The Greek philosopher Aristotle, father of western medicine, said "Let food be thy medicine." Learning to cook healthy meals can give you control over the quality of your food, which may be especially important if you are trying to lose weight or have a health condition, such as diabetes or heart disease, which may require a specific diet. Cooking at home may save you money in the long run, but you'll have to stock your kitchen with some basic equipment first. You'll have a better idea of what tools you'll need after you learn to cook.
Step 1
Take a cooking class. Your local natural food store may offer inexpensive or free workshops that focus on a specific technique or food. A nearby college or community center may offer continuing education classes that explore a type of cuisine or ethnic food. If you have the financial resources, you may attend the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City -- which has a professional training program and public classes, such as "A Cooking Class for People with Cancer" and "Our Gastrointestinal Health: It's a Gut Feeling." NGI also offers cooking retreats and vacations.
Step 2
Learn to cook watching instructional television shows or online videos. The Food Network, HGTV and YouTube offer a variety of how-to cooking programs for every experience level and interest. Many programs that you watch on television have the ingredients, recipes and nutritional information available online.
Step 3
Subscribe to a cooking magazine that caters to your interests. "Vegetarian Times," "Diabetic Living," "Diabetic Gourmet Magazine," "Diabetic Cooking," "Clean Eating" and "Living Without" offer monthly seasonal articles and recipes that can teach you how and why eating healthy is so important.
Step 4
Enlist friends or family to teach you. If you know someone who has the skills, ask for her help. You can offer a trade -- you'll do the shopping and pay for the groceries in exchange for the private lesson. After cooking, you can sit and enjoy a delicious, nutritious meal together.
Tips and Warnings
- Start a personal recipe collection -- whether you collect them from magazines, cookbooks, TV or friends. Keep an organized file, and you'll always have your favorite recipes at your fingertips.
- Note your failures, as well as your successes. Not every recipe will be a winner, and you can learn from your mistakes.
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