The number of gastropub goers over-extended as families spent more on eating out than preparing healthy home cooked meals. The criteria changed post-pandemic, and having delicious and nutritious full fine home cooked foods is the latest expression of affluence. People love fine dining, and restaurants are places to socialise, relax and enjoy fabulous meals.
There was a time when eating out was a luxury, something everyone would look forward to, waiting for Friday nights or after Church on Sunday. Especially for any occasion, you can get daytime nouvelle cuisine to nighttime socialising, entertaining accompanied by delicious signature cocktails and drinks. Socialising over dinner parties was an extravagance enjoyed by a few.
However, the volume of meals eaten outside has transformed the statistics. Everyone says they can’t be bothered to wash up nights. Also, eating out at a pub is cheaper than home cooked.
Many busy families hang on to restaurant foods for every day dietary requirements. Fast food chains with a plethora of prepared meal service and marketing ideas have something untried to deliver; also, there has been a vast improvement in the restaurant-going experience in volume and quality.
Still, with multiple layers of sourcing, packaging, re-packaging, preparation, and processing, the loss of nutritional value cannot be ignored, and those suffering from health complications cannot rely on such foods for everyday meals.
Why Do Families Purchase Convenience Food?
Overstretched, busy working people purchase convenience food like fast food, ready-to-eat, full-service restaurant meals or other non-ready-to-eat foods from groceries because they have no time to cook.
Time constraints shift consumer demand from grocery stores to restaurants or fast food meals, and buyers seeking low-cost options for everyday meal requirements settle on convenience foods.
Researchers find as the number of children increases, families purchase more from grocery stores and less from restaurants, but financial resources play a major role in determining how we spend on food.
Also, traditional home cooked meals for a family of four can be more expensive than those bought at a fast food restaurant, contrary to the popular belief that home cooked family meals are more affordable.
Healthy home cooked meals with chicken, salad, vegetables, potatoes, and milk can be expensive compared to a fast food meal.
Why Home Cooked Meals Is So Much Better?
Many do not enjoy cooking; rather, they are burdened by the thought of preparing dinner after a hectic job in the evening. Family mealtimes are nurturing, and having food together provides a way to socialise and bond to celebrate, entertain and care.
Modern functional kitchens are equipped with many automatic appliances, and even if you do not enjoy cooking, you can enjoy trying easy home cooked meals. Avoid complex recipes; try the adaptable and easy stir-fry that can be part of every good home cooked meals weekly plan.
The recipes can be customised to meet the health requirements of the family members. When you start, you subsequently realise with many amazingly flavorful and healthy ingredients, you can pursue many family meal ideas, dinner ideas, and meal plans, or you can subscribe to prepared meals delivered to your door.
Meals cooked in restaurants are high in sugar, sodium, butter, additives and preservatives, the food is pre-processed, frozen and heated multiple times, and the nutritional value is lost in each stage.
To retain the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables, home chefs cook freshly sourced ingredients at balanced heat in steady portions, and you can order home cooked meals online or buy traditional home cooked meals from a highly-rated prepared meal service or a standard local prepared meal delivery service.
Asian Home Cooked Meals Ideas
- The Asian Green Rice bowl paired with Sesame Shrimp is perfect for all occasions. It is made from stir-fried green onion, edamame, spinach, swiss chard, rice and Shrimp seasoned in sesame flavours.
- Thai chicken rice recipe is made with creamy coconut sauce, ginger and the right amount of other Thai spices to get a perfect all-in-one meal.
- Shrimp tossed with bell peppers and simmered in coconut milk with peanut butter and red curry paste gets the classic version of a Thai-inspired creamy sweet, and spicy version.
- Chinese-style gluten-free beef and broccoli recipes are an incredibly flavoursome and popular rendition of chicken recipes.
- The Chinese sweet, sour version of chicken or pork is made by sauteing the pieces in a master stir fry sauce sweetened with balsamic vinegar and honey.
- Some foods take you back to childhood—the crispy chicken sandwich with tangy dips, one of the most home delivered prepared meals.
- The Chinese – American style cooked tender marinated roasted smoky crisp beef with crispy florets of green broccoli tossed in a savoury garlic sauce is an element of complete British home cooked meals.
- Moist saucy Chicken Tikka masala is one of the favourites, prepared with marinated, grilled chicken cooked in tomatoes, cream, aromatics and spices.
- Thai crowd-pleaser Chicken Satay is one of the best home cooked meals delivered with flavourful sauce and roasted.
Simple All–In–One Family Meal Ideas, Dinner Ideas
- Pasta cooked with vegetables and turkey sausage is one of the quickest Italian skillet healthy home cooked meals. Spaghetti pasta or cheeseburger macaroni can be prepared in a slow cooker or skillet.
- There are many varieties of pasta, like the chicken piccata pasta prepared with lemony white wine, butter, tomatoes, mushrooms, and caper sauce brings all the tastes together that won’t weigh you down.
- Besides, with the creamy melting cheesy mix, shredded chicken with crisp broccoli and whole wheat pasta with a hint of ground mustard to get a fresh tang, you get a cheesy shredded chicken & broccoli pasta recipe.
- Quick healthy meals like home cooked grilled cheese sandwiches, vegetable stews, or salads can be made into a crowd-pleaser with unique, healthy home cooked meals
- The Mexican-inspired bowl of Taco soup or the creamy bean soup with sausages is listed in many cooked meals delivered to home.
- The classic combination of tender chuck roast beef and fresh vegetables (butternut squash) can be made into a velvety saucy stew. Similarly, cheesy potato or broccoli soup can be prepared for a vegetarian take.
- Soup made from canned tomatoes, packaged gnocchi and sausages with Italian flavours is one of the weeknight-friendly common dinner meals UK.
Slow-cooked Turkey chilli, sweet potatoes, and a quinoa recipe require some basic preparation for the perfect rendition, so one may choose to order prepared meals delivered to your door; in contrast, the chicken lettuce wraps or chicken rice recipes are easy homecooked meals for every family meals.