Ground ginger is usually used in cooking. It goes well with herring, sweet-and-sour pork and seafood. Ginger grants a pleasant aroma to fish soup, lamb and chicken broths and it is often added to lamb, beef, veal, chicken, turkey and goose dishes. Chinese chefs add ginger to dumplings and stewed meatballs with filling. Ginger is also used in many of sauces and marinades. Pickled cucumbers and melons are made with ginger. This spice is also popular in confectionery. It is used to flavor cookies, gingerbread, pies, fillings of sweets and melon jam. Many European and Asian nations like to flavor their drinks, such as pear and melon compotes, honey drinks and tea, with ginger. Around 0.2 g to 0.5 g of ginger is needed to add flavor to one serving of a dish. Ginger is added 20 minutes before completing meat and fish dishes and sometimes before cooking. When making sweet dishes, ginger is added 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Ginger is highly recommended when battling cold. It can be taken in the form of tea. Pour boiled water (80-90°C) over half of a teaspoon of ginger and flavor with lemon and honey.