The best way to eat better

I rarely eat out. When we do go out for dinner it’s a treat. I like cooking and I like eating good, healthy food which means that eating out is a special occasion, not an everyday occurrence.

Now I have another reason to eat at home.

Adults that cook at home spend less money on food and eat a healthier diet than people who eat out. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Public Health tracked adults as part of the Seattle Obesity Study and found that people who cooked at home only 3 times per week had a score of 67 on the Healthy Eating Index. Those who cooked at home about 6 times per week had a score of about 74.

The Healthy Eating Index measures how many fruits and vegetables you eat as well as other nutrients based on the USDA recommendations for a healthy diet.

50% of all food purchases in the US are spent outside the home, not on buying groceries to prepare meals. Only 1 in 5 US adults meets the USDA dietary guidelines. People who cook at home for most meals eat fewer calories even when they go out to eat.

The study found that home cooked meals are lower in calories and have less sugar and fat. The home cooked meals are healthier but not more expensive. When people eat most of their meals at home, they eat more vegetables, eat less fat, sugar and calories then people who eat out regularly.

If you want an easy way to improve your diet and your health, eat at home.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla