The Case for Homecooking

In an age of meal delivery apps, frozen entrees, and flashy labels touting "high protein," "low fat," or "keto-friendly," the simple act of cooking a meal at home has become strangely radical.

But it shouldn't be.

As Michael Pollan once wrote, "The decline of everyday home cooking doesn't only damage the health of our bodies—it damages the health of our families, our communities, and our culture." And now, the science is catching up with the intuition.

Let’s begin with what we know: cooking is ritualistic. It is ceremonial. Whether it’s your grandmother simmering a curry for hours, or you frying an egg in silence before dawn, cooking marks the rhythm of our lives. And yet, over the last 40 years, home food preparation has declined by 23%, while eating away from home has increased by 42%. The kitchen has become optional.

The consequences are measurable.

A growing body of research shows that the more we cook at home, the healthier we tend to be—without even trying. One study divided people into three groups: those who ate 0–1, 2–5, or 6–7 home-cooked dinners per week. The results? The more often people ate home-cooked food, the fewer calories they consumed—even when they weren’t trying to eat healthy or lose weight.

In fact, even those who explicitly said they didn’t care about their weight or make conscious health choices still consumed less overall when they cooked more meals at home. Not because they counted carbs or swapped butter for olive oil—but because home cooking, by its very nature, tends to anchor us in portions, ingredients, and presence.

Another UK-based study followed over 11,000 people, again without instructing them to “eat healthy.” Participants who consumed more than five home-cooked meals a week—compared to those eating fewer than three—had significantly better diets. They ate more fruits, more vegetables, both of which are associated with lower blood pressure, heart disease, and inflammation. Perhaps most powerfully, those who regularly cooked at home had a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. 

Why Homecooked always wins?

The health benefits of homecooked food are becoming increasingly clear, especially when we understand them through the NOVA food classification system — a powerful tool that groups foods not by nutrients, but by the extent and purpose of their processing.

NOVA’s Four Food Groups: A New Way to See Food

  • Group 1: Unprocessed or Minimally Processed Foods
    These are whole foods derived from plants or animals, often just washed, cut, or ground (like flour). Think vegetables, grains, fruits, or fresh meat. These form the base of most homecooked meals.

  • Group 2: Processed Culinary Ingredients
    Ingredients like salt, oil, or sugar — often made from Group 1 foods — used in home kitchens for cooking but not typically eaten on their own.

  • Group 3: Processed Foods
    A simple mix of Group 1 and Group 2 items with minimal additives — such as bread, cheese, or canned vegetables. These may be found in moderate amounts in homecooking.

  • Group 4: Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs)
    Industrial formulations made mostly from substances not commonly used in home kitchens — like hydrogenated oils, protein isolates, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and stabilizers. Examples include soft drinks, packaged snacks, frozen meals, and some protein bars.

What Makes Ultra-Processed Foods Risky?

As highlighted in recent large-scale studies:

  • In a 2019 BMJ study of nearly 20,000 people in Spain, each additional serving of ultra-processed food was linked to an 18% increase in all-cause mortality, with high intake associated with a 62% increase in overall death risk.

  • Higher intake of UPFs is also linked to increased risk of cancer, particularly breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease, including stroke and cerebrovascular conditions.

So, Why Is Homecooked Food Healthier?

Because it naturally emphasizes:

  • Group 1, 2 and 3 foods — fresh, minimally processed ingredients that preserve their original structure, fiber, and nutrients.

  • Low exposure to additives — home meals rarely include industrial stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, or emulsifiers.

  • Ingredient control — you decide how much salt, sugar, or oil to use.

  • Nutritional integrity — homecooked meals typically contain fewer empty calories and more fiber, protein, and essential micronutrients.

A Different Way to Think About Food

NOVA encourages us to see food not just as a collection of nutrients, but in terms of how it’s made.

References

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  2. Mills, S., White, M., Brown, H., Wrieden, W., Kwasnicka, D., Halligan, J., & Adams, J. (2017). Health and social determinants and outcomes of home cooking: A systematic review of observational studies. Appetite, 111, 116–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2016.12.022

  3. Mills, S., White, M., Brown, H., Wrieden, W., & Adams, J. (2017). Frequency of eating home cooked meals and potential benefits for diet and health: Cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14(1), 109. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0567-y

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  6. Srour, B., Fezeu, L. K., Kesse-Guyot, E., Allès, B., Méjean, C., Andrianasolo, R. M., ... & Touvier, M. (2019). Ultra-processed food intake and risk of all-cause mortality: Prospective cohort study. BMJ, 365, l1949. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l1949

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  12. World Health Organization. (1948). Preamble to the Constitution of WHO as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June 1946. https://www.who.int/about/governance/constitution