Food and money share a few things in common. They are precious resources for survival but can also be used to indulge. If you want to reap the benefits of both at once, you may be on the lookout for good food and deals at your grocery store and recipes to try.
Eating out less and making your food at home may well be a life change for the better. But it might not feel that way if you find yourself exhausted and trapped in the kitchen. Rest assured! You could avoid that dilemma.
Here are different ways for you to cook the best meal possible without wasting time and burning out your energy …. or food.
Take the time to rearrange and organize your kitchen
This step may take some time, muscle, and money. But your future self will thank you. Clutter and poorly placed tools/appliances make for slower cooking and more chances for an accident to happen.
Set aside some free time for some serious cleaning. Remove any disgusting residue from your kitchen that discourages you from accessing certain areas. Make sure your appliances aren’t set up in a dangerous way or blocking you from reaching crucial tools. Increase the open space on the floor and on your counter surfaces.
Get rid of worn, redundant tools, and make sure you have a reliable yet versatile set of things like mixers, measuring cups, spoons, and bowls to work with.
‘Mise en place’ what you need
When every ingredient is measured and logically laid out like in the cooking videos, it’s no wonder the cooking process can seem so quick. There’s a term for this: mise en place is French for “set in place.”
This is why it’s important to have a reliable set of tools and dishes in order to measure out the ingredients. While you may gawk at the initial time spent on setup and the eventual cleanup, the mise en pace will stop you from having to constantly run back and forth. You’re also less likely to omit something by mistake and botch your meal.
Knock out some background tasks while prepping ingredients
Boiling (and to a lesser extent heating up a pan with oil) is definite background task you should have while doing other things. Set the heat. The higher you set it, the faster you need to work before throwing in whatever needs to be boiled (or fried). Just remember to check on these tasks occasionally.
Clean up and check on some things while everything is cooking
If the cooking process takes long enough, pre-clean what you can. Fill used and dirty dishes and tools with soapy water. Get creative and find ways to be one step ahead. Rearrange items you’ll eventually need so that they are more accessible.
Throw out the trash and clean up after any splatters you make. Set the table. Double check your steps. Move things back into the fridge. Prepare the tupperware and space to store possible leftovers. Can you do a taste test? Maybe get input from the people you’re cooking for.
Speaking of people….
Cook for more than one
Arguably you’ll have a bit more liberty with ingredients and proportions when you have more people. Most recipes assume you aren’t just cooking for yourself and are easier to follow too. Will you make your contribution to a bigger, ‘potluck’ style dinner?
Will everyone eat to their hearts’ content and help you save on tupperware? Or can your refrigerator hold enough servings to last you (and maybe others) a few nights? Possible drawbacks include using up more ingredients and a bigger pressure to finish everything.
Those aside, you won’t have much to lose if you could cook well without eating up too much time!
Cook with more than one!
If you have a friend, family member, or lover who is willing to act as your sous chef or errands person, the process will go by quickly, so long as any banter or shenanigans that ensue don’t slow you down.
But hey, even that may not be too bad if you were worried about cooking eating up your leisure and social time. Sometimes, the fun and relaxation come from being in the moment of the cooking itself.
Oh, and take a deep breath
Don’t expect yourself to do everything at lightning speed right away. Start with a comfortable pace while incorporating as many of these tips as possible. Allow for some time to think and center yourself.
With consistent practice, you’ll cultivate good habits and naturally become a faster and better cook.
Marjorie Desamito
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