A messy refrigerator full of food in various stages of rot makes it harder to find what you need, which in turn makes it harder to start cooking. But it’s especially important that you have fun, especially if you’re just starting out. Don’t be overwhelmed with too many recipes, appliances you’ve never used, or cooking techniques you haven’t tried yet.
No matter how much experience you have in the kitchen, there are always little things that can make your life easier. In fact, you’ll probably find that you already know many of the most basic cooking techniques, such as boiling water or frying in a pan. You just need that extra confidence to put your skills into action after years of relying on takeaway menus. You can progress without fancy kitchen equipment or utensils, just a plate, an oven, and a few versatile cookware pieces to get you started. Therefore, on this page, we want to share some cooking principles for beginners on how to get started in the kitchen. We’ve compiled a collection of items covering cooking basics, cooking tips, and home cooking recipes, all broken down into several steps to make things easier for you.
I’m a jerk to add rosemary and garlic powder to everything I do and call it one day. The easiest way to do basic home cooking is to use mixtures of spices and sauces. A good Indian curry or jared enchilada sauce can make even the most basic chicken breast and broccoli meal feel exotic and take no time to prepare. You’ve done all the meal planning and grocery shopping. You know what you’re going to do and you have all the ingredients, but you still have to do the real kitchen. This is the part with which it costs me the most.
That was true before we hid in our place and kept our groceries to a minimum, and now it’s essential. Chicken thighs roasted with salt and olive oil, plus some root vegetables cooked in the same pan? Rice and an egg and maybe some kimchi from the back of your refrigerator?
Whatever my best intentions are, if I get home on a Tuesday night after work, if I don’t have a clear plan to execute that can be completed in minutes, I turn to takeout or frozen pizza. On weekends, or when you have more time to get organized and go shopping, sit down and plan the meals you want to cook for Fried Rice At Home the week. Dust off recipe books, browse extensive recipe collections on sites like Real Simple, or ask your friends about their biggest hits. Then make a shopping list organized by category (e.g., grouped products, dry goods, dairy). This allows you to go through the supermarket in the most efficient way.
Especially if you’re just starting out, cook plenty of food so you can enjoy the leftovers. If time is the biggest obstacle for you to start cooking at home, this is one of the most important steps you can take. If you cook the leftovers, it means you don’t have to cook every day. Mise en place is a French term that literally means ‘to put in your place’.
Cook more meals at home, controlling the amount of oil and butter used, as well as portion sizes. The cost of groceries to prepare a delicious meal in your kitchen is drastically lower than eating in restaurants or takeaway. Do you decide to change screen time for more quality time with your loved ones? Gather around the table with family and friends in the evening for that valuable face-to-face time, made even more intimate with a home-cooked meal.
I hope my 5 cooking tips that every beginner should know will be beneficial for you and other novice cooks. I know you’ll make fantastic meals and learn a lot more tips along the way. Learning to cook is a journey, but you can do it. Finding your way around any kitchen can be an intimidating and time-consuming task. Whether you’re a novice chef or a teacher, there are always more cooking tips to learn that will give you the best dishes to share with friends and family. If you’re trying a dish you rarely prepare or haven’t cooked before, it’s probably a good idea to keep trying your food every step of the way to avoid giving it flavor or too much flavor.