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.
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Well said bro. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. But I will say that no matter the pains that I will go through making my meals, I still prefer it to ordering food. Most of the food we order today have lots of spices that may not go down very well for the one that is consuming the food. Hence, I prefer making my meals so as to add only what I know will not be harmful to my body. Some of these additives are harmful to our body.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful post with us.
I think it's the lot of us that do not enjoy cooking that much that incline towards ordering food. People that can cook well will usually prefer their own food. Your cooking must be superb. What's your favourite food to cook?
Hahaha 😄. You want to know? I love any specially prepared meal. But if you want to get my attention with a meal, it should be pounded yam and egusi soup, please goat meat oh! Hahaha 😄. I don't get to eat it every time because is expensive to prepare it for the whole family.
Wow, pounded yam? I love pounded yam! It's my favourite swallows. I prefer it with vegetable soup, though, but egusi works well too.
It's an expensive dish, really. Goat meat is expensive, and pounding isn't easy. And yam can be expensive sometimes.
You know how to enjoy life indeed.
That means any day I visit Lagos, I will branch to swallow. Hahaha 😄
I like the gifs you used to portray your write up, we can't really choose a specific choice, cooking gets tiring most times even as a family woman myself, on days I feel overly exhausted or sick, we just have yo order and cover up till the next meal, doesn't happen too often though.
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I wonder where women get their energy from. It must be from heaven. I salute you guys for showing up everyday—maybe even three times a day, at least—to prepare meals for your family. I probably would faint if it were me.
Haha, definitely from God, I still wonder why we are called weaker vessels when we go through a lot of strong things every day.
You fainting from cooking will be so hilarious🤣🤣.
Well, I don't consider women to be weaker vessels. They just have their strengths in different areas, and that balances for where men lack.
Exactly, you are blessed with a good reasoning.
If not for the time and effort it will take, homemade food is my preferred option any day of the week. The convenience with ordered food comes with a cost that I'm not willing to pay for :)
I see you're a husband material. If I may ask, what's your favourite meal to cook?
I don't see it that way lol. It's a local dish called 'superkanja' over here. I don't think it has an official name in English.
Superkanja looks super tasty. I found it online. I can imagine the magic you'd perform in the kitchen for this dish.
Haha, I'm still an amateur in it but I love the process of cooking it.
You're doing very well, mate!
To cook or not to cook? This is one question everyone battles with daily especially when we have a busy schedule.
Personally, I'd go for cooked meals anytime because of my past experience and happenings here in Nigeria.
I once bought beans and bread from a food seller back in lagos one time only to find dead flies inside the beans oil. Heavens knows I almost vomited and was very angry. I have heard of other cases where cockroaches, dirty water and other unhygienic methods are used just to survive and sell food.
The fact that one can decide the ingredients, water and the hygiene of his food is a good point and shouldn't be traded easily for immediate satisfaction. I mean, a large potion of sicknesses comes from the kind of food we eat and this affects our health on the long run.
I enjoyed your detailed insight on this topic. Much love🥰
It indeed is a battle everyday, my friend.
If one were to remember all our past experiences or live vicariously through the experiences of others, one might as well never patronise food vendors. We never really know what goes down in their kitchen.
I am very certain that you have never stepped foot in that restaurant since that irritating moment. God knows they'd never see me...😄
Thank you for coming around and contributing, mate!
There are surely advantages and disadvantages.
I personally love cooking, I love the cutting, the slicing, the blending, the mixing and combo.. I don’t mind the time and stress. one thing I don’t really love about cooking is the stress of checking it out. I literally do the beginning but not the ending 😹
But, you are guy and it is understandable. I don’t like to order food mainly because I love cooking, because of the price with delivery.. heheh. I only order food that I know I can’t cook well or the ingredients of the food is not very common.
See 1000 yards of wife material here, my people! I understand how exhilarating it is to make meals, especially the elaborate ones. My issue, really, is doing it regularly.
I actually know some guys that are great with cooking, and they don't even order food at all. I salute them. Me, I just sit somewhere in the middle.
What's your favourite thing to cook?
Hehe.
Yeah and some girls don’t like cooking. It is basically conversely
Anything basically that deals with cutting, slicing… . I would say fried rice…
Anything slicing? You must love butchery too.
I can imagine how tasty your fried rice would be. Nobody just brags with fried rice.