Cooking is a great skill to have because it can save you money, impress friends and family, and help you to have a healthier diet. It can also be a lot of fun! But not everyone knows how to cook, and there are definitely times where it can be quite challenging. If you are just starting out on your cooking journey and want to become a better cook, there are a few things you should know first that will help you along the way. Here are 3 cooking tips for beginners. 

Pay Attention To Dates

A common mistake people make when new to cooking is forgetting to check expiration dates. Most things you buy at the grocery store will have a date on the packaging, though this is not always true with fresh fruits and vegetables. Many times you will be able to tell when something has gone bad, but not always. 

If in doubt, throw it out. It’s not worth making yourself or someone else sick with food poisoning. To prevent food spoilage, utilize your freezer and make sure to keep an eye on those dates! You can also use your nose to help you check things, but remember the risks and always err on the side of caution.

Start With The Basics

It may sound silly, but starting out with the basics and really perfecting them before moving on to more difficult tasks in the kitchen is a smart way to go about things. Make sure you are an expert at boiling water and chopping common ingredients such as onions and tomatoes before moving on to making something more complicated like a hollandaise sauce. 

It can also be helpful to choose one or two meals you really want to perfect before trying other things. Get really good at spaghetti and meatloaf for example, and once you have mastered those, add 2 more meals to your repertoire, and then you will have 4, and so on and so forth.

Never Leave Food Unattended While Cooking

Of course, as with any other hobby or skill that you are trying to learn, there are some basic safety rules that should always be followed in the kitchen. Be sure never to leave food cooking on the stove or in the oven unattended, so as to reduce the risks of starting a fire.

The exception to this rule is cooking food in a crockpot, which is meant to cook things low and slow and therefore can be left on during the day without you having to watch it too closely. But even then, you should always carefully read the instructions of any new cooking gadget to keep yourself safe on your quest to become a good cook. 

Learning to cook is a great adventure that is sure to end in some tasty meals! Use these tips to help you out and soon you’ll be choosing to eat at home more often.