This last year, many of us have found ourselves exhausted, between working a full time job from home, homeschooling, and maneuvering around all the changes happening as a result of the entire world being on lockdown for over a year. As a result, many of us resorted to ordering takeout more than we should have, and while I appreciate that option (and do believe in supporting our local communities and businesses), it becomes too much if you are ordering takeout every single day. If you want to make a positive change in your diet and start living a healthier lifestyle, including knowing exactly what ingredients are going into your meals and cooking them to your particular taste, then read on for some tips on how to cook more at home. P.S. cooking at home is simpler than you think, and it’s a lot of fun!
Here are some simple tips that will improve your cooking skills, and help you eat healthier every day. It’s time to cut back on ordering takeout all the time and start cooking at home for your family more often!
Use An Instant Pot
The Instant Pot is becoming more popular as people realize how versatile they are. They can replace a countertop full of appliances or a drawer full of pots with just one item that is quite a multitasker, and it cooks faster too. You can cook rice to perfections, use it as a slow cooker for chilis and meats and stews, and they produce a variety of very healthy meals your family can enjoy- truly comfort foods that are homemade and make the house smell great too.
If you don’t have any experience with cooking in an instant pot, you’ll find it’s surprisingly easy and there are many tutorials and recipes online. Dinner time will now serve delicious beef stews, chicken and veggies, and hearty soups! Anyone in the family can learn to use it (I think it’s important to teach all children to learn to cook safely), and there are literally hundreds of new recipes you can find all the time to inspire your culinary interests and keep your family excited about mealtimes together. With your instant pot, you can cook almost anything in less than 30 minutes, which is great on those busy days!
Consider An Air-Fryer
Fried food isn’t great for us, but fried foods taste soooo good. Air-fryers are popular because they combine the best of both worlds- healthier foods that are crispy and delicious. Air fried fries and veggies taste incredible and have a wonderful texture, and can help you lose weight and eat more healthy if you switch out your typical fried meals for healthier new versions. You can cook everything without adding any oil and still get the taste you crave. Almost half of all families in the U.S. already love and use this amazing appliance.
Air-fryers work well with frozen finger foods and snacks, as well as chicken, fish, meat, and roasted vegetables (but I find that I don’t enjoy the lingering smell of fish after so I avoid this). I’ve seen recipes to even bake cookies in an air fryer but I haven’t tried this yet… I prefer to use it solely to air fry potatoes, chicken nuggets, and veggies. Some vegetables that work really well with an air-fryer are peppers, zucchini fries, eggplant slices (become eggplant chips), cauliflower, broccoli, and potatoes… yum!
Try A Bamboo Steamer
If you want to try something new, consider a bamboo steamer. It can be a fun experience when you are cooking with your kids and the food is healthy and delicious. People living in the U.S. don’t steam their food often, but steamed food are very tasty and retain almost all their nutrients. Steaming is a very popular way of cooking in many countries around the world and is starting to gain steam in the United States as well. Bamboo steamers are great for fish and vegetables, and they can also help you make amazing Asian dishes. Just make sure you buy the sauces and dips. Chinese takeout tastes amazing, so why not try making baozi or dumplings yourself and mix it up a bit with different spices and ingredients- see what happens. It will be healthier, cheaper, and your family will enjoy a more exotic way of cooking, especially the kids. Plus, a bamboo steamer is a beautiful item to have in your kitchen.
Get ready to take cooking at home to a whole new level! This doesn’t mean you won’t order takeout ever again, but it sure is nice to have some great cooking skills up your sleeve as well as a couple of appliances that will do all the heavy lifting. Have fun!