- Take inventory of your kitchen. Go through your refrigerator, pantry, and spice cabinet and take stock of any staple ingredients (such as milk, eggs, flour, sugar, herbs and spices, oil, and frequently used fresh ingredients). Replace any staples that you're out of or that have been sitting in your cabinet for years.
- Clean out unwanted food. As you're taking inventory of your kitchen, throw out those leftovers in the back of the fridge and any foods that have expired. This may also be a good opportunity to get rid of any unhealthy foods that you no longer want to keep in the house.
- Examine your cooking tools. Make sure you have the basic cooking tools you'll need to cook at home. Pots, pans, cutting boards, knives, cooking utensils, mixing bowls, and measuring cups and spoons are all essential. Replace any commonly used tools that are broken.
- Read the recipe. Read through each recipe thoroughly before you begin cooking to make sure you have all the ingredients and kitchen tools you need. If you don't understand one of the directions in the recipe, search for an explanation or video demonstration online. If a recipe requires time for marinating or chilling, make sure you take that into account.
