7 of the worst cooking habits that you need to break
When it comes to cooking, we’re all guilty of doing things “our own way”, falling victim to bad habits or trying to cut corners. Here we take a look at seven common cooking blunders. How many are you guilty of?
1. No method to your madness
To maximize for efficiencies in the kitchen, it’s good to have a plan before taking on meal prep. For instance, if you don't turn on the oven or heat the water before you start everything else, you could waste lots of time. Or worse, poor timing could mean one dish finishes much later than another and you’re left with a cold dish.
2. Cutting with a dull knives
Cutting, chopping or dicing with a dull knife is not only frustrating, but it can more easily lead to accidents like cutting yourself. Get in the habit of sharpening your knives before each use and sharpen them.
3. Substituting ingredients
Especially true for baking, which is like a science, so there’s often no room for creativity. For example, if you swap out too much, your dish may end up turning out completely different – and might not taste great either.
4. Skipping the salt
While you don’t want to eat food laden in salt, in some cooking processes it is essential. For instance, your pasta water needs salt, so don't skimp. No matter how much you add salt to your sauce, pasta boiled without salt tastes flat.
5. Not taste testing your food
Even cooking pros constantly taste their food (and season accordingly). Don’t skip this step.
6. Storing dairy products incorrectly
Despite being a popular spot for dairy, you should not place items like milk, yoghurt, and butter in the shelves on the fridge door. This is the warmest area and where said products will spoil fastest. Instead, keep these foods on the inner shelves.
7. Not caring for your non-stick cookware
Keep the cooking spray away from your non-stick cookware. The spray actually cooks onto the surface and becomes almost impossible to clean off. The result: Your pan is no longer nonstick. And while you're at it, keep your knives and abrasive scrubbers away, too. You're bound to make cuts and ruin the finish.