Help I can't shop or cook

Fire_Fox

Another vote for a slow cooker - chop meat and veg, chuck in all in the slow cooker, sufficient liquid to cover (stock/ wine/ tinned tomatoes), switch on and leave to cook all day. No need to fry anything it all goes in raw.

glosman555

Try this book, How to boil an egg. It's a simple cookery book for one by Janet Arkless ISBN 0-7160-0758-4

3nicky1

hi, thanks for all the replies. I'm definately going to try out the suggestions and i'll keep you posted about any success/disasters

willa

Jacket spuds are great, wash and p.rick the spuds with a fork or sharp knife - into oven straight on rack (if it's clean and chemical free!) at Gas 6 or 200C for an hour and then check to see if they are done or need longer.
Slice, butter or marg them.
Fill with tuna/sweetcorn/mayo mix. Or humous, or cheese or egg mayo. Or whatever you like.Packet salad on side. Doing fresh can be difficult for one as stuff tends to go off in fridge if you don't use it quick enough. Asda do nice 50p packs now. Or if do fresh you could try to use it up in sarnies for work and save money like that too.
Once you get the hang of doing pots of things - pasta sauce, chilli, stews (heat oil, add chopped onions, add and brown mincemeat if having that, lower heat a bit, stir and keep an eye, add other chopped veg and fry a bit, add rest of your ingredients - flavourings, tomatoes, liquid -, bring to boil and simmer for maybe an hour, keep checking there's enough liquid and stirring so doesn't stick on bottom) , you could wait for it to cool then portion into empty marg tubs or freezer bags and you'll have portions to leave out to defrost in the morning for that night, or defrost in micro or slowly in pan if you forget.
Soups are similar process to above. Lentil soup is lovely and cheap. Soak your lentils in cold water and rinse till all froth gone. Fry onions, bit of grated carrot is nice, add stock - the powdered Marigold one is the best I've found, or liquid stock, and pepper if wanted. If use powder stock, top it all up with water and reduce and simmer as above. Maybe couple of hours on low if lentil soup. And soups are often best if left on stove and eaten next day!
Those pots you can get - metal with two steamer tiers that fit on top and then the lid on top of that, are FANTASTIC. I got mine from Wilkinsons a few years ago for about £15. You can do your pasta, rice or spuds in the pan and stick your veg in the next tier up to steam at the same time. Actually I always just use the one tier and then the lid, never needed two at once.
Leftovers can be great for mixing with salad or whatever else you think will be nice, to bring to work for lunch next day too.
Once you get the hang of the basics you can learn more and more stuff and more and more shortcuts. Once I'd got familiar with cooking I ended up finding it a really therapeutic thing, own domain automatic pilot job - quite relaxing.
Whew that was long-winded, got a bit carried away there, knackered now off to bed!
Good luck, be interesting to hear how you're getting on.

Clowance

and reheat in microwave next day - for example you could do a double bolognese and grate enough cheese for two days, leaving only slinging in some spaghetti the next day for an easy meal and less washing up.
Could carry this even further, freezing several portions individually and getting them out to defrost before work, hence ready to reheat when you come home.
You can make sarnis the night before and wrap in food bags, have with a piece of fruit, mini roll or other cake, possibly frozen frube (which defrost before lunch and keeps the rest cold) in a small sandwich box. HTH

VoucherMan

willa wrote: »

Jacket spuds are great, wash and p.rick the spuds with a fork or sharp knife - into oven straight on rack (if it's clean and chemical free!) at Gas 6 or 200C for an hour and then check to see if they are done or need longer.
Slice, butter or marg them.

If you've got a microwave and you're not bothered about the crispy skin you can do one in about 5 minutes

Add a few slices of meat from the freezer (I roast a full joint, slice it & freeze it), Yorkshire pudding, some frozen veg (5 minutes in microwave) and some gravy.

You can have a 'Sunday roast' ready in about 15 minutes.

Slices of meat are also great for sandwiches in a packed lunch.

willa

VoucherMan wrote: »

If you've got a microwave and you're not bothered about the crispy skin you can do one in about 5 minutes

Add a few slices of meat from the freezer (I roast a full joint, slice it & freeze it), Yorkshire pudding, some frozen veg (5 minutes in microwave) and some gravy.

You can have a 'Sunday roast' ready in about 15 minutes.

Slices of meat are also great for sandwiches in a packed lunch.

If you wrap the spuds in kitchen roll, that tissue stuff, before putting in micro, they turn out pretty much like oven ones, don't know why but it works!

willa

This is the sort of tiered pot I was talking about. A great investment for easy cooking, and also money saving with gas or lecky because you only use one ring on cooker instead of 2 or 3.

http://www.sabichi.co.uk/product.asp?strParents=96&CAT_ID=130&P_ID=841

Kimitatsu

3nicky1 wrote: »

Hi,

I'm quite ashamed to admit this but at 24 having lived away from home for 7 years I really havent got the hang of shopping or cooking. I rely on convenience foods that aren't good for my finances at all not to mention my health. Every so often I give it a go and give up because I fall at the first hurdle but I'm committed to actually saving some cash and I think this is one area I can really cut it down.

Well thats the first step - and some pretty good motivation

I know there is loads of information on these boards but I don't know where to start. I work more or less 9-5 (depending on need) and want to take packed lunch but something quick and easy (and easy to carry about, I'm community nurse but I don't drive) cos I am also busymost evenings. I also need to be able to feed myself in the evenings, at the moment I buy lunch most days and have something quick like pasta or cereal or takeaways . Any ideas about what my first steps into the world of behaving like an actual adult should be?

Can I just say there is no one who can not cook - if you like food then you can cook

OS moneysaving is a great board but what I would say is get yourself onto your local freecycle and plead for some kitchen implements. Lots of people have a food processor, slow cooker and pans sitting around and you could be making use of them.

There are some excellent websites for recipes too, the bbc good food website is great and places such as waitrose do their own recipe sites as well. You can save the recipes in a virtual online folder so the ones you like you have access to again and again.

As has been said, start off slowly, make the simple things, egg, water, 2 round of bread and butter and thats it, boiled egg and soldiers for breakfast or tea. Its only by practice and accepting that you will make mistakes on the way (I made a really hot curry a few weeks ago that DH loved but none of the rest of us could eat :eek: in my defence it was different paste but I didnt read the instructions :rotfl:) that will get you through, and if you make a mistake then next time you do it differently!

Some colleges do evening classes too - might be worth having a look?

Give it a go, I love to cook - you never know so might you :T

Saving_spree

First of all forget that you are 24 and cant cook.

There no particular age for this. It is not rocket science.

Take baby steps and the rest will follow.