Groceries:
When buying groceries, make sure to invest your money wisely. They might not be the healthiest choice, but they sure come handy.
1. Always invest in bottled seasonings
Chances are, you're cooking for yourself. When you buy fresh herbs - despite being more affordable - you will waste a whole bunch of it. Opt for McCormick's crushed chili to fresh ladyfingers. As well as thyme, oregano, chives, rosemary, dill, etc. You might think that you won't need these herbs. But they come handy in spicing up your dish. Slab chicken seasonings with chicken breasts and stir fry. Or make Aglio Olio with pasta and dried garlic. Easy!
2. Durability comes first
If you don't cook everyday, choose frozen meat to fresh meat. Buy fruits that last for ages like oranges, apples and pears. But don't buy frozen seafood. They don't last that long and nothing taste worst than bad seafood. If you want to cook fish, buy in a quantity that you can finish in a meal, and cook them right away.3. Buy easy to cook Dish
When you buy a dish, think of ways to cook it. Pastas, chicken, white mushroom, brocollis, asparagus, cod fish, potato, sausages, onions, cheddar cheese are very versatile. You can at least think of three ways to cook them: fry, steam or bake. But eggs should always be a staple to your groceries shopping. Not only that it's very versatile, it's highly nutritious too.
4. Mayo, Butter, Milk, Cheese and Olive Oil
They're pricey because you want to make sure to buy the better ones. But a little goes a long way.
5. Sauce!
Chili sauce, Alfredo sauce, Blackpepper sauce, Curry Mango sauce, Oyster sauce, BBQ sauce, Salad sauce... These sauces are lifesavers! They're easy to cook - although you don't want to cook them everyday otherwise you'll be bored. And the best thing is, you can cook them with almost everything. Invest in it.6. Supermarket card memberships
It sounds very auntie. But when they have a special price discount especially for members, don't you want to save some penny for the latest iPod? Although we don't like to be associated with everything Auntie, market-ing is a part of college lives. It's even more important than clothing or coffee. Just the card. We're college students, not housewives/husbands - let the coupon clippings to those who do these stuffs. Imagine: your wallet dropped and the content spill. Having a supermarket card makes you look more responsible. Coupons? Fun, yes.. (imagine an all-you-can-eat off the sushi belt) but supermarket coupons? Not so much.
So, what are the things that you don't want to waste your money on?
1. Canned soups - I'm a fan of mushroom soup, but one can is good for two or more people. You don't really want to waste them. It doesn't taste as good if you keep the other half. Furthermore, in my case, I'm not a fan of eating the same soup consecutively in my meals. And cooking them is quite a hassle. You gotta stir all the time.
2. Cooking Books - they're too complicated and our brains are reserved pretty much for the next exam. Plus, internet is always there!
3. Mac & Cheese - Despite the hype, I found them too much of a hassle to cook. And washing the pot after cooking gives me chills. Nothing pasta and pasta sauce cannot do.
Good, Simple Recipes that your little sister can follow:
1. Broccoli and Shrimp.
Buy frozen shrimp, thaw or run them under water with a strainer for 3 minutes.
Break the broccoli into bite size (no knife needed. Sans knife and cutting board to wash).
Mix them with butter (cold butter are perfectly fine) and dried garlic on a microwave safe bowl/plate. Cover with microwave cover or plastic wrap to keep the moisture.
Pop them into microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds.
2. Baked Potatoes
Cut potatoes into small chunks. Sprinkle with olive oil, garlic and chives.
Mix them on a microwave safe bowl/plate. Cover.
Pop them to microwave for 2-5 minutes, depending on the size of the chunk. The bigger it is, the longer you should bake it.
When it's done, cover them with a single layer of cheddar cheese.
3. Easy Salmon
The easiest recipe ever. Must be FRESH salmon - not pre-frozen, kept in room temperature/ chilled. Buy in a quantity that you can finish in one meal. If it's not fresh, it will have a fishy smell.
Clean the salmon by running it under the tap.
Season it well with oregano, salt and pepper. Be generous with the seasonings.
Put it in a grill for 5-7 minutes.
See... my recipes doesn't require fire, knife or tedious wok actions. There are more complicated recipes that sometimes I do when I have time. These recipes are sooooo easy. They prevent me from snacking chips and buying frozen food. The good thing? They're nutritious and contains no MSG!