According to a recent study published in Cambridge University's Public Health Nutrition journal, people who cook at home five or more days each week are almost 50% more likely to live 10 years longer than those who eat restaurant food for most of their meals.

Over the course of 10 years, researchers followed the eating habits of 1 888 test subjects over the age of 65, and even controlled for other factors that can affect longevity like gender and health factors.

Researchers think that not only were home cooks eating healthier, but the act of shopping for food and cooking itself helped keep them well.

The South African Sugar Association shares some of their tips for making home cooking simple and practical.

TIPS

• Involve your family in cooking and shopping. It makes the whole experience more pleasurable, you will get to spend quality time with your family and your fussy eater will probably show more interest in eating food they helped to prepare.

• Cook for leftovers. Stews, casseroles and curries freeze very well. Cook in bulk, separate into portion sizes and freeze.

• Have tinned pureed tomatoes, tinned beans for a quick meal.

• Cook basmati rice in place of normal rice. Basmati rice cooks quicker and is healthier too!

• Fish and chicken need minutes to prepare and are a healthier option to red meat, which takes longer to cook.

• Have the right tools. Invest in a sharp knife and a good non-stick frying pan. You will be surprised at how much easier it is to chop vegetables with a sharp knife.

• Frozen vegetables are excellent for quick stir fries as these vegetables are picked at their prime ripeness and are packed with vitamins and minerals

• Cook a jacket potato in the microwave for five minutes and top it with tinned tuna and cream style sweet corn for a hearty, healthy meal.

• Plan, plan, plan. Sit down and think about what you’d like to eat for the week. Choose a few recipes and write yourself a grocery list.

Look for recipes online to get you started and later you can invest in a recipe book.

Image: Yuri Arcurs/Shutterstock.com