How to get into cooking more (I hate it)
okbuddha
Posts: 22 Member
I’m living at home right now, so I don’t cook a lot. Buying pre-made meals costs more, then I save less and it’s a vicious cycle.
Is there a way to make it less painful? All of my meals right now are raw or microwaved. Sometimes 15 minutes in the oven, sometimes the crockpot.
I spend less than an hour preparing my meals. I did a basic google search and some health bloggers spend 2-4 hours in the kitchen each day. How do I get to maybe just an hour, for now?
Is there a way to make it less painful? All of my meals right now are raw or microwaved. Sometimes 15 minutes in the oven, sometimes the crockpot.
I spend less than an hour preparing my meals. I did a basic google search and some health bloggers spend 2-4 hours in the kitchen each day. How do I get to maybe just an hour, for now?
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Replies
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I would start with a search for “30 Minute Meals” - they will give you some recipes to check out. Many will start with a general time allowance for both prep and cook time. You might take longer at first as you practice your prep skills, but that smooths out and gets faster in time (both gathering ingredients and getting them ready to use via knife, food processor, etc.). I see cooking as an art and it takes a little time to hone in your skills if you are just starting out, and each person will have their strengths and weaknesses in the kitchen. In time you will figure yours out.
But cheers to you for getting started! Cooking is a fabulous skill to have whether at home or on your own!
ETA: do you have a Pinterest account? I hate food blogs in that you have to scroll for a thousand years to actually get to the recipe, but Pinterest gathers so many things together in one place! You can easily window shop for a recipe for specific ingredients (say chicken, or broccoli) all in one spot versus flipping through 10 cookbooks. I have favorites in hard copy form, but for anything new I go digital.5 -
Can you share more what you hate about cooking? It might help people give better tips.
For example, my sister hated cooking and it turned out she just hated her dull knife and tiny cutting board that made everything feel more difficult. When she upgraded to a bigger cutting board and a higher quality (but still not expensive) chef knife, the stuff that felt tedious before (like chopping an onion or carrots) suddenly became no big deal.
Other tips I've seen: Try pre-cut vegetables to speed up prep time (they even sell frozen chopped onions and herbs!), make sure you've got sufficient counter space, try to keep up with your dishes so you don't have to clean BEFORE you cook, get a cookbook that is specifically tailored to avoid what you hate about cooking, take advantage of meal prep (you cook fewer times per week, but get more meals out of each session).16 -
What kind of thing do you want to cook?
I can do an omelette and a baked potato in about 15 mins. using the microwave.
I will often do a traybake, just chicken and chopped veg in the oven. Make a stew or pot of soup.
Basically stuff that requires no attention once it's cooking so I can wander off, in enough quantity to provide at least another meal.
I happily cook most of my meals from scratch, but even if I had the time I certainly wouldn't have the inclination to be in the kitchen for 4 hours every day. It honestly doesn't need to be that hard.5 -
Do you like home cooked food generally? It can help to have a handful of dishes that you really enjoy eating, then making them is less of a chore as you'll be 'rewarded'. You can choose quick recipes too - a stir fry, for example; the cutting of the veg (but you could buy pre-cut to begin with) is the slowest part but we can usually make a stir fry in under 15 minutes. There are loads of cook books out there based around the cooking time. I'm in the UK so he might not be of interest, but Jamie Oliver has a few.
You might try batch cooking. For example, a big pot of chilli or a stew or some soup, which can be frozen and then reheated. I batch cook to avoid opting for the convenience of takeaways/fast food if we can't be bothered to cook or weren't organised to have all of the ingredients to hand. Meal planning comes into it then; usually the problem is we forgot to get the protein out of the freezer.
A slow cooker might work, too. Chuck the ingredients in, in the morning, eat it in the evening. Great for stews.
There's 2 of us, so we almost always portion for 4 (most recipes are for 4 people I've found) and then reheat the leftovers, so we aren't cooking from scratch every day. I don't do meal prep.. it just seems like too much effort, for me, but I do need to start prepping snacks (e.g. chopped up fruit/veg).0 -
I cook pretty much all my meals from scratch. I make 2 different evening meals most days, because my husband and I have very different tastes, and I rarely spend more than 30 mins making dinner. I love cooking, but I work so I just don’t have the time. Cooking doesn’t have to mean lots of time in the kitchen unless you want it to.
Google “healthy meals in minutes” and you’ll find lots of recipes for meals that can be made in 20 mins, or even less! My other tip would be make extra for another day and freeze it or put it in the fridge and eat it a few days later. It take the same to make 2 portions as it does one, and then you have something ready that just needs heating up cutting prep time to zero several days a week.
Once you find a few recipes that you like and you can cook quickly these will be your go to meals and it won’t seem hard.0 -
The library - cookbooks.
Michael Symon’s 5 in 5. 5 ingredients in 5 minutes.
George Foreman grill or similar
Thin cut loin chops
Chicken tenders
Minutes steaks
All in about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with your favorite herbs or spices before cooking.
Favorite Veg in microwave.
Jamie Oliver does veggies that take just a little more cooking, but still simple.3 -
Without knowing what you like to eat it's difficult to give advice. I cook everyday for at least 4 adults, sometimes 6. Most meals take me 30 min to prepare. I pick up interesting recipes everywhere--MFP, and the internet in general. Cooking gets faster and easier the more you do it. If you could be a bit more specific, my advice would be less generalized.3
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snowflake954 wrote: »Without knowing what you like to eat it's difficult to give advice. I cook everyday for at least 4 adults, sometimes 6. Most meals take me 30 min to prepare. I pick up interesting recipes everywhere--MFP, and the internet in general. Cooking gets faster and easier the more you do it. If you could be a bit more specific, my advice would be less generalized.
Yes, to a big extent, I feel like cooking is faster and easier when you do it often. You know exactly where things are (because you used them and put them away just last night). You're less likely to be out of key ingredients because you're regularly using and replenishing things. You just get faster at routine tasks like chopping and tidying up.
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I did a basic google search and some health bloggers spend 2-4 hours in the kitchen each day. How do I get to maybe just an hour, for now?
Gosh I would fast come to hate cooking too if it meant 2 - 4 hours in the kitchen every day
My first tip would be to look elsewhere for advice - I am a good basic cook but I sure don't spend ages doing it.
Change your google search words somehow - dont look at bloggers like that.
If you want to learn how to make, say, an omelette, google 'basic omelette recipes'
Things like that which you can make, including prep time, in about 20 minutes5 -
Crockpot
Instantpot
Air fryer
All three will make amazing meals with little prep or effort.
Short on storage? I got a Ninja Foodi which does all three tasks, and gave the other three away.1 -
Keep it simple. Two or three ingredients. Sea Bass, asparagus. Cooked in the same saute pan covered. When you start to like the process, add some ginger.2
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I rarely spend even 30 minutes making dinner. I call myself a "connoisseur" of healthier convenience food. An example would be pre-cooked brown rice cups or pouches (many brands add nothing extra). I also do what was suggested above - keep it simple. I see no reason to have a bunch of variety in one meal as long as we have variety over time.
I'm part of a group on here that's called New Recipe Challenge. Several of us list our meal plans every week. Mine are nearly always easy and quick. Based on our lab work when we see the doctor, it's "healthy enough". You're welcome to join the group and/or add me as a friend.2 -
I agree with those who say it would be helpful to know what you hate about cooking.
I like cooking, and rarely spend 2-4 hours per day doing it. When I was working out of the house most days, I'd cook dinner in about 30 min, have lunches premade from leftover dinners or a batch of something I made earlier, and had a set breakfast (I did cook an omelet, which takes minutes, but there are lots of breakfasts that involve no cooking).
I'd recommend starting by choosing breakfasts and lunches that can be pre-made or don't involve any more cooking than you are doing now and then experimenting with some easy/fast dinner options. For dinners, what types of foods do you like? (There are also lots of dinners that take longer in total minutes, but little cooking time. For example, roasting skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts, potatoes, and non-starchy veg.)0 -
I’m living at home right now, so I don’t cook a lot. Buying pre-made meals costs more, then I save less and it’s a vicious cycle.
Is there a way to make it less painful?
I think it all starts w/your attitude.
I've NEVER heard anyone refer to the process of cooking as "painful."
That's a pretty extreme opinion about an essential skill that's necessary for your well being and survival.
Personally, I love cooking and eating, and I enjoy spending the time buying and preparing the food that I enjoy eating.
I grew up in a home where the food choices were always diverse and delicious and, as a latch key child, I learned to cook for myself at an early age.
I do not view cooking as drudgery but as a source of creativity and enjoyment.
I don't expect you to ever acquire this point of view but unless you can stop thinking of cooking as "painful," I doubt anyone can help you to stop "hating" cooking.
Good luck!
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My fast list
Baked potatoes or sweet potatoes in oven or crockpot takes me two minutes flop some veg and fruit and pre cooked chicken
Potato soup in cp
Taco soup or chili in cp
Bbq in cp
Chicken tacos in cp
Baked chicken legs
Pork chops baked in the ovenl
Tacos
Nachos healthified
Anabolic french toast
Protien pancakes
Oatmeal could do savory
Egg white scramble made into a wrap or sammie
Salad with pre--cooked chicken
Egg salad
Chicken salad
Tortilla pizza
All of these with fruit or veg or both so fast1 -
I should have added above that I find cooking to be a chore. I've been cooking for about 50 years (since I was a kid) and I don't enjoy it. It's not as bad as scrubbing the shower, but I'd rather do just about anything else instead. And, still, I eat at least 20 meals a week made at home.
It's great that lots of people enjoy cooking, but enjoyment isn't necessary to get it done.5 -
Hello FreshI’m living at home right now, so I don’t cook a lot. Buying pre-made meals costs more, then I save less and it’s a vicious cycle.
Is there a way to make it less painful? All of my meals right now are raw or microwaved. Sometimes 15 minutes in the oven, sometimes the crockpot.
I spend less than an hour preparing my meals. I did a basic google search and some health bloggers spend 2-4 hours in the kitchen each day. How do I get to maybe just an hour, for now?
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I hate cooking too (and my dislike has increased with age) but it's more tolerable to make something in the crockpot and then portion it into six or eight meals that I freeze for later use because at least I'm getting more meals for my effort. Add a salad (I buy the bagged premixed salads for convenience) or veggies and there's dinner.4
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Do you have a Trader Joe's in your area? I too have always viewed cooking as a chore, and I hated the time suck it was (not to mention cleaning up), especially since I was just cooking for myself. I'm also not a fan of leftovers and resented having to eat the same thing many times in a row if I made a recipe. Discovering TJ's was literally life changing for me. They have tons of food that actually tastes really good, is cheap, and requires little more than throwing something in the oven or possibly throwing a few ingredients together in a pot. I actually also spend far less money than when I was trying to buy all of these ingredients for "recipes" from the regular grocery store.0
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Chore chore chore
Oh I tried way back when in the beginning, raising a family. I'd scour cookbooks, try new recipes, shop for all those unique ingredients, just to try to please everyone. It'd take me at least an hour to prepare dinner, inhaled in 5-10 minutes and when you're feeding fussy kids along with a dh whose idea of eating veggies is corn.....I lost any enthusiasm for cooking. Not to mention I was working 45-50 hrs. a week also, and did dinner clean-up duty as well plus night time family needs always fell on me. So yeh, I ended up detesting cooking also.
I honestly feel very intimidated and ashamed when I hear of everybody's culinary marvels.
And our 3 kids cook much more and better than I ever did. Last time my dd was home I made Vegan Pumpkin Mac N Cheese. It was good and I'm glad I did it but I'd never make it for just the 2 of us.
I always see recipes I'd love to try(hello Pinterest!!)but knowing I'd be the only one to eat them.......meh. So I go for basic and super easy now.
My friends:
Chicken
Salads
Healthy wraps
Veggies(love roasted)
Fruits
Omelets with whatever veggies I'm in the mood for.
I get crazy once in awhile and make a batch of homemade soup, very versatile and good for lots of meals
Crockpot is such a great tool, fix it and forget it.
I've strayed away from rice and pasta because that's something I could easily overdo.
Start searching recipes without a ton of ingredients or difficult instructions. Choose simple foods you like. It does NOT have to be tedious, time consuming or difficult. Food keeps us alive; it's a fuel. We shouldn't consider it the 'end all to be all' KWIM? UNLESS a person enjoys the cooking process.
I remember even making my own bread, homemade donuts and baked beans.
Not anymore. 0 -
Please tell us what you hate about cooking. Is it the timing? My meals hardly ever take more than 30 minutes, and then I cook for two days and reheat the left. A simple pasta doesn't take long. Simple rice dishes, just a steak with potatoes and vegetables with butter, or tsatsiki? Cooking doesn't need to take hours to be delicious.1
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i rarely spend more than 30 minutes in the kitchen COOKING a day, and that's cooking for a family of 3. Holidays are of course, an exception.
if it were just for ME?
15 minutes? tops?
get an air fryer. you can make almost anything in those things. I had a salmon filet for lunch that I cooked in there and then (prepackaged) zucchini fries.
Cooking for one is pretty easy as far as time goes.
make chili or soups and package down into smaller servings you can freeze and reheat. active time MAKING that is 15 minutes? chop veg, meat, throw it in a pot and let it cook.
salad is always quick and easy. cook a couple of chicken breasts and put in fridge or freezer to use in your salads.
I'm making quiche for dinner tonight. i chopped up everything this morning and will assemble and bake tonight. eggs, ham, broccoli, cheese. bake. a standard pie plate will make 8 standard serving sizes. cut and freeze for later.2 -
bold_rabbit wrote: »I should have added above that I find cooking to be a chore. I've been cooking for about 50 years (since I was a kid) and I don't enjoy it. It's not as bad as scrubbing the shower, but I'd rather do just about anything else instead. And, still, I eat at least 20 meals a week made at home.
Well, if you've been cooking all of your life (as I have been doing for about 60 years) and still consider it a "chore," I really don't think anyone can help you think otherwise.
As I mentioned before, it mainly starts w/your attitude, especially if you're single (like it seems you are, and as am I, and have no other significant demands on your time/attn.
In this case, if you think it's a "chore," it always will be a "chore" to you and no suggestions from any of us in order to make it simpler or better will likely change your mind about that.
But, again, good luck with that.4 -
I don't know. I love to cook and have been doing it for 50 yrs, but I can understand people that don't. In that case I would keep it simple and fast. Internet has lots of ideas. We are all different and that is a good thing. I hate to figure out finances--I would rather clean the bathroom,..... or the refrigerator.3
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In addition to the wonderful advice about batch cooking and quick meals, I'd also say that you should do a weekly menu for yourself, which can help you budget better. That way, you can choose meals to cook based on much of what you already have, and make full use of your food so there's no waste.
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Both my husband and I love cooking. But it is excessively rare that we spend more than 30 minutes in the kitchen on any normal day lso In most cases of that 30min at least 15min is spent waiting.
Most meals do not require that much time and as said before getting the right tools helps a lot2 -
There’s so many good suggestions above. My two bits:
Think about your current favourite meal (takeout/reddimeal whatever). Google a recipe online for it, with all the trimmings, that looks doable. Get the right ingredients and the right cooking kit (pans, knives). Then MAKE the meal and enjoy the hell out of it. It might take a bit of time but the sense of achievement is amazing and may kickstart other cooking attempts.
If you’re genuinely not a fan of food then maybe don’t bother? Chop a load of raw salad veg into a big bowl with some drained mixed beans or tinned tuna and a squeeze of lemon and you’ve a fabulous healthy meal which costs pennies and needs no cooking.
Best of luck!0 -
I’m living at home right now, so I don’t cook a lot. Buying pre-made meals costs more, then I save less and it’s a vicious cycle.
Is there a way to make it less painful? All of my meals right now are raw or microwaved. Sometimes 15 minutes in the oven, sometimes the crockpot.
I spend less than an hour preparing my meals. I did a basic google search and some health bloggers spend 2-4 hours in the kitchen each day. How do I get to maybe just an hour, for now?
I LOVE to cook but when I was employed normally spent no more than an hour total for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. (Now that I have more free time I make more elaborate meals.)
Perhaps share what you're cooking and we can suggest how to streamline it.
Check out Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals. I haven't watched her in ages, but when I did loved her energy and time saving tips.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/30-minute-meals/all-30-recipes-from-rachael-rays-30-minute-meals0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Can you share more what you hate about cooking? It might help people give better tips.
For example, my sister hated cooking and it turned out she just hated her dull knife and tiny cutting board that made everything feel more difficult. When she upgraded to a bigger cutting board and a higher quality (but still not expensive) chef knife, the stuff that felt tedious before (like chopping an onion or carrots) suddenly became no big deal.
Other tips I've seen: Try pre-cut vegetables to speed up prep time (they even sell frozen chopped onions and herbs!), make sure you've got sufficient counter space, try to keep up with your dishes so you don't have to clean BEFORE you cook, get a cookbook that is specifically tailored to avoid what you hate about cooking, take advantage of meal prep (you cook fewer times per week, but get more meals out of each session).
My OH tends to use the wrong knife and small cutting board. On the rare occasions that he cooks dinner, I organize everything for him, which includes putting out the big cutting board and right knife. He doesn't chop correctly, which is painful for me to watch, so I walk away, grateful that he is cooking
Here's a chef demonstrating how to chop several different types of foods:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6uw_9Hx7_U&feature=emb_logo 0 -
bold_rabbit wrote: »I should have added above that I find cooking to be a chore. I've been cooking for about 50 years (since I was a kid) and I don't enjoy it. It's not as bad as scrubbing the shower, but I'd rather do just about anything else instead. And, still, I eat at least 20 meals a week made at home.
Well, if you've been cooking all of your life (as I have been doing for about 60 years) and still consider it a "chore," I really don't think anyone can help you think otherwise.
As I mentioned before, it mainly starts w/your attitude, especially if you're single (like it seems you are, and as am I, and have no other significant demands on your time/attn.
In this case, if you think it's a "chore," it always will be a "chore" to you and no suggestions from any of us in order to make it simpler or better will likely change your mind about that.
But, again, good luck with that.
I think you confused me with the OP. I was offering suggestions, not asking for any.1
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