I am in my sophomore year in college and I no longer have a meal plan. So I have acquired a new “hobby” I guess you could call it, and that is cooking!
In high school, I used to make lunch for my siblings and I. It typically ranged from PB and Js, chicken caesar salads, turkey and cheese sandwiches and some snacks. I would throw in some fresh fruit, pretzels, cheese and crackers, and granola bars. So, I guess you could say that I do not have a ton of experience with cooking.Â
When I realized that I would be cooking for myself, I immediately turned to my mom for help. I asked her to help me grocery shop and print out some of my favorite recipes that she uses.Â
There are many things that I have learned about cooking for myself in this past month.
Learn the basics.Â
- Just by doing a simple Google or YouTube search, you can find many different videos teaching you the basics of cooking.
- There are different ways to cook different foods, so it’d be useful to have some background knowledge before diving into it.
- Along with cooking methods, there are different techniques that you shall learn too. For instance, cutting and measuring.
Equipment.
- As for what you’ll need, you don’t have to go too crazy, but you will definitely need some basic equipment.
- You’re going to need some pots and pans, plates and bowls, cutting boards, and utensils.
It is all about planning.
- Don’t buy food just to buy it. Have a set list of what you need/want before going into the grocery store.Â
- Plan out your meals for the week. Try and find recipes with similar ingredients so that you don’t have to keep on buying different items.
Start small.
- Go ahead and search up beginner recipes. There are so many things that you can make as a newbie!
- Keep in mind that you are only cooking for yourself so you will not need to make a whole bunch. Unless you are meal prepping which I will get into next.
Meal prepping.
- It is a great idea to prepare meals and snacks! I find it super convenient especially because I am a student athlete and often am in a time crunch. It also comes in handy for those days where I don’t feel like cooking.Â
It takes practice.Â
- Don’t be discouraged if things don’t always turn out the way you expect. This is a learning experience so mistakes will be made. Learn from your mistakes and try again!
Hopefully you can take some of these key points with you and put them to good use! Cooking can be tricky, but also very fun.Â
Some of my favorite foods to make for breakfast: oatmeal, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, potatoes and eggs, avocado toast
Lunch/dinner favs: chicken/salmon rice bowls, black bean quesadillas, feta pasta, street tacos, bolognese
I hope to strengthen my cooking skills throughout this school year and encourage you to do the same!