When was the last time you cooked at home? No, not microwaving a frozen dinner – actually cooked. If it’s been a while, you might have forgotten how great it feels to actually make a real meal in your own kitchen. Try out one of these super easy–to–make #ClassIRecipes from Guard Your Health, an Army National Guard health and wellness campaign. Here are four reasons you’ll be glad you did.

1.    Save Money

It’s common to spend more than $20 on a restaurant dinner, but you can often make three or four home-cooked meals for the same price. Check out this recipe for a tuna and apple sandwich from Guard Your Health for a cheap, healthy eat. Many of the #ClassIRecipes feature budgetfriendly options ranging from $3-$7 for a family of four. That’s less than $2 per serving!

2.    Know What You Are Eating

Restaurants are getting a lot better at telling you what’s in the food on their menus, but nothing beats buying, preparing, and seeing all the ingredients for yourself. When cooking at home, you’re in control of making sure you and your family are eating healthy, wholesome meals. This #ClassIRecipes breakfast option contains only five ingredients and is sure to make your mouth water.

3.    Cook with Family or Friends

Cooking can be a ton of fun, especially with family or friends. Pick an easy #ClassIRecipe to make with your kids or special someone, or invite some friends over for a dinner party. #ClassIRecipes are fun to make, and even more fun to eat!

4.    Save Time

Fast food is fast, but the ingredients might not be healthy. If you want a wholesome meal, you can often make it quicker than it would take you to drive to a restaurant and buy it. Try one of the #ClassIRecipes that are ready in only 30 minutes or less. Another convenient option is to make a slow cooker recipe. What’s better than your dinner cooking itself while you go about your day? This slow cooker recipe is a perfect time saver and makes more than enough for leftovers for lunch the next day. Ready to whip up one of the #ClassIRecipes? Let us know how it turns out by posting a picture using #ClassIRecipes and tagging the Guard Your Health Facebook page or @ARNGHealth Twitter account. Happy cooking! ### Guard Your Health (www.guardyourhealth.com) is a health and medical readiness campaign for Army National Guard Soldiers and their families sponsored by the Army National Guard Chief Surgeon’s Office. Guard Your Health provides Army National Guard Soldiers with the information, motivation, and support to overcome challenges and make healthy decisions for themselves, their families, and their units. To learn more about improving your health, visit the Guard Your Health website, like “Guard Your Health” on Facebook, and follow @ARNGHealth on Twitter. For tips to max your APFT and stay mission ready, subscribe to FitText, Guard Your Health’s text message program, by texting FIT to 703-997-6747.