Cooking Noob

yuuen
yuuen Posts: 114 Member
in Recipes
Help! I don't want to be someone who dies of a heart attack before 30, so it's time to stop it with all the crappy junk and fast food I've been eating and get better about prepping my own food. Problem is, I'm terrible unless it comes in a box (and even if it does lol).

Anyone got quick, easy ideas for meals and snacks?

Also, I'm keenly interested in recipes that I can cook on weekends and save for reheating throughout the week.

Replies

  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    this website doesn't have nutritional info on the recipes, but they are pretty easy (and cheap!): www.budgetbytes.com
    Good luck!
  • yuuen
    yuuen Posts: 114 Member
    Thanks! I'm sure a little common sense will go a long way with that issue. Just switch out ingredients and such.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    I buy chicken breast on sale. Marinade it, cook it, weigh it, and freeze it in individual portions of 3 oz. perfect for lunches or adding to meals

    Eggs. Keep hard boiled ones around if you like them.

    I suggest brown rice for the cooking newbies. From dry is best and cheapest. But the kind in the pouch is really good.
    Lentils are really easy to cook if you like them. Thy are also very easy to sprout.

    Cucumbers, Roma tomatoes (convenient serving size), romain lettuce (not scary), veggie trays (may want to toss out the ranch dip though. I like the big ones from sams club because there is a good variety all ready to go. frozen veggies are quick and easy, butter they really don't taste as good, so people wind up putting cheese on them.

    Apples, bananas, clementine oranges

    String cheese, almond milk, plain yogurt (if you like it)

    Bran flakes, wasa crackers, low sodium tuna pouches, baby food sausages (taste a lot like Vienna sausages, but much healthier)
  • kickivale
    kickivale Posts: 260 Member
    I feel like starting with this list will help you get on the road to cooking

    http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/ultimate-healthy-grocery-list

    Stock up on the right things and its easy to make it all happen.

    Then I would suggest two things:
    One, go to Epicurious.com and click the filter for easy recipes. Cook whatever catches your eye! Practice makes perfect.
    Two, ROAST THINGS.
    Cut vegetables so they are all the same size (roughly) toss them in some oil and salt and pepper, add garlic if you feel ready LOL and leave them in an oven at 375 until then are browning a bit and they are easily pierced with a fork.
    Once you see how good that tastes, you'll have all the confidence you need.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    check out http://www.skinnytaste.com/
    pretty simple recipes and they provide serving size and nutrition info.
  • yuuen
    yuuen Posts: 114 Member
    Thank you!!!

    That shopping list is amazing... I see all these options when I get to the store and I get kind of intimidated. Haha. So that definitely helps.
  • jr235
    jr235 Posts: 201 Member
    I would learn a few cooking techniques first. As someone above said learn to roast meat/vegetables. Roasted chicken is about the easiest meal ever. Vegetables are second easiest because they require some peeling/cutting.

    Omelettes are right up there in the easy and fast lane.

    Fruits are a great grab and go. No cooking required unless you like baked apples.

    I've been on a big bean salad kick lately. Mix a few different kinds of beans (drain and rinse if using a can), freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Then add in some salad veggies - chopped peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers. If you're making a single portion for you 10 minutes tops.

    Start to slowly build up your pantry. Over time you will be in the habit of always having a stocked pantry, and that is half the battle to keeping away from fast food/take away. When starting with spices try an ethnic grocer. The usual ones will rob you blind.

    There are plenty of apps and websites that will let you choose recipes and create a shopping list for you. I used to use the 'WhatsForDinner' Android App, but it doesn't sync properly across my devices and it doesn't have a web interface for typing recipes so I'm not so crazy about it anymore.
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
    I'm loving the hell out of this thread.
  • dickrocketjones
    dickrocketjones Posts: 78 Member
    Hell yes. brown rice. and vegetable and chicken stir fry are really easy meals that are nearyl fool proof.
  • mungowungo
    mungowungo Posts: 327 Member
    You could invest in a slow cooker/crockpot. They're great for casseroles, stews etc and virtually fool proof. Just put in your meat and vegetables, whatever herbs, spices that take your fancy, a little liquid and turn it on and leave it go. If it's large one you can make bulk amounts and freeze for later.

    I've cooked everything from legs of lamb, whole chickens, Bolognese sauce, bits of venison (that's a rare event) as well as soups, casseroles etc in a slow cooker - it always works out and the meat is always juicy and tender.

    There are heaps of recipes online.
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    Figure out what sort of foods you like to eat, find recipes online with good directions and practice them! :) When I was learning to cook as a teenager, I was really obsessed with Japanese and Thai food so I learned how to cook sushi rice and roll up california rolls (via one of those cheesy "learn to make sushi!" kits from the bookstore lol) and make a simple thai coconut curry and those really boosted my confidence in the kitchen! And california rolls were a bit hit at every potluck critique I attended in art school haha :drinker:

    edit to add: A cheap rice cooker will help immensely as another poster mentioned!! There are some cool rice cooker recipe books out there, too, that give you recipes that you can use to turn your rice cooker into a kind of slow cooker

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