{"id":25696,"date":"2016-05-31T09:39:52","date_gmt":"2016-05-31T13:39:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/?p=25696"},"modified":"2025-01-22T06:44:08","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T06:44:08","slug":"how-cooking-classes-can-save-you-big-bucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalskyweb.co\/canadianbudgetbinder.com\/2016\/05\/31\/how-cooking-classes-can-save-you-big-bucks\/","title":{"rendered":"How Cooking Classes Can Save You Big Bucks! : The Grocery Game Challenge 2016 #1 May 30-June 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

LEARN TO COOK AND BECOME THE CHEF IN YOUR HOME KITCHEN<\/span><\/h2>\n

Cooking classes have always been popular and will likely continue to be hot on the bucket list of many who want to learn how to cook starting from basic skills all the way to foreign cuisines.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the best culinary schools in the world is in your parents kitchen especially if your mom and dad love to cook. That’s how I learned to cook when I was young which opened my intrigue into the world of food prep and cultural meals.<\/p>\n

From there I became a world traveller and tried to visit as many countries as I could before I moved to Canada where I continue to enjoy new cuisine. Through those experiences I learned just how wonderful food from around the world was but most importantly how they were prepared and cultural knowledge.<\/p>\n

Eat at home\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even in the UK I hardly ever ate out because cooking at home was my pride and joy. Plus, it was far cheaper and rewarding for me. Learning to cook new foods means you’ll likely eat out less because your cooking at home which means you spend less money<\/strong> every month. Your budget will thank-you. Although you may have to pay for your cooking class the expenses will far outweigh the overall yearly savings you will benefit from.<\/p>\n

Where to find a cooking class?<\/span><\/h2>\n

I did a bit of investigating online and found many cooking classes in our local area and most of them started at $10 a session all the way up to $65 a session. There are many ways to locate an area cooking class from Facebook, Kijiji or calling local businesses from the Yellow Pages.<\/p>\n

If you have a Loblaws Superstore in your area they also offer cooking classes if the store has the in-house cooking facility typically found on the second level of the store. I’ve seen a cooking class or two while making my way to the bathroom with our son to change his diaper. I always thought it would be cool to join in with the wife and learn to cook new foods.<\/p>\n

Not everyone loves to cook and even those people who are on the fence about cooking know that if they only knew how to cook different foods that they’d experiment more and eat out less. The problem with the world today is that convenience surrounds us and the mere thought of cooking a meal after a long day is horrifying for some people. It’s easier to call up the pizza shop or the local Chinese restaurant for take-away than it is to make homemade Chinese Food.<\/p>\n

The concern with this approach is that we get lazy which mean there will always be an excuse about why eating out is the better option. More often than not it can become a habit although it’s nice once in a while to explore what local restaurants have to offer if you’re big into the local restaurant scene.<\/p>\n

My foodie scene starts at home and ends at home although we may go out for dinner for a special occasion. The last dinner we ate out was Mandarin Buffet for our son’s baptism dinner. It was nice however the food was overwhelming and too much for me. I ate it but I prefer to have one nice dish of food and be done with it.<\/p>\n

Couples cooking classes<\/span><\/h2>\n

A date night cooking class is a great way to enjoy romantic time with your partner while working together to create a lovely meal you can later enjoy. In Toronto there are many couples cooking classes that offer the right setting for a romantic yet educational evening.<\/p>\n

Compare this with going out to eat and you’ve just saved yourself some money. Why? Because now you’ll not only have eaten a wonderful meal prepared by the both of you BUT you’re leaving with the recipe in your head and the steps involved to make it at home. This is money. Don’t go to learn how to cook something you both already know either. Find a cooking class that suits both your nutritional needs and go for it.<\/p>\n

Buying a cooking class for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Birthday’s or any other occasion is a great way to say, I love you. You may also find a cooking class for youngsters in your area which would be great if you have a child who is passionate about being in the kitchen. Going on a first date? Break the ice with a fun cooking class together to see how well you can work as a team. Endless opportunities<\/p>\n

Learn to cook<\/span><\/h2>\n

Lately I’ve thought about taking a Thai cooking class or even Sushi Cooking Class because I absolutely love both cuisines. A friend of ours who is Indian promised that one day she would guide us through Indian Cooking Class in her home kitchen.<\/p>\n

We want to learn everything basic about Indian cooking so we can build on recipes that we find online. The more you learn about cooking the better you will feel about different ingredients, tastes and price points for new products you may not have bought before.<\/p>\n

Cooking class for beginners<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether you are new in the kitchen or just not comfortable cooking different meals outside of the same recipes you repeat week after week a cooking class is a great motivational boost.<\/p>\n

Everyone likes someone who can cook so take some time to look out for you and sign-up for a cooking class that will teach you kitchen basics so you’re not fumbling around the next time you want to test out a new recipe.<\/p>\n

Culinary career<\/span><\/h2>\n

You can’t just watch the TV program Chopped and declare yourself a Chopped Champion. You need to earn that right even if it is in your home kitchen. Your friends and family may be your best judges however you’re the ultimate judge of the food which comes from your kitchen.<\/p>\n

There are online cooking classes available however being there is always going to help you more because of the hands on approach and personal feel of being with an instructor.<\/p>\n

There are schools for the culinary arts all over Canada all of which may offer a cooking class to the general public for small amounts of money. Whether you are an adult or a child a cooking class is a great way to get your feet wet if a culinary career is something that interests you.<\/p>\n

By participating in a cooking class or even finding a job in a kitchen this will let you know whether you want to pursue the culinary world or leave it behind. There is no sense signing up for cooking school wasting a pile of money if it’s something that sounds good but is not really for you.<\/p>\n

Budget saver<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is the big one right here, the dollars you will save. It may seem a bit too much money to put out at first for a cooking class but it will come back to you in the form new recipes and home-cooked meals. No tips, No Travel time and No worries because you’ll be doing the cooking and not someone else.<\/p>\n

Related:<\/strong> The Costs of Eating Out vs. Eating In<\/a><\/p>\n

On average for a couple to eat out at a family restaurant they can expect to spend roughly $40-$100 for a meal, drinks and dessert. Add in a tip and that can make for an expensive dinner.<\/p>\n

Do you know how much food you can buy with $100 at the grocery store? <\/strong><\/p>\n

For many people that will feed them for a week or two. Eating at McDonald’s will cost two people over $20 and the place is packed all times of the day. Go to Subway and two foot-long subs will run you over $20. Pretty much every fast-food join will cost you minimum $10 to eat a full meal. I’d rather buy some beef and make homemade juicy burgers any day of the week.<\/p>\n

I won’t even tell you how much we paid to eat out for my wife’s birthday a few years ago. In fact, I didn’t even show her the bill. We were both hungry when we left. She told me never again, we’re going to eat in and prepare a lovely meal together. I’m down with that. Now that we have our son I know she’d probably sing another tune but so far we’ve only had one dinner out since then.<\/p>\n

Food knowledge<\/span><\/h2>\n

I’m a foodie-geek which means I love learning about food any which way I can and so does my wife. It may be from reading cookbooks, online cooking class tutorials or friends but hands-on learning has always been the best education for me.<\/p>\n

Taking part in a cooking class means you’re going to learn about ways to cook food as well educate you. How many times have you been down the produce aisle only to look at a product and say, “What is this?” I know I’ve done it a few times which means It would be nice to brush up on food knowledge by taking a food class in Italian cooking or any other culture that rings your bell.<\/p>\n

You don’t have to be a red seal chef to be an awesome home cook. If you can follow directions and it tastes great you and do wonderful things in your kitchen. Knowledge is key and it’s more than just watching the Food Network or an online cooking class. You have to get right in there, use your hands, your imagination and get cooking.<\/p>\n

Just have a look at the array of Food Trucks all over Canada being run by people who quit their day job to do what they love. Even for home cooks who do in-house demonstrations such as Ontario based Italian Pasta Hostess Linda Morrin who offers personalized service for your pasta needs. You can host the party at your house or visit her kitchen facility to learn the art of pasta that she learned from her Nonna and parents. This is a great way to bring a cooking class to your own kitchen.<\/p>\n

Nutrition education<\/span><\/h2>\n

A cooking class is a great way to learn about nutrition and possibly nutrition labels if that is part of the session. Once you find a cooking class that suits your culinary needs you can also touch base with the chef to see if they will be talking about nutrition.<\/p>\n

Participating in a cooking class may include nutritional facts about the foods you will be using to create the meal in the cooking class. This is also a great opportunity to ask questions that you may have been stumped on before. Yes, you can search online for answers but having a nutritionist or chef at your disposal is priceless.<\/p>\n

Overall, participating in a cooking class will enhance the feeling you get when you are gourmet cooking at home instead of spending big bucks eating out. Invest in yourself and you’ll see the financial savings year after year. Take those savings and bump up your retirement fund, emergency savings or even pay down your mortgage.<\/p>\n

Life in the kitchen is about balance, compromise and passion. You need these three things to continue on a path of least resistance. Explore your options.<\/p>\n

Have you ever participated in a cooking class?<\/strong><\/p>\n

June Grocery Game Challenge posts 2016<\/span><\/h2>\n

Join in the 2016 Grocery Game Challenge (GGC) fun and post your grocery shop in the comment section of each GGC blog post. Here are the rules<\/a> to get you started and where you\u2019ll also find a link for the updated 2016 GGC schedule. Please feel free to download, save and even print the schedule so it\u2019s handy.<\/p>\n

New monthly prize:<\/strong> $10 President\u2019s Choice Gift Card for Canadian residents only BUT <\/strong>If you want to play from outside of Canada<\/strong> and have PayPal and you win I will pay you $10 Canadian. I use a random online generator to pick the winning ballot every month.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you missed any grocery game posts for the month I will post the line-up each week below for you so you don\u2019t have to go looking for past GGC posts for the month. Alternatively, just click on the \u201cGrocery Game Challenge\u201d tab on the blog side-bar to see past posts.<\/p>\n

Congratulations to our May Grocery Game Challenge Winner- #11 DEE!!<\/p>\n

June Grocery Game Posts<\/strong><\/p>\n