Preparing your own meals can help you take charge of your health. Here’s how to cook tasty, nutritious food for one person. . . . One of the easiest ways to improve your mental and physical health is by preparing more meals at home. Cooking for yourself gives you greater control over the ingredients in your meals, enabling you to cut down on the additives and calories often loaded into takeout and convenience food. Improving your diet with simple, healthy home-cooked meals can also help you lower your risk for serious illness, boost your energy, sharpen your mind, lose weight, and improve how you manage stress, anxiety and depression.