Everybody loves food. I’m still yet to meet someone who would walk up to me and blurt out bluntly, “I just hate food!” It is a very important asset for growth, development, energy, and the general well-being of the entire family. Apart from its role in nutrition, food has another exciting role we don’t talk about much often. It opens the way for romance. You must have heard it said one time or the other, “A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” and that’s no lie. No wonder some male folk are so inseparable from their mamas.
But long story short, just as food is inevitable, so is the area where it is prepared. As a lady or chef, your kitchen should rank high on your priority list after God, your family, your work, and your wardrobe. It’s that place in your home where you’re the boss; where you can proudly hold up your pan in one hand like Rapunzel as you adjust your apron with another and chant, “No one messes with my kitchen!”
You already know how paramount a kitchen can be in a home. It is the engine that sends out tons of aroma signals that keep the noses of everyone alert with mouths “mmming.” It is also a major determinant of the health and soundness of your home. Knowing this should serve as a trigger for you to step up your kitchen game so your family can benefit to the maximum.
The art of being a great cook not only ends in cooking up wonders in the pot. It transcends to how you organize your space, manage resources, and even how you create new recipes. Now, that’s what I call effective kitchen empowerment and management.
If the kitchen has never driven you nuts or you’re an enthusiast, you’re in for a ride on this one. Sit tight as we’ll be considering six thrilling and creative ideas you can employ to keep your kitchen empowered, efficiently managed, and highly exquisite; deserving of a madame as you.
With that said, let’s dig in.
1. ORGANIZE LIKE A PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANT:
In my dorm at school, I have a very limited space to do most of my stuff; cooking included. However, I’ve come to realize that a space can still look attractive and creative; small or large, when it’s highly organized. First of all, start by taking note of some tiny but important details.
You know the size of your kitchen. Browse your mind for the best way to set up your space. You have an added advantage as a citizen of the 21st century: You can always feed the eyes of your mind with different kitchen arrangement styles from magazines, books, or even google according to your preferences.
Also, cabinets are great kitchen ideas. They not only create extra space within the kitchen but serve as excellent storehouses. They make your kitchen attractive as they offer you easy access to the things you need. After you have filled your cabinets, employ creative ways to hang the utensils in your kitchen space. Do it in such a way that they are easily accessible and yet your kitchen still stands out like that of Hilda Baci.
Make provisions for a good ventilation system so air can be dispelled in the right directions and also install good electrical and lighting systems for optimal efficiency in your kitchen. Get new beneficial and necessary equipment as you can afford. Arrange them in ways that enable you to exploit their best features. Manage them well according to specified guidelines so they last. Determine which tasks will take place in each particular area of your kitchen and ensure there’s enough space for easy navigation into, around, and out of the kitchen.
Giving your kitchen that organized, perfect look makes you free, have peace of mind, and have a good self-image about yourself. You know, our God is a very ordered and organized God. Just check out His details to Moses, Noah, and a bunch of His other kids (Ex. 25:9-40, Gen. 6:14:16, 1 Cor. 14:33). Then come to terms with the fact that you’re His child. You can’t be any less and not especially when it relates to matters of the mouth.
2. CLEAN UP LIKE AN EXCELLENT JANITOR:
If there’s anything that our little flying creatures love, it’s dirt. Oh and so do roaches and rats. They practically make homes in houses where there’s plenty of careless food and they do well to invite all their neighbors and friends for the party. If you want your kitchen to look empowered, then you have to do the extra. Ensure you clean up your kitchen before and after use each day. Areas like the work tables, cabinets, and drawers should be cleaned regularly.
Equipment like cooking stoves, ovens, and microwaves should be cleaned regularly too, especially after use, so dirt does not get trapped in them. You should take caution not to use (excess) water on these appliances to avoid malfunction. It is also advisable to have a good water supply and drainage system in your kitchen to ensure that water is readily available for use and easily disposed of when it’s not needed. Cutlery, cups, plates, and colanders used in the course of meal preparation should not be left till later but should be properly rinsed or washed and put in their proper cabinets or drawers or hung. Kitchen rags, aprons, and napkins should also be washed regularly so they can be used conveniently and enjoyably. Washing your foods, especially vegetables and fruits is also a good one. You can add some salt in such cases.
Ensure that your kitchen is properly swept and mopped at all times and careless water on the ground is drained with a dry cloth so as to avoid slips or falls of any kind. It’s not in the wrong to ensure that leftovers are either disposed of properly or are converted to some good, worthy purpose so your home does not become a regular place of visit for the microbial and animal kingdom.
Treat your kitchen in the same way you treat your soul bearing in mind that it has to be spotless – as white as snow (2 Pet. 3:14).
3. COOK LIKE YOUR GRANDMA:
It’s not new that these days, there’s a prevalent increase in meals cooked outside than homemade meals and this may be the case in your home. I’m not entirely saying this is wrong or it is your fault as this can be because you may have a tight schedule, be down financially or worse still, fear presenting your meal before your one and only. Whatever the case, it’s not such a bad idea to identify the problem and seek solutions. Learn the art. Yes, take the bold step to learn and master the art of cooking. Take a step further to learn kitchen management. As a woman, the kitchen should be one of your areas of specialization. As I said earlier, you should be able to say with pride, “No one messes with my kitchen.” But this may be amiss when you’re not a boss in your very own kitchen.
If you are unaware of ways to cook, you can always ask for help on YouTube or check out other cookery books. And boy, there’s a lot of info on these. Don’t pressure yourself, though. Learn the art at your own pace so you can master it. But don’t leave the family hungry or you may need to get another family in a little while. Set aside good, healthy food for your home. You may not all be vegetarians but fruits and veggies are necessary for a healthy lifestyle for your kids and your partner; so is water. Consider incorporating them into your diet.
Get quality foodstuff from the local market or you can place an order if you can afford it. Some foods are perishable. Find out efficient ways to store these. Check out the expiry dates and nutritional values of foods you purchase so you don’t have health issues and other serious complications. Always ensure you buy the highest quality of food you can as often as your pocket can afford. An extra pound spent on quality is better than thousands spent in the hospital.
Constantly find out what is healthy for the family and what is not, then work towards what’s healthy yet cost-effective. Bring the best to the table. Even Jesus loves a good meal (Matt. 8:15, Eccl. 9:10).
4. GET SOME ASSISTANCE LIKE A CEO:
It can be very frustrating when you have tons of work at the office but your mind keeps going to the fact that there’s nothing left to eat when you get back in the fridge. This can be tackled when there’s someone to help out. Keep in mind that it’s never a bad idea to ask someone for help in your kitchen. You can employ the services of a trusted cook who can help you out with your meals if the need is inevitable. A word of caution though: Never let your cook assume your role as a mother and wife! Always make out time to cook something no matter how busy you are.
Another way your cooking can be made more easier and exciting all at the same time is when your helper is your partner. You can share cooking ideas as you enjoy loved-up moments cooking delicacies with each other. A cook date sounds fun and unique. One great thing about this is that you may get to discover so many amazing things about your partner you may have never known before.
You can also get assistance from your grown-up kids. Never make the mistake of denying them the opportunity to learn the art of cooking, kitchen management, and the sort. However, make it your duty to monitor them and ensure that every potential risk is managed properly. Apart from them helping you out when you’re tired, they’ll be off to a great start in their future homes; whether they’re boys or girls. If you want to manage your kitchen effectively, get kitchen secretaries (Ex. 18:14-24).
5. PLAN LIKE AN ECONOMIST:
Another amazing way to manage your kitchen and empower it is to work with a plan. Even though this is not to constrain you to stick to a meal table, one may be necessary at times. It keeps you off worrying about what exactly you would have to prepare for a particular day or even several days throughout the week. How liberating! Of course, it does not mean you would always have to cook exactly what is on your meal table if that’s not what you’d like to have for the day, but please, let it serve as a guide to you. It helps, I mean it.
Also, we all have our earning capacities. Depending on what is made available for foodstuff, kitchen equipment, and the like, draft a feasible, considerate financial plan. You can choose to buy your foodstuff per month or every week. Either way, it’s a great idea that is cost-effective and may suffice for days of lack.
Try to quit the habit of getting a microwave or other equipment simply because all the ladies in your clique have one. Rather, you just talk with your partner, look into the pressing needs of the family, make a budget, and tailor your funds to meet these needs. An idea that you may find helpful and has been used by most women where I reside is this: You can join a cooperative society or probably a small savings group where you can save money for foodstuff for the year or a couple of months. You can then withdraw after a stipulated period and use the money to get foodstuff for the year, a new refrigerator, a microwave, or a gas stove.
You can do this. I trust you. But you just need some discipline, frugality, and financial wisdom on your part. Going through Scripture should motivate you to plan as you learn from the lives of David, Nehemiah, and most importantly, God! (1 Chron. 28:11, Gal. 1:4).
6. THINK CREATIVELY LIKE AN ARTIST:
These days, there are tons of ideas screaming, “Come get me” everywhere you turn. From quintessential fashion trends to new crazy room ideas and even to new mindblowing meal ideas. Don’t stay stuck in a rut. Set your mind on the go. There are brilliant chefs out there on television and the internet who can’t wait to give you tantalizing recipes from all over the world. They also share hands-on advice and the health benefits of these amazing meals. You can explore just any as your heart leads you – or rather, as your tummy leads.
Also, get creative with your kitchen space; add some lavender; get cool master chef stickers for your oven or gas stove. Better still, hang a lovely picture of you as a chef with the apron and cap on, doing your thing. Learn to multitask. It’s not such a bad idea to cook three different meals all at the same time or cook tons of meals in advance (say, on weekends). You can save them in the fridge so you can have time for other exciting stuff like watching a movie, editing a research paper, or even going out on a date.
There’s always more than one way to do one thing. So, unleash the potential in your mind. You have no idea the asset God placed in your cranium. If your Heavenly Father created all the trees, fruits, vegetables, and meat out there with a few powerful words and eyes of imagination wrapped in faith, believe me, He can make you come up with something breathtaking you’ve never imagined before. You’re His dearly beloved child, remember? So, go get your creativity on.
As we have seen, the art of kitchen empowerment and management unleashes the superwoman in you. You don’t just get to be a chef, but an accountant, janitor, CEO, economist, and artist all at once. Damn! Most importantly, you get to season your world with the taste of your delicious pot. If you’ve been slack in your kitchen game, pull those sleeves up and get busy. Your kitchen needs the best from you. Your family too and so does Jesus.
Have a nice day, ma Cherie, and God bless you.
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