Cooking is a great hobby to get into, however with 25% of Brits saying they feel too overworked to cook, and 51% spending less than 30 minutes on their home cooked meals, it’s not unreasonable to conclude that a good proportion of the British public aren’t too passionate about cooking.
Without the correct skills, the meals you produce may be disappointing and put you off cooking at home. Instead, you may turn to ready meals, takeaways or eating out, which can rack up the pennies and the calories.
Cooking is a great skill to invest in if you want to make better and healthier meals. For others, cooking may simply be a fun hobby – it can provide you with the time to relax by yourself or socialize with friends by hosting a dinner party.
Now that doesn’t mean you have to overspend. You just need to keep track of your spending. You can also make some significant savings if you stick to easy budget friendly recipes.
Whatever your prerogative, here are our top tips on how to improve the meals you cook from home.
Ingredients
By simply switching to fresh and healthy produce as opposed to store cupboard items, you can transform your meals. Small independent greengrocers often have an excellent selection of high-quality produce which will set your meals apart from the rest. Not only will they taste better, but you’re also helping out local businesses.
Having good ingredients doesn’t mean that you have to break the bank. However, there are a few items that we recommend purchasing. For example, the real Parmigiano–Reggiano will fare better than a generic hard cheese, giving your meal that wow-factor.
Equipment
The type of equipment you use will make a huge difference to the quality of your meals. Additionally, having a nice set of kitchenware can motivate you to start cooking more often.
Ensure you’re using the correct equipment for the job. For example, if you have a small blunt knife, invest in a large chef’s knife to speed up your chopping. If your pans are all old and rusty, replace them with a non-stick wok to prevent burning food while cooking meals like stir-fry’s.
Seasoning
Seasoning is a process many people may disregard by viewing it is as unnecessary or optional. However, without seasoning, your food can end up bland.
When cooking meat, it’s a great idea to season it before cooking to let it absorb the flavours. Try to season at each stage when cooking a meal rather than at the end. This means that all the flavours can come together and no part will be lacking in flavour.
Finally, try and experiment with your seasonings. You may initially follow recipes, but as you discover new spices and herbs you can begin to put your own twist on them.
Learning
If you are really struggling to cook at home because you are unsure on how to actually do it, dedicate some time to watching cooking tutorials on YouTube on TikTok. These often showcase fun and easy recipes which are easy to replicate at home.
You may also consider signing up to a cooking class which will equip you with all the essential skills, whilst also acting as a fun activity to do with a friend or partner.
Happy cooking!
Stewart Thurlow
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