Proven Ways to Have Fun Cooking for Yourself
Cooking can turn into a chore in no time if you don’t have fun with it. This idea can be applied to nearly everything in life. In most cases, having fun while doing something you enjoy cooking can be achieved with relative ease. But how do we get the same results while we are slaving away in the kitchen over a hot stovetop?
Well, the answer isn’t that simple. Most people these days find cooking to be stressful and fear-inducing. This is most likely due to long and hard work days, as well as a lack of experience in the kitchen. All this stress and fear of cooking is bad for us, causing us to go out to restaurants and ordering takeout even though we know the many benefits of choosing to cook at home.
This is obviously not the best choice for your health.
There is a way out.
You see, just like any other activity that we learn to deal with, cooking can be turned into a relaxing, stress-free activity that will leave you with a smile on your face when you are done. Here some of the methods you can use to lose the stress and enjoy your time in the kitchen.
Set your mind to it.
Staying focused and mindful in the kitchen is absolutely vital. You have to be on top of what you are doing at all times. Before you get crazy with your cooking, get in the zone and concentrate on all the tasks at hand.
Music will ease your soul.
Turn up the tunes up and enjoy some beats. It is scientifically proven that music has a positive influence on us. You might want to choose something that you are a bit familiar with and enjoy or take the opportunity to try something new. So grab your favorite album or tune into one of those free music streaming sites and enjoy!
Your environment matters a lot.
Your emotions are heavily influenced by the environment which you are in when you cook. Surround yourself with great friends and go out into nature, leave the busy city life behind. Not able to head to the nearest park every time you want to cook something? No problem, place some plants in the kitchen. They will cheer you up.
A glass of wine can help.
Pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine or grab your favorite beer and enjoy it while you cook. The only catch is that you can only have one drink per day if you wish to remain healthy, so make sure you stop yourself before going any further. It is generally agreed upon that the benefits of consuming alcohol pretty much stop at one drink per day, so don’t overdo it.
Don’t forget about that podcast you missed.
Cooking is the perfect opportunity to listen to your favorite podcast. This is a perfect way to maximize your time in the kitchen by also learning a few things from your favorite people on the internet. You can even choose a podcast about cooking, making it a win-win situation.
It is time to catch up on your favorite book.
Are you finding it hard to find the time to sit down and finish that novel you started a few months back? Get it as an audiobook and turn up the volume while you cook in the kitchen! Just be careful during the sappy moment, things might get a bit too salty.
Netflix has no bounds, even in the kitchen.
Find yourself a little old TV, plug it in, and find your favorite show on a streaming service like Netflix. We suggest something mildly humorous that you can follow without giving it your full attention. Keep a focus on what you are doing. You need to keep all of your fingers intact, after all. Perhaps a rerun will do.
Snack on snacks while in the kitchen.
It can be hard to keep yourself from munching on everything you cook in the kitchen. The best solution we have found is to get something healthy and munch on that instead of whatever you are cooking. It will save your dishes from never making it to the end of the line and keep you happier in the long run.
Pin it, Snapchat it, Tweet it!
Share your progress and creations with the world. Making something exquisite or perhaps daring? See what your friends think of it. Take some photos, post them up on your favorite social media site, and listen for those notification sounds. Who knows, maybe someone will end up coming over and joining you.
Anything can be turned into a themed dinner.
What are some of your favorite things in life? Think about your favorite football team, TV show, celebrities, or locations. All of these can be turned into a themed dinner. Pick something random or better yet have your significant other or best friend do it for you. Then invite them over for their favorite themed night. Trust us when we say it will end with a smile on your face. Stay away from taco night, that’s cheating.
Broaden your comfort zone.
Cooking the same thing over and over again can get dull and boring quickly. Luckily, we live in the 21st century, and the internet is at your fingertips! Dive into the world of culinary diversity and choose an unknown recipe to cook today. You will be surprised how many truly amazing dishes exist out there.
If Wolfgang Puck can do it, so can you.
Remember that little TV we set up in the kitchen? Try putting on a cooking show and following along with it. We suggest using something you can pause or rewind in case you need to catch up or check the ingredients one more time. Wouldn’t it be great creating the same dishes as some of the most renowned world chefs?
What you do in the kitchen is ultimately up to you, but you don’t have to be doing it under stress or in fear. Creating culinary masterpieces can be very rewarding. All you have to do is have fun with it!
