A home cook is someone who prepares meals at home, as opposed to eating out at restaurants or getting takeout. Home cooks can range from total beginners to accomplished chefs who prefer to cook in their own kitchens. While the term “home cook” often brings to mind images of moms making meatloaf and apple pie for the family dinner table, home cooks today are a diverse group with varying skills, interests, and goals.
Who is a home cook?
There are many types of home cooks:
- Novice cooks who are just learning their way around the kitchen and mastering basic cooking techniques
- Parents who cook simple, family-friendly meals on busy weeknights
- Foodies who enjoy challenging recipes and complex techniques as a creative outlet
- Busy professionals who prepare simple meals to save money and control portions
- Retirees or empty-nesters who have more time to cook now that they don’t need to feed a family
- Couples or singles who cook romantic dinners for two
- Self-taught cooks honing their skills through cookbooks, TV shows, and online recipes
- Accomplished home chefs with restaurant-level skills
The unifying factor is that home cooks choose to prepare meals in their own kitchens, whether it’s every day or just on special occasions. For some it’s a chore, for others it’s a treasured hobby. But for all home cooks, time spent in the kitchen is an opportunity to nurture themselves and their loved ones.
Why cook at home?
Here are some top reasons people choose to cook at home rather than eating out:
- Save money – Preparing meals at home is often significantly cheaper than restaurant dining or takeout, especially for families.
- Healthier eating – Home cooks have control over ingredients and can emphasize fresh, whole foods.
- Convenience – Cooking at home can be faster and easier than going out.
- Enjoyment – Many find cooking a rewarding, relaxing hobby and creative outlet.
- Special diets – Those with food allergies, intolerances, or preferences can cook to suit their needs.
- Bonding and connection – Cooking and eating together builds family ties and relationships.
- Cultural heritage – Cooking traditional recipes passes down heritage and traditions.
While home cooking does require an investment of time and effort, most home cooks find the benefits are well worth it.
How skilled are home cooks?
Home cooks have a wide range of abilities, from total beginners to serious chefs. According to a Harris Poll survey of 2,000 Americans:
- 23% consider themselves “kitchen novices” who rely on simple or pre-made items.
- 49% are “kitchen dabblers” who can follow a recipe but have minimal skills or knowledge.
- 21% are “kitchen masters” who feel confident improvising and teaching others.
- 7% are “kitchen snobs” with professional-level skills and gourmet tastes.
While a subset of home cooks are quite accomplished, most focus on easy recipes that don’t require fancy techniques or obscure ingredients. Simple meals, classic comfort dishes, and family favorites rule the home kitchen.
How much do home cooks cook?
How often someone cooks at home depends heavily on factors like work and family obligations. Here’s how often typical home cooks take to the kitchen:
| Frequency | % of Home Cooks |
|---|---|
| Every day | 25% |
| A few times a week | 55% |
| Once a week | 12% |
| Less than weekly | 8% |
While a quarter of home cooks are kitchen warriors who eat home-cooked meals daily, most find a few times a week more realistic. Even cooking one meal at home can make a big difference compared to fully relying on takeout and restaurants.
What are home cooks cooking?
Classic, comforting fare rules the home kitchen. In one survey, the top 10 dishes home cooks prepared were:
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Lasagna
- Mac and cheese
- Chicken noodle soup
- Chili
- Meatloaf
- Pasta salad
- Pancakes
- Tacos
- Chicken pot pie
These favorites reveal that convenience and family-friendly flavors dominate over complex “gourmet” cuisine. Comfort foods that kids and adults both enjoy eating are home cook go-tos.
Most popular home cooking styles
While home cooks enjoy exploring global cuisines, these cooking styles show up most often in the average kitchen:
- Italian – pasta, pizza, Chicken Parmesan
- Mexican – tacos, fajitas, chili
- American – burgers, mac and cheese, meatloaf
- Asian – stir fries, fried rice, noodle bowls
When home cooks do get adventurous, ethnic food inspired meals allow them to add new flavors without too much risk or complex techniques.
How can home cooks gain skills?
Home cooks looking to advance their kitchen skills have many options:
- Cookbooks – Both general technique books and books focused on a cuisine or type of cooking
- Online recipes and tutorials – Websites and social media accounts offer a huge range of instructive content
- TV cooking shows – Both entertainment and educational shows teach new recipes and skills
- Classes – Local cooking schools and specialty stores like Sur La Table offer classes for all levels
- Meal kits – Kits with measured ingredients and instructions help build confidence and repertoire
- YouTube – Millions flock to YouTube cooking channels to learn techniques in short video tutorials
- Trial and error – Tasting, testing, and tweaking recipes is an essential learning path for home cooks
Improving your home cooking skills is very achievable by combining inspiration from resources like these with lots of time in your own kitchen practicing and enjoying the journey.
Conclusion
Home cooks are a diverse bunch, from total novices to serious gourmands. What unites them is a passion for food and a desire to create meals in their own space on their own terms. While often associated with tradition and family, home cooking today is just as likely to involve ambitious foodies chasing trends and mastering techniques. But whether they’re honing their knife skills or whipping up mac and cheese, home cooks find nourishment in the joys of cooking for themselves and others.