Believe it or not, I did not cook that much when I was younger and when I did, it was the standard spaghetti bolognese, macaroni cheese, anything with cheese or pasta. I did not eat that many vegetables, even though I have always mainly eaten a vegetarian diet.
It is not always healthy food, just because you eat a vegetarian diet. There are a lot of processed foods that are not that healthy. There is however, a lot more healthier alternatives than there used to be, as well as a lot more choice in plant based products. There does tend to be a lot of additives, which if you are like me and have a lot of problems with food intolerances, then it is much better to cook from scratch.
It doesn’t always have to be a laborious task. I would say if anything, its all about planning. If you batch cook and plan your meals better, it is much easier. I do not cook every day, but as I make a bulk lot, I can just mix and match my meals, making them interesting and different every day, with very little effort.
I started cooking more, when I expanded my fruit and vegetable intake. I have never been a big lover of fruit, so initially I had to make myself eat fruit, even when I didn’t feel like it. Over time it started to become a habit and then I started to enjoy it more. I bought vegetables that I didn’t quite know what they were, even the most simple vegetable, that I had not cooked with. This then made me look at more recipes and start to broaden my recipe ideas and eat more types of foods.
Batch cooking has been my life saver, when you have a busy life and are short of time, this is a good option. Sometimes I am cooking for the next day as well, which I know some people might find difficult. However, if I roast a big batch of vegetables, whilst cooking a roast dinner, then I can toss them in salads, or through rice and make the cooking process a lot quicker, throughout the week.
So for example this week, I made a soup, which is for three lunches; roasted some pumpkin, which I can use for three meals, and I baked some healthy-ish flap jacks, well they have fresh raspberries in them and slightly less sugar!!
I do understand that at times, it is another chore, but if you start to enjoy what you are eating, then you start to enjoy the cooking process.
So all I can say is keep buying different fruit and vegetables every week, keep looking at recipes, even once a week. Try different spices, or sauces and you will start to love food and love to cook. Plan your meals for the week, which helps with shopping and eases cooking. Batch cook, so that you can either have three lunches, or freeze some, so that when you do not want to cook, you have a healthy lunch or dinner, that will only take the time to heat it. This also helps with healthy eating, as we all have times when we do not want to cook, or have little time.
I hope this helps! Let me know if it starts to help you improve.
Button Bakes & Creates 