6 Ways to Make Cooking More Fun
You don’t consider yourself a chef? No problem, but we all still have to eat, right?
Cooking can sometimes feel like a chore, leading people to order food or go out to restaurants for a lot of meals. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that at all, but if you - like me- are fairly conscious of not only eating healthy, but also not breaking the bank, you find yourself cooking at home a lot. So how can cooking become a fun task, not a chore that “has to be done”?
For me, cooking is enjoyable and something I look forward to. But there are still many times that I think about what a hassle it can be to always plan ahead and spend time cooking meals. Let’s talk about a few things you can do to make cooking more fun!
Listen to a podcast
Cooking and learning all at once - what could be better? A podcast is an awesome way to multi-task by listening to some great content while also preparing a culinary delight! Whether your podcast of choice is murder mystery, self improvement, or financial advice, enlightening yourself with a bit of knowledge, humor, or general entertainment can be an excellent way to pass the time… just don’t get so engrossed that you let your pot boil over! New to podcasts and looking to try something great? Check out The Passion Project Podcast hosted by my good friend Eric Maclise.
Invite a friend over and cook together
The only thing better than a party for one is a party for two! Cooking with friends is such a great way to bond. Whether it’s for a meal prep Sunday or simply to have some cooking company (and eating company) on a random Wednesday night, sharing a laugh over food is a great way to spend your time.
Pro Tip: Plan a meal prep day with a friend- come prepared with the ingredients for 2 recipes each (and means with which to cook these recipes). At the end of the day you’ll have prepared a total of 4 recipes between the two of you and you can split all the meals in half! Less effort on your part, but more variety overall! This works especially well with instant pot recipes.
During the pandemic, you might be thinking - I’m not even allowed to go to someone’s house, how can I possibly cook with someone? The answer is: Facetime, Zoom, Google Meet…. Need I say more? Although virtual cooking dates aren’t quite the same as in person, if you shop for the same ingredients as a friend and then make the same recipe together while on a video call it’s actually pretty fun!
Drink a glass of wine
… Need I say more? Now I’m not trying to get you in trouble for drinking on the job, but I’m just saying that sometimes you need to relax a bit - cooking a meal can be stressful. Remember that your culinary creation may not look how it was “supposed” to look according to the cookbook or Pinterest post. Take a generous swig of wine and a big breath - it’ll all be alright.
Jam out to your favourite tunes
One of my personal favorites here - there’s nothing quite like lip syncing, or belting out Taylor Swift at the top of your lungs into a silicone ladle (microphone) while stirring a pot of soup. It just doesn’t get much better than that.
Call your mom (or another family member/friend)
Having a conversation with someone can definitely make the time pass by quicker! Just make sure you still pay attention to your cooking so your focus won’t be taken away from the task at hand. Pro tip: put your phone on speaker or use Bluetooth headphones so that you don’t have to hold the phone to your ear while chatting, maintaining maximum kitchen mobility.
Toss on a movie in the background
Specifically a movie you’ve seen before - don’t want to get too distracted here folks (but if you live life a little on the wild side then I guess you could try something new too). I don’t know about you but there are some movies that I will watch again and again and I’ll just toss them on in the background while I whip up my “masterpieces”.
So there you have it - 6 ways to mix it up to make cooking a bit more fun and entertaining! I hope these quick tips can help you enjoy the culinary experience as you prepare meals in your own kitchens.
