When did you learn to cook?

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Did you mostly learn from watching your mom, learning family recipes, etc? My mom learned from my grandma, but I never took the time to do that when I was young. I'm in college right now, and I'm going to graduate sooner than I'll be ready for the real world lol. I'm just curious, when and how did you guys learn to cook? Because I sure don't know how to, and I'm wondering if it's my generation as a whole.

Because I'm on a budget and only cook for myself, I can't afford to spend a ridiculous amount of money on wholesome and organic fresh foods--they have shorter shelf lives, and tend to expire before I'm finished with them. I usually stick to things like pasta, because they have long shelf lives and can be used throughout several meals. If I want to try an interesting recipe, it's not really worth it to buy a bunch of specific ingredients for one meal, for one person.. At the rate I'm going now, I don't think I'll ever learn how to cook decent food!

 
I learned cooking techniques in Grade 8 in home economics and then more in Grade 10 in Foods.  I ran when my mom was making dinner, I made it a point not to appear til it was time to eat :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

I took what I learned in those 2 semesters and what I thought would make a good combination of tastes or what I remember how my mom's dishes tasted like and started there.  

You can google any recipe you ever want to make and you'll find it.  Go with your instinct and think about how those ingredients would taste when combined.  Thats really how someone should cook anyways.

We know have these farm outlets that sell discounted produce.  You can check to see if you have one nearby.  I purchased these weird green bags that extend the shelf life of produce and they appear to do as intended (Debbie Meyer green bags).  I make a lot of stirfries, they require very little meat and utilize tons of fresh veggies on rice.  They are inexpensive and very healthy.  My mom used to be able to feed all 4 of us with 1 pork butt steak and vegetables and rice.  We got the taste of meat but not get a large portion of it.  

 
Hmmm I honestly don't remember when I learned to cook lol!  It's been soooo long.  I've been watching my mom cook since I was a little girl :D /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
I learned to cook by watching and helping my mom as a little girl.

I LOVE to cook and experiment in the kitchen! I have been told by everyone that tries my meals that I am a really good cook, which I give thanks to my parents for. Both my mom and dad can cook really well. I taught myself to bake, as my mom hated baking.

I really, really enjoy cooking and baking, I find it so relazing and a great stress relief.

Buy yourself a basic cookbook and start from there.

Utilize spices and sauces, dressings and marinades.

Shop in small quantites or freeze what you can for later use.

 
I also learned to cook from my mom.. It was something I was always interested in though, so it made it easy to learn. I also took a cooking class in school, although I didn't learn any new techniques. Whenever I wanted to try a new recipe I looked it up on the internet.. If I didn't know a word or how to do something I looked it up and learned. Cooking isn't as scary as most people think, just follow the recipe, look up what you don't know, and don't be afraid to ask someone who does know how to do it. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
I learned to cook in high school by myself. I got interested in baking and it kind of went through there. My Mom didn't really like cooking that often. 

I used a lot of websites and videos to learn. Now I'm obsessed with food blogs! I do try to eat organic and grass fed as much as possible. When I started I had the same problem with wasting food and spending a lot of money... but after I started menu planning around what I had and only buying what I needed on a weekly basis for most things, it wasn't too bad! I also got really good at finding the sales. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
I learnt from my mum and also from lots of recipe books. It's one thing reading how to cook and a total experience cooking yourself. You get better with practice.
 

 
I learned to cook from both of my grandmothers. They were terrific and both had their own styles.  I learned how to season meats and make Polish food from my Polish grandmother and how to bake.  From my other Grandmother, I perfected casseroles, meals, breads, and sauces.

 
I was helping my mom cooking even when I was very small. She is the typical home cook. She can make a few things amazingly and most things just ok. She taught me a lot of basics and a few odd tricks.

My paternal grandma was a rockin' cook and she used to make homemade everything. She taught me a lot before she passed on.

Most of my knowledge has been learned as an adult. I love watching Food Network and getting ideas from them. I read food blogs online and try new stuff. Sometimes I just wonder if I can make food that I have always loved from scratch. Hub and I do a lot of cooking together.

 
I learned a lot as a cook at a couple restaurants I worked at. Now that I'm a mom I'm taking cooking more seriously. I've have had a lot of trial and errors learning but my mom has been a big help. sometimes when she's over she makes something for us and I ask questions and watch what she's doing. I'm nowhere near the skill she has but I hope one day my daughter will love my cooking as much as I love my mom's. my mom actually just made stuffed peppers here a few days ago! Yummy.

 
It's so nice to read that most learn cooking from their moms.  That's certainly how I started and how my children did.  Luckily for us, we're all "adventurous" cooks - swinging on the panty/fridge door and making it up as we go along.  I think we all inherited that creative side from my mom!!!  Thanks to all moms out there who cook and teach their children. :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
 One of my earliest memories is of my Ninny lifting me so I could stand in a kitchen chair to help make biscuits. Before kindergarten I was addicted to watching Julia Child on PBS. Between my Ninny, Aunt Gladys and Julia Child I had a very early start! I've always loved food and cooking. One of my hobbies is collecting cookbooks (the older the better)

  If cooking for one is difficult, cook for two or four and freeze the extras for insta-meals later. Cooked dried beans, soups, stews, spaghetti sauce, chili, all are excellent for freezing and can be easily cooked in a crockpot.

 
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Like most of the ladies here, it all started with my mom and grandma showing me their love for food and cooking. I love cooking so much I majored in Culinary Arts, with most of the degrees focusing on baking, as that's my true passion. My daughter at 1 1/2 years old already helps me in the kitchen, and she loves it! :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 
For me it was a brief stint in Home Economics class in grade 11, then it was by trial & error by reading the backs of boxes. Now it's tutorials by celebrity chefs on YouTube, like Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver.

 
I learned nothing from my mom. Thank goodness for the Internet is all I can say lol. Of course after I had some experience I started experimenting and now I'm a pretty darn good cook!

 
My mom always cooked from scratch, mostly because we were poor lol. Then in high school I started cooking one dinner a week. At first it was just making my own pasta sauce and then it turned into loving to cook.

My husband's mom never, ever cooked. Everything was frozen or take out and as sad as that is...he thinks I'm a chef! My last boyfriend's mom was a wonderful cook and nothing I made was ever as good.

 
I guess I was 15-16 when I learned to cook food and My Dad he is a great cook actually he is a chef, so I learned most of the things about food from him. 

 

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