If you think American cooking means opening a package and throwing the contents into the microwave oven  , think again. On the one hand, it's true that many Americans have cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant   dinners. From busy homemakers to working people, many Americans enjoy the convenience   of fast food that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans realize the importance of cooking skills. Parents -- especially mothers -- see the importance of training their children -- especially daughters. Most Americans think that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. _ . Probably every cook has his or her own way of cooking. But there are some basic skills that most people follow. For example, baking is a main method   of preparing food in America. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks pay special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal they try to include meat, a few vegetables, some bread and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal. For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are a great help. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together. Many Americans have cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant dinner because   _  .
they like instant food very much they don't like cooking at all most American working people are busy and don't have time to cook fast food is delicious and it usually contains a lot of vitamins