Get in the Habit of Cooking More With These Tips

With our busy lives, it’s easy to wonder, why bother cooking when the convenience of a perfectly prepared meal is just a phone call or click away?

During a recent interview with Stephen Colbert, Rach said of preparing meals from scratch, “I think it improves the quality of one’s life. When you’re a little kid, it gives you great self-esteem, when you’re a young adult with little money, you know you can provide for yourself, and you can always get a date -- the way to anyone’s anything is always through their stomach!”

Another big reason to cook is so you can control the salt, fat and quality of ingredients that go into your family meals. And cooking at home will not only keep you on track for a healthy lifestyle, but it’ll help save some money in your budget, too, since homemade food is generally cheaper than restaurant meals or takeout.

MAKE: Jeanette’s 15-Minute Mexican Grilled Chicken and Veggies

We heard from a busy family of four from Washington, New Jersey, who says they eat out five nights a week, and it’s taken a toll on their wallet and health. Hear the Wormecks' story in the video above and get the tips Rach shared with them below to help you get started!

THE CHALLENGE
All month long, we are going to encourage you to cook and eat at home with your families as much as you possibly can (ideally, six nights each week)! We understand hectic schedules can get in the way, and that sitting down together six to seven nights a week might seem like an impossibility, but that’s okay -- as long as you try to make a good effort to share quality food with each other. We’re also arming you with recipes and the tools you’ll need in order to get started, so there is absolutely no excuse to not get in the kitchen and cook!

To keep the positive vibes flowing, every time you make a meal, take a photo of it and use the hashtag #24DaysofDinner on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.