rolls. Occasionally we would also make things like bread or rolls. I loved learning to make these foods, but this was just the start.

I continued to cook baked goods from scratch when I moved out of the house, but that was pretty much the extent of my from-scratch cooking. A lot of the meals that my mother made while I was growing up used pre-made ingredients, so these were the meals I was used to cooking and eating.

It wasn’t until I got married that I really started experimenting with cooking from scratch, and when I started I didn’t want to stop.

What Does Cooking From Scratch Mean?

So many food Items today come pre-made in one form or another. Think boxed cake mix, cans of condensed soups, and frozen convenience dinners.

Cooking from scratch means eliminating processed foods and cooking things from single-ingredient items. For example, flour, eggs, vegetables, and meats are whole foods that have been minimally processed.

The fewer ingredients your beginning items have, the more from-scratch you are cooking. I am a strong believer that whole foods are the best for our bodies so I love cooking from scratch in this way.

Using whole and healthy ingredients is only one of many advantages I have found in learning to cook from scratch.

Why Cook From Scratch?

• Save Money
• Eliminate Processed Foods
• Convenience
• Flavor
• Customizability
• Nutrition
• Education

Saving Money with From Scratch Cooking

Food can be expensive, and especially when we buy things with special packaging and branding it can be much cheaper to make at home. Things like snacks and baked goods can be significantly cheaper when made from scratch.

There are some foods that I find to be significantly cheaper to make at home. These include yogurt, granola, and cookies. Other foods such as home made breads and cakes may not be significantly cheaper but making them from scratch has other benefits.

Cooking From Scratch Eliminates Processed Food

Many of the foods we can buy off of grocery store shelves are full of processed ingredients. Foods like breads and cake mixes are full of additives and preservatives that may help the food stay shelf stable, but can inhibit the nutrients and flavors of the foods we love.

Nutrition

When we choose what goes in our food it gives us more than just the ability to take out unnecessary ingredients. We are also able to limit sugar and unhealthy fats, and add vegetables to make our meals more nourishing.

Learning About Food

Cooking is a science as well as an art. There are so many things you can learn when you begin cooking from scratch. I have loved learning that natural cultures, yeast, and sour dough can be used to make yogurt, cheese, and fluffy bread.

Cooking from scratch has also given me an opportunity to learn about the ingredients I put in foods and how they affect and benefit my body.

Customizability

Buying food means others decide what is in it. Learning how to make things from scratch allows you to use the ingredients that you want, but also the ingredients that you have on hand. This can making it possible to throw together dinner without an extra stop at the grocery store.

One of the easiest customizable from scratch meals is soup. If you have an onion and broth with a couple of almost any other vegetables you can make a delicious dinner.

Convenience

You might assume that cooking from scratch is inconvenient. We often refer to the things we buy ready to eat off the shelf as convenience foods, but in order to have these foods you need to buy them. I generally find it more convenient to mix together the ingredients I always keep on hand to make the food that I want rather than having to run to the store last minute.

One thing I often find myself making last minute is hamburger buns. It is not an uncommon occurrence for me to decide hours before dinner that I need a component such as buns. Rather than take 30 minutes to run to the store for these items I find it takes less time and energy to make these foods at home, because I have learned the skills I need to cook them from scratch.

How Can You Learn to Cook From Scratch

I recommend starting with some of your favorite meals. This makes it more exciting. Some of the first foods I learned to make from scratch were home made bagels and tortillas. These were fairly simple items and cooking them used some skills I was already familiar with while helping me learn new ones as well.

One thing I have found most helpful is to learn the components of the meals you make. Once you learn different ways to thicken soups and sauces, leaven breads, and deliciously season meals, it gives you the freedom to experiment and be creative make each meal unique and your own.

What Meals to Cook From Scratch

Breakfasts

• Granola
• Apple Banana Muffins
• Banana Pancakes

Dinners

• Soups
• Salads
• Pasta Sauces