No Cook? No Problem.
I have been working with a lot of college athletes recently, and it has brought up many commonalities. One of the most common things I’ve heard is, “I want to eat better, but I don’t cook, how do I do that?” I realized this most likely isn’t just the case for college athletes, but for many others who just don’t enjoy cooking, don’t have the time, or don’t have the right environment. My response? I can teach you how to cook in the most simple of ways, that don’t require many tools, ingredients, or a large budget. The reality is that unless you order out every single meal, the fact of the matter is that you are going to have to “cook”, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Keep it simple, keep it quick, and keep it delicious.
Crock Pot/Instant Pot: meals made in these are meant for people like you. There are so many incredible meals out there that you throw everything into the pot, set it at a certain temperature, and leave it for the day. A google search will give you many examples. A fellow sports dietitian put THIS recipe out, and it is delicious.
Single Sheet Pan Dinners: you may be able to already see a trend. Throw all your ingredients onto a sheet pan, put it in the oven, and when the timer dings, you have dinner ready. This Sheet Pan Fajita Recipe is a great example.
Rice Pouches: For many people, cooking rice is a chore and something that is difficult to get right. There are some great products out there that you simply pop in the microwave for 90 seconds and you have delicious, tender, whole grain quinoa, rice, lentils, and beyond. My favorite brand: Seeds of Change.
Frozen Vegetables: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, frozen vegetables are an incredible option. They relieve you of the worry that your produce will go bad before you can use it, they take 5-8 minutes in the microwave, and they are picked at peak freshness, typically, so they have a great nutrient and taste profile. A great addition to any meal.
Use Eggs: They are a complete protein, super quick to make, affordable, and hard to mess up. Eggs are great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and can even be cooked in a microwave if necessary. Don’t believe me, look HERE.
Cook with Friends: My guess is that you aren’t alone in your feelings about cooking. You have two options here. Option one- find some friends that feel similarly and try to help each other out. Cook together once or twice a week to make it more fun and less stressful. Option two- find some friends who love to cook and see if they’re willing to help you out. Maybe you can come to an agreement that you pay them for groceries, and in return they double up their recipe and give you half. Or ask if they can help you start to learn to cook. It’s always more fun when you are around others.
Not everyone is a gourmet chef, I know I’m not. Find ways to simplify recipes and start to build your confidence. Before you know it, you’ll be making meals without a second thought.
-Brooke