![Photo courtesy of oskay [Flickr]](http://www.thepracticalnerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/hotdog.jpg "Photo courtesy of oskay [Flickr]")
People who know me personally know how big of a cooking fan I am. And they’re right! I find cooking to be relaxing, and I love being able to control the taste sensations that are going into my meals.
However, even if you don’t find cooking to be relaxing or fun like I do, there are some great benefits to doing it. For one, it’s healthier. Now I’m not an organic food eater, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that making a cheeseburger from scratch with a side of potatoes is healthier than inhaling a value meal from McLazy’s.
Or how about the taste? I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies last week from scratch, and there is no way any boxed cookie could touch them. It’s not my cooking that did it – it’s the recipe!
Finally, and the biggest argument people make, is it is cheaper. Buy a few staples and you can feed yourself for weeks. It’s the classic “giving me a fish versus teaching me to fish”. Yeah, I know I’ve used that analogy before. I don’t care. It’s the biggest lesson that people need to learn in life.
So, I hear people tell me, “Oh, I can’t cook!” Hogwash! (Do people still say “hogwash”?) Read my lips (or the words I’m typing): cooking is as simple as knowing how to read. If you can read a recipe, you can cook. Nobody’s asking you to create fancy masterpieces that they make in five-star restaurants. But you can cook plenty of delicious, healthy, and cheap meals at home any day of the week. Here are a couple of guides to get you started:
The Top 10 Cooking Videos from YouTube (featuring CHRISTOPHER WALKEN!)
Any great cooking tips? Share ‘em!
Tom is an entrepreneur and freelance writer, working out of his apartment full-time, or wherever he feels like taking his laptop. He doesn't take long European vacations or blogs on the beach. He's an Average Joe that took control of his life. He wants you to do the same.
