Country singer/songwriter Rockin' Robin Miller knows what he wants and doesn't want:
"Don't want no high-class restaurant bill. Don't want no fast-food drive-thru girl. Now, I know what rocks my world: Home cooking," he sings.
There are many studies that point to the benefits of home cooking compared with restaurant or fast-food dining. The most recent, released at the annual American Heart Association meeting, examines data from the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and concludes that folks are eating at home less frequently than ever.
Along with this increase in restaurant dining, there's been a sharp increase in obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
That's no coincidence.
First, when you eat at a restaurant, it's easy to make unhealthy choices: fries with that extra-large soda; ice cream and chocolate sauce on that slice of pie — the kinds of choices you wouldn't or couldn't make at home.
Second, if you opt for inexpensive food, chances are you're not getting the best-quality ingredients. Fat and sugar are used to bolster flavors; often, meats are from animals raised with antibiotics or growth hormones; preservatives, emulsifiers, texturizers, and more all are added to keep food looking appetizing (even if it isn't good for you).
So if you and your kids want to get healthier and have more energy, as well as spending less money and having more quality time together as a family, get everyone involved in home cookin'.
Even take a healthful cooking class together. Then you'll find out who's the rockin' chef in your house.
Posts by Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D. and Dr. Mike Roizen, M.D.
© 2025 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.