Written By: Chef Peggy Aoki
Has your meal planning gotten stuck in a rut? It’s easy to fall back on the same familiar meals and gradually lose interest in cooking at home. But, cooking at home is the most healthy and economical way to eat, so don’t fall victim to the slide into a constant diet of take out food. Here’s a list of ways to expand your horizons and learn some new tasty tricks.
Tip #1
Check out a meal planning app.
Companies such as Yummly, Tasty and BBC Good Food have built large searchable databases with recipe ideas from many sources and lots of them are well tested. This is especially useful if you are following a special diet or have food allergies due to the ability to sort. Other apps allow you to upload your own set of recipes and share them among friends, such as Plan To Eat.
Tip #2
Join a “52 Weeks of Cooking” challenge.
There are several well popularized sets of cooking prompts each week– one of the best known is hosted at reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/52weeksofcooking/). A quick Google search will help you find journals for documenting your new cooking adventures, and other sources of prompts. You can plan your own challenge by deciding to cook one recipe from a new cookbook each week- you may have several on your shelves, or borrow one from your local library.
Tip #3
Take a cooking class.
Many classes are available online now at times that are convenient for your schedule. You can learn authentic recipes from a huge variety of topics from the talented chefs right here at Fēst! Browse through the list of classes listed for inspiration, and have a chef walk you through making your chosen recipe right in the comfort of your own home. Here are some of my favorite cooking classes right now:
Don’t limit yourself in the kitchen. It’s easier than ever to pick up new skills and learn how to adapt your favorite meals to exactly your tastes. We’re looking forward to meeting you in your kitchen and sharing new skills and ideas!
