Before I answer, let me take you on a trip down memory lane. In 2014 the U.S. Air Force sent me and a small team to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). I had no idea what to expect or what I would learn. To my suprise, not only did I learn how to cook, but it also changed how I looked at food in general.
The biggest thing I took away from CIA was that fresh, whole food is king. We cooked for two weeks and I didn’t see one processed items outside of your normal cooking wine or spice. I tried food I would’ve snubbed before, and to my surprise I enjoyed it every single time.
So now, when a client asks me how to make meal prep taste good, I tell them it has less to do with recipes and more with their understanding of what an ingredient does and how to wield it to their benefit.
You don't have to punish yourself by plugging your nose and saying “down the hatch.” It may work in the short term, but it inevitably leads to burnout. Food is one of the great pleasures of life and you deserve to eat food you love! Take your culinary skills seriously, practice, try new things, expand, refine. Soon you’ll have a whole knowledge base that means you’ll eat great food every meal.
It may seem daunting, but think about it as an investment in the rest of your life. Educate yourself on the basics of taste profile, become curious about aromatics and finally test, test, test. This Precision Nutrition handout is a great starting point for you new healthy chefs out there and I’ve broken down the steps for you:
Cooking won’t always be hard and eating healthy doesn’t have to be terrible. Take your cooking seriously, have fun, and be curious. Being intentional about learning to cook will affect your health for the rest of your life!
Happy Eating!
If you're interested in learning more about how to improve your nutrition, explore our nutrition coaching program on our website.
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