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Let us begin by first considering why we should learn to perform a couple of other everyday tasks associated with the modern world in which we live. By so doing, it is my hope that we may be afforded some greater understanding of why indeed we should learn to cook.

Why should I learn to drive a car?

Public transport systems operate to one extent or another within most of the major population centres on this planet. They frequently offer great reliability, flexibility of choice and cost effectiveness within particularly the parameters of regular travel. Yet they do not afford us absolute freedom in the route which we must take, the precise time at which we choose to travel, who should or should not accompany us on our journey; and neither do they offer us the luggage space associated with the average family saloon.

Why should I learn to iron my clothes?

It may be that many of us have someone who regularly performs this task on our behalf. It could be a spouse, a parent, a sibling - or even a contract company who offer this service for a specified fee. What should happen, however, if we find ourselves home alone, short of a garment at the last minute for a business meeting or social event? Would we approach a friendly neighbour and ask for their assistance...? What should happen were we suddenly to be left without the person who does our ironing, for any one of a great many possible reasons?

So why, therefore, should I learn to cook?

I hope that the examples above have to at least some extent served to put the question into a different perspective. In relation to the scenario of driving a car, cooking for ourselves allows us to decide the method by which our meal will be prepared (the route,) the precise time at which we will eat (travel,) who will share the journey/meal with us (as opposed to on a train/in a cafe or restaurant) and the list of ingredients which will be included (the luggage.) The ironing scenario, to go yet one step further, depicts our frequent dependability on others for certain activities within our lives and very much poses the question as to what we would or could do should no such further assistance be forthcoming.

In summary, cooking gives us greater freedom to choose what food we eat, when and where we eat it and who we eat it with. This can lead to an improvement in our physical health through being in control of what we put into our bodies, as well as a greater mental state of mind by manipulating our eating habits to suit our own particular lifestyle and schedule.

I very much hope that this has gone some way to convincing you that learning to cook should not be considered merely as a hobby or a pleasure (though to be thought of as such as well is great) but as one of life's everyday essentials.

Learn more about this author, Gordon Hamilton.
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