“Yet Americans watch 35 hours of television a week, according to a Nielsen survey. (Increasing amounts of that time are spent watching other people cook). And although there certainly are urban and rural pockets where people have little access to fresh food, about 90 percent of American households own cars, and anyone who can drive to McDonald’s can drive to a supermarket. But perhaps most important, a cooking repertoire of three basic recipes can get anyone into the kitchen and beyond the realm of takeout food, microwaved popcorn and bologna sandwiches in a few days.”
Cut-and-dry advice from Mark Bittman that seems sensible enough. The staple stir-fry, salad and rice/lentil combo are basically how I got started cooking again. In NYC, fighting the urge to eat out is difficult. It’s too easy to get great restaurant food and on top of that, grocery trips seem outrageously expensive and you wonder about the cost/benefit.
Bottomline: You know what you put in your food. Salt, oil, fat, and a clean kitchen is up for grabs at a restaurant. The peace of mind you get cooking at home is worth it.