The Itty Bitty Checklist for Stress Free Cooking

Sometimes cooking in your kitchen just feels… stressful.

You can't find ingredients, the place feels like a mess and then halfway through you realize you forgot to put in the salt.

Been there? Because I totally have. (And I know you probably have too because so many friends like you have told me so on Instagram!)

After many frustrating and time consuming meals, I figured out that the things causing me stress in the kitchen could totally be avoided.

So today I am sharing with you this tiny 'checklist' that has made all the difference in my own kitchen, and I know will in yours too. The steps are easy and can quickly become a habit because they just make cooking so much more dad-gum enjoyable!
 
And that my friend, is the way I believe cooking SHOULD feel.
 
So check out the list below, try them out tonight and let me know what happens.

1. Clear off your prep area
   A messy workspace = stress, friend. And while I think some people can function well at a messy desk, I have not found this to be as true in the kitchen. But here's the catch… YOU DON'T NEED TO CLEAN YOUR ENTIRE KITCHEN. Just gather up any dirty dishes into a pile and put them to the side. Snatch up that bag of chips, put it back in the pantry and then wipe off your counter. The goal is a clear and clean space, not a spotless showcase.
2. Read through your recipe before starting
   Like, the entire recipe. No scanning. This 2 minute act will help you avoid mistakes with ingredients and timing after you begin cooking. For example, you might start on the stovetop and then be putting a pan in the oven halfway through. You'll need to note this so that your not turning your oven on right as you need to be putting the pan IN the oven.
3. Prep your ingredients at the beginning
   Do you ever start cooking and then find yourself walking back and forth over and over and oooover again to the pantry and fridge? Ain't nobody got time for that. Gather all of the ingredients you need into a space on the counter and then begin prepping, chopping, etc before starting to cook. This will really help you avoid missing something and also save you from the stress of needing to get something ready while also trying to tend to what's already cooking.
4. Tidy as you go
   You know that feeling after you've cooked something and then you glance around your kitchen and it literally looks like a bomb went off and then you instantly dread having to clean? It's kinda traumatizing. To avoid this, as your cooking put away the spice bottles you've already used, gather up the leftover veggies and slide them back into the refrigerator drawer, rinse that bowl you whisked eggs in and set it in the sink. Sometimes it's easier said than done, but as you develop the habit of cleaning as you go, you'll wonder how you ever functioned in the kitchen before that!

Tag us on Insta & Facebook @mockingbirdhospitality and share with us when you implement these into your next kitchen creation! We want to hear from you!

Until next time,
Lauren