googlemei: Mei2 Cooking Class

1.22.2011

Mei2 Cooking Class

Are you sick of eating the same food again and again in the cafeteria or canteen? So why don't you try cooking yourself in your college or university?

Sure, with our busy schedules, it might seem like taking the time to cook a real meal just isn’t worth it, but here are some reasons why we should start teaching ourselves to cook in college, as well as some tips on how to get started:

You’ll Save Money

Cooking for yourself will save you lotssss of money! Instead of paying around 8 bucks for a meal, you could spend 11 bucks and get ingredients to make that meal three times over.

Buying products and vegetables that you have to prepare yourself is cheaper in the long run, simply because it is more time consuming to prepare. When buying take-out or prepared meals, we’re paying extra for convenience. This is okay once in a while, since everybody gets overwhelmed sometimes, but you’d be surprised how much money you could be saving if you made the effort to cook for yourself!

You’ll Get Healthier and Slimmer

We all know fast food isn’t the healthiest option out there, but even the healthier prepared meals you pick up at the supermarket can be full of sodium and preservatives, so they can cook it at the factory and have it stay good until you finally decide to pop the dish in your microwave.

As I said before, once in a while, this kind of meal won’t kill you, but it’s so much healthier to prepare your own meals and know exactly what you’re putting into them. This is especially important if you have any kind of food allergy or intolerance, since packages aren’t always clearly labeled, and you could end up consuming some ingredients you’d rather not.

You’ll Prepare for the Future

Eventually, we’re going to graduate, get jobs, and start our lives. I’m not saying there aren’t adults out there who live on McDonald’s, but if you plan on having a sit-down meal with family or friends on a regular basis in the future, why not start preparing yourself now?

Learning how to cook can be a really rewarding and an essential life skill, and it can also help you feel more balanced and capable someday when you’re really out on your own and building your future. Plus, it can be loads of fun!

Getting Started Cooking for Yourself

Now that I’ve (hopefully) inspired you to start learning how to cook, here are some easy tips for getting started:

Start small. Maybe try cooking just one night a week, when you’re not as busy, or alternate with roommates to prepare meals together, or for one another.

Plan ahead. Before you go grocery shopping, make a meal plan for the week. Even if that plan includes frozen pizza three times, it will allow you to map out when you want to cook, what you’re going to make, and what you need to buy, so you don’t overspend or get overwhelmed.

Do your homework. Ask for a beginner’s cookbook for Christmas, check out recipe websites like Cooking Light or follow my blog, or even ask your Mom and Grandma to teach you some of their favorite recipes. There are all kinds of resources out there – you just have to look!

Experiment. The best way to learn how to cook is to take chances and try new things. It won’t always work out, but you’ll learn important lessons (like how measurements are really important in baking!) and you’ll have some fun along the way.

Recruit others. Have your roommates, friends, boyfriend, etc. try to start learning along with you. You can swap recipes, share horror stories, and even organize a potluck so everyone can show off their latest accomplishments. It takes a lot of the stress off if you’re not going at it alone.

Trust me, cooking save you a lots of time! Previously I thought it is time consuming to wash all the cooking material after your dinner. But subsequently I found that it is the same time as you drive to a restaurant, order your meal, pay your bill and come back to college.

Normally I took around 15 minutes to cook. I can finish everything including enjoying my meal around 30-45 minutes! Yes I am proud of myself!

This was what I cooked yesterday:

Miso Udon Noodle

Share with you some tips on cooking DIY in college

Step 1: Prepare ingredients