Trace Id is missing
Skip to main content
Windows
Illustration of a variety of cooking utensils with a yellow background

February 24, 2022

5 fresh ideas to make cooking easy and fun

3 minute 

According to a recent poll, 50% of Americans report they’ve become eager to learn as much as possible about cooking, and 73% say they’re genuinely enjoying it more than they used to.¹ Perhaps that’s because cooking is so much more than what ends up on our plates, it’s also about connection and creativity. Learning how to make cooking fun can make it easier to prepare meals more often. From recipe planning to grocery shopping to sharing virtual meals with loved ones near and far, Microsoft can help with cooking tips to make mealtime more organized and more fun.

1. Learn the basics.

If you want to learn to cook, but the most complicated recipe you’ve ever attempted is packaged noodles, you can find plenty of resources online to help you master the basics or to take your skills to the next level. Try a Bing search for instructional videos like how to poach an egghow to cook the perfect steak, or how to sharpen your knife.
 

2. Organize your meal planning.

Web browser opened to a cooking website with recipes
Years ago, if you wanted to look for a recipe, you pulled out a cookbook. Now, you can find almost any recipe you want online. But rather than opening a dozen tabs in your browser or trying to copy and paste links from Microsoft Edge into Word, easily gather and organize your recipes with Collections in Microsoft Edge. Take your organization a step further by making specific Collections by meal, cuisine, special occasion, or specialty item and always have your recipes at your fingertips.

Organize your ideas with Collections in Microsoft Edge

Whether you’re shopping, planning a trip, or gathering recipes, Collections in Microsoft Edge can help you keep track of your ideas on the web.

3. Plan your shopping trips.

Make going to the store more fun and less like a chore when it’s as quick and easy as possible. OneNote is a great way to keep track of your grocery lists, favorite items from specialty stores, weekly staples, or just today’s list of what you need for a specific meal. Add items to your list in OneNote with checkboxes, so as you’re cruising the aisles of your store, you can mark off what’s in your cart.

You can also share your notebook with others, so if one person runs to the store, others in your household can add new items to the list as they shop because OneNote notebooks are always in sync.
 

4. Get creative with a DIY recipe guide.

PowerPoint presentation for family recipes
Want to gather your own culinary creations together in one place? Making your own recipe guide is easier than ever. With this free PowerPoint template you can showcase everything from favorite recipes to preparation instructions to elegant table setting ideas—you can even gift them to friends and family members who love your cooking and entertaining. And if you need help digitizing some of those older, cherished family recipes, we’ve got some tips here.

5. Share a meal—virtually.

Do you love hosting dinners with family and friends? When you throw a virtual dinner party, you’re able to include loved ones who are near and dear to your heart but may live farther away. With Microsoft Teams you can start a video call instantly and invite anyone to join even if they’re not on Teams, and you don’t have to worry about pesky, short-lived time limits.² You can even express yourself when you’re chowing down on your latest dish du jour with emojis, memes, and GIFs.

Learning how to make cooking fun can help bring a serving of enjoyment to the table. Whether you’re new to cooking or simply looking to breathe some new life into your old routine, these tips can add some fun to mealtime.

Products featured in this article

More articles