Two Investments for the At-Home Chef

How my cooking routine is nearly effortless — and ultimately saves me thousands.

Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash

It’s a Tuesday afternoon. I’m lounging on the couch, eating orange slices and unironically thinking: this is the height of luxury. Earlier in the day I made guacamole while listening to an audiobook. As always, I chopped triple the amount of recommended garlic. To top it off, the ingredients for tomorrow’s slow cooker meal were already in the fridge.

Now, I think in reverse: how does this feels so easy? How did my home cooking routine fall into place so naturally?

If I think about why my partner and I cook or prepare 90% of our meals at home, then it’s because it’s easy and good. It doesn’t even feel like a chore.

What makes it so?

If I think in terms of costs—or I’d like to say investments—then I recognize two which make my at-home cooking routine nearly effortless. One is a start-up investment and the other is ongoing.

1. High-End Chef’s Knife

I have thrift-store coffee mugs, but a $180 chef’s knife. And I think of it as a start-up investment. Sure, it sounds like a bit much to spend on just a knife—that is, until you’ve experienced how nice it is to cut with a light and sharp…