I challenged myself to cook all of my meals for 2 weeks, and it saved me $200

• I'm not the best cook, so I challenged myself to make my meals for two weeks to develop the skill.
• I learned planning ahead is such an important prep step, and it's always good to have a backup.
• Cooking at home ended up saving me about $100 a week, and I felt a lot healthier.

I'm a horrible cook, and I'm not ashamed to say it. I'm in my 30s, and I can hardly make baked ziti or even rice.

I don't enjoy reading cookbooks, making recipes, or taking time out of my day to prepare food that I'm just going to eat in a matter of seconds.

But when the coronavirus pandemic hit and most of my local restaurants closed, I had no choice but to dabble a little more in the kitchen.

After relying too heavily on the microwave, I challenged myself to spend two full weeks cooking all of my own meals - which helped me save money, feel healthier, and get over the intimidation that previously stood in my way.

Here are the lessons I learned throughout my cooking journey:

I had to figure out what I already had before I really got started

To help ease me into this two-week challenge, I started by taking inventory of my skills, kitchen, and resources.

I organized my spices, pantry staples, and pots and pans to better understand what I was working with, which helped me decide which recipes to try and which ones to avoid.

Because I'm a rookie in the kitchen, I decided to stick to the basics. I also avoided lengthy cookbooks in favor of websites offering easy recipes.

All of this allowed me to build the confidence and excitement I needed to take on the challenge, and it showed me that there was a lot I could do with what I had.

I can't stress the importance of planning ahead enough

It was overwhelming at first trying to figure out how to make at least three meals for myself every single day.

In the past, if I realized I was missing an ingredient for a recipe, I'd either proceed without that item or substitute it - which was one of the biggest reasons my meals never turned out great.

I discovered the best way to approach cooking is to plan in advance and brainstorm recipes that share common ingredients to cut down on costs and confusion.

I typed out my full meal plan and shopping list for each week ahead of time, which helped me feel more prepared to take on the challenge.

It's OK to keep recipes simple, especially when you're just starting out

I started out by making really simple meals that only required a few steps, a short list of ingredients, and about 20 minutes of my time.

This helped me introduce about eight different dishes into my repertoire during these two weeks. Even though they were simple (some would say boring), they worked well for me and I felt accomplished.

I perfected pasta with veggies for dinner, hummus wraps for lunch, and yogurt and fruit for breakfast.

To be your own chef, you don't need to create Instagram-worthy dishes. You just need to make things you'll actually enjoy with what you have.

It's always a good idea to have a backup plan

Out of the 14 days, there were two where I completely messed up a meal and felt temporarily defeated. One time, I burnt my veggies in the oven, and another, I put too much sauce on a dish and made it soggy.

In the past, when I ruined a meal or made something that I deemed too awful to eat, I'd grab my phone and order takeout. But during this challenge, I turned to backup meals - dishes I knew I could make in a pinch.

Having two or three fail-safe meals I could quickly whip up in case of a cooking emergency helped me ditch the urge to give up and order in.

Cooking 3 meals every day isn't always possible, so leftovers are your friend

I never liked cooking because I wasn't excited to make a big meal for just myself. But throughout the challenge, I started appreciating the fact that I was making big portions - leftovers can come in handy.

I tried to cook my meals to be big enough for at least two servings. Then I'd eat half of it and freeze the other half for a later date.

This allowed me to cut down on how many meals I had to prepare and made me accept the fact that leftovers aren't that bad. They certainly make life easier during a busy week.

Knowing what was going into all of my food made me feel healthier

I'd gotten so used to eating at least one meal a day from a restaurant that I didn't even register what I was really putting into my body. But when I made my own food, I could monitor the ingredients going into my meals.

I noticed my digestion was better and my energy levels were higher because I was packing my meals with lots of veggies and making sure to use carbs, salt, and sugar sparingly.

Cooking your own meals really is cheaper

Cooking all my meals at home and actually eating leftovers helped me save a significant amount of money over the two-week period.

Usually, I'd spend at least $200 a week on food (including groceries and meals I ate out), but during this challenge, I was only spending around $100 a week.

Even adding a few home-cooked meals to my schedule could make a big difference

This challenge really opened my eyes to the benefits of preparing my own food.

I won't continue to be so strict about cooking all my meals, but I hope to cut my weekly restaurant orders in half.

I may still be a rookie chef, but I'm actually proud of all the meals I've learned to whip up throughout these two weeks, and I'm excited to continue expanding my repertoire.