More and more people are turning to convenience products. Many use a lack of time as an excuse for this. Yet you really don't need to be a kitchen wizard to conjure up simple dishes from fresh ingredients. Preparation takes only a few minutes, but freshly cooked meals contain more vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Furthermore, when cooking for yourself, you can determine the sugar and fat content yourself. What many people don't know is that there is a lot of sugar in convenience products. Even in ketchup, instant soups, and pickles, where you wouldn't even suspect the sweetener. So, for the sake of your health, it's better to pick up the wooden spoon!
What you need for preparing simple meals – kitchen utensils
You don't need expensive kitchen equipment to prepare simple meals. If you want to get into cooking, it's best to take a look at the Penny offers from Thursday. The discounter regularly has promotions on high-quality dishes, pans, pots, and knives. In addition, the supermarket chain offers collection campaigns for regular customers. Anyone who has reached a certain number of points can get, for example, knives or pots at a special price. The collection cards are available in the branches, and information about them can also be found on the internet. As a cooking beginner, you should definitely get the following helpers:
- A pan with a non-stick coating – this means you need less fat when frying
- A baking dish made of silicone or ceramic
- High-quality pots – so that nothing burns so quickly
- At least one sharp vegetable knife and one meat knife each
- A vegetable peeler
- Some plastic bowls for preparation
- Cutting boards
- Spatula, wooden spoon, ladle
With this basic equipment, you can already prepare some delicious dishes. It also makes sense to get a hand blender. With it, fruit purees, soups, and sauces can be prepared in no time.
Sauces and soups prepared quickly
Homemade sauces not only taste better than convenience products, they also score with a high nutrient content. Preparation is very simple and requires only a few ingredients. Vegetable-based sauces prove to be particularly healthy. For this, you can, for example, cook fresh green asparagus in the spring together with a peeled and finely diced potato. The starch contained in it acts as a low-calorie thickener. Once the vegetables are soft, they are pureed with some cooking water. A little cream or crème fraîche ensures a creamy consistency. In the same way, sauces can be made from carrots, pumpkin, and many other types of vegetables. The vegetable sauce can be excellently combined with pasta, rice, millet, potatoes, and other side dishes. If you use more cooking water for pureeing, you can make a tasty soup.
Delicious dishes from the pan and oven
Wok dishes are very easy to make. For this, you need a coated pan that allows frying without a large amount of fat. So that the dish is ready within a few minutes, you need meat suitable for quick frying. Chicken and turkey are particularly lean. The diced meat is seared in a few drops of heated oil. Add vegetables like bell peppers, onions, or zucchini, which are characterized by a short cooking time. A tablespoon of soy sauce, curry powder, and fresh herbs provide seasoning. Casseroles are also ready in no time. For this, you need cooked vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, or corn. There are no limits to your imagination when choosing. However, seasonal and regional varieties contain the most nutrients. For a full main meal, you can mix in potatoes or pasta depending on your taste. Layer the ingredients together in a baking dish. Then a mixture of beaten egg, milk, and cheese is prepared. Ham also works excellently in casseroles. The prepared vegetables are poured over with the egg mixture and baked in the oven for about half an hour. This dish is also perfect for using up leftovers. If rice, pasta, or other side dishes are left over from the day before, a sweet casserole is also a good option. A little skill is required when separating the eggs: the casserole becomes fluffy if you first stir the yolks well with some butter and sugar until frothy. Then add the pasta, rice, or millet (already cooked) and ensure a firmer consistency by adding flour. Finally, fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Optionally, the sweet main course can be refined with chopped fruit such as pears, apples, or apricots.
Saving money while cooking made easy
Cooking for yourself doesn't have to be expensive. Especially if you pay attention to the Lidl leaflet and other brochures. Every week they land in the mailbox and inform about current promotions on food and many other items. But be careful, products are often only cheaper if you buy more of them at once. In this case, you have to weigh carefully whether the corresponding quantity can actually be used. With flour, sugar, rice, pasta, and other long-lasting goods, that is certainly not a problem. However, it is different with fruit and vegetables. Going to the supermarket with a shopping list is also a tried and tested money-saving tip. Then you only buy what you really need. Many impulse purchases are never used anyway and eventually end up in the trash. Using up leftovers and managing well helps to relieve the household budget.
