Today let’s embark on the discussion of cooking at home vs. eating out.

There are many great eateries to suit your taste buds these days. I know more than a few of us have responsibilities outside the office that extend into the evening. We choose fast food, sit down restaurants, grab and go from the local grocer or specialty shops to satisfy our appetite desires. There are some that use a restaurant to take time and connect with each other. The dinner table also provides this opportunity. When eating in the car from one place to another, I have noticed we eat faster so not to be distracted by what’s in our lap! Not good for digestion or if you’re the driver. At a restaurant we are paced a bit depending on what you order: appetizer, salad, and entrée. These days it’s just an entrée unless you’re out for that special occasion which you have budgeted for. Some of us enjoy cooking at home. We plan the menu in our mind, identify what we need and create a satisfying meal. Some days it’s a home run and other days were all glad just to be together. Even if you cook for yourself it helps to develop your skills and then you have a repertoire of favorites, when you have company.

I enjoy cooking at home, it gives me a sense of relaxation, I can reduce the quantity of food I prepare so that I don’t over indulge and it stimulates me to think about crafting new dishes.

Essentially we should eat three meals a day for nourishment and energy purposes but many of us don’t. I only know this from talking to people about food and listening about there eating habits. Balanced portions at meal times would help reduce the risk of overeating at one particular seating. I think planning a meal time would also assist us to focus more on cooking at home, eating a little healthier and inspire more interaction with those we care about. So even if you’re single invite a friend over and show off!

What I would enjoy most is your challenges, thoughts, and solutions to better eating habits and how you use the dinner table to connect with others? How have you created new habits, to change the way you eat today?

Ciao

Bernard