Teach Them to Cook: 7 Essential Recipes Every Young Adult Should Know Before Living on Their Own
These 7 essential recipes teach young adults the basics—like pasta, roasted veggies, and even a crowd-pleasing pot of chili—so they can feed themselves (and their friends) with ease.
“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.” – Julia Child
In today’s fast-paced, disconnected world, teaching kids to cook isn’t just about keeping their bellies full—it’s about giving them a life skill that connects them to others and builds confidence. When young adults leave home for the first time, they’re stepping into one of life’s biggest adventures. And while the stereotype of cold pizza and instant ramen is alive and well, there’s nothing more empowering (or impressive) than knowing your way around a kitchen.
Here are 7 simple, essential recipes every young adult should learn before they move out, to keep them fed, happy, and a little less homesick.
1. How to Cook and Dress Pasta
Pasta is the ultimate starter dish, and for good reason: it’s fast, affordable, and versatile. Whether they’re whipping up gourmet mac and cheese or tossing spaghetti with jarred marinara and eating it on the couch, pasta is a must-know.
Cooking pasta teaches so many fundamentals: choosing the right pot, bringing water to a boil, and avoiding the dreaded boil-over (and learning that if it does, it’s not the end of the world). Show them the little tricks that make a big difference—salting the water generously, stirring the pasta so it doesn’t stick, draining properly, and finishing with a pat of butter for extra flavor.
And as for the “correct” portion of pasta? Don’t worry about it—nobody really knows how to measure that perfectly.
2. How to Sauté and Roast Vegetables
Technically two skills, but they complement each other perfectly. Learning to sauté and roast introduces them to the two most common ways of cooking: stovetop and oven.
Use the same vegetables for both methods so they can see how cooking techniques change flavor and texture. Roasting teaches knife skills, cleaning and prepping veggies, seasoning, using a roasting pan versus a baking sheet, and even broiling for a final bit of caramelization. Bonus: roasted broccoli over pasta makes a fantastic meal.
Sautéing, on the other hand, gives them a feel for skillet versus saucepan, choosing oil or butter, understanding smoke points, and working at the right heat level. It’s also a crash course in timing—knowing which vegetables cook faster and when to add them to the pan. Plus, sautéed veggies are the base for countless soups and stews.
3. How to Assemble and Bake a Casserole
The humble casserole is part cooking, part baking, and fully delicious. It doesn’t matter what kind they master—just pick one they’ll enjoy. Casseroles are cheap, filling, and easy to adapt once you understand the basics.
They’ll learn how to preheat the oven, measure ingredients (wet and dry), choose the right size baking dish, and recognize when something is “set” and ready. Knowing how to make a casserole gives them something homemade (and impressive) to bring to a potluck, picnic, or even a date’s family dinner.
4. How to Make Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs are versatile and comforting—on toast, in a breakfast sandwich, topped with sautéed veggies, or just plain. They seem simple, but everyone has their own method: butter or spray? Season before or after? Add milk or water? When to add cheese? How much to stir? And how on earth do you clean dried egg out of a pan?
These little details make scrambled eggs an excellent way to practice timing, heat control, and cleanup.
5. How to Brew a Pot of Coffee
Coffee isn’t just for caffeine—it’s for community. Maybe they don’t drink it themselves, but knowing how to brew a good pot will come in handy. Whether it’s making coffee during their internship, volunteering at an event, or hosting a study session with roommates, coffee brings people together.
6. How to Make a Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Grilled cheese may seem too simple to include here, but don’t underestimate it. The perfect grilled cheese requires choosing the right bread and cheese, understanding how heat affects melting versus burning, maintaining skillet temperature, and flipping at just the right moment.
Once they know the basics, they can branch out into melts, paninis, and even quesadillas—so it’s really three sandwiches for the price of one.
7. How to Make a Pot of Chili
By the time they’re ready to tackle chili, they already know how to prep, chop, and sauté vegetables, pick the right pot for the job, measure wet and dry ingredients, taste and adjust seasoning, and handle a hot pot without letting it boil over. If you also taught them how to brown ground beef (or a plant-based alternative) when you worked on casseroles, they’ve got that covered too.
The beauty of chili is that once everything’s in the pot, it’s mostly about patience—letting it simmer, watching how the flavors deepen over time, and resisting the urge to rush it. That’s an important lesson in the kitchen (and in life).
A big pot of chili is also a fantastic way to feed a crowd and show off their new kitchen skills. It’s perfect for casual get-togethers with friends on a Saturday afternoon, and the leftovers keep beautifully in the fridge for easy meals all week. It’s budget-friendly, comforting, and universally loved—because who can say no to a chili dog?
Final Thoughts
These 7 foundational recipes will give any young adult the confidence to cook for themselves, share a meal with others, and build on their skills over time. In a disconnected world, cooking is one of the best ways to stay grounded and connect—with food, with others, and with yourself.
Sarah, aka: The Plant Based Ginger, has been in the plant-based community for 20+ years and has worked in natural skincare as well as the health and wellness sector. Over the years her love of holistic wellness, essential oils, and plant-based cooking has merged to create the PBG website and social brand. She is a Certified Natural Health Practitioner, Homecook, and Coffee Lover.