Some like eating at home ...

Others do not mind dining out, preferring taste to cleanliness.

PETALING JAYA: Cooking at home is easier on the pocket, besides packing more nutrients into the daily diet of loved ones, say housewives.

Eating at home also provides peace of mind for those who worry about cleanliness at eateries.

Cecilia Chan, 30, from Bangsar South, said cooking at home is definitely cheaper and healthier.

Plus, it has turned into a favourite pastime for her and her husband as Chan now spends more quality time with her husband as they cook together.

“He helps me prepare the ingre- dients and also look for new recipes or cooking styles.

“It is a good way to maintain our relationship. If we dine out, we always resort to checking the news or playing games on our phones when we run out of topics to talk about,” she said.

Chan added that it costs her about RM20 to RM30 to cook a meal for two, while eating at restaurants will mean forking out twice as much.

“We can save up to RM900 a month,” she said.

Another housewife, Tammy Yau, 53, said she usually cooks her own meals for health reasons.

“I have hypertension and the doctor has advised me to eat healthily.

“I always request for less oil and less salt in my food whenever I dine out, but most of the time the food served is still too oily and salty. I always feel very thirsty after eating out,” she said.

Yau felt that her health improved after she started cooking at home.

A working mother, who only wanted to be known as Caryn, said she felt more at ease dining at home, especially after watching the viral video of foreign workers rinsing plates in what appeared to be a puddle of water in a pothole next to a drain.

“My daughter is three years old. I think she could easily fall sick if she is fed with food from such unhygienic eateries. It is better for me to cook for her,” she said.

The 32-year-old bank employee recalled a bad experience eating out when she found a fly in her food.

Cooking at home also means she has control over the quality of ingredients.

“For the same budget, I can buy better ingredients and cook more dishes if we dine at home. Homecooked food also tastes better.

“I can make sure the ingredients are fresh and are in good quality. It may not be the case even if we dine at expensive eateries,” she said.

Caryn said technology has shorten the time needed to cook a meal.

“With more advanced kitchen appliances such as pressure cooker and air fryer, I can cook a meal faster,” she said.

“Caterers who provide healthy home-cooked food is another option for those who do not want to eat out.”

Home-cooked food also tastes better. I can make sure the ingredients are fresh and are in good quality. Caryn (working mother)