Food and money share several things in common. They are a valuable resource for survival but can also be used for self-indulgence. If you want to get the benefits of both at the same time, you’re probably looking for great food and grocery store deals and recipes to try.
Eating less and making your own food at home might be a life changer for the better. But maybe it won’t feel that way if you’re feeling exhausted and stuck in the kitchen. Rest assured! You can avoid that dilemma.
Here are ways for you to cook the best food without wasting your time and energy…. or food.
Take time to reorganize and organize your kitchen
This step may take time, muscle, and money. But your future self will thank you. Cluttered and poorly placed equipment/utensils make the cooking process slower and more opportunities for accidents to occur.
Set aside free time for serious cleaning. Remove disgusting residue from your kitchen that discourages you from accessing certain areas. Make sure your equipment is not arranged in a way that is dangerous or prevents you from reaching important tools. Increase open space on the floor and on your worktops.
Get rid of obsolete and redundant equipment, and make sure you have a set of reliable but versatile tools such as mixers, measuring cups, spoons and bowls to work with.
‘Mise en place’ what you need
When each ingredient is measured and arranged logically like in a cooking video, it’s no wonder the cooking process can feel so fast. There is a term for this: misplaced is French for “set in place.”
This is why it’s important to have a reliable set of tools and plates to measure the ingredients. While you may gawk at the initial time spent on setup and final cleanup, mise en pace will stop you from having to constantly run back and forth. You’re also less likely to accidentally miss something and ruin your meal.
Complete some background tasks while preparing ingredients
Boiling (and to a lesser extent heating a pan with oil) is a background task that you have to do while doing anything else. Adjust the heat. The higher you set it, the quicker you need to work before adding anything that needs to be boiled (or fried). Remember to check these tasks every once in a while.
Clean and check a few things while everything is cooking
If the cooking process is long enough, pre-clean what you can. Fill used and dirty dishes and utensils with soapy water. Be creative and find ways to be one step ahead. Rearrange the items you will eventually need to make them more accessible.
Take out the trash and clean up after any splashes you make. Set the table. Double check your steps. Transfer items back to the fridge. Prepare tupperware and space to store any leftovers that might be there. Can you do a taste test? Maybe get input from the people you cook with.
Talking about people….
Cook more than one
Arguably you’ll have more freedom with ingredients and proportions when you have more people. Most recipes assume you’re not just cooking for yourself and are also much easier to follow. Would you like to make a contribution to a larger potluck style dinner?
Will everyone eat their fill and help you save tupperware? Or can your fridge hold enough portions to last you (and maybe other people) for a few nights? Possible drawbacks include using more ingredients and greater pressure to get everything done.
Plus, you don’t have much to lose if you can cook well without spending too much time!
Cook with more than one!
If you have a friend, family member, or lover willing to act as your sous chef or errand boy, the process will move quickly, as long as the banter or mischief that ensues doesn’t slow you down.
But hey, even that might not be so bad if you’re worried about cooking taking up your free and social time. Sometimes, the fun and relaxation comes from the cooking moment itself.
Oh, and take a deep breath
Don’t expect yourself to do everything at lightning speed. Start at a comfortable pace while incorporating as many of these tips as possible. Give yourself time to think and center yourself.
With consistent practice, you will cultivate good habits and naturally become a faster and better cook.
