Learning how to cook for yourself can be a daunting task but one we all have to do at some stage in our life. Cooking may seem like a chore because it's a lot of hard work when we can all agree getting a takeaway would be so much easier. But the truth is cooking builds confidence and relieves stress. Eating a healthy, balanced diet can have physical and mental benefits as you transition from childhood to adulthood. Whether you're moving to university or a home of your own, my blog will give you some tips to make the transition to independent cooking smoother.
Plan your meals for the following week.
Planning your meals for the upcoming week can help decrease stress. I mean who doesn't want to come home without having to worry about what's for dinner? By doing this you can save money and time while shopping while reducing your food waste as you only buy what you need. Don't forget it will help balance your nutrition throughout the day! Meal preparation can help you reduce stress as you aren't making a split-second decision about what to eat or feeling rushed while preparing meals.
Stock up on essential items.
Stock up on non-perishable foods like canned items and rice rather than buying food with a short shelf life (especially in bulk). Reflect on the type of food you eat the most to make sure you also have it ready in your house. Take advantage of the supermarket sales and deals to ensure you get the most out of your money. By stocking up on essential items, you reduce food waste and keep an organized meal plan, not to mention making cooking less stressful.
Don't be afraid to use the freezer!
Once you cook for yourself, your freezer becomes your best friend! Frozen fruit and vegetables mean you will always be able to have something healthy in your meals that is nice and fresh. If you make an extra batch you will be able to freeze it for a ready-to-go meal on a day that you don't have the energy to cook. Freezing your meals in batches and portions means you are not wasting food and it is energy efficient for those on a tight schedule or after a long day!
Keep your leftovers.
People often keep their takeaway leftovers but only a few keep their leftovers from normal meals. Leftover vegetables can be used to create a soup or fruit can be turned into a refreshing smoothie. It gives you quick and cheap ideas for a new meal or snack. Every time you repurpose your leftovers, you become more creative and improve your cooking skills as you don't have to directly follow a recipe. Meat can be expensive these days so using the leftover meat for another day can save money in the long run. Instead of getting bored of the same meals the leftovers give you a variety of flavours and tastes.
Have the correct equipment.
Before you even begin cooking you need to have the right equipment. Having lots of lots of pans is unnecessary as the saying quality over quantity has never been truer! Proper cooking systems maintain order and cleanliness in the kitchen, for example, the different chopping board colours for different food types (red for meat and green for vegetables). Safety is important in the kitchen so by having the right knife or pots and pans you increase safety in the kitchen as well as improving your confidence as a chef.
Hopefully, these 5 top tips will help you as you enter your solo cooking journey. Most importantly make cooking fun! Whether that's from having music on in the background to recording mini vlogs, there are no rules on what you can do to make cooking enjoyable for you.
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