A lot of people have a mixed relationship when it comes to cooking. For some people, it appears to be something very relaxing and even a calming experience. But for others, it can seem very chaotic such as food burning, smoke billowing, splatters of oil, and the list can go on and on. A lot of TV shows and movies tend to portray cooking as something fully chaotic and stressful, but then when you watch a cooking tutorial such as those on YouTube, it seems fairly relaxing, right? Are you wanting to know how you can make cooking that easy on yourself?
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Well, the good news is that it can be pretty easy; the main goal for achieving all of this is actually just being prepared. So, whether you’re cooking from scratch or using cooking hacks, here are some different ways to make your cooking routine go a lot easier.
Start Off By Creating a Meal Plan
Some people hate to be constrained by a meal plan, but it can be a real lifesaver. It reduces the stress of having to decide what to cook each evening and will help you to know what you should be taking out of the freezer or putting in the slow cooker each morning. Once you have a meal plan, make an accurate grocery list and stick to it. This will save you money, time and will reduce food waste. So, why do a meal plan? Well, it’s all about knowing and planning what you’re going to make each day, as the end goal for it all is to just make it easier on yourself when it comes to cooking. Plus, meal planning is a great way to cut down on food waste and save time. It also helps you plan healthy meals that are consistent with your nutritional goals.
Always Plan Out Meals Ahead of Time
This goes hand in hand with meal planning. Imagine coming home from a long day and not having to stand in front of the refrigerator at 3 pm wondering what to make for dinner. Instead, you can get everything ready the night before. You don’t need to rummage through the pantry or fridge because you’re going to know exactly what you’re going to eat for the day. Even when it comes to snacks, it’s basically the same thing for that too.
Make a Mie en Place
That’s French for “gather,” and this is something a lot of French chefs and even cooking influencers do. Mise en place is a restaurant concept that helps chefs work quickly and efficiently. It involves preparing and organizing ingredients before starting to cook. This includes washing and cutting vegetables, assembling any dry or wet ingredients, and getting pans and cooking tools ready. It also involves identifying missing ingredients or equipment that might require special preparation.
This way, any missing items can be addressed before they become a problem and a recipe is delayed. It can also help prevent the frustration that can happen when you realize that your knife is missing a blade or that you need another frying pan while something else is already on the stove. Try implementing mise en place at home by pre-chopping your veggies, measuring out ingredients, and setting out a set of appropriately sized bowls. It’s a great way to streamline the kitchen and get dinner on the table faster. If you watch a lot of cooking shows, including those on YouTube, you’re often going to see these there too.
Embrace Leftovers
For a lot of cooks, they’ll just make a large batch of food and then convert at least half of the leftovers into something else, such as creating chili and then using the other half for something like chili dogs, for instance. Using leftovers is one of the best ways to make cooking dinner instantly easier for yourself. This is because you’ll have a starting point for a whole new meal and avoid throwing food away.
You can do this by repurposing your leftovers into a brand-new dish, such as fried rice, soup, tacos, or casseroles. You can also use leftover meat or vegetables to add a different flavor to a salad. To avoid losing track of leftovers, try to store them in clear storage containers so that you can see what is inside of them. This will help you avoid wasting food and can save time on grocery shopping as well. You can also use a slow cooker to create meals that don’t need much attention.
It’s All in the Appliances
Sometimes it’s more about how you cook that can make things easier. Whether you’re wondering about how to make air fryer salmon or how to slow-cook meat in a Crockpot, overall appliances are meant to make cooking easier on you, so it’s something that should be embraced. Just one thing to note is that you should avoid the microwave as it doesn’t bring out flavors in the food all too well.
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