A Culinary Skill to Consider
I’m stuck at home. Many articles on social media and other resources are instructing people to take the “forced stay at home” or “social distancing” opportunity to perform constructive things, like online classes or educational videos, things that can promote your life.
I would like to suggest a trait that many people have, but do not utilize anymore, while others do not have a clue. A trait that can help you to survive and appreciate the fruit of your labors. What it is? The art of cooking. Teach yourself how to cook. Many people will say, “I know how to cook.” However, with the world of take out and fast food restaurants, the people who can cook have become laxed. With overloaded schedules calling in a dinner order and driving to a curbside service, is quick and convenient. However, performing this act regularly can become costly.
There is another group of people who seriously do not know how to cook. Their definition of cooking is placing a ready-made meal in the microwave, or baking a frozen pizza, in the oven.
This post will address:
Who: This applies to the people who do not know how to cook? Or, the ones who know how but have cast their culinary skills aside. If you can cook, expand your cooking skills.
Why: Today, with this world crisis resulting in food shortages and the limits of how much can be purchased, learning how to cook can be helpful. Cooking meals at home can help your finances. If you are serious about saving money; tightening your budget; or wanting to purchase a large item, such as a car or home, one of the ways to have extra cash, is stop eating out. If you compare all the meals eaten out versus how much groceries you could have purchased, you may be surprised. Generally, eating out supplies one meal and sometimes two, if there are leftovers. However, if you cooked a meal, that dish can feed more than one person and possibly last a couple of days, with leftovers. Another an important fact is health. Healthwise, many meals eaten out contain excessive fat, carbs, sugar, sodium and many chemicals or ingredients many people cannot not pronounce.
How? With the world of internet, there are so many videos available that will provide step by step instructions on how to cook. No internet, no problem. There are multiple cooking channels to help you on your culinary quest. And, don’t forget the old fashion cookbook. Those obsolete things that have pictures and words, those are available. And last, there is a grandmother, aunt, friend, spouse or someone who can cook and would love to assist you. You have multiple outlets, what is your excuse?
Where to find the time? Right now, would be great, if you and the children are home. If not, learn on weekends or evenings, that you have free. Replace scrolling on FB and Instagram for 30 minutes or so and watch a cooking video. Or, eliminate an episode of a TV program and view a cooking program. If you want to learn; you will find the time.
What can be the results? For breakfast, instead of attempting to feed 3 school age children cold milk and sweetened cereal, and, in 2 hours, they will be hungry, again. How about making some pancakes or biscuits from scratch? It takes very little (self-rising flour, shortening and milk for the biscuits, almost the same recipes for pancakes, but add in an egg). Now, add some scrambled eggs, for the protein and don’t forget to add some oatmeal, grits or any other hot cereal. This is a “stick to your ribs” (filling, sustaining) meal and will suppress their appetites, longer.
In summary, why learn how to cook? You can stretch meals, save money, eat healthier and accomplish a task you could not previously perform.
Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. Proverbs 9:9 (KJV)