No kitchen skills? No problem! Many people have grown up without learning basic food prep or cooking skills. Everyone needs to start somewhere. It is important to have a few basic tools to prepare and cook food. It will be helpful to know basic kitchen words. And knowing some cooking skills will certainly help you feel more confident in the kitchen.
Kitchen “Tools”
With a few basic tools, you can prepare no cook meals and snacks. Add a few more tools and you can also eat warm or hot food.
Basic No Cook Tools
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- Water - to rinse all produce before use, to wash hands, clean up
- Soap or disinfectant - to clean hands and prep areas (counters, cutting boards)
- 2 cutting boards, one for raw meat and one for everything else
- Knife
- Peeler
- Bowl
- Can opener
- Colander/strainer
- Spatula
Basic Warm/Hot Food Tools
- Stovetop or hot plate (You will also need a pot or a skillet/frying pan to cook in)
- Oven (Including a pan to roast or bake)
- Microwave (Including a glass or microwave-safe bowl or plate)
- Slow cooker
- Multicooker (Instant Pot®)
- Heat resistant spoon
- Oven mit
Kitchen Words
It is helpful to understand the words used in recipes that describe how to do a step. This list is not at all complete but will help you get started if you are new to cooking.
Bake - to cook in an oven by using heat
Blanch - To place the food (usually veggies) in boiling water briefly, then in ice-cold water, then drain
Boil - to heat water until large bubbles form
Broil - to cook meat or vegetables on a rack with an extremely high temperature
Brown - to cook quickly over high heat, usually on top of the stove, so the surface of the food turns brown and the inside stays moist
Chop - to cut in pieces
Dice - to cut into small cubes
Fry - to cook by putting the food into extremely hot oil
Grate - to make into small pieces by rubbing against a sharp surface
Mince - to chop food into very small pieces
Peel - to remove the skin of fruits or vegetables
Poach - to cook food gently in large amounts of heated liquid. The liquid moves slightly, but no bubbles break the surface. Often used for eggs, fish, and fruit
Roast - to cook in the oven or over a fire
Sauté - to quickly fry food by placing it in hot oil in a frying pan (similar to stir fry)
Simmer - to cook something gently, keep at or just under boiling
Scramble - to mix the white and yellow parts of eggs together while cooking them in a pan
Slice - to cut into thin, long pieces
Stir fry - to stir fry, you quickly fry foods in a small amount of hot oil while stirring
Basic Cooking Skills
Below are a few short videos that show how to prepare foods using different cooking methods.
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Roast/Bake:
How to Roast Brussels Sprouts
How to Bake Salmon
Microwave:
How to Microwave a Sweet Potato
How to Make Fish in the Microwave
Multicooker/Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot®:
How to Pressure Cook Lentils and Brown Rice