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We can’t all be geniuses in the kitchen, even if we’ve watched the new season of The Bear. But people like cooking at home. In fact, 75% of Americans make something to eat themselves at least three times a week. Sadly, 28% also say they don’t know how to cook.

Luckily, it’s not something people are born with. It’s a skill we can all learn. To make it easier, we have some cool and simple picture-based guides for you here. They’re all about food and cooking, as shared by the good people of the Cool Guides subreddit. Feel like a beginner in the kitchen? Check these out, and let us know which ones were the most helpful!

#1

Not Sure If This Counts Because There Aren’t Actually Words, But I Just Think The Life Cycle Of A Strawberry Is Neat

Not Sure If This Counts Because There Aren’t Actually Words, But I Just Think The Life Cycle Of A Strawberry Is Neat

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    #2

    How To Pick The Right Watermelon

    How To Pick The Right Watermelon

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    #3

    A Cool Guide

    A Cool Guide

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    There are many necessary life skills people complain that they're not taught in school. Doing your taxes is one people mention a lot in these types of discussions. I'd say that cooking is also a pretty necessary one. Yet, a survey in 2013 revealed that 28% of Americans say they can't cook. 

    Granted, some schools around the world include cooking education and classes in their curriculum. The UK, for example, has The Cooking and Nutrition Curriculum. The purpose of these classes, as stated by them, is to teach children "how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating." 


    #4

    When To Boil Water To Cook Vegetables

    When To Boil Water To Cook Vegetables

    tupacwolverine Report

    #5

    Apples On A Scale From Most Tart To Most Sweet

    Apples On A Scale From Most Tart To Most Sweet

    surfinmozart Report

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    #6

    Burger Joint In Town

    Burger Joint In Town

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    But cooking is not just about making something delicious for yourself. Food literacy includes being informed about nutrition and making healthy diet choices in general. According to Monique Tello, MD, MPH, cooking at home can improve diet quality, prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes, and help people lose weight in general.

    In fact, there has been evidence that cooking classes can help patients with type 2 diabetes manage their condition just as well as medication can. When people learn to cook for themselves, they eat less highly processed food and lower their sodium intake. "Hard to believe it, but time in the kitchen can be as valuable as medication for some people with diabetes," Tello writes.


    #7

    Banana Ripeness Guide

    Banana Ripeness Guide

    pauladams0 Report

    #8

    Do You Want To Raise Your Cooking Game? Learning About Aromatics Will Help Massively

    Do You Want To Raise Your Cooking Game? Learning About Aromatics Will Help Massively

    pretty_miss99 Report

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    #9

    A Cool Guide To Japanese Gastronomy Prefixes And Suffixes

    A Cool Guide To Japanese Gastronomy Prefixes And Suffixes

    Mujer_Arania Report

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    We all eat – that's true for everyone in one way or another. Food is literally the sustenance of life, yet it can also make us pretty sick if we don't eat the right way. But do people actually know how to eat healthy? People say they want to eat healthily, as they opt for products with labels such as "multigrain," "sugar-free," and "organic."

    #10

    I Bet This Is Beautiful For Pan Crust

    I Bet This Is Beautiful For Pan Crust

    baldlythread48 Report

    #11

    A Restaurant Guide For How You Want Your Steak Cooked

    A Restaurant Guide For How You Want Your Steak Cooked

    madairman Report

    #12

    A Quick Guide To Tea!

    A Quick Guide To Tea!

    Relojero Report

    However, most people seriously overestimate the healthiness of their diet. A 2022 study found that the majority of people (85% of the participants) inaccurately assess the quality of their diet. " It's mostly those who perceive their diet as poor who are able to accurately assess their diet," the study's lead author Jessica Thomson, PhD, said.

    #13

    Cake

    Cake

    PuzzledLifeguard Report

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    #14

    How To Open A Lime!

    How To Open A Lime!

    Longjumping-Ad-7241 Report

    #15

    Know Your Coffee Bean

    Know Your Coffee Bean

    ssigea Report

    For years, the main point of reference for a healthy diet was the food pyramid. I'm a '90s baby, but even I grew up thinking grains were the building block of a healthy and nutritious diet. The USDA food pyramid has actually undergone quite a journey: created in 1992 and updated in 2005 to MyPyramid, now it seems to have disappeared completely.

    #16

    A Cool Guide About Eggs

    A Cool Guide About Eggs

    TealZoe Report

    #17

    Onion Use Guide

    Onion Use Guide

    DonRastamanLV Report

    #18

    Know Your Coffee

    Know Your Coffee

    khayalipulao Report

    The problem with the original food pyramid was that it had little nuance. Yes, grains are an essential part of a well-rounded diet, but only if they are whole and unrefined. The same goes for fats; the original pyramid urged people to use it "sparingly" and ignored the benefits of plant-based fats, like eating avocado.

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    #19

    This Is How To Measure Rice (Asian Style)

    This Is How To Measure Rice (Asian Style)

    aespadax Report

    #20

    A Cool Guide To Spoons

    A Cool Guide To Spoons

    _Mr_Serious Report

    #21

    A Cool Guide To Summer Fruit Bakes

    A Cool Guide To Summer Fruit Bakes

    Background-Ad7590 Report

    The old food pyramid also didn't differentiate between healthy and unhealthy proteins. Fish, poultry, and beans were grouped together with red meat and processed meat. Dairy was also overemphasized as a healthy food group, whereas now we know it can contribute to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

    #22

    A Cool Guide To Melons

    A Cool Guide To Melons

    Mofomania Report

    #23

    A Cool Guide For Pumpkins/Squash Made By My Girlfriend In Preparation For Halloween, Hope You Enjoy!

    A Cool Guide For Pumpkins/Squash Made By My Girlfriend In Preparation For Halloween, Hope You Enjoy!

    alpevado Report

    #24

    A Cool Guide To KFC's Secret Recipe?

    A Cool Guide To KFC's Secret Recipe?

    Substantial-Chef5102 Report

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    The pyramid's upgrade, the MyPyramid project, was too vague, according to Harvard's School of Public Health. They emphasized the importance of physical activity, veggies were almost as important as grains, but oils were still demonized and there were no explanations about wholegrains and dairy.

    #25

    Cook The Perfect Egg

    Cook The Perfect Egg

    girasoles_de_fuego Report

    #26

    A Cool Guide To Place Settings

    A Cool Guide To Place Settings

    ShadowMosesss Report

    #27

    From An Old New Hampshire Cook Book!

    From An Old New Hampshire Cook Book!

    gloriagaseous Report

    Today, the USDA food pyramid is actually a plate, similar to a pie chart. The biggest chunks are dedicated to vegetables and grains, with foods and protein taking second place. Dairy is off to the side, emphasizing that it has to be low-fat or fat-free.

    Harvard University has its own version of the plate. It's similar to USDA's, but they stress the importance of wholegrains, healthy protein, healthy oils, water, and staying active.

    #28

    A Cool Guide To Dried Chilis From Cooks Country

    A Cool Guide To Dried Chilis From Cooks Country

    SlimKhakiCinema Report

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    #29

    A Cool Guide To Choose The Right Salt

    A Cool Guide To Choose The Right Salt

    NoLuckChuck- Report

    #30

    Cool Potato Guide For Beginners

    Cool Potato Guide For Beginners

    LesPaltaX Report

    In the end, there's no ultimate guide about healthy eating, as health and science journalist Kristen V. Brown writes for Bloomberg. "The truth is that we are still learning about what makes people lose, gain and maintain weight. And as we learn, the guidelines will probably change, too."

    #31

    The Only Wine Chart You'll Ever Need

    The Only Wine Chart You'll Ever Need

    sarwhlr Report

    #32

    Ok Now You Know

    Ok Now You Know

    nineinchrain Report

    #33

    Vegetable Cooking Times

    Vegetable Cooking Times

    yogabbagabapin Report

    #34

    A Cool Guide To How To Cook Different Kinds Of Rice

    A Cool Guide To How To Cook Different Kinds Of Rice

    abriechz Report

    #35

    A Cool Guide To Banana Types

    A Cool Guide To Banana Types

    Mofomania Report

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    #36

    Cooking Conversions

    Cooking Conversions

    yogabbagabapin Report

    #37

    Best Rated Cheese Dishes

    Best Rated Cheese Dishes

    L0o0o0o0o0o0L Report

    #38

    How To Cook Bacons

    How To Cook Bacons

    AndyTDL Report

    #39

    A Cool Guide To Eggplant Varieties

    A Cool Guide To Eggplant Varieties

    Donghoon Report

    #40

    A Cool Guide Of What 1500 Calories Look Like At The Most Famous Fast Food Restaurants

    A Cool Guide Of What 1500 Calories Look Like At The Most Famous Fast Food Restaurants

    Mindless_Trick_8048 Report

    #41

    16 Different Ways To Cook A Turkey

    16 Different Ways To Cook A Turkey

    jaxsondeville Report

    #42

    Donut & Wine Pairings

    Donut & Wine Pairings

    Lynris Report

    #43

    Cooking Oil Smoke Points

    Cooking Oil Smoke Points

    Necroboner Report

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    #44

    Salmon Cuts Guide From My Grocery Store

    Salmon Cuts Guide From My Grocery Store

    Mexicannut Report

    #45

    A Cool Guide To Sushi Etiquette

    A Cool Guide To Sushi Etiquette

    ThreeDrawersDown Report

    #46

    Fried Eggs By Fat Used, Pan Type, And How Fully Cooked!

    Fried Eggs By Fat Used, Pan Type, And How Fully Cooked!

    Ok-General-1544 Report

    #47

    A Cool Guide I Found About Cooking Steak In Landers

    A Cool Guide I Found About Cooking Steak In Landers

    Illustrious_Ear_1394 Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Not-a-Clue (she/her)
    Community Member
    3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Surely the thickness of the steak affects how long you need to cook it?

    Pamacious
    Community Member
    1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These cool temps are more accurate than the earlier chart. MW has a little pink, & the earlier chart didn't say that.

    Kelly Scott
    Community Member
    3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This contradicts the previous guide. On that one, I would have chosen medium rare. This one I would chose medium.

    Pandaodboredem22
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is a terrible guide and I hope nobody ever uses this. It depends on thickness and cooking temperature. Direct heat is great for searing or thin cuts, but will give you a brown well done ring on the outside. Use indirect heat first and sear at the end 10-15 degrees below your target temperature for done Ness, or a reverse sear sear first. Always pull five degrees below target temperature for carry over cooking as the heat from the outside balances with the inside temp. So I pull at 120-125 for medium rare and let sit for five minutes.

    Strahd Ivarius
    Community Member
    3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't know why there is anything else than "rare" on the scale? and what about "bleu"?

    Scott Rackley
    Community Member
    3 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Once I got a sous vide, I haven't cooked it any other way. Makes even cheap steak taste awesome.

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    #48

    Guide To Types Of Fiddleheads For Cooking

    Guide To Types Of Fiddleheads For Cooking

    mister_record Report

    #49

    A Cool Guide For Air Frying

    A Cool Guide For Air Frying

    edb427 Report

    #50

    A Cool Guide To The Cooking Oils

    A Cool Guide To The Cooking Oils

    giuliomagnifico Report

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