Growing up, I was graced with the privilege of having parents that were willing to cook meals for me, despite how picky of an eater I was turning out to be. The first experience of cooking I remember was collecting tomatoes and basil from our tiny garden in the backyard with my cousins during family dinner Sundays, crafting “salads” for our entire family to try. I’m glad to say all of them have lived to tell the tale about how amazing our creations were.
Cut to sophomore year of college, after surviving on the endless buffet that was dining hall food and snacks bought with Munch Money the year prior, I suddenly live in an apartment with a seriously decked-out kitchen. You never realize until you’re on your own how big of a task being responsible for feeding yourself is. That being said, I’ve done plenty of experimenting throughout the years and am happy to report that I’ve learned my lesson and can do much better than potentially poisonous salads made from my family garden. I’m not an expert by any means, but even if you aren’t a college student and are just hoping to learn to cook for yourself, here are five things I would tell someone totally new to the kitchen.
Defeating The Beast
First and foremost, you’ve got to let the kitchen know you aren’t scared of it. If you have no idea how to use the oven, which knob correlates to which burner on the stove, how long to actually cook chicken until it’s safe to eat — don’t worry, I still struggle too — all of that is A-okay. When starting to learn the basics, I half-heartedly looked up videos online for how-to guides of appliances I wanted to try, or the better alternative, and asked my dad how to use everything until he certainly grew sick of me. Nevertheless, the kitchen is your friend, not your foe. Treat it like so!
It definitely depends case-to-case, but there’s no harm in trying things out and burning your cookies to a crisp because you weren’t sure what temp to set the oven at or the difference between bake and convection bake. Get yourself acclimated with the space, even if that may start with the microwave and occasionally boiling water for a box of mac and cheese, as it did for me. It may seem like a maze at first, but as you trudge forward, the hedges will start to look a bit different from each other and you’ll be able to guide yourself out.
Know Your Food Groups
I’m sure we’ve all seen the food pyramid sometime in elementary school, but cooking for yourself means getting all your nutrients in, annoying as it may be. The key is picking out things you know you’ll like one-hundred percent, no matter how you eat them, and then branching out from there. To get all those in, you can always add one group to another if you’d normally eat one alone as a meal. Crafting meals is all about balance. The top five to remember are grains, dairy, vegetables, fruit, and proteins. So, If you can’t fit any grains anywhere in one meal, have some later as a snack. I’ve shocked myself many times with how versatile these groups can be; for example, cheese is a great source for dairy and protein (depending on what kind you pick), and edamame serves as a yummy vegetable and some extra protein.Â
Choosing the right nutritious foods will keep you full for longer and contribute heavily to happier, healthier days. If all else fails, there’s no law against adding things in pre-made meals you like, like having a side of vegetables and some yogurt with a slice of frozen pizza. Being balanced absolutely does not mean being perfect — try things out as you go!
Spice Spice BabyÂ
Okay, you’ve picked out some basics in each food group, but when you try cooking them, it ends up tasting like — nothing? This is where spices and seasonings come in. I’ve got to say, I think I ingest more seasonings than oxygen at this point, but I’ve never been happier. Choosing a seasoning blend that you enjoy will be a total game-changer and will allow you to actually enjoy the things you cook. My personal favorites are garlic salt, plain garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, et cetera, et cetera.
While you can also achieve these flavors with fresh cloves of garlic, onions, and other additives, seasonings are easy to reach for and barely add an extra step to your routine. The best thing about seasonings is that they don’t spoil in a dangerous way like meat or milk, but instead, simply lose their aroma and flavoring over time. Despite the fact that I still have a container of garlic powder from 2016, it still packs that extra punch of flavor when added to essentially all my meals.
It’s Right At My (Attached) Fingertips
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve come insanely close to slicing the tip of a finger off because I didn’t know how to use a knife. Whether it comes to simply slicing an apple, or even strawberries, it’s important to be safe and avoid getting blood in your food. If you’ve never even used a knife before, I wouldn’t worry about some of the more advanced techniques that require you to chop at the speed of light just yet.
First, some bare to the bone recommendations would be to make sure your knife is sharp. A sharp knife is so much safer than a dull one because it requires less force and slips less often. Letting the knife glide through the food will make for a more even and effortless cut. Then, holding the knife. There are multiple methods for this as well, but the one I find the easiest is to hold your bottom three fingers around the handle of the knife, then pinch the sides of the blade just above the handle with your thumb and pointer finger, giving you complete control over what you cut. For your non-dominant hand, curve your fingers inward like a cat claw, hovering them above the food, to protect them from the sharp edge of the knife.
Shelf-Stable Staples
Having a variety of foods so you don’t bore yourself is important, but also, keeping your pantry stocked up can be just as important as the rest of these tips. Especially living next to a college campus, where the power goes out like it’s a full-time job, you don’t want to be left stranded if food in your fridge or freezer gets spoiled. Hence, shelf-stable staples. Pasta, rice, oats, canned goods (beans, chicken, tuna, soup), and freeze-dried vegetables and fruits, will ensure you still have alternative options if something unfortunate happens.
Cooking for yourself in college can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. If you want to heat up a packet of ramen every night, or if you want to regularly cook up a five-course meal for yourself and all your friends, I hope these tips will satiate your questions and your stomachs!Â