by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: March 16, 2008   Last Updated: November 26, 2011

There are a number of reasons why you should learn to cook, some simply practical and others beneficial. Cooking is by its simplest definition essentially a means to an end. It is part of the process of satisfying a need shared by every human being - the need to eat and obtain nourishment. Although it is possible to survive on raw foods only, doing so makes it very difficult to not only enjoy a balanced diet but to actually get the greatest level of pleasure from your food.

A very common reason for thinking you do not need to learn to cook is that you have someone else in your house who cooks all the food on the family‘s behalf. It could be a spouse, parent, sibling or perhaps even a paid employee. Irrespective, there is always the possibility that for any one of a number of reasons that person will no longer be around and you are going to be required to step in to the breach.

Fast food and supermarket microwave meals are popular excuses for not cooking in modern times. They are considered perfect options by many people for coping with busy lifestyles where there is a perceived lack of available time to cook proper meals. There are, however, two problems with eating only fast food and ready meals. The first is that they are often less than nutritious, if not in fact dangerously high in salt, sugar and saturated fats. The second is that the cost of eating these meals every day can be considerable and that cooking simple meals at home would be likely to save you a substantial amount of money.

Food is not just something which your body needs to survive. Food should also be a pleasure to consume and one of the greatest pleasures associated with food is experimentation and trying new ingredients and dishes. If you learn to cook, you can have endless pleasure experimenting with food items which cater to your tastes and come up with an ongoing variety of new dishes for yourself and your family to enjoy. Cooking in this way can be extremely therapeutic and many people find it the perfect way to relax after a hard day.

When you have learned to cook, this does not mean that you have to spend hours in the kitchen every day or night. It means simply that you have added another task to your list of abilities and are capable of obtaining the benefits from being able to cook. It may be that cooking duties can be shared with another family member, or that fast food may remain your chosen option a couple of times a week. Irrespective, being able to cook means that you are able to do so when required or when you simply feel the desire.

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