Beware of recipes

New recipes can be a lot of work and they rarely provide a plan for an entire meal. Sometimes a step or an ingredient sneaks up on you and ruins your best laid plan. Use recipes sparingly for special occasions but don’t rely on typical recipes to help you establish a habit of cooking.

Here are my favorite non-recipes :)

Rule of 3

Try to put 3 things on the dinner plate. Increase the chance that everyone will eat something. Four items is too much work and can easily impede your habit development. There are exceptions to this rule.

Adultify at the end

Save “advanced” seasoning for the table to keep it kid friendly.

Practice absentee cooking

As much as possible - look for ways to cook that don’t require constant attention. Or no cooking at all. At least one of the 3 items.

Our absentee staples

Kit in the kitchen

Having great tools makes cooking easier and more fun. I’m not talking about fancy gadgets - just the required essentials.

These are my essential tools

Stuff to have around

shopping lists, extenders, freezer items

Think about the future

When you turn on the oven - fill it up. Order big too. Having an extra tray of roasted veg for tomorrow’s breakfast or lunch is a great way to set yourself up for future success.