If you’re over 25, you probably know how to cook, but if you’re a kid, do you know how to cook? Probably not, right? Well, that is a serious problem. Let’s say you turn 19, you’re living alone, and you don’t know how to cook. If you order DoorDash or any fast food, believe it or not, you are not getting what you need to eat, and you’re spending all your money.

Here’s a fun fact: Americans spend about $166 dollars a month per person on dining out. Isn’t that crazy! Although people spend $345.05 on groceries per month, there are also pros. For example, there’s learning how to cook and having a well-rounded diet. Have you ever eaten at McDonald’s? Probably, right? Do you know how many calories are in it, though?

The average calories in a home meal that you cooked are about 400 to 600 calories, but a McDonald’s meal is about 1300 in a burger meal, which is really bad for your health. Think of how much sodium is in McDonald’s food. It’s around 1225 milligrams of sodium versus a home meal, which is 154 milligrams. See the difference? Cooking at home may not be better for your wallet, but it is better for your health.

Cooking is a skill that students should learn not only to help them survive on their own but to help them live healthier. While it may be more affordable to eat out, in the long term, your body will thank you for cooking. But I’ll leave it to you: What do you think is better, cooking at home or ordering food and having people cook for you?