Lil
Well-Known Member
Our new member, @DarkwingPsyduck , has stated that he cannot cook and needs to gain weight and get healthy. Let's all band together to give him tips and simple ideas for meals and snacks he can make himself!
I guess if I had to teach a 25 year old man how to cook (and my own son is 21, so I know a bit about this - though he doesn't really want to learn) I'd say that if money isn't a serious disadvantage, convenience foods are your friends.
Yes, making sauces from scratch is more healthy than jars, frozen foods are often loaded with sodium and stuff from boxes are full of preservatives. BUT, for ease of preparation, they can't be beat and once you get the hang of simple meals, doing it from scratch becomes easier.
Frozen veggies can be microwaved. Frozen, pre-cooked meats (like chicken breasts, which come in re-sealable bags) can be microwaved, but turn out better in an oven. You can buy lots of entrees frozen. Heck, even desserts.
One of my son's favorites is mac and cheese from a box. They even make it with sauce so you don't have to measure milk and butter. You boil the noodles, drain them, cut open the sauce packet and add it and stir it up. Add some chopped up meat - like pre-cooked chicken or ham - and maybe some frozen broccoli you've microwaved and you have a one-pot meal with vegetables, meat and carbs altogether and it's tasty.
A number of stores now sell pre-cooked, grilled chicken breasts. You just have to put them on a pan, turn the oven to the right temp, set the timer, and they are really good! Serve it chopped up over a salad, or with rice and veggies.
Who would like to chime in? @DarkwingPsyduck do you have any specific things you'd like to know?
I guess if I had to teach a 25 year old man how to cook (and my own son is 21, so I know a bit about this - though he doesn't really want to learn) I'd say that if money isn't a serious disadvantage, convenience foods are your friends.
Yes, making sauces from scratch is more healthy than jars, frozen foods are often loaded with sodium and stuff from boxes are full of preservatives. BUT, for ease of preparation, they can't be beat and once you get the hang of simple meals, doing it from scratch becomes easier.
Frozen veggies can be microwaved. Frozen, pre-cooked meats (like chicken breasts, which come in re-sealable bags) can be microwaved, but turn out better in an oven. You can buy lots of entrees frozen. Heck, even desserts.
One of my son's favorites is mac and cheese from a box. They even make it with sauce so you don't have to measure milk and butter. You boil the noodles, drain them, cut open the sauce packet and add it and stir it up. Add some chopped up meat - like pre-cooked chicken or ham - and maybe some frozen broccoli you've microwaved and you have a one-pot meal with vegetables, meat and carbs altogether and it's tasty.
A number of stores now sell pre-cooked, grilled chicken breasts. You just have to put them on a pan, turn the oven to the right temp, set the timer, and they are really good! Serve it chopped up over a salad, or with rice and veggies.
Who would like to chime in? @DarkwingPsyduck do you have any specific things you'd like to know?