Home Cooking: How Does Your State Stack Up?

Do you cook at home often? Do you think you prepare more meals than your neighbors?
I know I’m pretty cyclical — and I’ve found that to be true among many of my friends, too. When I’m into it, I’m into it and I cook my own meals pretty much every day. I plan it out, I prep, and from there, it’s easy peasy. It’s fun, even! I look forward to spending time in the kitchen — and I look forward to eating the deliciousness I create even more.

via GIPHY
But when I fall out of the habit … well, you know what else is easy?

via GIPHY
I’m not the only one who’s a little bit nosy about how often other people cook — organic pasta brand Artisola recently surveyed 2,000 Americans to learn more about their cooking habits. And the findings? Well, it turns out a lot of us cook at home pretty frequently (68 percent say they cook more than four times a week), but nearly half are tired of making (and eating) the same things over and over.
(Maybe they need to look through a few of these recipes for inspiration, huh?)
Four times a week is a solid cooking commitment, but cooking on the daily is something else, and Artisola looked at which states had the most cooks claiming seven days a week in the kitchen. The 10 states with the highest percentage of everyday meal preppers were:

1. Iowa (44%)
2. Connecticut (42%)
3. Wisconsin (41%)
4. Oklahoma (38%)
5. Arkansas (38%)
6. Rhode Island (38%)
7. Arizona (36%)
8. Missouri (36%)
9. Massachusetts (36%)
10. New Mexico (35%)

You know what I found particularly interesting? New York came in at #20! And yes, I’m aware that there’s much more to the state than just New York City, but of all the New Yorkers I know (and I know a lot), not many of them spend much time with their oven. They love food, and they know a lot about it … they just have so many delicious restaurants and delivery services available.
So, spill — if you had to guess how many days a week you typically cook, what would you say? On a regular week, when I’m not traveling and don’t have company in town, I’d say probably five. Maybe six or seven if you count mixing a bag of pre-chopped salad with some avocado and pepitas. On a week where other things are being thrown into my schedule, though? Umm, not many. —Kristen