In this fast-paced world, the convenience of a drive-through dinner can be hard to resist. Still, 82% of the meals consumed by Americans in 2018 were prepared in the comfort of their own kitchens. With greater access to simple recipes via the internet and popular cooking shows on television, Americans appear to be finding the ease of cooking at home more appealing.

The health benefits are difficult to ignore, especially considering that a majority of American diets exceed the recommended amount of added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium. Cooking at home makes it much easier to control what goes into our bodies, rather than leaving it up to chance at a fast food restaurant—where consumers are off by about 650% when estimating the amount of salt in their meal. Almost everyone in the U.S. could use a little break from the sodium and preservatives that often accompany going out to eat. Nevertheless, it can be hard to refuse cheap, accessible food that delivers instant gratification and nostalgia.

LOOK: Here are copycat recipes from 20 of the most popular fast food restaurants in America

More From 101.9 KING-FM