I cook dinner for my family six nights a week, and I've noticed that pre-packaged sauces and spice mixes save time but often hide a lot of sodium and sugar. My kids love the sweet teriyaki from a bottle, but when I make it from scratch with less honey and more ginger, they actually eat it without complaint. So my question is: is cooking from scratch really worth the extra effort for busy parents, or is it okay to lean on convenience foods as long as we're making an effort elsewhere? I've read conflicting studies, some saying home-cooked meals are healthier regardless of ingredients, others pointing out that the act of cooking matters more than what's in the dish. Honestly, I'm leaning towards scratch cooking being better, but I'm not sure if that's just guilt talking after a long day at work.