I remind you often how important it is to you and your family to spend some serious time in the kitchen preparing your own food, if you want to optimize your health and live longer. A new study describes how young adults who make their own meals often eat healthier diets than those who spend no time in the kitchen.

Researchers polled more than 1,700 adults between ages 18-23 about their food shopping and cooking habits. To the good, patients with the most involvement in preparing their own meals were less apt to rely on fast food and more often met specific guidelines established by the U.S. government's Healthy People 2010 program. And, women were more likely to prepare at least one home cooked meal a week (56 percent) and almost half of them made meals for at least two people.

To the not-so-good, only 31 percent of the respondents who prepared their meals consumed at least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables and a fourth believed they couldn't afford to buy and prepare their own meals either.

Fact is, you can afford to buy healthier foods, even on a budget, in the real world with some careful shopping and preparation. Also, take a few moments to review this link to find more sources of wholesome foods in your area.