Getting into the routine of cooking can either be a challenge or a burden for some without the needed home essentials. Nowadays, many people prefer eating out in restaurants or ordering food from their favorite eateries rather than cooking at home. Others find it hard to do it simply because they are not good at it. However, with many tutorials in the media today as well as cookbooks in the market, that can be changed easily. Just remember: even the most celebrated professional chefs in the world right now used to be confused with sugar and salt. Besides, if we better understand the myriad of benefits that cooking offers, perhaps many of us would be more willing to incorporate cooking meals into our daily habits.
Cooking is actually more than just a household chore. It is an outlet for creative expression as well. | Photo from Unsplash
As I’ve mentioned earlier, cooking is more than just a chore you do every day. It can also be an outlet for your creative expression or a means of communication towards the people you love. Cooking can also be a therapy or a way to help you raise your self-esteem. As a matter of fact, cooking is a sensory experience since it is a very immersive activity, encompassing sensations like sound, texture, temperature, aroma, and of course, taste. And what makes it more satisfying is the art of mastering the things that you do in your kitchen: the preparation of ingredients, the repetition of the motions to dice and slice the vegetables, the sound of adding the pasta to the boiling water, the bubbling of a broth, and the aromas that fill the entire kitchen as you bring your meal into completion.
Hence, if you master the skill of following a recipe and executing a meal properly, it will instantly develop your confidence since it takes focus and determination to follow the written words in a cookbook and translate them into preparing a dish. That’s why it has been proven that cooking also improves one’s mental focus.
Cooking also gives you a feeling of accomplishment. Whenever you cook for yourself or for your loved ones, you’re setting an achievable goal for yourself which increases your ability to combat procrastination and helps you to develop a positive, goal-oriented mindset and behavior. Furthermore, cooking exercises your creativity as it gives you the opportunity to experiment in your kitchen and curate recipes that you can infuse to your menu. And as you go on, cooking also teaches you patience. Considering the immediacy of the digital age and the fast-paced movement of almost everything around us including instant food and fast-food chains, cooking is the best way to learn the virtue of patience.
Cooking is packed with many benefits that not only you can benefit but the people around you as well. | Photo from Unsplash
Aside from the plethora of skills and confidence you can get from cooking, it also helps you connect with others especially if it includes cooking with your loved ones, specifically your kids. It has been said that whether you have your older or younger kids, cooking is an activity that all ages enjoy. As a matter of fact, cooking with your children is considered as a quality and intimate family time. When you cook with your kids, you are also engaging in conversations with them and having fun making a mess in the kitchen together.
These are just some of the benefits of cooking that will definitely encourage you to break out the cookbook and get started working in your kitchen. And while it is safe to say that spending time in the kitchen is rewarding, all the cooking sessions can be overwhelming, especially if you do not have the set of proper home essentials that help you to become the better cook you’ve always been dreaming of.
Bring back the fun and creativity into your kitchen with these 10 kitchen essentials:
No cook could live without a couple of good quality, stainless steel saucepans with lids as well as a few best induction pans. Having a great set of pans will always come in handy depending on what you like to cook. If you are a beginner in cooking, invest in non-stick frying pans for they are easy to use and quick to clean up. For the everyday chef, invest in stainless steel saucepans as they are heat responsive and versatile. They are also easy to clean up because they can usually go in the dishwasher. If you are a professional cook, copper pans are your great choice for they provide maximum temperature control. Just make sure to do your research on the brand you’re considering buying as it has been reported that certain amounts of copper have been linked to some diseases.
Make your cooking sessions easier by choosing the best companion in the kitchen like a great set of pans. | Photo from Unsplash
It is always a pleasure to wake up in the morning knowing you have a perfectly matching kettle and toaster to start your day. As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Hence, a good kettle and toaster set is an important purchase. It is important that you do not only take into consideration investing in a kettle and toaster set with gorgeous aesthetics, but with great functionality. This includes special features that work best for your situation.
Knives are one of the kitchen essentials that you will be using every day, so think of them as an investment. Consider buying a paring knife, a serrated bread knife, and a chef’s knife for they are the most useful and important ones. To keep them in good shape, buy a knife sharpener and never put them in the dishwasher or leave them soaking in the water. To properly clean it, use soap and hot water and make sure to dry them right away rather than letting them air dry.
Of course, you will be needing a couple of good chopping boards to go along with your good set of knives. If you were to buy only one chopping board, invest in a plastic one since it is more versatile and if washed efficiently, you can use it for both raw meats and fresh vegetables. On the other hand, wood chopping boards are perfect for cutting and serving.
There’s nothing more satisfying than having a clean and organized fridge. This is why glass food storage containers are considered to be one of the must-have kitchen essentials. Aside from the fact that they are durable, microwavable, freezer-friendly, and stain-resistant, glass containers do not absorb tastes and odors. Not to mention that they are sustainable.
Glass food storage containers also come in various sizes and are safe to use in the dishwasher . | Photo from Unsplash
Whether you are an amateur chef or a kitchen pro, having a quality blender can make your meal-prep easier. If you are a smoothie lover, a countertop blender is the home essential for you. However, if you are more likely to make soups and sauces, a hand blender is your best bet.
If most of your days highly depend on an ample amount of caffeine, invest in a quality coffee maker to make it. After all, the most important aspect of a coffee maker is how well it brews your coffee. To relinquish some level of control on your coffee, use an automatic coffee brewer. For an advanced coffee maker, opt for machines with more complex features.
Induction stove is a kitchen essential that can be your instant best friend since it is faster, safer, and more efficient than the traditional electric stove. Moreover, induction stoves have an electronic LED control panel to help you accurately cook at the right temperature.
When cooking or baking, you should not be relaxed with your own measurements. This is to avoid making your dishes under-seasoned or over seasoned. To ensure that you get the right taste every time you bake or cook, use measuring jugs, cups, and spoons so you will achieve the taste as rightly intended.
Whether you are trying a new recipe or mastering a favorite recipe, measuring tools are home essentials. | Photo from Unsplash
If you love baking sugar cookies, non-stick sheet pans may perform better while an aluminum option for roasting vegetables at high temperature. You should also invest in sheet pans with textured surfaces to amp up the crispiness of the food and help with air flow.
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