10 Kitchen Rules

I call myself a casual cook.

I’m not a fancy chef, I haven’t been trained at any kind of cooking school at all.

I didn’t learn how to cook growing up.

I didn’t start cooking until my husband and I bought a house together, and we realized that we could no longer afford to eat out as much as we used to.

So I became the chef of the family.

I really had no clue of what I was doing. I learned on the job. And after 20 years of learning on the job, I can tell you with confidence that there are 10 rules that have helped me have a healthy, productive, fun, casual, and hub-of-the-household kitchen.

It’s in this kitchen that I’ve raised my two kids, rolled out paper on the floor and had them paint the floor, hosted parties where the whole house looked lovely…but everyone ended up crammed in the kitchen. It’s in this kitchen that I started to learn how to make food that heals and food that deeply nourishes. It’s in this kitchen that I made the absolute most scrumptious meals as well as one meal no one would eat (as well as plenty of in-between meals).

And it’s in this kitchen that I dubbed myself a casual cook.

I don’t cook fancy food, I cook real food that’s easy. And I cook one meal for everyone, I’m not a short order cook. I cook for nourishment, I cook for connection, I cook for celebration. I cook ’cause we’re just plain hungry and I cook because I love eating.

In all this time, 10 rules have evolved in my kitchen.

They are not set in stone rules – they aren’t printed up on the wall – and they’re the kind of rules that free you (instead of constrict you).

These are the kind of rules you want to live into, so that being in your own kitchen and eating your own food is an experience of ease and joy.

If you want more practical advice of the kitchen tools (appliances and gadgets) that I use most in my kitchen, be sure to check out my Free Webinar right herehttps://ninamanolson.com/kitchentools

Here are my 10 Healthy Kitchen Rules for Casual Cooks

1. Have a fridge that is 2/3 full of produce.

When there is a fridge full of fresh vegetables and fruits – you are more likely to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Simple as that.

2. Make one meal for everyone

Your family and friends will adapt – promise – sometimes it’s a slow process, but it will happen if you keep putting healthy food on the table.

3. Don’t get complicated

Simple recipes make you more likely to walk into the kitchen and whip up something fast.

4. Know how to make at least 5 meals without looking at a recipe.

You’ve got to have your go-to meals that make putting a meal on the table a snap.

5. Never cook for ONLY one meal

Always make enough for another meal or two. Having food ready-to-go in the fridge makes healthy eating much easier!

6. Invest in kitchen tools that make kitchen work easy

If you were a carpenter, you’d get tools that help you do your job well. If you’re a person who wants to eat healthy, you also need to be a bit of a cook. Get the tools that make your work easy. (You can check out the tools I use here)

7.  Let go of the idea that all meals should be perfect, fancy, gourmet food.

Perfectly plated fancy gourmet food is great! I encourage you to go to a special restaurant now and again. But at home, step into the identity of being a casual, whole-foods cook. It’s much easier and still SO tasty!

8. Eat together and wait until everyone is seated to eat

Allowing everyone to settle at the table before starting the meal connects everyone so much more than eating at staggered times. Also, having everyone wait until you the cook is seated, is so much more nourishing than feeling like you are the waitstaff for your family and friends.

9. Cleanup is a community event

Whenever possible, enlist help with kitchen clean-up (and prep).  You’ll be so much happier, and you’ll be teaching important life skills to those in your household.

10. Make your kitchen a place of love and nourishment

This is the fundamental aspect of all of the above rules. Your kitchen is where you are nourishing yourself and those you love. Make it a place in which you feel truly at ease.

I hope these kitchen “rules” help you make your own kitchen a warm and nurturing place.

I’d love to hear how you make your kitchen a place you love to be!

 

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Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, certified Health Coach and Psychology of Eating Coach believes that every women deserves to feel good in their own body. She helps women create a healthy and positive relationship with their food and body so they can love their body and life!  She’s the founder of NinaManolson.com and NourishedWomanNation.com 

She helps busy women look and feel their best. She specializes in working with women over 40 who have tried other diets and approaches but are still at war with their body and food. She helps take what women already know and turn it into sustainable healthy habits.

She’s the author of “Feed Your Kids Well In A World That Doesn’t: an everyday guide to make healthy food happen in your home and beyond”. She’s also the recipient of the prestigious Health Leadership Award from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

To get your F.R.E.E. Video Series “What to do now, when everything you’ve done hasn’t worked” by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.