This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Concordia CA chapter.
After spending the day at school or work, taking the time to cook a good meal when you get home can seem like a miserable idea. It’s easy to fall into the expensive habit of buying take-out every night, or the unhealthy habit of eating only pasta. Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore though. Whether it’s breakfast or dinner, there are simple things you can do to ensure your meals are balanced, tasty and enjoyable to make. Here are four ways you can avoid a plain pasta diet and learn to love cooking as much as you love eating:
- Meal prep: Take an hour or two every week to prep your food for the upcoming days. Stock your fridge with things like pre-cooked rice and chopped-up veggies. Having the bulk of the work done before it comes time to actually cook the meal will make cooking quick and doable, even on the nights when you’re extra tired or busy.
- Slow cookers: There is nothing quite like having a warm meal ready for you when you get home. Slow cookers cook at a low heat for a long period of time. This means you can set a soup or stew to cook in the morning and have it ready to eat by the time you get home for dinner. You can find slow cookers for under $25 at Canadian Tire.
- Make breakfast the night before: The only thing harder than getting up for a morning class is getting up early enough to squeeze in breakfast beforehand. In anticipation of this, food like overnight oats can are a great go-to. Overnight oats can be quickly prepared the night (in a jar with milk) and easily thrown in your bag as you rush out the door the next morning. Breakfasts that can be entirely prepared the night before are super convenient and will ensure you eat the most important meal of the day.
- Find recipes: The best incentive for cooking a meal is having one you actually want to make. Try looking up recipes online that use the specific ingredients you already have lying around to save money and time. Websites like Pinterest and even Tumblr are great for finding new ways to cook the same food. Once you find a recipe you actually want to make, you’ll be much more motivated to put in the time.