Many newlyweds are not used to cooking for themselves. As a single person, you probably lived on take out. Now that there’s someone else with whom you can share dinner, you might feel motivated to cook healthier foods together at home.
“A couple will get closer if they spend time together cooking in the kitchen,” says Debbie G. Harman, author of Cooking for Two (Covenant, September 2007), which offers recipes specifically for two people. Harman wrote the book when her daughter got married in August 2006 and started asking mom for recipes.
Here are step-by-step instructions for finally learning how to cook:
Prep Your Kitchen
Make sure you have the right equipment. To start learning how to cook, you’ll need basic tools – pots, pans, bowls, spoons for stirring, knives, a cutting board, and some measuring utensils (cups for dry ingredients, cups for liquid ingredients, and spoons for spices and smaller doses of items). You will not need fancy gadgets, especially when you’re first learning how to cook. If you have cookbooks that provide simple recipes and directions such as the Joy of Cooking or the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, keep them on hand.
Stock the Pantry
What ingredients you always have in the cupboard depends on what cuisine you both eat most often. For example, if Italian is your favorite, you’ll want to have garlic, dried oregano and basil, and cans of crushed tomatoes in the pantry. Other things that everyone should stock up on are flour, sugar, eggs, oil (olive or canola oil is heart healthy), baking powder, baking soda, and lemons. These are items that show up in many recipes and can easily be used to flavor foods on the go.
Deciding What to Cook
Newlyweds – and anyone cooking at home – should refrain from convenience products, such as ready-to-use sauces packed with preservatives, suggests Harman. These items are costly and unhealthy, she adds. Instead, make gravy and sauce and dip from scratch. These are usually simple things to make, so beginner chefs can handle them, and they will cost less than purchasing the ready-made products. In addition, you can control the amount of salt and fat that goes into your dish and nix the preservatives, which means your meals will be healthier.
Consider Each Other’s Tastes
Find recipes that include ingredients you both enjoy eating. Of course, if one of you has food allergies, take this into consideration when planning your meals. Try to be considerate of the other person’s preferences, tastes, and culture. For example, if your spouse is kosher, try to come up with kosher meals that you both can enjoy. Sometimes, one spouse is a more adventurous eater than the other. If you’re the pickier one, do your best to try things your partner likes. If your spouse loves shellfish, and you have never eaten it, give it a try and start with milder flavors such as shrimp.
Seek Simplicity
For those who haven’t cooked before, try simple recipes at first. Roast a chicken. Grill already cleaned fish such as sole. Boil water and make pasta with olive oil and garlic. Harman suggests muffins, pancakes, and soups as starter recipes. Use recipes on the Internet, such as those you’ll find at the Food Network (which also indicates the level of difficulty of each recipe), here on About.com, or in your favorite cooking publications. Follow the instructions closely, and you should do just fine.
Get in the Kitchen Together
The two of you should make a date to cook together. Maybe you can meet in the kitchen every Friday night at 8 p.m. to make dinner. Plan the menu ahead of time, so you are sure you have everything you need before getting started. Don’t get stressed out about it. Instead, choose to have fun. Split the duties, use your hands, set a lovely table, and laugh at your mistakes. Remember, there’s always room for a smooch between pulling out your ingredients and measuring them.
