Cooking, Culture, and Care: A Critical Review of the Decline of Home Cooking and Its Implications for Health, Family and Society

This review critically examines the global decline of home cooking and its far-reaching consequences for nutrition, family cohesion, cultural identity, mental health, and social equity. Drawing upon quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research, the paper situates cooking at the intersection of health, cultural transmission, emotional labour, and psychological well-being. Evidence shows that regular home cooking is associated with improved diet quality, reduced obesity risk, greater family bonding, and enhanced happiness, with many participants describing it as a source of mindfulness and stress relief. At the same time, feminist and sociological critiques caution against romanticising foodwork, highlighting how the burdens of cooking remain unevenly distributed by gender, class, and time poverty. Synthesising current scholarship, this review argues that cooking must be reframed as a socially embedded practice shaped by structural inequalities rather than as an individual moral responsibility. Policy directions include subsidising fresh produce, expanding culinary education, promoting gender equity in domestic labour, and integrating cooking into public health interventions. Ultimately, the decline of home cooking is not only a nutritional issue but also a cultural, psychological, and relational challenge. Reviving it requires systemic supports, theoretical sensitivity, and cultural inclusivity rather than nostalgic appeals.