Cooking Tips

Most o f these tips will keep you healthier in the kitchen. Some tips will not only keep you healthier, but will also give your food a better taste. Following these simple tips are beneficial to you and your family as you cook in the kitchen.

-Do not add food until water comes to a boil. So many people want to add their noodles or vegetables to a pot of water before it boils. Unless otherwise told in the instructions, food should be added after water comes to a boil to avoid the food from becoming soggy.

-Use olive oil in replace of butter. It contains monounsaturated far and can lower your chances of heart diseases or other health risks. Yes, some types of fats are good for you. You should replace olive oil with canola oil, vegetable oil and butter.

-Do not thaw meats under warm or hot water. Thawing out meat using warm water causes bacteria to multiply. When meat gets above the 30 degree temperature, bacteria starts to grow on it extremely quickly. It is best to thaw out meat in the refrigerator by placing meat in there two days before use. At this rate your fridge will keep your meat at the temperature that it needs to be at. If you are thawing shrimp or chicken you can place them in cool water in the fridge for quicker thawing.

-Use your vegetable cleaner for your counters. The cleaner that you are using on your counters should be safe to use on your food since you are cooking there. Many cleaners are filled with a ton of nasty chemicals that shouldn't be put into the mouth. Vegetable spray is safe and will effectively clean your counters.

-Use glass cutting boards. Glass cutting boards don't have on creases or cracks where food could settle in. Usually in plastic and wood cutting boards there may be cracks that you aren't even aware of. This is dangerous as food could settle in here and can increase your chances of salmonella.

-Get rid of all plastic containers. Plastic storage containers should be replaced with glass and water bottles should be replaced with stainless steel bottles. Many people like to reheat their food in the microwave. Doing this takes away any good minerals and nutrients that were once in the food and eliminates all of them. Even if a water bottle was left in the car, it could heat up and produce cancerous material inside. To be on the safe side it is always recommended to use glass, stainless steel or ceramic and get rid of all of you plastic containers.

-Switch to using as much organic food and cooking ingredients as possible. After using organic food for quite some time you will notice a chance in your health. You will be feeling great and will notice your health improving. Switching to sea salt will also greatly improve your health.

-Use the stove as much as you can. Using the microwave can change the structure of your food making it unhealthy. It gives off negative radiation and destroys the nutrient content from the exposure. Microwaving your food leaves your food without vitamins and nutrients. You are now left with no nutrition in your food. Warming up your food on the stove doesn't contain any radiation and you are left with great tasting and healthy food.

-Cook your vegetables in a steamer. Cooking vegetables in a microwave or in a boiling pot of water on the stove eliminates some of the nutrients that you should be getting. Cooking your vegetables in a steamer is a healthy way to enjoy your vegetables.

-Save time by cooking in quantity. Making meals for your family everyday can get exhausting especially after a long day of work. Make the most of your time and freeze any leftovers that you may have. Sometimes, people make too much food and end up throwing it out not realize that they could have froze their leftovers for a great meal in the future.

-Use whole grain or wheat bread. White bread contains a lot of corn syrup which is definitely not healthy for you or your family. Stick to using whole grain or wheat bread for sandwiches, grilled cheese and toast. Also using whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour is beneficial.

-Replace your spices with herbs. Spices that are premade contain a lot of sodium and unhealthy ingredients. Instead of using garlic powder, cut up some fresh garlic and add it to your meal. Not only are you placing healthy garlic in your food which boosts your immune system, you are also giving your food more of a flavor.

-Avoid deep frying as much as possible. Deep frying your fish or french fries definitely negatively have an effect on your health. Since french fries are already not healthy for you it is best to replace them with potatoes. However, if you must eat them cook them in the oven to eliminate some extra grease and fat that may develop when you would deep fry it. Cooking fish in the oven or on the stove is also a lot healthier than deep frying it.

-Avoid canned vegetables if possible. Canned vegetables have a high amount of sodium. Although it may be hard to completely avoid canned vegetables altogether since some areas are not appropriate areas for growing vegetables in, you should limit them. Buying frozen vegetables is a better choice then canned.

-Serve fruits or vegetables at every meal. To maintain those great cooking skills you have, it is important to apply them to everyone in your family. Fruits are generally preferred in the morning as vegetables are preferred during lunch or dinner. Your kids may not appreciate it now, but they will understand you were simply trying to help in the future. Serving a salad is a great idea for those picky eaters.

-Always measure your ingredients. Adding too much flour, sugar or salt to your meal will not only cause it to taste different, but it will also result in your food not being as healthy for you. Whether you are measuring for a tablespoon or a teaspoon it is always important to measure.