How to Improve on the Way You Prepare Food

If you believe that you are naturally a bad cook, you are wrong. The secret to tasty food lies in practice and the trial-and-error process. Research of tips and tricks is also a huge part of it all. If you want to be able to become an instant cooking genius and impress your family and friends try following these simple steps to improve your food preparation skills. 

Make It As Easy As Possible

The first and the most important thing you should do is to try to invest in quality kitchen equipment. It would make your cooking experience a million times easier. Even though appliance shopping can be exhausting if you are inexperienced, there are ways to avoid that. Before buying, you should look up the reviews of gadgets that would help you save time and bring new options on how to prepare your meals and innovate your recipes. But let’s start with the basics. Without appropriate knives, slicing and dicing is a lengthy and torturous process. Every kitchen should have these three types of knives:

• chef’s knife
• paring knife
• serrated knife

You should also preserve their quality. For that reason, acquire honing steel for sharpening and avoid cutting boards that are made from plastic or hardwood.

Have Patience

Patience is the main ingredient in every marvelous meal. Lack of it can be the exact reason why you are unsuccessful in your pursuit of fine dining. The most common mistake of every beginner is disregarding the waiting time stated in the recipe. For example, a lot of people don’t wait for their ovens and pans to heat up which results in undercooked or mushy food. Mushiness happens when it’s put in oil while it’s still cold. It will soak it up quickly and you will end up with an unhealthy tasteless mass that is full of fat. Your oven takes about 5 minutes to preheat, while pots and pans require only two or three minutes on average. Additionally, it certainly feels the easiest just to dump and mix all of the ingredients at the same time, but it will not help your case. On the contrary, it is important to follow the process and all of its stages.

Pick The Right Ingredients

The quality of the ingredients is what makes or breaks your meal. When purchasing fruits and veggies, avoid supermarkets as much as possible. The best option is to look for fresh organic produce in your local farmers’ market. Take your time to research how your food is produced. Try not to mix too many different elements, and instead choose the smaller amount with a bolder taste. 

Try Going For Healthier Options

When in doubt, always try to pick the healthiest option possible. As previously mentioned, knowing where to do your shopping helps a great deal. Unhealthy fats in our food are the silent killers. Instead, think of a way to prepare your food in a way that will utilize the healthy ones and preserve all the nutrients. Instead of always frying it, try preparing it in one of the following ways:

• steaming 
• boiling
• roasting 
• grilling

It is important to mention that you should always cook the food in as little water and in the shortest time possible. Some vitamins, like B and C, are water-soluble, which means that they will dissolve if you overdo it. One more thing to avoid are packaged and processed foods, because they have a lot of added fats, sugars, and salts.

Organization Is Everything

The first thing you want to do before turning on your oven is getting all of the ingredients prepared. Chop, dice, slice, mince, and then put all of it in separate containers. Now you have done the biggest part of the job. That way, you avoid the stressfulness that is often associated with cooking. 

Try helping your future self and wash the dishes on the go, when you finish with each one. You will have more working space and avoid the feelings of claustrophobia and anxiousness that come with unclean surroundings. The cleanliness of your tools can also factor in the taste of your snack. Make sure that you wash everything thoroughly. It would surprise you how many times you missed a spot and it ruined your culinary magic.

The final, and arguably the most crucial, part of it all is having fun. The kitchen is one place where you can play, experiment, and be creative. If you don’t get it right the first time, don’t give up. There is always space for improvement. Try thinking of it as that game that most of us played in our childhood when we collected plants, rocks, and mud and made our little potions. Overcome your fears and try to relax as much as possible and you will discover how it can be extremely therapeutic and inspirational.