To Cook or Not to Cook: Weighing the Benefits of Ordered Food and Homemade Meals

In the world today, we are presented with many options for getting meals. From ordering from restaurants with their delivery services to cooking for oneself at home, we have to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each. As someone who enjoys both, I will be exploring the pros and cons of ordered food versus homemade food in this article.

One of my first nights at the university, I attempted to cook some food for myself. The problem, however, was that I was highly inexperienced in the kitchen, and my culinary skills couldn't save me if my life depended on them. And then I ended up with something I struggled to take a few spoons from. This, in some way, prompted the idea of opting to get meals from outside most times.

I improved over the years with my culinary skills, but I still indulged myself with ordered food. I had to juggle between both options for a specific reason in certain circumstances.

Homemade food

There are many advantages to cooking one's food by oneself. Firstly, one has greater control over the ingredients and quality of food. One gets to decide the exact amount of anything they'd like to add based on their preference. However, it does requires more time and effort.

One would have to plan meals and shop for groceries, both of which aren't in any way enticing for me. I would have to leave home, spend the time and effort sourcing for ingredients and condiments, make it back home, and spend the effort to turn the raw foodstuff into something to eat. The thought of doing it all alone can even be laborious sometimes.

On the bright side, it is often cheaper and more fulfilling, especially with proper planning. Although there is the possibility of making mistakes, that would depend on one's dexterity.

Ordered food

Ordered food offers convenience and variety. One can make orders at any time, and there are different types of dishes one can choose from. The problem here, however, is that some things can go wrong—and they do.

I didn't quite enjoy the last time I ordered for food. I asked for jollof spaghetti and chicken from a vendor that is trusted and loved by many people. The issue I had with this order was that the oil was excessive. It made me enjoy the meal way less as I kept tasting so much oil in it. The chicken was well cooked though, but the spaghetti didn't quite cut it for me.

Oh, might I add that that meal of spaghetti wasn't cheap? Yeah, it wasn't. I could have bought the same foodstuff, cooked it myself, and that would have lasted longer than the one-off meal I ordered.

Often times, ordered food can be costly, especially long-term, and can take a toll on one's financial structure if proper care isn't taken. The convenience can be enticing.

Ordered food saves one time and effort, but it's costly, and one has way less control over the ingredients and cooking methods.

There are times when I purposely have to opt for one option and suspend the other. For example, when I have examinations coming up or ongoing, I am more likely to use food delivery services than cook for myself. This is because cooking consumes time and effort and may set me back in my focus for the examinations.

Conversely, when I need to tailor my diet, enjoy specific traditional delicacies, cut down on costs, or feel adventurous enough to try out new recipes, Olujay's cuisines are in full swing.

In other words, homemade food and ordered food both have their benefits and drawbacks. And, ultimately, the choice between these two options will depend on preference and circumstances.