Retirement Cooking Tips

If you’ve worked your entire life waiting for a chance to relax and are now retired, now is the right time to focus attention on your favorite hobbies and stuff you love doing.

One of the most rewarding things to spend some time on is cooking and exploring different recipes. This is even more important if you’re into healthy eating and boosting your health through food.

(Healthy Salad Photo: Taylor Kiser via Unsplash)

If you’ve ever wondered why so many retirees love cooking, here are a few tips to make the most out cooking:

Try out new recipes

No matter what you love eating and what your favorite meals are, retirement is the perfect time to try experimenting with food and testing new recipes. You don’t have to stick to the same old foods and keep eating them over and over again because you’re rushed for time. Find some recipes that are more interesting and incorporate them into your meal plan.

Meal planning will help you to create good eating habits and ensure you’re getting as many vitamins and minerals as possible, something all seniors and retirees can benefit from. Also, if you stick to recipes that are healthy and exciting at the same time, you’ll be more healthy and vibrant in the decades to come.

(Quinoa Photo: Dan Dennis via Unsplash)

Quinoa Vegetable Salad Recipe

Quinoa is a superfood with a high protein value, and is gluten-free. This recipe combines the benefits of quinoa with the nutritional values of different veggies. This recipe is quite simple and you’ll be able to prepare a fresh Quinoa Vegetable Salad very easily.

Ingredients

• • Dry quinoa (1 cup)
  • Water (3 cups)
  • Fresh onion, mushrooms, red pepper (quantity as preferred)
  • Fresh peas and corn
  • Lemon juice (3 tablespoons)
  • Olive oil (3 tablespoons)
  • Pine nuts (1/4 cup)
  • Honey (1 tablespoon)
  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)

Directions

• • Put the quinoa in a stove top pan or pot with the water and bring it to a oil. Turn down the heat and let it simmer until all the water is absorbed, approximately 10-15 minutes.
  • Cut onions, mushrooms, and red peppers into small pieces; mix in the peas and corn. 
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and sautee the peas, corn, and cut up vegetables for a few minutes until they are soft. Mix in the quinoa and pine nuts. Remove from heat and place into a mixing or salad bowl. Cover and refrigerate the salad if you are not going to serve immediately.
  • In a separate bowl, thoroughly mix the dressing ingredients together: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, pine nuts, honey, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the dressing if you are not going to serve it immediately.

This salad is perfect for lunch or dinner, and can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for several days.

Reach out to old friends

Long hours at work cut into your time for a social life, but once you retire, that can all change. Retirees often have more opportunities to hang out with their friends and family, organize fun gatherings where they can chat, explore new activities – and eat different food!

If you want to show your friends how imaginative and creative you are, start exploring new foods and recipes straight away. You’ll amaze others by showing them that you’re ready to have some fun and enjoy your new retirement lifestyle.

Find a couple of recipes you love, invite your friends over, and share some food together.

Explore new kitchen accessories

The world is full of kitchen accessories, gadgets, and utensils that will make your cooking experience more enjoyable and effective than you can imagine. These things are always changing and people who design kitchen accessories are constantly coming up with new devices that could help you make your kitchen neat and organized, and/or turn you into the best chef around.

First, reduce clutter by donating kitchen items you’ve never used in the past, and don’t plan to use in the foreseeable future. 

(Coffee Mug Station Photo: Eric Prouzet)

Second, determine what items you DO use, that should be updated with newer models. For example, is it time to say goodbye to those old chipped or stained coffee mugs, and splurge on some new ones?

Over time and with frequent use, frying pans and cookie trays can become warped and lose their non-stick coating, making them more difficult to cook with and to clean up after. Usually these are recyclable metals, so they don’t have to go into landfill when you get rid of them.

Third, splurge on a few kitchen tools you’ve always wanted to own. Some chef’s knives, or a practical wok burner that can turn a meal into a stir fry delicacy. 

Stir Fry Chicken & Vegetables

Use your new wok as often as possible if you’re a stir-fry fan. The beauty of stir-fry is the many possible combinations of ingredients.

Ingredients

• • lean chicken breast (s) cut into strips. or chicken fillets 
  • sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
  • stir-fry sauce (1 cup)
  • fresh vegetables (your preferred quantity/combination of carrots, green beans, broccoli, red onions, peppers, etc.), whole or cut into large tablespoon-size pieces.
  • crushed garlic (1 teaspoon)
  • grated ginger (1 teaspoon)

Directions

• • Heat the sesame oil in your new favorite wok for 1-2 minutes.
  • Cut the cut-up chicken / fillets to the wok and stir for 5-10 minutes until it’s completely cooked. Remove from the wok and set in a bowl.
  • Add the vegetables, garlic, and ginger to the wok and stir-fry until the vegetables are almost fully cooked (crunchy, not mushy).
  • Add the meat back into the wok with the vegetable mixture, and mix in the stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry until everything is hot.
  • Serve beside or or, your favorite noodles or even rice.

Using different meats, poultry, seafood, and vegetables in your stir-fry, you can create unique food combinations to suit every taste. In the end, all you have to do is enjoy it with your friends and the people you love.

Be kitchen safety conscious

Being retired usually means you’re older and possibly not as nimble or focused as you used to be. If you’re really into cooking, this could become a problem as you spend more time in the kitchen – where there plenty of sharp tools, liquids that can spill, and a hot stove that can quickly do damage. Check out these 4 Tips on Kitchen Safety, and Hidden Hazards For Seniors.

Accidents happen when people are tired and their attention wanders inadvertently; alternatively, they can also happen when rushing to complete a task quickly, and forgetting safety.

Ensure you’re rested – get a good night’s sleep! – and focused on what you’re doing before you start cooking. If you can do that, you’ll fall in love with cooking again now that you have the time to enjoy it. 

Feed your mind and body

Planning, preparing, cooking, and eating healthy meals can help you to prevent or delay the progression of some illnesses and diseases. Certain illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s, can cause people to lose their appetite.

By preparing your own appetizing meals, choosing ingredients that smell great and are visually appealing, and being active in the kitchen, you can stay engaged, mentally sharp, and physically active. Even if you’re not hungry to begin with, by the time you’ve finished preparing a meal you’ll have stimulated your appetite, and will be ready to enjoy the outcome of your hard work.

Focusing on your food after you retire is a rewarding scenario, especially if you feel physically and mentally strong enough to do that. Start preparing healthy and nutritious food every single day, and have a great time in the kitchen.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also like Top 12 Healthy Diet Tools & Tips.

*This article is for general informational purposes only. 50+ World does endorse any product or service providers, nor does it receive remuneration from them. Obtain expert advice – financial, legal, medical, industry-specific, etc. – from qualified practitioners about your unique situation.*