Cooking at home is a skill that every Homemaker needs to grow in. It is a skill that will serve you for the rest of your life!
AND LET ME TELL YOU… it is okay if you do not know how to cook or if you don’t like to cook. Once you learn basic cooking skills and you successfully cook a few meals, I promise you, you will fall in love with cooking!
I didn’t know how to cook AT ALL before I got married. Frozen Pizza, Dino Nuggets, Frozen Breakfasts, & takeout were my go-to (still are sometimes!).
Cooking is a skill that needs to be learned and a skill that takes time to develop. Your palate requires time to distinguish flavors, figure out what is lacking from a dish, when to add more salt, and when to back off a tick or two!
What are the benefits of Cooking at Home?
The top 3 benefits of cooking at home
Healthier Ingredients
When you start cooking at home, you become more mindful of what ingredients you are consuming. Healthier ingredients lead to better overall health and well-being. You can also control how much and how little of something you want in a dish.
Knowing exactly what ingredients are in your food can lead to better nutritional value in your meals, regulating your blood sugar, better digestive health, better mood, and mental well-being. Another thing you will notice is that your energy levels might increase, and this is because you’re not adding the extra junk ingredients that are in store-bought ready-to-eat meals or at certain restaurants.
Your skin health will also thank you for introducing healthier ingredients to your home-cooked meals (;
Saving Money
2023 is the year when everything costs you two arms and a leg, maybe even a kidney. But cooking at home can help you save money!
You can create multiple recipes with just a few ingredients and a well-established budget. You’ll slowly start ditching DoorDash or any meal delivery service that charges you more than your take-out order.
Quality Time
We all need quality time in our lives, and cooking at home can make that happen.
You’re essentially killing two birds with one stone.
It’s a great time to bond with your significant other while cooking meals together, and it’s another great way to include your kiddos as well. Be advised there will be a mess later, more than likely, BUT it’s well worth the quality time and memories you start building with those in your household!
How to Start Cooking at Home?
The Best ways to start cooking at home
Simple Recipes
First and foremost, in order to develop your cooking skills, is by starting with simple recipes. Recipes with a few ingredients and a few steps are the best way to start and to be able to build your confidence in cooking. Crockpot meals are always the go-to, especially for new cooks, busy mommas, and working mommas; literally, crockpot meals just benefit anyone.
10 Examples of Simple Dinner Recipes:
- Shrimp or Chicken Alfredo
- Mississippi Pot Roast
- Honestly, Any Roast
- Spaghetti
- Chicken Caesar Salad
- Breakfast for dinner
- Sheet Pan Meals
- Shepards Pie
- Salmon w/ Asparagus & Mashed potatoes
- Mexican Enchiladas
- Stuffed Shells
Planning Your Meals
The BEST TIP I learned about cooking is it’s WAY LESS stressful when I know what I am going to cook. It will also decrease the chances of just throwing in the towel and ordering takeout.
And that’s where Planning Your Meals comes into effect. At the beginning of the week, come up with a few meals you would like to make. You can go as far as planning each day individually, but I must say that sometimes what you’ll be craving that week might change, which is completely okay!
Come up with at least six meals (I always recommend having one day off for your sanity) that are easy to make and include a good protein source, carbs, and fats.
Kitchen Essential Cookware
You don’t need a kitchen setup like Gordon Ramsey to bust out some great meals, but you need a few basic utensils.
Kitchen Essential List
- Knife Set
- 1 Good Cookbook
Basic Ingredients
Now that you have your basic kitchen essentials, you need a few basic ingredients that should always be in your pantry.
14 Basic Pantry Staples
- A Good Oil (A cheap one for frying & A Pricery one for other)
- Marinara Sauce
- Rice
- Pasta
- Beans
- Flour
- Sugar & Brown Sugar
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder
- Yeast
- Chicken Broth & Stock
- Beef Broth
10 Basic Cooking Spices for Beginners
- Sea Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano
- Red Pepper Flakes
Taste as You go
Tasting as you cook your meal will help you develop your palate and make flavor and ingredient adjustments before it’s too late. Again, it will take time to determine what exactly is missing from your dish.
Be Patient
Cooking requires lots of patience. Somedays, what you cook will taste questionable, while others, you will be surprised with what you came up with. Soon, you will be able to come up with recipes on your own or modify recipes to your liking!
Conclusion: Cooking at Home
Cooking at Home requires a lot of practice, patience, and planning! In time, you will see the fruits of your labor. You will also feel much better eating quality ingredients and eating the right portion size for yourself! Your skin, health, mental, and physical well-being will thank you, as well as your family!
