By Ian Lau & Erica Ogodo
Feeling exhausted or overwhelmed after a grueling day of work and school? Don’t fret; just pick up a pan and get cooking!
Imagine this: Your alarm failed to go off, so you rush to your car to make it to school on time. As you’re racing down the road, reciting that speech you spent all night memorizing, you split your attention between the traffic and your upcoming class presentation. You make it to campus and run to your first class, where you blitz through your first exam of the day. After a few more lectures and labs, you head to the library to work on a group project.
Eventually, you make your way home. And here, you can enjoy what you have been waiting for the entire day: a moment between you and your dinner.
“But I hate cooking!”
Well, do you like hunger? Malnutrition? No? That’s what I thought.
Cooking, for many of us, is a necessary part of our routines, especially if we’re on a tight budget. It saves money and gives us the freedom to choose what goes in our bodies. Also, studying with an empty stomach can be a bit distracting.
If you’re going to have to cook anyway, why not make it something to look forward to?
“Cooking is too hard”
Every home cook starts somewhere, since humans don’t emerge from the womb as cooking prodigies.
Start with simple foods. Something as straightforward as scrambled eggs can be a good way to cut your culinary teeth before moving on to other recipes. Browse a website like allrecipes.com, or even YouTube, for something that catches your eye. You can even try one of the many meal kit services available.
Just keep trying; you’ll build that cooking intuition soon enough.
“I don’t really have the time!“
Think of cooking as a much-needed break from your busy schedule; a regular step in your day-to-day life, like waking up, attending class, or going to work.
Consider employing meal prepping strategies. Make larger batches that can last longer in the fridge or freezer. Chop all the veggies you need for the week at once. When you’re hungry you can just reheat the fruits of your labour.
If you’re concerned about missing out valuable time with friends, why not cook together? Collaborating in the kitchen can be a great way to have fun, create something delicious, and deepen your bond.
“I’ll just order takeout”
For the seventh day in a row? For every meal? In this economy? If you can afford so much takeout and delivery without putting your finances in jeopardy, congratulations. You’ve made it in life. How does it feel to live a lavish lifestyle?
Aside from cost efficiency, cooking has the benefit of giving you free reign over your dinner plate. You can add whatever ingredients and flavours you want. Meet your nutrition goals, tailor your meals to your tastebuds, and experiment as much as your stomach desires.
In cases where takeout is the only option, or when you’re simply feeling like treating yourself, make sure to enjoy it! Make smart decisions not only in the kitchen but also when choosing a restaurant. Explore delivery app deals, find healthier options, and savour the taste of restaurant-quality food.
“Groceries are too expensive!“
Stop spending so much! You don’t always need the priciest ground meat on the market or the most expensive veggies for your salad.
Looking to stock up on a budget? Prioritize discounted items. flipp.com lets you browse flyers at all major supermarkets and stores. Apps like Flashfood and FoodHero will also help you find affordability in the food aisle. If you have limited ingredients available, try websites and apps like myfridgefood.com and SuperCook, which will give you recipes based on what you have on hand. budgetbytes.com is another website with great cost-friendly meals to make. Additionally, it can be fun to see what recipes you can come up with based on whatever’s on sale or whatever you have on hand.
“But I’m not really having fun, am I?“
Why not? You’re creating something rewarding out of a few ingredients. In the kitchen, you’re like an artist crafting a delectable masterpiece. Or, if you prefer, a scientist concocting an appetizing lab experiment.
I recommend downloading an app like Paprika Recipe Manager to keep track of recipes that worked for you and recipes you’d like to try later. Sometimes, making something new or finding that one recipe you love is what makes cooking so fun.
At the end of the day, cooking is something you must do, so find the fun in it. Leave all those projects and assignments at the kitchen door and enjoy this moment. Here, it’s just you and your food.
Get cooking with confidence!
Check out the useful apps and resources recommended by the Link team.
SuperCook
Consider this site as the search engine that transforms food ingredients into delicious recipes. They suggest recipes based on what you have in your pantry. No emergency shopping needed—just improvise and eat. SuperCook is perfect for anyone who wants dinner without drama. Cooking starts with what you have in your kitchen, and as the site says, “all we assume you have are salt, pepper, and water”.
Recify
Recify flips the script with recipe matching based on your ingredients. Curiosity, and some pantry staples are all you need. It is great for beginners and those moments when you find yourself staring at your pantry in confusion. With Recify, cooking becomes a puzzle you’d really enjoy solving.
Plant Jammer
Plant Jammer uses AI to help you create recipes from scratch with plant-based ingredients. Simply select the ingredients, and it builds a dish that works for you. Like a culinary coach in your pocket, this app is ideal for learning, experimenting, and even turning leftover stuff into something that might be surprisingly gourmet.
Crumb
Crumb simplifies finding healthy, cheap meals with minimal fuss. Just enter your pantry and fridge ingredients for immediate recipe inspiration tailored to your lifestyle. It is perfect for students and those who want tasty food without spending hours in the kitchen.
