Thanksgiving is one of the biggest food preparation days of the year. Anyone who’s had to make a meal for their family on this day knows this. If you slave away over a hot stove on the fourth Thursday of November, you’re not alone. Americans eat about 736 million pounds of turkey on this day. That’s roughly the weight of the Empire State Building! When you add the winter and spring holidays, there’s a lot of food preparation going on. These celebrations center around a feast, after all. With that said, the holidays aren’t the only times people cook. So, what I’m getting at here is that…
…More People Are Eating in These Days
I know that might be hard to believe in a world filled with restaurants but it’s true. People everyone are cooking, maybe more than they ever have. In 2018, at least 82 percent of the meals Americans ate were made at home. That statistic comes from research conducted by the NPD Group, Inc. and cited in Bloomberg. That’s a pretty big number. When you think about, this makes a lot of sense because the simple fact is…
…Cooking Costs Less than Dining Out
I know you might not think this is true after looking at your monthly grocery bills, but you can trust me on this one. Yes, food costs money, but there are a lot of hidden costs in every meal you buy at a restaurant. Even dollar menu items at the fast food stores aren’t immune to this. There are hidden costs in every meal you buy. These include the restaurant owner’s lease payment as well as food costs, utilities, and payroll. This is why dinner out for a family of five costs so much!
It’s the Healthier Option
When you cook at meal at home, you’re in control of what goes into it. Plus, it seems like there are more dietary restrictions these days, especially with those gluten-free folks. (To be fair, us diabetics have plenty of dietary restrictions, too.) Sure, you can go with the “lite menu” at your local restaurant, but there’s only so many times you want to eat the grilled chicken or veggie burger on whole wheat. Cooking at home opens you and your family up to an entire world of tastes and flavors and still stay healthy.
The Popularity of Streaming
That’s right. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming services could be contributing to the latest home cooking craze. Think about it. Back in the day, dinner and a movie was the thing. Now, we stay in and bingewatch our favorite TV series. (That’s what we do at Casa del Buckler.) If you’re not going out, you might as well make dinner at home, too. It’s more nourishing and affordable than popcorn and sodas at the local cineplex.
Cooking is No Longer a Chore
You can thank Food Network for that. Seriously! That channel made cooking fun. A big part of it is the diversity of the ingredients used on all those recipes. Mrs. Buckler is already a great cook, but even she’s surprised me with new dishes she’s seen on Food Network. I’m sure we’re not the only ones who do this. The channel’s continuing success is proof enough of that. And speaking of cooking at home…
…Are You Making Thanksgiving Dinner This Year?
If so, there’s something you need to know. November and December are the most with the most outbreaks of food poisoning, according to the Center for Disease Control. It doesn’t take a genius to know that undercooked meats during holiday dinners contribute to this grim statistic. How can you be sure that your Thanksgiving turkey is safe to put on your family’s plates? We have just the thing…
…This instant meat thermometer is just the thing for anyone cooking turkey this year. Just stick it into the turkey and it gives you an instant temperature reading on its LCD screen. You’ll know right away whether the bird is done or if it needs a few more minutes in the oven. This isn’t a one-day-out-of-the-year thing, either. You can and should use this instant meat thermometer for every meal.
Speaking of food prep products you can use every day, there’s this meat defrosting tray. This 8.1” x 11.6” metal tray safely and easily thaws most meats in 60-minutes or less. It helps reduce bacteria growth during the thawing process. This thawing tray works with chicken breasts, steak, pork chops, and lamb chops. That means it’s something you can use for nearly any meal with meat. Solid Signal offers both of these products at great low prices.
