Comments on: Learning to cook saves at least $5000 a year http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/06/learning-to-cook-saves-at-least-5000-a-year.html Financial independence, frugality, self-sufficiency, ecology, capitalism, and voluntary simplicity Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:23:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jason http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/06/learning-to-cook-saves-at-least-5000-a-year.html/comment-page-1#comment-1294 Jason Fri, 06 Jun 2008 22:54:20 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/?p=237#comment-1294 To Debbie Ms good comments I would add check YOUTUBE! There are a fair number of video's (Of widely ranging quality) showing how to cook diferent items. This allows you to actually SEE how the items are supposed to look at different stages. It is no substitute for someone showing you how but it is a help. To Debbie Ms good comments I would add check YOUTUBE! There are a fair number of video’s (Of widely ranging quality) showing how to cook diferent items. This allows you to actually SEE how the items are supposed to look at different stages. It is no substitute for someone showing you how but it is a help.

]]> By: Debbie M http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/06/learning-to-cook-saves-at-least-5000-a-year.html/comment-page-1#comment-1293 Debbie M Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:06:05 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/?p=237#comment-1293 First, I have to say that there are many people who can't "learn" to cook by reading a recipe. (Even smart people with no reading disabilities.) There is a lot of assumed knowledge in recipes which you may or may not have picked up watching someone else cooking. If you were not allowed in the kitchen or you didn't pay attention at all, it's not easy. But there's hope. Watch someone, preferably someone whose cooking you know you like, like a relative. (If your relative with the best cooking is no longer available, think who that person might have taught, and ask them.) If you have a roommate, that's ideal. Or ask your friends what they most like cooking and ask if you can watch/help them cook that. Most people have a specialty or at least one thing they can cook and most would love to share their knowledge. Yes, you can learn from cooking shows, but it's very difficult to learn frugal cooking from a cooking show. I have never used a food processor for example, and I know I can cook without measuring everything into its own tiny bowl first. I can even do without a cheese grater if necessary. Perhaps a combination of cooking shows and beginner cookbooks from the library, and maybe there are good YouTube resources by now, would be good for someone shy or whose friends don't cook. I would also like to mention that there is a stage between cooking with and without a recipe that's handy for frugality, and that's cooking with a recipe but making substitutions. This is also handy if you're picky or have allergies or other health issues. And now that you can look up recipes online based on what ingredients you have on hand, you probably don't even have to know how to substitute. Another point I'd like to make is that some kinds of cooking are easier to do without a recipe than others. Stir fry, casseroles, meatloaf, and even quick bread are very forgiving. Cake and other baked goods, certain kinds of candy, cream of tomato soup (at least for me--stupid curdling): not so much. The key to saving money is getting closer to original ingredients than where you are now. If you eat out, frozen meals will be cheaper. Mixes are cheaper than frozen meals. Making things mostly from scratch is cheaper still. Making everything from scratch (like pasta and bread and tomato sauce) is cheaper still. And in some cases, growing your own food (at least the kinds of food that are easy to grow in your part of the world) can be cheaper than buying it in the store. There are some exceptions, such as when mixes go on sale, but that's a good general rule. First, I have to say that there are many people who can’t “learn” to cook by reading a recipe. (Even smart people with no reading disabilities.) There is a lot of assumed knowledge in recipes which you may or may not have picked up watching someone else cooking. If you were not allowed in the kitchen or you didn’t pay attention at all, it’s not easy.

But there’s hope. Watch someone, preferably someone whose cooking you know you like, like a relative. (If your relative with the best cooking is no longer available, think who that person might have taught, and ask them.)

If you have a roommate, that’s ideal. Or ask your friends what they most like cooking and ask if you can watch/help them cook that. Most people have a specialty or at least one thing they can cook and most would love to share their knowledge.

Yes, you can learn from cooking shows, but it’s very difficult to learn frugal cooking from a cooking show. I have never used a food processor for example, and I know I can cook without measuring everything into its own tiny bowl first. I can even do without a cheese grater if necessary. Perhaps a combination of cooking shows and beginner cookbooks from the library, and maybe there are good YouTube resources by now, would be good for someone shy or whose friends don’t cook.

I would also like to mention that there is a stage between cooking with and without a recipe that’s handy for frugality, and that’s cooking with a recipe but making substitutions. This is also handy if you’re picky or have allergies or other health issues.

And now that you can look up recipes online based on what ingredients you have on hand, you probably don’t even have to know how to substitute.

Another point I’d like to make is that some kinds of cooking are easier to do without a recipe than others. Stir fry, casseroles, meatloaf, and even quick bread are very forgiving. Cake and other baked goods, certain kinds of candy, cream of tomato soup (at least for me–stupid curdling): not so much.

The key to saving money is getting closer to original ingredients than where you are now. If you eat out, frozen meals will be cheaper. Mixes are cheaper than frozen meals. Making things mostly from scratch is cheaper still. Making everything from scratch (like pasta and bread and tomato sauce) is cheaper still. And in some cases, growing your own food (at least the kinds of food that are easy to grow in your part of the world) can be cheaper than buying it in the store.

There are some exceptions, such as when mixes go on sale, but that’s a good general rule.

]]> By: iowagreyhound http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2008/06/learning-to-cook-saves-at-least-5000-a-year.html/comment-page-1#comment-1291 iowagreyhound Fri, 06 Jun 2008 18:39:10 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/?p=237#comment-1291 I agree with your article. I much prefer dining in more than eating out these days, and it's a good way to save money. But, dining out can make you money in certain situations. For example, the time saved by eating out can allow one to spend more time working and earning more money. Of course, this depends on having a specialized job. And if this is the case, one is a workaholic and not early retired. :-) I agree with your article. I much prefer dining in more than eating out these days, and it’s a good way to save money.

But, dining out can make you money in certain situations. For example, the time saved by eating out can allow one to spend more time working and earning more money. Of course, this depends on having a specialized job. And if this is the case, one is a workaholic and not early retired. :-)

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