According to a recent study from Emory University, less than 70 percent of Americans eat their meals at home. Furthermore, more than one-third of Americans ate fast food (including eating in, take-out, and delivery) about once a week, according to a Gallup poll conducted in 2013. Add into this our soaring obesity epidemic, in which two out of three American adults is either overweight or obese, and it is easy to see that we have become hooked on the convenience of high-fat, processed food that we often don’t even make ourselves.

Dr. Nathen Horst sees many patients in his practice who are struggling to overcome their dependence on processed food, most of which either comes from a restaurant or, if it is made at home, is already prepared as a boxed or frozen meal. Once patients can break this habit and get into the regular routine of preparing their meals from scratch at home, they will see dramatic improvements in their health and wellbeing, as well as weight loss. Below are some of the reasons that Dr. Horst encourages patients to start preparing their food at home.

Better Nutritional Value

Fruits and vegetables contain a wide variety of the important nutrients your body needs to properly function. Apples, pears, and spinach are rich in fiber, which can help protect you against coronary disease. Vitamin C, which can help keep your teeth and gums healthy, is found in abundance in citrus fruit. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables gives you the best nutritional value. Making your own food at home gives you more nutritional bang for your buck.

No Hidden Surprises

If anybody in your family has food allergies or sensitivities, there is nothing that can be more frightening than watching them have an unexpected reaction to that allergen or food trigger. They may break out in hives, or their tongue or throat may swell up, making it difficult for them to breathe.

Unfortunately, eating out can be a risky proposition for your family members with allergies or sensitivities because they have no way of knowing if their food has come in contact with the allergen or food trigger. Even a trace amount of the allergen on a cooking utensil or serving dish or bowl can cause a reaction. On the other hand, if you prepare your food at home from scratch, you have complete control over the process. This will include everything from the ingredients to the utensils and serving dishes or bowls. Because you are aware of your family member’s allergies or food sensitivities, you know how to prevent any contamination that could trigger an adverse reaction.

Meal Time Is Family Time

Your kids rush into the kitchen to grab a Pop Tart before running out again because they are late for the school bus. You hastily pour some coffee into your travel mug and also rush out the door, intending to stop at a fast-food drive-through on the way to work for a breakfast sandwich so that you can beat the freeway traffic. Is this a pretty typical family breakfast in your house? Shouldn’t meals be the time when your family gets to connect together over sharing homemade food? Unfortunately, in our current society, we spend so much time trying to fulfill all of our school or work obligations that family time tends to fall by the wayside.

Preparing your meals at home can be a way to recapture that family time, and not just in terms of eating together. If you can get your whole family involved in preparing meals, you are teaching your children (and possibly your spouse) some valuable life skills that will serve them well. There is also a sense of pride in working to create the meal that you will then get to eat together.

It may seem as though preparing your own food is yet one more drain on your already-limited time. However, the benefits that you can derive from doing so will make that time worth it in the long run.