Eating out is definitely a convenient option when dining alone, and sometimes it feels like a waste when you break out the pots and pans just to make food for yourself. However, cooking for yourself can help you take charge of your overall health, develop independence, and gain a sense of self-achievement. Here, we list some of the benefits you get from cooking for one:

There's no need to please other people but yourself.
When you cook for yourself, you can indulge your own cravings, try out new recipes. Explore new flavors and be adventurous!

You learn more about food.
By discovering healthy recipes (like the ones from Del Monte Kitchenomics), you learn more about the food that you eat. You learn what food can help you heal, what can fill you up easily, what can cause illnesses. Cooking your meals on your own makes you in control of the food you cook and eat.

It shows your independence.
The simple act of cooking for yourself can be or is very empowering. It shows that you are in control and you are taking the initiative to improve your skills to take better care of yourself.

Cooking is therapy.
Cooking can be quite therapeutic for most people. Not only is cooking a creative outlet, it's a great way to de-stress because you are releasing all that anxiety that built up earlier that day. Try this stress-free recipe for One Pot Chicken Biryani.

It's art.
Cooking makes you an artist over time. When you were learning how to cook, you had to look at the ingredients and follow exactly what it says in the recipe. But after a while, you begin to experiment more and be more creative in the kitchen, and end up creating a spectacular and delicious dish you are proud of. Share a photo of your food on social media and show everyone just how drool-worthy your creation is with these tips.

Cooking brings back memories.
When you're living on your own, now and then, you think about Mom's signature dishes and how much you miss eating her food. Recreating Mom's dishes (like, maybe caldereta) allows you to relive happy meal memories even when you're away from home.

It's key that you master a few basic skills in the kitchen, stock up on those essential ingredients, and get creative at cooking meals that you will most definitely enjoy. Not only do you get healthier, you will feel happier and more accomplished.

Sources:
Cooking For Yourself Is The Real Independence, https://www.splendidtable.org/story/michael-pollan-cooking-for-yourself-is-the-real-independence
The Food Memories That Make Me Incredibly Nostalgic, https://www.mamamia.com.au/wonder-white-sp2/
Cooking is therapy: Making meals helps to reduce stress, heal a broken heart, among other benefits, https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/cooking-therapy-making-meals-helps-reduce-stress-heal-broken-heart-benefits-article-1.206839
Dinner for One: The Joy—and Advantages—of Cooking Just For Yourself, https://www.delallo.com/blog/seasonal/dinner-for-one-the-joy%E2%80%94and-advantages%E2%80%94of-cooking-just-for-yourself
5 Benefits of Cooking For Yourself, https://mic.com/articles/8734/5-benefits-of-cooking-for-yourself#.kA8tQAFmu