Does the thought of meal planning ruin your day? You don’t have to live this way! We’ve compiled a few tips that will take the “chore” out of cooking and turn it into a treat.
Get the Gear
Kitchen appliances and utensils can make or break the entire cooking experience. If your spatula just can’t flip things the way you need it to, stovetop meals will be a struggle. Don’t settle for any old tool in your kitchen. Instead, invest in some new kitchenware. Colorful pots or high-quality baking pans will help change the game! And don’t be afraid of appliances that could save you time, like an air fryer or Instant Pot.
Adventurous Produce
A trip to the grocery store? What a bore. But a farmer’s market? Cute and exciting! Fresh local produce will level up any old recipe. Plus, it’s fun to talk to the farmers and hear about where your food is coming from.
Explore Culture Via Food
We have an amazing resource that grants us unlimited access to worldwide cultures: the internet! Browse the web for some authentic recipes and get familiar with some new cultures via food. Try searching YouTube for an interactive cooking experience led by someone straight out of the culture you’re studying. Need some ideas? Start with Italian, Korean, Mediterranean, or Spanish recipes.
Work Together
Sharing a kitchen is a serious bonding experience and is easier for all parties involved, especially during preparation and cleanup. Invite over a date or drag your roommate along. Pick out a recipe together, head to the store for the ingredients, then whip it up in the kitchen. Pay attention to each other as you cook (instead of your phones), and you might even pick up some cool kitchen hacks.
Turn to Themes
There’s so much pressure to plan meals that we often fall back on making the same few options. Why not try themes like Taco Tuesday or Pizza Friday?! Draft up a few choices that fit into each category and swap between them each week. Now planning is easy, and there’s plenty of variety. When you get bored, switch up your themes!
Cooking doesn’t have to make you want to pull your hair out. Why let cooking be a chore when it can be fun?