To do the things we enjoy is our natural way to relieve stress, sometimes we found pleasure in doing simple things like going for a walk, talking with friends, watching our favorite TV show, reading a good book, cooking our favorite food and even playing games online.

When I was still working from home, and online. Things were very stressful, even when I don’t have a boss and I have my own freedom to do things I want to do, it wasn’t because of the many works I have to do back then, it was mainly because of my attitude towards work. I am workaholic and it was hard for me to stop until the things I am doing wasn’t done yet.  I woke up at nine o’clock in the morning back then and sleep at two o’clock in the morning the next day, trying to do many things I can do, or if someone ordered a WordPress theme, I will do it without stopping, until I perfected it.

Today, after many things have happened and me today working a day job, working eight (8) hours a day, I have noticed I still have the same attitude towards work, where there are times I forgot to drink water and if not of my co-workers reminding us to eat lunch, I won’t eat lunch just to finish what I am doing.  What make it a bit stressful today, is doing household chores at home after a long day at work or look after a mischievous kid, especially during the weekend when it should be my only days to relax and rest.

Just like before my only way to relieve stress is to play  games online, and recently I  came across this fun and very educational website with many cooking games that me and my niece can enjoy playing during the weekend when I am babysitting her.  Yep, she loves playing cooking in her play time, just like how she loves to play online , I even bought her food simulation toys and a cooking set, which she always misplaced every time she used them.

CulinarySchools.org aside from being an informative platform that allows you to discover all the available culinary schools and culinary trainings near your area, it also has a  useful collection of online tools such as the ingredient measurement conversion tool, body fat calculator, weight loss and workout calculator .

It also has a huge collection of smartly curated online cooking games that kids and kids alike can freely access and enjoy without downloading mobile app, because they are browser-based application,  and by playing you can learn so much about the food you are eating, how they were produced (farming), you can also learn hospitality, restaurant managements and some culinary arts technique that can be useful to you someday.

Here are the games my niece and I enjoyed the most.

Ice Cream Bar

A 20-stage timed simulation game where you have to serve the customers the exact flavor and  ingredients they have ordered, the ice cream has to be in order the way they want them, starting at the bottom and working your way up. As you progress through the game you unlock additional ice cream flavors, ice cream cones, drinks, fruits, and a juicing machine.

Can I Eat It?

Is a game for preschoolers and kindergarten students, which is perfect for my niece age.  To play the game, you have to identify whether the food is edible or not by clicking Yes or No, in  a limited time. So you have to think quick if the item shown can be eaten or not or else you have to start over.  The items that were shown includes fruits, vegetables, cheese, sausages, chocolates , arrow, socks, sticks, glass, batteries, bugs and more.

Coffee Shop

A simulation game where you learn about how to manage a coffee shop. The game starts by buying your own inventory or ingredients like cups, coffee, sugar and milk. In this game, you have the freedom to adjust the how much coffee, milk and sugar, you can put into each cup and even the price of your coffee . The demand changes as the weather changes, so it isn’t advisable to stock lots of milk when the weather is warm because it will spoil and you will loss profit, that is for sure.

Puzzle Farm

An easy puzzle game that my niece enjoyed playing because of the colorful  farm animals and other scenes from farm life.  The puzzle shows a gray scale outline of where the pieces go until they are filled in, making it ideal for students in second grade or below.

Well, these are some of the games my niece and I enjoyed playing.  Through this, I am relieving my stress and learning culinary techniques by reading helpful articles at culinaryschools.org, as well as on playing some culinary games.

How about you, how do you overcome stressful days?

You find a recipe you want to make. The picture is tantalizing, the ingredients are already in your cupboard, and you’re going to cook it better than the chef in the picture ever could. Ah, hubris.

It’s not uncommon to find a recipe that claims to take 30-40 minutes and emerge from the kitchen, sweaty and irritable, more than hour later. You begin to wonder if the problem is the author – do they exist in a different universe where time runs differently? Or could the problem be… you?

One of the major contributors to the slowing-down process is clutter. We have all come to value our kitchen appliances; not just the cooker (although its importance is obvious) – but we love all those little gadgets we have that make cooking fun and seemingly easy. When thought about it… how many of those gadgets do you actually need? How many do you really use?

Therefore it’s necessary to wonder if you’re getting the most out of your kitchen or if perhaps a few tweaks to your behavior could improve on perfection.

Do You Really Need Those Gadgets All At Once?

[Photo courtesy of Amigos3D/pixabay.com]

It’s important to be harsh with your kitchen appliances – and no, that doesn’t mean using lifespan-reducing steel wool to clean them. What it does mean is following a simple rule of necessity. Ask yourself if you really need everything that you have in the room.

Many cooks follow a rule of “one in, one out” when it comes to their gadgets. So, if for example, a meal calls for the use of a blender, then you make space for it in the room by moving out the steamer. If you have to use a bowl mixer, then it’s bye-bye blender. They don’t have to go into deep storage – just remove them from the work surfaces into cupboards. With more available space to work in, it’s easier to see what you have done and – importantly – what you need to do.

Your Kitchen Is For Kitchen Things

[Photo courtesy of stevepb/pixabay.com]

It’s not uncommon to come home from work and, before heading to the kitchen, pick up the mail. Once in the kitchen, you put the mail down on the counter, adding to the pile your keys, bag, and your phone.

Just like that, in one mindless moment, your belongings are spreading through the room without your knowledge. If you don’t clear these items away quickly, they begin to mount up – and will get in the way when you cook.

Create a space outside the kitchen – a cubby, or a shelf – to deposit items in before entering the kitchen. If you need to use your phone for a recipe, then put it back in a pocket when done rather than abandoning it on the counter.

Use Dead Time For Clean Up

Most meals offer you a certain amount of “dead time” while food is simply cooking and there is nothing for you to do to it. Sure, stir the sauce every few minutes or turn the steaks when one side is done – but mostly, it’s hands off for a short while. Use this time to cast an eye over the counters and clear away any mess, spills, or equipment you no longer need. It might sound small and simplistic, but it genuinely is an effective way of preventing things getting on top of you and disrupting the meal!