” Save time, save money, eat better. ”
We get it: a lot of us are busy nowadays and have (seemingly) less time to cook and eat properly. After all someones gotta go to all the restaurants and kedai makans right? Joking aside though, we think that cooking need not be a laborious and time consuming task. With a bit of forward planning, here’s how you can cook and eat better at home. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to prepare a homemade meal even after a long day at work.
Plan A Menu Ahead of Time
Plan a weekly menu of dishes you can cook. Maybe 3 recipes a day at most: a starch, a protein and a vegetable. That way you won’t be flustered when it comes to the eternal question of ‘what to eat/cook today?’. Just look at your menu and get cooking! Start with simple dinners that use easy to get ingredients and pantry staples. Which brings us to…
Shop Wisely And According To Your Menu!
Once you have a menu planned out, it’ll make your grocery shopping quicker and easier. Plus it’ll teach you some discipline to only get what you need rather than impulse shopping when you go to the markets. You’re saving money already by doing this. And since you’re shopping…
Build Up A Ready Pantry
Stock up your pantry with essential ingredients that you know you will use. Salt, pepper and sugar are a given, of course. Stock up on frequently used spices and sauces: turmeric, soy sauce, vinegar. Rice and pasta. Noodles that you can freeze. Canned fish, vegetables and fruits are a good idea too. These are all grab-n-go items you should have in your pantry.
You can cook anything if you just pre-plan and do some smart shopping
Prep Beforehand
Chefs call this mise-en-place. It means pre-preparation and is the life and death of the kitchen. You can pre-cut or pre-prepare some items and keep them in ziploc bags or containers with labels. That way, cooking is a matter of taking out the required items. You’ll spend some time doing this but think of it as a one-shot investment for future convenience. Pre-prep will make your cooking faster!
Up Your Cooking Knowledge!
A lot of cooks waste time in the kitchen because they’re not cooking efficiently. For example, did you know that if you pat your foods dry before frying, they’ll cook and brown faster? Or that you don’t need a huge pot of water to cook pasta? I know, right! So it pays to learn some cooking tips and tricks. In the meantime, stay tuned on Friedchillies because we’ll be bringing you more Kitchen Cheats to help you cook, eat better and save money!