5 Ways To Upgrade Your Cooking

Finnegan Pierson

Cooking can be both fun and rewarding. If you are tired of ordering takeout and microwaving frozen dinners every week, now is a good time to start cooking more often. Once you have the basics of cooking down, you may want to know how to take your cooking prowess to the next level. Stepping up your cooking can be attained by making some upgrades to your kitchen and the recipes you learn and practice. With the right upgrades and tips in mind, soon you will be confident enough to take your cooking skills up a notch. Read on to see five ways of upgrading your food and cooking game.

1. Replace Your Refrigerator and Freezer

The freshness of your ingredients depends on the quality of your refrigerator and freezer units. If you find your refrigerator is lacking in any way, it's time for an upgrade. True refrigeration units should provide you with enough space for many ingredients, as well as enough efficiency to last for a long time.  

Freezing leftover food is also a great way to stretch out your recipes and keep your kitchen stocked for substantial periods of time. If the freezer door in your refrigerator is smaller than what you would like, consider buying a separate freezer unit. Another freezer will provide you with even more space for storing ingredients and for keeping already prepared meals accessible for months.

2. Reorganize Your Kitchen

If your kitchen is overly cluttered or unorganized, staying on task while cooking may become more difficult than it needs to be. A good way to start reorganizing your kitchen is to sort items and appliances into designated areas. Rather than having every appliance and utensil strewn about the kitchen, put each category of item together.

Sorting your items based on what is most convenient is important as well. For instance, keep your oven mitts near the stove for easy access. When you are done using whichever item you need at the moment, return it to the spot you picked out for it so that you know where it is every time.

With a clean and organized kitchen, the cooking process can become much smoother. If it's been a while since you've used certain appliances, consider disposing of them or giving them away to clear up space for more efficiency.

3. Get Better Cookware

While you're getting rid of your old appliances and cookware, this is a perfect time to replace them with newer items that you will use regularly. Getting a whole new set of cookware can make a big difference in the quality of your food. For instance, if your old pots and pans weren't doing the trick before, consider upgrading to a cast-iron skillet for a sturdier and more versatile item. The higher the quality of the cookware, the better your cooking experience will be.

4. Get Better Cutlery

The utensils you use for cooking and for eating could be upgraded as well. Different knives do different jobs when cutting ingredients, so having a wide variety of knives allows for more versatility. Purchase a knife block as well as a sharpening tool to keep your knives sharp and ready to use.

5. Learn More Recipes

Have you found yourself stuck in a rut in terms of what you cook? Thankfully, there is a near-endless supply of recipes both on the internet and in books. Follow cooking channels online and look up recipe books to broaden your horizons. Get adventurous and look up different kinds of food you have never tried before. By expanding your palate and stretching outside of your comfort zone in the world of recipes you make, your passion for cooking may find a whole new life.

With these ideas in mind, you may just get that push you need to take your cooking to the next level. By trying new things, you may be surprised by how much fun you end up having in the kitchen.