Intentional atrocities aside, Michelle of the Last Food Blog, who is dedicated to helping everyone make deliciously good healthy meals for themselves and their family without crazy long lists of ingredients, said that there are a number of challenges that await us at the countertop.
"Cooking spices for too long will burn the spices, leaving your dish tasting bitter, they only need a minute to wake up," the woman told Bored Panda about the most common ones. "Overseasoning is another easy way to ruin a dish, always go small and taste your dish before adding more salt or pepper."
To better prepare ourselves, we need to do at least some homework. "I think basic skills are very important, you should be able to chop an onion and crush garlic," Michelle said. "It is also essential to be able to make an omelette or a basic pasta sauce from scratch, they are all so easy to make and will save you money. Cooking rice, pasta, and potatoes are also essential basic skills."
And while she thinks that some rules should be followed, especially when it comes to baking, generally Michelle believes that you should find your own way and learn from your mistakes. "I also believe that you can make any recipe your own and you don't need to follow a recipe to the T," she added.
"To take your cooking to another level, I would recommend trying out new techniques and cuisines, and practice, practice, practice! The more you do, the better you’ll get!" Michelle said.
And people are realizing it. The 2022 Cooking At Home Study shows large shifts in people's mindset and behaviors over the past two years, from more experimentation to better meal planning to online grocery shopping.
68% of respondents said they prioritize healthy meals and quality ingredients, with 60% saying they cook at home five or more times a week. 81% of respondents enjoy cooking more now than prior to the pandemic, 78% use appliances more now and 53% said they want more ways to make meal prep easier (69% of Millenials).
When it comes to grocery pick up or delivery, four in 10 said they used a service during the pandemic. Among those that have, 48% are still using one of these services.
