CBD FOR DINNER? 6 RULES FOR COOKING WITH OUR FAVORITE SECRET INGREDIENT
Whether you are planning a big party or just an intimate meal for two, you’re sure to make those CBD recipes shine!
Many people know that CBD offers a variety of benefits, including helping with things like excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.
While CBD is most commonly taken as a tincture, oil, or gummy, those aren’t the only options you have. It’s also starting to become popular as a cooking ingredient.
If you’re looking to add more CBD to your cuisine, here are some rules to get the most out of it:
1. A key tip on CBD recipes: Save the alcohol-based tinctures—mostly
If you have a great CBD tincture you love, you may be tempted just to toss it into whatever you’re cooking. And for a smoothie or perhaps a salad dressing, this is fine.
But for other types of foods, you want to opt for CBD-infused oils. This helps create a nice flavor and may provide more bang for the buck.
If you are feeling adventurous, you can make your own oils. And the best part is that this doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or equipment. Check out this guide that goes over exactly what you need and the process involved.
2. Use healthy fats
Speaking of oils, they help you get the best chill impact when cooking with CBD. This is because CBD is fat-soluble, which means that the body best absorbs it when it is incorporated into foods that contain fat.
When paired with oils from things like olives, coconuts, and even avocadoes, CBD will be more effective.
3. Remember that less is more in CBD recipes
If you’ve never cooked with CBD before, the first time can be exciting. This is especially true if you’ve had great success with tinctures or gummies and are eager to use it in some tasty treats. Just remember not to overdo it.
You don’t want to be wasteful. Plus, too much of the chill stuff in CBD recipes may affect the taste of whatever you are making with an earthy vibe.
4. Make sure the heat isn’t cranked up
When cooking with CBD oil, don’t turn the heat up too high. This is because overheating can cause CBD compounds to evaporate, which makes them much less effective.
The boiling point of CBD is between 320 and 356 degrees. While you definitely don’t want to get above 356, it is also a wise idea not to even reach 320. Your best bet—especially for baked foods—is to add the CBD-infused oil once something has been removed from heat.
5. Don’t expect to feel it right away
With a CBD tincture placed under the tongue, the effects can be pretty quick—as little as 10-15 minutes. The same isn’t true, however, when the CBD is in food. This is because to reach your bloodstream, it first has to go through your stomach and liver. As a result, it’s not going to be felt as fast—within about 30-60 minutes.
6. Be aware of combinations
You’ve probably heard that mixing different types of alcohol is a bad idea, hangover-wise—but what about CBD recipes involving alcohol? Well, for the most part, the jury is still out about that. This piece from Healthline goes over some research and potential impacts of mixing CBD and alcohol, noting that both substances have calming effects. Thus, “taking alcohol and CBD together could amplify these effects, potentially causing symptoms like increased sleepiness and sedation.”
If mixed judiciously with alcohol, however, you can create some interesting cocktails (see below).
Even if there isn’t any alcohol on the menu, make sure everybody who will be eating your food knows ahead of time that CBD is one of the ingredients. CBD can potentially have a negative interaction with certain medications.
Bonus tip: Enjoy yourself!
There is no exact science when it comes to using CBD in food, so don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Also, don’t get too worried or anxious about how the food will turn out or what your dinner companions may think. After all, getting stressed about CBD pretty much defeats the purpose of taking it in the first place!
Try these great CBD recipes for dinner
Now that you know how to cook with CBD, it's time to figure out what to make. You can really put it into almost anything, but here are a few fun recipes:
If cooking with CBD seems a little daunting and you just need to chill, Sunday Scaries can make things a lot easier. Our CBD-infused tinctures, gummies, and candy are quick and convenient—and the last two are hella fun to eat!
Plus, with a subscription to our good stuff, you get 20% off and free shipping!