Cooking is a great, inexpensive way to spend time with your family. It’s also a terrific way to learn about different cultures and try new foods. But cooking can be intimidating, too: it requires ingredients that may not always be readily available; many people don’t know how or when to use certain tools and appliances, and you might feel like you’re spending all this money on things that will never get used again! Here are some awesome tips for tackling the kitchen with confidence.
1) Get Some Useful Small Kitchen Appliances
Small kitchen appliances like a handheld mixer or a blender can make your time around the kitchen so much easier. Who wants to carry out a big bulky appliance when you can grab one that is lightweight and easy to use? For example, you want to make a smoothie. The best Vitamix alternatives for smoothies are blenders that can come in handy in just about any cooking situation. So, if you have a blender, use it! Blenders are perfect for making delicious smoothies or shakes. You can throw almost any fruit or vegetable in, and they will turn into a tasty drink. If you don’t have a blender, you can also buy frozen fruit-blend popsicles at the store that are great too!
Make sure to buy quality knives that will stay sharp for as long as possible. You may think that this will come at an expensive cost, but it doesn’t have to be expensive to be of good quality! Brands like Shun and Wusthof offer great knives at fair prices.
When cooking meats, don’t forget the stand mixer! You could debone pork tenderloin by hand with a pair of kitchen shears, but what a pain! It’s so much easier to set the mixer to level 4 and let it do its thing. The best part about these appliances, though, is how easily they clean up. That’s right – scratch-resistant material makes cleanup a breeze! If you’re ever having trouble with a malfunctioning appliance, you can consider reaching out to appliance repair specialists for assistance.
2) Set Up An Inventory
List what you have in your kitchen right now before going shopping, so you know what needs replenishing. This takes a little bit of time upfront but saves time later by helping prevent impulse purchases from items that already exist at home! With this tip, you can go to the grocery store and know exactly what you need, rather than end up with loads of food that will go to waste or be forgotten about.
List all your must-buy items before grocery shopping so that you are only buying the things you need for this week. This helps reduce any impulsive purchases and gives you a clear list of essentials! Avoiding overbuying is essential to keeping your grocery shopping budget low, making it easier for future weeks to eat healthily on a budget.
3) Use An Oven Thermometer
Make sure your oven is actually heating to the correct temperature. Ovens can be very unreliable, so it’s good policy to double-check that it’s at the right heat before putting in food that will take several hours to cook or bake.
Let your food thaw before putting it in the oven. This may seem like common sense, but for some reason, the idea of cooking frozen food is very popular, even though it can lead to disasters in the kitchen. If your meat isn’t defrosted all the way, you’ll wind up with a burnt exterior and an undercooked interior, even if you follow whatever recipe you’re using to the letter!
4) Get Creative With Cutting Vegetables
The ways you can cut vegetables are far-reaching. One of the most common ways to cut vegetables is by using a knife. The important thing to remember when using a knife is the angle at which you are slicing. You need to slice parallel to the cutting board! You could also use a mandolin for this, but I find that they can be dangerous due to their sharpness. Vegetables can also be sliced with shears, such as kitchen shears or safety scissors. These tools are great for smaller children who want to help with kitchen duties but do not have any adult supervision.
Use cookie cutters, fun molds (like this dinosaur egg cooker if you want to add some whimsy while you cook), or even safety scissors for small children! You can make any vegetable into a new shape and make meals more exciting for everyone.
There you have it – four easy tips that will help make your cooking adventures more manageable. Try using these tips next time you’re whipping up something delicious – we promise that they’ll come in handy! And don’t forget: a kitchen is an exciting place, but it can also be tough to navigate around sometimes. Have fun!
