Life after high school can be hard. It’s full of change: your environment is no longer the same, classes are a lot more challenging, and most importantly, food will never taste as good as your mom’s cooking. Welcome to adulthood. Not many people are born a chef, but with the right tools and techniques it will only be a matter of time before your mom asks you for some help in the kitchen. Before you decide to live off of just Hot Pockets and Easy Mac, here are some skills you need to know.
Courtesy: The Huffington Post
1. Cooking is a lot easier than you think
Just like everything in life, practice makes perfect. It would be no surprise if you were to burn your first meal—no one is going to judge you! Do not let yourself be discouraged; you live and you learn. While you have a counter filled with ingredients and a stove that you probably don’t know how to use, you also have your trusty pal, Google. Luckily, gourmet recipes can be found online and while it won’t compare to your mom’s home cooked meal, it’ll sure come in at a close second. The feeling of accomplishment you’ll get after making your first meal has no price. You will soon become that person you hate on Instagram that takes pictures of their food, and you’ll catch yourself sending them to your family and friends to brag about how “adult” you are.
2. Never go grocery shopping while you’re hungry
If you go grocery shopping while on an empty stomach, you might end up just purchasing the entire store. Your hunger will take over, and it will dictate what items you buy. Once you get home you’ll realize that it was just your empty stomach playing tricks on you, and now you have an empty wallet. A great way to make sure that you stay on your budget is by making a list of the things you need, and most importantly, sticking to it. If you have roommates, you may want to go shopping together and split the bill. This can make cooking more fun and it will keep your wallet a lot happier.
3. Pasta is your best friend
Pasta is probably the easiest and quickest meal to prepare. You can never go wrong with pasta, and it’s also almost impossible to burn. My favorite thing about this meal is that there is so much you can do with it. You can spice things up by trying out different sauces. You can also add different toppings, such as chicken, spinach and even broccoli. Pasta can be fun because it comes in different shapes and sizes. You can always try something new, and you can guarantee that it will always taste great.
4. You do not need to eat meat every day
While meat can be more expensive than other sources of protein, and not entirely healthy to eat all the time, there are other alternatives to substitute red meat. Eggs, peanut butter and beans are a great source of protein and fiber. These alternatives can also be a lot faster to cook than meat. For your own benefit, you should learn to love eggs. You can cook scrambled or fried eggs, and you can even turn them into an omelet. The best part is that they go well with just about anything. By using other sources of protein, you are adding variety into your daily diet. Eating the same thing can get tiring. There is also nothing wrong with adding vegetarian meals into your diet. Don’t be afraid to try new things that you wouldn’t normally eat at home. Have fun with your cooking.
5. Make friends with your freezer
Your freezer will always be there for you. It is your friend, not your foe. If you made a large meal and are afraid that your leftovers will go bad, you can trust your friend, the freezer, and store them in there. This will save you from cooking when you are stressed around midterms, and they will taste as good as the day you made them. You can also store food that you’d otherwise throw away. By storing bread in the freezer, you stop it from going bad. You can buy frozen food and make smoothies to regain some energy on a long day.