Life Talk

Learning to cook in my fifties: free and cheap resources that helped me

I went back to school in my fifties and also, at the same time, finally learned to cook properly. My late husband was the cook in our house for 25 years. So I've been a beginner twice in two years, and I want to share what helped.

Your local library. Mine has a huge cookbook section, and borrowing three at a time meant I could try them before buying.

Video channels that show mistakes. I found the polished ones intimidating. The ones where the host burns the onions and keeps going made me braver.

Community classes. Our community centre runs a low-cost cooking evening. I met lovely people and learned to hold a knife properly.

One dish a week. Not a whole new diet. Just one new dish, repeated until it's mine.

It's never too late, truly.