Cooking for yourself: Saving dollars, making sense

If you’re like many Americans, you’ve probably stopped to grab a bite to eat at a fast food restaurant after a long day at work. Or maybe you catch up with co-workers and have a happy hour dinner of Buffalo wings with a cold beer. But cooking for yourself can provide long-term benefits to your wallet and your health.

For some, cooking seems time-consuming and intimidating. But there’s professional chefs who specialize in teaching their craft to others, like at the Tops Cooking School on Mount Read Boulevard.

There, you’ll find multiple classes each week that please your palette — whether it’s quick meals, health meals, vegetarian options or sweet treats to share.

Learn from the pros
Chef Brenda Monahan, a personal chef who has taught at Tops Cooking School for three years, says cooking for yourself means you know exactly what you’re eating.

“As we’ve all read many times, lots of foods are processed. We’re all told to read the labels and see what’s in there, but often the words they used aren’t regulated or people don’t understand,” she says.

Monahan says at Tops Cooking School, students sign up for the class with all experience levels — those who want to learn to cook for themselves, and advanced gourmets looking to broaden their experience.

Additionally, learning a few fun meals at a cooking class, which range from $20 to $35 depending on course content, can offer a longtime solution instead of a one-time restaurant fee.

Save dollars
Eating at home can be far less costly than eating out — and statistics show that the majority of people eating out do so at dinner time, according surveys from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from November and December 2009.

The numbers also indicate that people in the top 20 percent income bracket spend almost half of their annual food budget on eating out — $5,151 spent outside the home, compared to $5,629 at home. For the lowest 20 percent income bracket, about $1,038 is spent away from home versus $3,501 spent on food for at-home meals.

Monahan says a well-planned grocery shopping trip can take the place of restaurant bills, and she offers her classes shopping lists specific to their needs, like those for diabetics or vegetarians.

“In our classes, I’ve shown them how to build a weekly shopping list,” she said.

Live healthy
Susan Grace, the president of the Genesee Dietetic Association, says many people say they don’t have enough time to prepare a meal.

But healthy options can take as little as 20 minutes, she says, if you’re buying ingredients that are multi-purpose like chicken or vegetables. “Often people struggle with their weight particularly if they don’t think ahead and plan a menu,” Grace said.

At restaurants, value options, toppings and unlimited refills can add many calories to your day, as opposed to controlled portions you might get at home, Grace said. On the flip side, research shows that when you eat at home you have a higher consumption of essential vitamins and calcium and iron.

A fun night out
Leonard Lyons, an Irondequoit resident, has attended many Tops Cooking School classes with his wife Audrey. It’s something fun for them to do together, as they share the cooking responsibilities. They’re also reimbursed for the class fee through their health insurance carrier, MVP.

“I learn best by seeing someone else do it, and so I’m attracted to cooking schools like at Tops,” he says. “I cook maybe once a week or so, I see recipes that intrigue me and I go ahead and make that.”

For Marie Mayfield of Greece, cooking classes are a way to keep her and her mother healthy. She’s been attending Tops Cooking School since it opened about 17 years ago,  and says she’s learned many meals.

“I like to learn from the different chefs and I’ve been exposed to different kinds of cuisine I wouldn’t have tried on my own,” like Asian meals, Mayfield said.