In thriving, developed, modern countries, cooking isn’t actually necessary. In fact, it’s a bragging point among many in Silicon Valley that their fridge is empty except for a few drinks. Even if you’re not a millionaire tech bro or serial entrepreneur, you yourself could start ordering catered food from restaurants, freezing portions of it, and simply reheating meals throughout the week. You would never have to cook again, and it would be perfectly affordable.

So why don’t we do that? That’s a question specifically for the Cook’n family, because we’re all here to cook, not just eat. I’ll ask you again: why do you cook?

It would make my day if you’ll drop a comment to this article and say why cooking is so important to you. Here are a few reasons why it’s so important to me.

Cooking is Life

Let’s get the first and most boring reason out of the way: cooking at home gives you more control over what you put in your body. Even if you use more salt and butter than your doctor would recommend, it still puts you way ahead of the thousand-ingredient drinks and weird chemicals you find in a restaurant. One of the first steps to managing weight (and your budget) is to eat more meals at home.

Now with that being said, why do I love to cook so much?

Cooking is Art

There are loads of people obsessed merely with the consumption of food, not the creation of it. However, the Cook’n family loves to cook, not just eat. Creating a meal is an artistic endeavor—a mode of self expression that conveys a message we couldn’t communicate with words. Cooking expresses the deep love I feel for my family, honors my guests, reveres my heritage and cultures around the world, and lets me make my own statements about what is good and why. When you understand culinary technique, you feel like a jazz musician, and the kitchen is your stage.

I’ve turned my backyard patio into a mad scientist’s lab for experimenting with smoked foods. And let me tell you… smoked mustard is something on an entirely different level. The best part about this artistic endeavor is you’ll always get hungry again, so there is always a drive to keep creating.

Cooking is Culture

Here’s a list of (some of) the things that make me feel American:

• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech
• Military service
• Barbeque
• Burgers
• Biscuits and gravy

You get the point. The way people celebrate culture is with food. In the Christensen family, we make eggnog for the 4th of July, deviled eggs for Easter, smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, and gingerbread for Christmas. In America, it’s popular (especially in college) to hate America. I’ve heard way too many indoctrinated—ahem, I mean educated—young folk say that we have no culture. This is stupid on its face, but if you want proof of the opposite, just look at how we celebrate.

Cooking is Connection

I’ve hinted at this various times throughout the article, but at the end of the day, this is my most important reason to cook: the kitchen table brings people together.

Eating together as a family offers a range of benefits that extend beyond simply sharing a meal. For example:

1. Communication and Bonding: Family meals are a time to share thoughts, experiences, and feelings, fostering stronger family connections.
2. Cultural and Family Traditions: Eating together allows families to pass down cultural traditions and values. Sharing meals can become a significant ritual that strengthens a sense of identity and continuity.
3. Healthy Eating Habits: Families that eat together tend to make healthier food choices. It allows parents to model and encourage balanced eating habits.
4. Enhanced Academic Performance: Studies have shown a positive correlation between regular family meals and improved academic performance in children. The shared time and conversation can support cognitive development.
5. Social Skills Development: Family meals provide a social setting to learn and practice essential social skills like table manners, conversational etiquette, and active listening.
6. Emotional Well-Being: Eating together creates a supportive environment that contributes to emotional well-being. It's an opportunity to share both joys and challenges, providing emotional support for family members.
7. Time Management and Organization: Planning and preparing meals involves teamwork and organization. This helps children learn valuable life skills, including time management and responsibility.
8. Reduced Risky Behaviors: Research suggests that regular family meals are associated with a lower likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors, such as substance abuse or unhealthy eating habits.
9. Building Memories: Shared meals create lasting memories. The act of gathering around the table becomes a cherished routine that family members can look back on with fondness.
10. Captive Audience: If all else fails, at least you have a group of people who can’t escape your fifth attempt at crawfish etouffee.

Encouraging regular family meals, especially in our busy lives, contributes to the overall well-being and harmony of the family unit. It's not just about the food; it's about the shared experiences and connections that mealtime fosters. You can’t replicate this in a restaurant, and you can’t replicate it with freezer meals.

Cook’n 15 is Here

This article makes me excited for Cook’n 15. The new program comes with features that make cooking even easier—like the ability to easily print personal cookbooks in a new compact format—and will further enhance our ability to connect as amateur or expert home chefs. If you don’t have an annual subscription to Cook’n, this might be the time to sign up for one. Annual subscribers will get automatically upgraded to the new program for no extra cost.

Why Do You Love to Cook?

Did I miss your favorite reason to cook? If not, can I get an aaaaaamen? Drop a comment below and let me know why you spend obsessive amounts of time in the kitchen.