Did you know making a dish from scratch not only tastes better, but can also be better for you? Compared to restaurant-prepared or off-the-shelf packaged foods, cooking fresh puts you in the know about what you’re eating and ultimately can lead to many health and personal benefits.

Opt for healthier ingredients: From quality to quantity, you call the shots on what goes into your dish. When following a recipe for chilled pasta salad, for example, you can opt for an olive oil-based mayonnaise rather than one higher in saturated fats, or add additional chopped fresh red pepper or scallions, which ups the fiber and vitamin levels of your dish.

Control the extras: Added salt and sugar may well be on your list of dietary items to reduce. When you make your own freshly prepared dishes, you can control the amount of salt by experimenting with what tastes good—simply start with less than the recipe calls for and then add more if needed. Fresh homemade dessert such as fruit cobbler can also easily be made with less added sugars than often found in bakeries and restaurants.

Use good-for-you cooking methods: When making your own main dishes or sauces, you decide on whether you want to steam or lightly sauté (using less added fat) rather than deep-fat fry or sauté in a layer of oil and butter. Choosing healthier cooking methods ultimately makes for a healthier dish.

Serve yourself sensibly: You control how much goes on your plate, and by scaling down on portion sizes compared to restaurant heaping servings, you can save on calories while still enjoying delicious foods.

Save some money: Take advantage of produce that’s in season (and often costs less) and get the satisfaction of making a delicious dish for less. Making your own dish from fresh ingredients allows you to make extra and save some for later by freezing the leftovers—another way to economize!

Build bonds: Gathering up family or friends and making pizza in a community setting is a fabulous way to spend quality time together, not to mention have fun! Studies show that this style of eating together may in fact help build healthier eating habits, particularly for children.