Some common cooking methods will get you through most recipes. These include:
- boiling and simmering
- baking and roasting
- grilling
- steaming
- frying
Tips to help you cook healthier and cheaper meals
Different ways of cooking can make your meals healthier and save you money
Choose a healthier cooking method
When frying you can use less oil, or an oil spray. For healthier ways to cook, try grilling, poaching or steaming rather than frying or roasting – this means you won’t need to add any extra fat to the pan. For example:
- for eggs, poached or boiled is a tasty alternative to frying
- boil or steam vegetables
- cook your steak in a griddle pan or grill it instead of frying
Saving energy when cooking is good for the environment and the bank balance. There are lots of simple tricks to help save energy, and money, when cooking:
- a microwave is usually the cheapest way to heat up food
- a kettle can boil water more quickly than a pan. It can be transferred to a pan on the hob for steaming or boiling
- most foods cooked in a pan just need to simmer after boiling, so the temperature can be turned down once reached
- food only needs to be just covered with water to cook (more can be added if needed). Putting lids on pans helps to keep the heat in
- choose a pan that is the right size for the amount of food - this uses less energy when cooking on a hob
- microwaving or boiling potatoes before roasting or baking them can reduce cooking time
- if cooking a large joint of meat, cutting it into smaller pieces means it will cook more quickly
- buy in bulk and freeze unused portions of vegetables or meat to avoid waste
Freezing
Freezing is a great way of storing food, keeping leftovers and cutting down waste. For food safety, it's ok to freeze most raw or cooked foods providing you do the following things:
- freeze food before the 'use by' date
- follow any freezing or thawing instructions on the label
- thaw food in the fridge so that it doesn't get too warm
- use food within one to two days after it’s been defrosted – it will go off in the same way as if it were fresh
- always follow the instructions on packages for storage and use-by dates
Batch cooking means cooking in advance, splitting it into portions and keeping it in the fridge or freezer until you need it. Here are some great reasons to try batch cooking:
- you can come home from a busy day to something already made
- it's a great way to use up leftovers and prevent food waste, which can help save money and the environment
- it can help avoid less healthy convenience foods or takeaways when short on time.
- it doesn’t need to be done every week or take a lot of effort. When you’re cooking, you can always make more than you need and freeze what’s left in portions
- batch cooking a meal means you just need to heat up a starchy food, such as pasta or rice to have with it
Batch cooking doesn’t have to mean eating the same thing five days in a row. For example, cooking a large joint of meat for a roast dinner, such as a whole chicken, can leave you with enough left over to make another meal such as a curry, fajitas or a pasta bake the next day.
- you'll need some microwave safe containers to store your meal portions
- you can defrost the meal in the fridge during the day, then heat up in the microwave or a saucepan. To avoid reheating food more than once, make sure you only reheat the amount you will use
- unused vegetables can be added to different sauces and stews so you don’t have to throw them away. Making your own soup is a good way to use up any leftover vegetables. You can simply heat it up when you need it
- turn leftovers into an omelette or frittata for breakfast or lunch. This is a great way to use up any leftover meat and vegetables
- use a different starchy food as your meal base. If you serve something with rice one evening, serve the leftovers on a baked potato, pasta or in a tortilla wrap the next time
- if you have enough space you can cook more than one meal at a time
- it's useful to keep a note on or in your storage container of the date it was prepared and stored
You can cook a big batch of one meal that could last for days, or even over a couple of weeks, and see what a difference this makes to your budget and time.
Some examples of meals to cook in this way include: bolognaise, stews, chilli, curry and soups. You don’t always need all the ingredients in a recipe, many items can be substituted for something you do have- but if you are swapping ingredients, remember that cooking times may be different.
Microwave cooking
Not only is a microwave usually the cheapest way to heat up food, they also:
- use less energy than an oven, which is good for the environment and your bank balance
- cook food quickly
- help food keep its vitamin content during cooking
- require less cooking fat than other methods of cooking such as pan frying
What can be cooked in a microwave?
- fish and vegetables are great for microwave cooking. Because there's no need to add extra fat or water, fish and vegetables keep their texture, flavour and nutrients
- fruit such as apples are cooked well in the microwave. No extra water is needed so they keep their fruit flavour. Cooked apples can be mixed with some low-fat or non-dairy alternative yogurt for a quick dessert
- jacket potatoes are another good option. Once washed, prick the potatoes all over with a fork and place on a piece of kitchen paper
- check your containers are marked “suitable for microwaving” before using. Freezing food in a container that can be put straight in the microwave is handy if cooking from frozen
- metal or plates with a metal trim should never be microwaved
- parchment paper, cling film or plates can be used to cover food when microwaving. Fold back a corner of cling film or pierce with a fork to allow the steam to escape
- steam can burn, so protect your hands and take care
Meal ideas
Discover a variety of healthy and easy-to-prepare meal ideas for every occasion.
