15 Reasons You Need To Learn How To Cook, Seriously

We go through great lengths here at HuffPost Taste to discover the best recipes and newest cooking techniques for you guys to try at home. We are endlessly searching for dishes that will pique our readers interest, without ever stopping to ask ourselves a fundamental question: how many of you out there actually cook (and how many of you are just in it for the food porn)?

While it's one thing to be able to whip up a four-course meal at a moments notice -- that's a skill we don't expect from anyone but the best of chefs -- we do hope that everyone one of you can at least make a decent pot of soup, a nice bowl of pasta and a solid batch of chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Knowing how to do these very basic kitchen tasks will make your life so much better, for so many different reasons -- about 15 of them to be exact.

If you've been meaning to test out your stove for the first time, but have been procrastinating for no good reason, read on and you might find just the inspiration you need to finally do so. You'll probably also learn that cooking can be pretty fun too.

Behold, the 15 ways learning how to cook will make your life even better:

You'll have the advantage of knowing exactly what's in your food

Flickr: Andrea Goh

No more Swedish horse meatballs for you.

You won't have to decide between cheap Chinese or pizza delivery for dinner ever AGAIN

Flickr: femme run

Unless you want to. But it will be a choice, not a punishment.

You can bake people cakes for their birthday, and make them infinitely happy

Sweetapolita

Just look at these great cakes you'll be able to make.

You'll be eating healthier without even trying

Flickr: tarale

Or you can go the other direction and drown everything in butter. Up to you. (But even then, chances are it'll be better for you than what you can get at a restaurant.)

Your friends and family will be SO impressed

James Ransom/Food52

Even when you just roast vegetables. (BTW, this takes about zero skill to make.)

Everyone at work will LOVE you because you bring in freshly-baked cookies

Sara Remington

You can win anyone over with a thousand-layer chocolate chip cookie recipe. You could probably even score yourself a promotion.

You'll save so much money

Flickr: 401(K) 2013

Cooking at home isn't always cheap, but it will always be cheaper than eating out. Over the course of a year, you could probably save up enough to go on a vacation.

You can finally stop buying instant ramen

Flickr: mdid

It was okay in college, but if you're still doing this in your late 20s it's getting to be kind of sad. It's time to grow up, and learn how to make a real pot of soup.

You'll develop knife skills so good you'll intimidate even the fiercest ninja

Flickr: Björn Söderqvist

Like whoa.

You can satisfy your every craving

Flickr: andrewmalone

Want crepes? Whip up a batch. Have a yearning for eggs benedict? Go ahead and start beating those eggs yolks. Need a piece of blueberry pie right now? Just bake one (or two). Knowing how to cook means you'll never go without great food again.

Cooking is kind of hot

Flickr: vanz

And knowing how to do it is an easy way to score a date or two.

You can make this

A Beautiful Mess

It's time to put the Kraft down people, and pay some respects to real macaroni and cheese.

And this

Yes, all those wonderful layers of crepe cake can be yours if you just make yourself useful in the kitchen.

And THIS

James Ransom/Food52

Yes, you could make this. Pork belly is definitely worth learning to cook for. Get this pork belly recipe, and more.

AND ABOUT A MILLION OF THESE

How Sweet it Is

Homemade snickers trumps store-bought any day. Make it, you'll see. If nothing we've said before convinced you that cooking can improve your life, one taste of these will definitely make you see the light.

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