Over the past few decades, there’s been a well-documented shift in our attitudes toward cooking. No longer are we preparing meals from scratch – we’re instead, more than ever, ordering food from the local takeaway, or making do with a ready-meal. In many cases, the demands of our working and social lives prevent us from doing anything else. A recent survey from Hammonds fitted furniture revealed that a quarter of Brits are incapable of making beans on toast, and that four in ten can’t cook an omelette.
If you’re budget-conscious, then this can be a source of pressure. Catering to an entire household using ready meals and takeaway is going to be an expensive business. And it’ll also be an unhealthy one, as you’ll be at the mercy of all the added salts, trans-fats, and high-fructose corn syrup used by manufacturers to make ready-meals palatable.
If you don’t know where to start with cooking, then it can be difficult to make the transition. Let’s look at a few worthwhile tips and in no time, you will be cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
Cook from Scratch
If you’re cooking everything from scratch, then you know exactly what’s going into every meal. That means no surprises. Certain meals are extremely forgiving – start by chopping and browning some onions, and then start throwing in garlic and tomato puree. Before you know it you’ll have made a bolognaise. A roast dinner, curry, pizza, spaghetti bolognaise, and shepherd’s pie were named as the top 5 dishes in the UK, according the Hammonds survey. Therefore, learning to cook these from scratch will give you a good set of go to dishes.
Eat more Vegetables
Switching the balance toward vegetables and away from animal protein will be good for your waistline as well as your bank account. Pulses, broccoli and nuts are all worthwhile alternatives – experiment and find a recipe that you and your family enjoy.
Cook in Bulk
Invested some time in making a single large meal, and you’ll be able to enjoy leftovers for lunch throughout the week. If you can get twenty portions out of a single stew, soup or chili-con-carne, then even a considerable investment can be affordable.
Eat Smaller Portions
Most of us pile too much onto the plate at any given time. By dividing a meal into smaller portions, you’ll be able to make it stretch further, and to cut down on those calories at the same time.
Eliminate Waste
Buying frozen vegetables will help you to avoid throwing them away. The same applies to chilled ones that you might find in the reduced aisle. Stick them in the freezer the moment you get home, and enjoy them at leisure.
Shop for Cheaper Brands
In many cases, you might find it difficult to tell the difference between the food labelled as economy and the food labelled as premium. Just because something is packaged in black and gold doesn’t mean it’s high-quality. If you’re unsure, then just make the change and see if anyone in the house notices. The chances are good that they won’t, because the two products are often identical.