While there's certainly nothing wrong with cooking for your pets, it's suddenly reached top-of-the-pile because of the recent pet-food scare. Which is SO typical. Lots of people running around bumping into each other before they know the whole story.
This does NOT mean that everyone on the planet needs to start cooking for their pets, & it DEFINITELY IS something that can't be entered into lightly. Tossing some veggies, chicken or beef, & rice together does NOT constitute a balanced diet - yet some folks seem to think it does.
Before you start cooking for your dogs & cats, you DEFINITELY need to consult with your veterinarian, purchase vitamin/mineral supplements, & know for a FACT what constitutes a balanced diet. You can't just go by what's posted on the internet or the books that are now flooding the market on "making your own pet food". Use some common sense.
I had to cook for one of my dogs for 2 years, & there is a LOT more to it than what a lot of people would have you believe. Just because your pet stays alive via your home-cooked diet doesn't automatically mean it's the best thing for it.
In fact, there was a bit on the news yesterday where several vets were interviewed & pointedly said that if people want to cook for their pets until this situation is resolved, that's fine. They also said, however, that if people plan this as a lifelong thing, they need to contact their vet & be prepared for a lot more than tossing some meat, veggies, & rice together.