How to Get Unstuck in the Kitchen

No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen we all go through dull eating patterns. But here are nine tips to get unstuck in the kitchen.

Do you ever find yourself opening the refrigerator only to have your stomach turn? You know the feeling of eating meatloaf way too many nights in a row and a side of mushy fries to go along with it.

You find yourself lost, hopeless and in desperate need for a total awakening of your taste buds, not to mention your body.

Maybe your cutting boards are collecting dust and you don’t even know if your oven will even turn on. You’ve been picking up take out dreading the thought of yet another bland boring meal.

No matter how skilled you are in the kitchen from home-pro to kitchen amateur we all go through dull eating patterns. We lose sight of the beauty and the bounty of the kitchen. So it’s time to fire up that grill, pick up those knives because you are going to get unstuck and regain control of your throne.

It is time to end the love-hate relationship you have with cooking.

Here are nine tips to getting yourself unstuck in the kitchen.

1. Create a list of go-to meals:
It’s the list of meals you know you’ve mastered. They take no thought and you totally dig them. The easy meals that you could make time and time again. Now this list isn’t for you to put it on repeat alternating between two dishes creating major burn-out but to decent list (maybe one you’re building) to be pulled from on hectic nights where you need something that is quick and easy for you. It’s creating a safety net you can always fall back onto.

2. Make a challenge to try one new recipe or ingredient a week:
Experimenting with new recipes or foods can be a daunting task. Don’t worry, we all have the fear of starting the kitchen on fire or creating something the dog won’t even touch. So instead of stressing yourself over being ultra creative save these experiences for once or twice a week when you have time to soak it in, learn and really have fun with it.

3. Make friends with flavor:
Spice combinations can be your greatest ally or your arch nemesis. There is nothing better than a perfectly spiced plate. But, that can come at a price, especially when you’re on your own to cook a meal and you don’t know where to turn to in the spice drawer. Choose to simplify your spices really narrowing in on one or two at a time, learning and experiment with that flavor so you feel fully compatible with it. In other words, stop making things so complex.

4. Learn to make a good sauce:
There’s no arguing, everything is better coated in a sauce. But don’t fret over a sauce because they’re generally tagged as “unhealthy.” Instead focusing on learning how to create two or three basic ‘healthy’ sauces and we can guarantee this will turn your eating experience upside down.

5. Mimic Your favorite restaurant fare:
Learning from the best can be a great way to get unstuck. Revitalize your taste buds by taking them on a journey through a local restaurant serving up delicious food. Treat yourself to a night out as a means of homework to take back your kitchen. And try foods that you feel you could bring back into your own home, creating your own winning version.

6. Subscribe to a food magazine:
Yes, those drool worthy magazines that make you hungry while standing in line at the grocery store. Those food magazines are literally stuffed full of delicious meals, inspiration and ideas that you could take and implement into your own life. Some of them have enough meals to be classified as monthly cookbooks sent directly to your home. Subscribe, you may be amazed at how inspired you get by just flipping through beautifully realistic recipes.

7. Make it a family affair:
Give yourself a break. Don’t put all of the cooking responsibility on yourself. The worst way to wreck your kitchen mojo is starting a food war amongst your family. End the days of cooking multiple meals and listening to complain after complaint and instead get the family involved in the process. If they don’t want to participate than they also don’t have room to complain. It’s the best of both worlds.

8. Get organized:
Say I if you’re one of the millions of people who have unused kitchen gadgets and utensils still sitting around from you wedding day? Okay, now that we have admitted that, lets do a little kitchen purge and get rid of the unnecessary things and organizing the things you do use. Just simple, quick organization and getting rid of the unnecessary makes white space which is also know as space to be creative. But who wouldn’t rather cook in a clean kitchen?

9. Have food on hand:
The obvious is now being stated. If you don’t have food on hand, it’s going to be hard to be creative. Make a plan, buy the food and take back your kitchen. Sometimes it’s as simple as a trip to the grocery store.

The End Dish:

Stop fretting and start doing. Just small action, quick changes and planning can make you reign again. So let’s end the confusion, the complication and just break it down and create simplicity. It is time to dust off the cutting board, fire up the oven and take back the knife. What are you waiting for?

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