Home-cooked meals come with a lot of benefits. You save more money, eat healthier, and you can control how much you eat. You can prepare meals using ingredients that are healthier for you and feel more in control.

For most of us, our number one complaint is that we don’t have the time to do it. Some of us would say that we don’t know how to cook. Or you simply just don’t want to deal with the dishes after.

The benefits clearly outway the cons. Here’s how you can get started.

#1 Make The Time

All of us get 24 hours in a day. What matters is what we do with it. If you don’t have the time, then make time. If you can dedicate a schedule to watching your favorite TV show or going to the gym, this is the same thing.

Pick a consistent day and time to do your grocery shopping and stick to it. Decide on a time where you can prepare ingredients and cook some ahead of time. It takes 21 days to make a habit. Start today!

#2 Have a must-have list

It’s unrealistic to expect that you will be able to stick to your meal plan or schedule strictly. Life gets in the way. You can’t exactly plan for every single day of your life. But what you can do is to decide on which grocery items are a must-have in your home.

Buy these items in bulk (if possible) and store properly. This way, you always have something in your kitchen that you can use to put together. Once you’ve made cooking a habit, you can easily improvise using the recipes you already know.

#3 Write It Down

The most important part of meal planning is the planning. Before your shopping day, decide on the meals you would have for the upcoming week and write down the ingredients. Think of the ingredients you still have in your refrigerator and decide on how you can integrate them into meals. You can get a lot from one grocery item if you think far ahead.

#4 Find Your Go-To Recipes

Start with easy recipes and try to explore a bit more. After a while, you’d find your go-to recipes that you can easily prepare whenever. One-pot recipes that allow you to cook a lot of food that you can just reheat when you’re pressed for time. A lot of these recipes have all the macros you need. Make food in large batches and freeze to alternate with your other favorites!

Don’t be afraid to make a lot of food. If there’s a simple food item that can go well with a lot of meals, you wouldn’t regret preparing a lot in advance.

Get your kitchen ready for your new commitment with EMCOR! Visit your nearest EMCOR store or shop online at emcor.com.ph.