A lot of guys don’t cook; and I’m completely disregarding those who occasionally stand behind a BBQ and burn the hell out of a 40 pack of snags that were reduced to clear, or those who stir through a bottle of pesto sauce through some tortellini on a cold Tuesday night.
That’s not cooking.
Sure, there’s a time and place for that – but I’m talking about cooking a basic meal from scratch.
I’ve narrowed it down to three main reasons why guys don’t find cooking a worthwhile venture – intimidation, laziness or they believe it’s a woman’s job.
If the reason for you is the latter, then your issues are far deeper rooted and you should probably address that.
If you think you don’t know how or you don’t know where to start – just remember there was a time where you didn’t know how to ride a bike, or drive a car or even do your job. Everyone has a starting point, and like anything you’ll probably be pretty awful to start off with – but, again like anything, you’ll never get better if you don’t practice it (just cook for yourself at the start).
You can rest assured Gordon Ramsey has burnt a few potatoes on his way to his Michelin Stars – so don’t be too hard on yourself.
If you just can’t be f*cked, then hopefully these points will make you reconsider your stance. There’s no such thing as a bad cook – just people who haven’t bothered to give it a proper crack.
You’ll impress the ladies
This alone should be reason enough to just stop here. I’m not going to pretend to know why – but at the end of the day does it really matter? All that matter is that it’s a thing.
It’s a fundamental life skill
There are certain skills people should just have – like knowing how to swim or changing a tire. A lot of these skills are rarely called upon but handy to have in the repertoire. When it comes to feeding yourself though – it’s a daily occurrence that has a huge effect on your health and well-being. So shouldn’t you be able to do it without relying on the local takeaway?
You don’t have to depend on others
While the stigma traditionally may be feminine – can you really call yourself an independent man if you come home from a big day at work making bank only to need someone else, maybe even your mother, to feed you?
It’s a social activity
So much of what we do socially revolves around food – catching up with friends and family, dates, nights out, breakfasts after nights out, birthdays, holidays etc. Going out for a good meal is the best – but for a change, sometimes it’s nice and relaxing to be able to cook a big meal with friends or family and enjoy it within the comfort of your own home.
It tastes better
Obviously it’s not going to be at Michelin Star level – but you’ll soon find that staples like pasta sauce, salad dressings, marinades and seasoning meats with fresh ingredients actually tastes far better than your run-of-the-mill local joints or out of a jar. And you’re your own boss – you can do whatever the hell you want and make it how you want it.
You know what you’re getting
While it may not be a big deal to a lot of people – a big advantage of making your own meals is you actually know what you’re putting into your body. I’ve certainly bitten into a few chicken curries and thought ‘what the f*ck is this’. Whether it’s harmful chemicals or preservatives in vegetables, meat that hasn’t been properly handled or the cleanliness of the kitchen – you can’t actually be sure unless either you do it yourself or you can afford to constantly eat at the finest restaurants.
It keeps the rig in shape
Very much linked to knowing what you’re putting into your body is the effect it has on your waistline. While you may think you’re out for a healthy meal – majority of the time there are hidden sugars and fats that are present in your food.
Unfortunately the mantra of ‘I exercise a lot so I can eat what I want’ doesn’t work. In fact, maintaining a healthy diet is far more effective if you’re trying to lose weight and keep it off and a home cooked meal is ten fold healthier than eating out.
It saves cash
If you’ve already achieved the perfect body, then at least look at the benefit it will have on your wallet. Once you’ve learned a few basic recipes you will start to be ashamed of yourself for buying $30 steaks from pubs or $25 takeaway pizzas for you and your mates when you could make your own for $2 each with quality fresh ingredients. And leftovers become a joy to behold because you’ve now saved yourself $15 on lunch the next day. So much extra beer money.
It’s the perfect date
Back to the original point – it is the cheapest and most effective date once you have nailed a meal. It will impress the hell out of her and you won’t have to sit there praying she doesn’t order anything from the desert menu while you’re pretending to have a look because you’re rich AF but in reality you’re coming to terms with eating baked beans until the next paycheque comes. Above all this though is the fact she is already at your house… so you can save yourself the awkward ‘wanna come in for a cup of Milo’ chat.
It’s rewarding
There’s a steep learning curve when it comes to the kitchen – the more you do it the more you’ll be able to take on and the more rewarding and enjoyable it becomes. Essentially I’ve painted a picture of a healthy bloke with a good rig, bulk ladies and bulk cash.
Get in the kitchen. It’s a no brainer.
