First Lady Michelle Obama urges people to start cooking their meals at home more often because it is healthy and saves money.
Addressing a health summit in Washington, the first lady highlighted the benefits of cooking from home saying that home-cooked meals have less fat, sodium, cholesterol and calories than meals prepared in restaurants, according to USA Today.
She said that many people refrain from cooking at home because they think that they don't have the skills or time to prepare a meal when actually many dishes can be cooked in less than 30 minutes. Moreover, they are simple and don't involve any exotic cooking skills.
"The question is: How do we help families start cooking again, even if it's just one or two meals a week?" the website quoted the first lady as telling the audience at the conference.
Michelle Obama has been actively involved in reducing childhood obesity rates since 2009.
"We cannot walk away from this issue until obesity rates drop for children of every age and every background," she said. "We cannot walk away until every child in this country has a shot at a healthy life. And that's why I'm in this thing for the long haul, and I mean long after I leave the White House, because I believe in finishing what I start."
Most of Obama's work until now has involved cajoling food and beverage makers, retailers, restaurants and others to make healthier products. Owing to her efforts, federal legislation and regulations are leading to changes in school breakfast and lunch programs, and are expected to bring an updated "Nutrition Facts" label to thousands of packaged products before the end of the decade.
She also highlighted the fact that research shows that eating meals cooked at home is one of the best ways families can improve their health.
"Now is not the time to take our foot off the gas and congratulate ourselves on a job well done," she said, according to ABC News. "Just the opposite. Now is the time to fight even harder, because we now know it is possible to make a difference on this issue. We know that our strategies are beginning to work."
Michelle Obama is honorary chairwoman of the nonprofit organization, Partnership for a healthier America, which was created in conjunction with "Let's Move," her initiative against childhood obesity.
