Find Cooking Inspiration At Home With These Expert Tips

Have you been cooking the same five recipes over and over? Or maybe you've been guilty of eating out more than cooking at home these days? Once you're stuck in a rut, it can be difficult to find cooking inspiration and get back into the habit of preparing your own meals.

To give you a little push and help you feel inspired again, we asked nutritionists, chefs, and health experts for some of their best tips to stay motivated and inspired in the kitchen.

Benefits Of Cooking At Home

There are a variety of benefits to cooking at home versus eating out or ordering your meals. Above all, it will save you tons of money. Darcy Ogdon-Nolan, founder and owner of The Bircher Bar knows that "even the simplest dish at a cafe or restaurant is usually marked up 300% to 400% as hospitality businesses are expensive to run. If it's something you can easily make at home, save yourself the money!"

Cooking your own meals also gives you more control over the ingredients that you use. If you require a specific diet or want to live healthier, preparing food at home will give you that freedom and control.

While it may feel like a dreadful chore at times, cooking at home also has a bunch of mental health benefits. Megan Ayala, nutrition, fitness, and health expert at Patricia and Carolyn encourages people to see the hidden benefits of cooking. "[You] have a freedom of doing experiments with the ingredients and being creative, which helps improve your mental health. [...] Whenever you use your mind in a productive and creative way, it makes you feel good and triggers joy."

If you live with roommates or family, you can spread this joy and creativity by involving them in the cooking process. "For those with children, involving your children in the cooking process can help them feel ownership over the meal, which can lead to improved eating habits." advises Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet.

Cooking at home also teaches your children accountability and will likely make it easier for them to continue this habit when they're grown up and live by themselves. In a nutshell, cooking at home benefits your mental and physical health, cuts your expenses down, and allows you to be a great role model for your children.

How To Find Cooking Inspiration

All of these benefits sound great but we get that there is more to creating a habit of cooking at home than knowing how great it is for you and your family. That's why we also asked our experts for their go-to inspiration to overcome a cooking rut. And they delivered!

1. Try Meal Prep

Meal prepping isn't just for athletes or people with fitness goals. Having meals prepared for the following week can alleviate stress and make eating at home easier. Instead of prepping entire meals for every day of the week, you can also prepare different ingredients and then mix and match each meal depending on what you're craving that day.

If the idea of cooking all of your weekly meals in a single day overwhelms you, start out with just planning meals.

Lisa Kiersky Schreiber, author of The Meal Deal, points out the many benefits that this habit offers: "Spending 15–20 minutes once a week to put together a plan using an endless array of recipes keeps you from having to think about it the rest of the week. And creating a grocery list based on your plan will help you get in and out of the store quickly. All of this can save so much time on the back end and gives you peace of mind that you're doing something good for your body -- and your taste buds."

If you're interested in trying meal prep (cooking all your meals in advance), check out these blogs for tips and inspiration:

1. Confessions of a Fit Foodie: Nancylynn publishes weekly meal plans and grocery lists to make your meal prep journey as easy as possible.
2. Fit Foodie Finds: Lee, Linley, and Emily believe in balance and food freedom. You can find anything from low-carb meals to rich desserts on their blog and their meal prep section covers anything from vegan to breakfast ideas.

2. Subscribe to a meal kit

If you're struggling to keep your fridge or pantry stocked or just don't feel inspired by any recipes that you usually cook, try out a meal kit. Most meal kits offer great discounts when you first subscribe and allow you to try out a variety of recipes that you may have never considered before.

You can often customize your subscription to just a few meals a week and when you come across a recipe you really like--save it! Even if you decide not to keep the subscription going, just trying it for a few weeks may help you feel inspired to cook again.

3. Cook in bulk

If you don't want to cook every day but you also don't want to eat out multiple times a week, cook meals in bulk so you have leftovers to feast from! Instead of eating the same meal over and over again throughout the week, Grace Woinicz, CEO at The Brilliant Kitchen suggests to "prepare meals in bulk and freeze them for later use to save time and avoid cooking repeatedly."

Here are a few freezer-friendly recipes that taste just as delicious (if not better) when reheated:

• Tomato or bolognese sauce
• Beef stew
• Shrimp fried rice
• Chicken enchiladas
• Lasagna
• Dumplings

4. Utilize leftovers

Having certain basics in your fridge and pantry can turn leftovers in delicious meals and cut down on time spent cooking. Lisa Ramos is a lifestyle and beauty influencer based in New York City and recommends to "[have] things in the fridge that are easy to make and pair with leftovers if you need to spruce them up!"

She also gives an example of what this can look like: "If I made grilled chicken and rice but only have grilled chicken left over the next day, I will make a quick and easy Caesar salad kit with some Texas toast which would only take me about 15 minutes tops!"

This is also a great strategy to minimize food waste. If you have a loaf of bread that's going stale, make grilled cheese and heat up some tomato soup for a delicious and quick dinner. And if your fridge is filled with veggie leftovers, toss it all together with some eggs, milk, and pasta for a yummy casserole.

5. Take small steps

Cooking at home is a habit that takes time to build. If you're trying to change your lifestyle overnight, you're more likely to get upset or frustrated. Instead of setting unrealistic goals, take small steps toward cooking for yourself.

Darcy from The Bircher Bar recommends to "start out slow. Commit to at least one meal a week at home and make it an 'event' where you take the time to try and enjoy the process. Once you realise the benefits you'll likely find yourself wanting to cook more and more of your own meals!"

By lowering the standards for yourself, you take some of the pressure off of cooking. You may surprise yourself with how much fun cooking can be when it's not something you have to commit to on a daily basis.

6. Simplify your meals

Your meal doesn't always have to have a label--nobody's checking the menu! If you're not in the mood to follow a recipe, just prepare ingredients that will taste good together. Potatoes, asparagus, and grilled chicken may not sound as fancy as Spaghetti aglio e olio but it's simple, covers carbs, veggies, and protein, and it's delicious!

If you're worried about having too many dishes after dinner, find a one-pot meal to cut down on clean up time.

1. Minimalist Baker: This blog shares recipes that require 10 or less ingredients, can be prepared using just one bowl, or take less than 30 minutes to prepare. If you're looking to cut down on time spent in the kitchen, you'll find plenty of meal ideas here.
2. Art from my Table: Chellie posts easy-to-follow recipes on her blog that include anything from delicious smoothies to main dish and desserts. She also covers a lot of kitchen basics and offers tutorials on pickling, freezing, or prepping homemade staples.

7. Switch things up

Burnout isn't just something that happens at work, you can also experience it in your kitchen. Lack of inspiration or motivation to cook can strike even the most routine cook. In this case, switch things up!

Megan Ayala, from Patricia and Carolyn sees this struggle all the time. "People may assume that cooking all the time makes them consistent in it, but I believe the opposite. When you are doing something all the time, there comes a time when you're fed up with performing that activity, and want to run away from it, even for a little while. This hinders your consistency."

Instead of cooking every single day, sometimes twice, try to break the habit to leave room for new inspiration to strike. Megan suggests that "[you] won't get bored of it when you're not in the kitchen all the time. When you do it as a hobby, you'll enjoy it and will be consistent."

Allow yourself to eat out every once in a while, order a pizza, eat leftovers, or heat up a pre-cooked meal in the microwave. Cutting yourself slack will help you return to the kitchen with a happier mindset.

8. Try out a new diet

Cooking the same recipes over and over again can get tiring. Plus, if you're eating meat or fish several times a week, the cost for these ingredients can add up. You don't have to commit to a new diet right away, but trying out a few recipes that are different from your day-to-day meals can spark new inspiration and help you switch to a healthier lifestyle.

Heather Hanks, M.S. nutritionist with Instapot Life recommends to "change up what you eat. Many plant-based foods, such as beans, nuts, legumes, and whole grains, tend to be cheaper than meat. Try eating meat-free for a week and using cheaper recipes to get more plants in your diet to keep things fresh."

If you're interested in trying out a new diet to save some cash or simply want to broaden your horizon a bit, check out these food bloggers:

• Upbeet & Kaleing It: Mary shares vegan recipes on her blog. You can find daily inspiration on her Instagram account where she posts pictures and videos of her plant-based meals and desserts.
• Nom Nom Paleo: Michelle has dedicated her food journey and blog to creating delicious paleo recipes for anyone who wants to make the switch to a healthier diet.

9. Perfect the basics

Cooking is more than a chore, it's a skill. The better you get at cooking, the easier it will get and the more fun you'll have in the kitchen. ChihYu Smith, founder and creator of I Heart Umami, swears by learning simple and basic techniques to make cooking more fun.

"This is especially useful if you are a beginner home cook. For example: How to pan sear chicken breasts or how to saute tender beef. These are basic techniques that are easy to learn and once you master the techniques, your meals will taste extra yummy."

Dedicating time in the kitchen to perfect the simple tasks will pay off in the long run and allow you to try out more intricate or difficult recipes on nights that you're up for the challenge.

10. Read a cookbook

With endless amounts of recipes on the internet, it sometimes helps to go back to the roots and simply open up a book. Instead of trying to figure out what to search for, just let the pages, pictures, and words inspire your next dish.

11. Watch cooking shows

There are so many fun cooking shows out there! You can find anything from 5-minute speed-cooking videos to 1-hour in-depth tutorials on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or TV. Spend a few minutes watching inspiring videos before you create your grocery list and meal plan for the upcoming week to incorporate new recipes into your routine.

Check out these fun cooking channels:

1. Binging With Babish: What started as a fun series of cooking meals inspired by TV shows or movies turned into a full culinary YouTube universe starring different chefs and genres. Andrew's array of recipe videos can help spark new inspiration in the kitchen.
2. Joshua Weissman: Joshua makes you feel like you're watching him create anything from simple dinner meals to fabulous sourdough bread from the inside of his kitchen cabinets. If you want to expand your culinary horizon, you should check out some of his videos.
3. Kenji López-Alt: Kenji is a published author, New York Times columnist, and restaurateur. In his videos he will not only teach you new cooking skills (from a first-person view) but he also breaks down his recipes to explain the science behind them.

12. Follow food bloggers

You can scour the internet for new recipes every day but when it comes to good food you likely want to trust the source. Finding a food blogger who speaks to you can be a great source of inspiration. You can subscribe to their newsletters or follow them on social media to get your daily dose of new ideas.

Some of our favorite food blogs include:

1. Downshiftology: Lisa shares anything from quick dinner recipes to meal prep inspiration on her blog and YouTube channel. She loves to use seasonal ingredients and offers plenty of inspiration for home cooks who follow special diets (vegan, gluten-free, etc.).
2. Half Baked Harvest: Tieghan is a published cookbook author but continues sharing some of her go-to recipes on her blog and YouTube channel. You can find quick 20-minute recipes as well as mouthwatering desserts in her gallery.
3. A Cozy Kitchen: Adrianna loves all things butter and pasta! Whether you're looking for one-pot meals, rich flavored cookies, or hearty spaghetti with meatballs, her recipes are easy to follow and cut right to the chase!
4. Brocc Your Body: Carissa is an LA-based food blogger and shares healthy recipes that, despite the name of her blog, don't always include broccoli.

13. Visit a farmer's market

Switch things up and visit your local farmer's market instead of going to the same old grocery store. Not only are you supporting small business owners this way, you'll also meet cool people with fun recipe ideas that go along with the produce and food they're selling.

Devan Cameron, chef and owner of Braised & Deglazed, a food-focused website with recipes, tips, and inspiration for the home cook says: "Believe it or not, even chefs like me fall into an uninspired rut once in a while."

When he feels uninspired, taking a step outside of his kitchen helps him get back on track: "[Visit] a farmer's market or any vegetable market. I always get inspired seeing the beautiful fresh vegetables layed out in the market that you might not normally find at the grocery store."

14. Involve your family

For those with children, cooking at home will do more than save money on dining out with multiple people. Involving your kids in the planning, prepping, and cooking process teaches them valuable skills and life lessons.

Dr. Karen Aronian, parenting and education expert states that "Cooking is togetherness and life skills, and sous chefs can begin their practice very early and eventually take over meals in their tweens."

Your kitchen is a great place to connect with your loved ones and spend quality time together, but it's also a "nonstop lab for experimentation and a classroom for all subjects." You can use cooking or baking to teach your kids about math and science and educate them on social-emotional health through proper table manners and unrushed dinner conversations. Plus, sharing family recipes is the perfect opportunity to let your children in on family secrets and tell stories that you associate with these dishes--which they will cherish for a lifetime and likely pass onto their children one day.

15. Invite friends and family

Rex Freiberger, CEO of Discuss Diets recommends: "If you want to get more inspired, get other people involved. It's always more fun cooking for and with others."

You can challenge yourself to cook a dish you've never tried before or enjoy cooking with company. Having your loved ones help you chop veggies or tell entertaining stories while they're sipping on a beverage will automatically make this chore more enjoyable.

16. Host a cooking contest

Maybe all your household needs is a little competition! Emily Countryman, CEO of Ideal Wellness recommends having a regular cooking contest to keep things interesting: "Pick one of your go-to staples and switch it up. Maybe you eat a lot of boring steamed broccoli. Have a contest in your house to see who can make it the most tasty or different and put their own spin on it."

If you live by yourself, invite friends over and host a cooking contest or taste testing to share new and exciting recipes that benefit everyone.

17. Raid your pantry

Sometimes inspiration can be found in the darkest corners of your kitchen a.k.a. the back of your pantry!

Toni Okamoto, author of Plant-Based on a Budget recommends to "start by taking inventory of which ingredients you have onhand and base your menu for the week around those." Checking your inventory can help you keep a clean pantry, avoid food spoilage, and inspire dishes for the upcoming week.

A great way to do this is to search the internet for recipes around the ingredients you can find at home. The cooking blog Two Peas & Their Pod includes a great page that lists different occasions, diets, and ingredients so you can find the perfect recipe.

18. Use forgotten kitchen gadgets

When was the last time you used the food processor you got for your graduation or the fondue pot that just had to be on your wedding registry? If these or other kitchen tools are collecting dust in the back of your cabinets, spark inspiration by digging them out and actually using them to prepare a meal.

And if you realize that these tools are not as great as you thought they were, now is the perfect opportunity to donate or sell them and make more room for other stuff in your kitchen.

19. Invest in new tools

We just told you to declutter your cabinets, now we're suggesting you purchase more stuff? Well yes, if you've been eyeing a stand mixer or air fryer for a while, making this purchase may inspire you to cook more regularly so you can try out all of the new functions.

It's all about a healthy balance, but some kitchen tools can be extremely helpful in cutting down cook or prep time and dishes while opening up a whole new world of recipes for you to try.

Cooking Inspiration FAQs

If you have more questions on finding inspiration or motivation to cook, check out our answers below. We hope they help you (re)discover how much fun and how beneficial cooking at home can be.

How do you get inspired to cook?

You can find cooking inspiration in many forms and places. Check out food blogs or watch a fun cooking video that gets you inspired to learn a new technique. Maybe you have a cookbook on your shelf that's been collecting dust for a while--open it up and bookmark recipes you'd like to try. Find recipes that are easy to cook to take some of the pressure off and cook with ingredients you're familiar with to maximize success rate.

How do I get motivated to cook at home?

Ask yourself why you're feeling unmotivated. Is it because you don't have enough groceries at home and don't feel like going to the store? Ordering groceries or subscribing to a meal kit is still less expensive than going out to eat and can help you get over that hurdle. Are you not in the mood to stand in the kitchen every day? Prep your meals on the weekend so you spend less time cooking overall. And if you're getting unmotivated at the thought of doing dishes, cook a one-sheet meal to keep them to a minimum!

What skills develop cooking?

Cooking develops an array of great skills. If you're cooking with your kids at home it teaches them accountability and responsibility which can boost their confidence. Cooking develops fine motor skills and improves eye-hand coordination. Trying out different recipes will also challenge your cognitive thinking skills as you have to get creative when substituting tools or ingredients.

What is the best food to cook at home?

The best food to cook at home is the food that you love! When you're in a rut, revisit old favorites like your grandma's lasagna or your dad's mac and cheese. Cooking recipes that make you happy can turn this chore into an enjoyable hobby.