I Have No Cooking Skills

xyrnyth
xyrnyth Posts: 11 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I would like to become healthier and lose weight (especially by changing the way I eat) , but I have no cooking skills... at all. I'm ashamed, but do y'all have any tips for me?
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Replies

  • stacyjh1979
    stacyjh1979 Posts: 188 Member
    Start simple...if you can boil water you can cook a few things at least. I don't do much cooking because my husband is a truck driver so I don't want to really prepare meals for myself and my two year old. I make a really good vegetable soup...1 64oz bottle of low sodium tomato juice and 4lbs (I know that sounds like a lot but it's two big bags or 4 little bags) of frozen mixed veggies. Put it in a pot and let it cook on low an hour or so until it is however tender you like it. Very easy! I also precook things like broccoli to take with me to work during the week. Don't try to get fancy and elaborate just start little and you'll learn over time. Good luck!
  • kittenful
    kittenful Posts: 318 Member
    stacyjh said it well: Start simple.

    I used to get frustrated and super stressed out while cooking, until I started cooking whilst listening to music (it helps me focus). Start with simple recipes (I like allrecipes.com), move on when you feel a bit more comfortable.
  • Kontxesi
    Kontxesi Posts: 86 Member
    1) What kind of stuff do you like to eat?
    2) What equipment do you have? Pots, slow cooker, wok, etc.

    I'm full of tips, but best to narrow it down a bit first. ;)
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    Start simple; follow directions until you feel comfortable enough to branch out. rice is a nice place to start. mac and cheese is a good next step up. :smile: I would avoid oatmeal for a while, though; I've been cooking since I was 8, and it still gets the better of me sometimes. :wink:
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    edited October 2014
    Get a cookbook for college students. I bought one for a friend and it had all sorts of quick and simple recipes. And in the beginning was stuff like, how to make rice, different kitchen tools you should have, what is the meaning of slice/dice/chop/mince, how to pick out fresh produce, etc

    Once a month or so we hang out and we go to the grocery store to buy ingredients, and then cook a recipe together. Then feed it to all of his roommates and watch a movie or something. It is a blast, he gets to learn, I get to teach, and everyone gets to eat :)

    Good luck!
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    Drink a glass of wine before you start cooking. It will make the experience more enjoyable. lol. Kidding. I love to cook. The first thing to do is to learn to make something you like to eat. Trying to cook things you aren't sure you will like will definitely turn you off to cooking.

    What do you like to eat? Maybe I can make you a simple recipe with instructions.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Start simple. There are lots of great, healthy foods that require no cooking at all. A can of tuna, some diced cucumber and a couple of tablespoons of mayo make a very healthy lunch. Make salads. Stir fry is as simple as adding a bag of frozen veggies to some cooked chicken and a few dashes of soy sauce.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I used to be the same way. I found some healthy cooking books and websites and started small. I'm still not a great cook, but I can survive when hubs is out of town. :smile:
    +1 for having a glass of wine while cooking, and listening to music.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    xyrnyth wrote: »
    I would like to become healthier and lose weight (especially by changing the way I eat) , but I have no cooking skills... at all. I'm ashamed, but do y'all have any tips for me?

    First tip:
    Learn to cook.

    So how old are you? How do you not know how to cook?

    Get a couple cookbooks, watch some cooking shows, and emulate. Youtube has some decent content on cooking, watch it and go along with it.

    One cookbook I strongly suggest for any home cook/ hobbyist:
    http://www.amazon.com/La-Technique-Illustrated-Fundamental-Techniques/dp/0812906101#

    Step by step pictures of how to perform different cooking techniques. Very important. The first chef I trained under gave me a copy of that, I've bought and rebought that over the years as I have given it out as gifts.

    Another book I give to newbies is:
    http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Fresh-Green-Susie-Middleton/dp/0811865665/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414080738&sr=1-1&keywords=fast+fresh+and+green

    Excellent theory is added in a small bite approach.

    Find a good basic book on meat, and one on sauce. Then you're good to go. Later down the road, get something on baking, and you'll round out the skill set.

    Didn't your parents ever teach you to cook?
  • icrushit
    icrushit Posts: 773 Member
    xyrnyth wrote: »
    I would like to become healthier and lose weight (especially by changing the way I eat) , but I have no cooking skills... at all. I'm ashamed, but do y'all have any tips for me?

    Start small would be my advice, ie focus on one meal a day, and try make something for it. Use what you currently like as a guide, and simply try recreate it with your own hands, starting with simpler dishes first. Re: guides/ books, check out any cookbooks aimed at students, as those ones tend to focus on the nuts and bolts, without presumption of any form of cooking skill usually, lol :smile:
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    climbing_trees wrote: »
    Get a cookbook for college students. I bought one for a friend and it had all sorts of quick and simple recipes. And in the beginning was stuff like, how to make rice, different kitchen tools you should have, what is the meaning of slice/dice/chop/mince, how to pick out fresh produce, etc

    Yep. There's lots of great stuff online these days, but the one I used many years ago and still recommend to people is Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. If you like fish (I've always loved fish, but once upon a time was nervous about cooking it) his Fish book is great too.

    One thing I like about this book or any good cook book is that it teaches you so that you learn how to do it on your own and not need recipes after a short time. It's about understanding cooking, not just following instructions, and also doesn't assume (like many cuisine specific ones do, for example) that you know stuff already.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Most recipes just pretty much require to mix ingredients and stir things, or turn on the oven and put things in a pan... It doesn't really require a lot in term of cooking skills.

    I bought a George Foreman grill though and it's made things much easier, no more having to worry about dry chicken breast, lol. And I eat a lot of frozen veggies.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Practice:

    http://allrecipes.com/

    http://www.mccormick.com/

    http://www.campbellskitchen.com/
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Most recipes just pretty much require to mix ingredients and stir things, or turn on the oven and put things in a pan... It doesn't really require a lot in term of cooking skills.

    I bought a George Foreman grill though and it's made things much easier, no more having to worry about dry chicken breast, lol. And I eat a lot of frozen veggies.
    Really?

    by all means then, please.

    http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/foie-gras-torchon-recipe.html
  • Hophead43
    Hophead43 Posts: 1,634 Member
    xyrnyth wrote: »
    I would like to become healthier and lose weight (especially by changing the way I eat) , but I have no cooking skills... at all. I'm ashamed, but do y'all have any tips for me?

    If you can follow directions you can cook! Just take your time and don't try anything to fancy just starting. You can do it!!
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    i started with no skills as well. i could barely boil water, true story.

    i just started by following cookbooks, choosing recipes that had directions that were easy to follow like chop this and cook it for 5 minutes done. lol

    now i can cook a variety of things.
    its actually a lot easier than i ever imagined i was so intimidated at first.
    try something simple like a chicken breast.
  • smelanie504
    smelanie504 Posts: 27
    I absolutely love everything about cooking, and I don't believe people when they say they can't cook - all it takes is practice! :) Don't let food intimidate you! Find some recipes for foods you like and just take your time, read them fully before starting, and go for it. The more you practice the less you'll need recipes!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Most recipes just pretty much require to mix ingredients and stir things, or turn on the oven and put things in a pan... It doesn't really require a lot in term of cooking skills.

    I bought a George Foreman grill though and it's made things much easier, no more having to worry about dry chicken breast, lol. And I eat a lot of frozen veggies.
    Really?

    by all means then, please.

    http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/foie-gras-torchon-recipe.html

    Emphasis on *most*.

    I still mostly stick to easy recipes with less than 10 ingredients and less than 3 steps.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    dbmata wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Most recipes just pretty much require to mix ingredients and stir things, or turn on the oven and put things in a pan... It doesn't really require a lot in term of cooking skills.

    I bought a George Foreman grill though and it's made things much easier, no more having to worry about dry chicken breast, lol. And I eat a lot of frozen veggies.
    Really?

    by all means then, please.

    http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/foie-gras-torchon-recipe.html

    She said MOST recipes. Obviously the one you posted is not under that category.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Get yourself a couple of simple cookbooks. I like the Company's Coming line (or get suggestions online). You don't need to be cooking souffle or anything, just stick with the basics until you get comfortable.
    I would also recommend a slow cooker and look up slow cooker recipes online (my faves are from Six Sisters Stuff).
    What about a cooking class at your local community centre?
  • shaumom
    shaumom Posts: 1,003 Member
    edited October 2014
    dbmata wrote: »
    Didn't your parents ever teach you to cook?

    For the majority of people I know these days, the answer there would be a big, fat no. Parents and children both have to have time to teach/learn cooking for this to happen. With exhausted parents trying to make food as quickly as possible plus kids doing 3-4 hours of homework every weeknight, not including whatever extracurricular activities they have, there often IS no extra time.

    Most people I know in their 20's and 30's know a couple basic things by the time they leave home, and have to learn the rest of it themselves once they leave home. That's not a universal thing, of course, but I believe it's more common than not.
  • Krylee23
    Krylee23 Posts: 10 Member
    Honestly, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect. I'm not gonna pretend that I didn't absolutely suck at cooking when I first started, but the more I do it, the better I get. I'm no where near as good as my mom is, even, but the food I cook tastes good enough to eat. I started by cooking recipes exactly as they said and then slowly added in adjustments; taking out things I didn't like, adding things that I thought might taste good in it (sometimes they didn't). But just try. Worst that can happen is you make something that isn't great, you eat it, and never make it again.
  • Lorleee
    Lorleee Posts: 369 Member
    The key is to find some good, simple recipes online and build your confidence that way. It's not hard once you've practiced a little.
  • jorge_ta83
    jorge_ta83 Posts: 49 Member
    edited October 2014
    I am also learning.

    As it was already pointed.

    Practice and practice. And if all of this fails, then practice more.

    This is my super advanced and patent pending method.

    1. Pick a recipe that you think you can cook (Usually I get it from youtube/internet)
    2. Cook it
    3. Unintentionally ruin your meal and outcome nothing like you saw on youtube/website
    4. Review why step 3 happened.
    5. Correct whatever you thought it went wrong.
    6. Try it again another time.
    7. Repeat until step 3 does not happen.

    For some of my meals I had to go 2-3 times through this steps.

    Simple, right? :smile:
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Most recipes just pretty much require to mix ingredients and stir things, or turn on the oven and put things in a pan... It doesn't really require a lot in term of cooking skills.

    I bought a George Foreman grill though and it's made things much easier, no more having to worry about dry chicken breast, lol. And I eat a lot of frozen veggies.
    Really?

    by all means then, please.

    http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/12/foie-gras-torchon-recipe.html

    Emphasis on *most*.

    I still mostly stick to easy recipes with less than 10 ingredients and less than 3 steps.


    ;) That's actually a pretty simple one. I have a few sauce recipes that are complicated for me, and that was my first career. lol.

    It's really easy to learn to cook, and sticking with limited ingredients and few steps is an excellent idea.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    shaumom wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Didn't your parents ever teach you to cook?

    For the majority of people I know these days, the answer there would be a big, fat no. Parents and children both have to have time to teach/learn cooking for this to happen. With exhausted parents trying to make food as quickly as possible plus kids doing 3-4 hours of homework every weeknight, not including whatever extracurricular activities they have, there often IS no extra time.

    Most people I know in their 20's and 30's know a couple basic things by the time they leave home, and have to learn the rest of it themselves once they leave home. That's not a universal thing, of course, but I believe it's more common than not.
    That's really surprising to me. From about 13 on I was cooking dinners at home. Which was totally not normal, but I would think after however many years... people would pick up some skills?

    I didn't realize we're in the lost skills area. Do middle schools and high schools still have home ec?
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
    dbmata wrote: »

    Didn't your parents ever teach you to cook?

    Wait, they're supposed to do that? My dad was the one who cooked and everyone was expected to stay out of his way.
  • mspianomistress
    mspianomistress Posts: 22
    My go-to cookbook is the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. Look for it on Amazon. It has lots of useful info! It's divided by category (meats, vegetables, sauces, etc) and has info in the back of each section on how to cook lots of different things. Growing up, we always had one in the house, and my mom bought me one when I moved out on my own. I'm 39 and still refer to it often.
  • blktngldhrt
    blktngldhrt Posts: 1,053 Member
    xyrnyth wrote: »
    I would like to become healthier and lose weight (especially by changing the way I eat) , but I have no cooking skills... at all. I'm ashamed, but do y'all have any tips for me?

    Chicken and fish are hard to screw up. Look up some easy recipes that just require seasoning and either pan frying or baking. My favorite easy meal is tilapia seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, and thyme..baked at 400 for 15 minutes. Just oil the baking sheet before you lay the fish on it. Frozen vegetables are really easy too. Just heat and add salt and pepper.

    Do you have pinterest? There are a lot of quick and easy recipes on there.
  • strawberrypopsicles
    strawberrypopsicles Posts: 39
    dbmata wrote: »
    shaumom wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    Didn't your parents ever teach you to cook?

    For the majority of people I know these days, the answer there would be a big, fat no. Parents and children both have to have time to teach/learn cooking for this to happen. With exhausted parents trying to make food as quickly as possible plus kids doing 3-4 hours of homework every weeknight, not including whatever extracurricular activities they have, there often IS no extra time.

    Most people I know in their 20's and 30's know a couple basic things by the time they leave home, and have to learn the rest of it themselves once they leave home. That's not a universal thing, of course, but I believe it's more common than not.
    That's really surprising to me. From about 13 on I was cooking dinners at home. Which was totally not normal, but I would think after however many years... people would pick up some skills?

    I didn't realize we're in the lost skills area. Do middle schools and high schools still have home ec?

    Schools do have those classes but given the increased pressure to get into college most kids are more interested in taking an extra math or science class or a study hall to deal with homework.

    You're lucky if your parents taught you to cook -- that's seriously not the norm

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