Cooking Hacks to Make Your Time in the Kitchen Easier and More Enjoyable
Cooking can be a rewarding and creative activity, but it can also be time-consuming and occasionally frustrating. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a beginner in the kitchen, cooking hacks can help save time, minimize effort, and elevate your dishes. These clever tips and tricks simplify everyday cooking tasks, improve efficiency, and often lead to better results.
Here’s a guide to some of the best cooking hacks that will transform your time in the kitchen.
- Prep Like a Pro
Hack: Use Pre-Cut Ingredients When Short on Time
When you’re in a rush, pre-cut vegetables or frozen pre-chopped herbs can be a lifesaver. These items are perfect for quick meals and eliminate the hassle of tedious prep work.
Hack: Organize Your Workspace
Keep a “garbage bowl” nearby while prepping to collect peels, scraps, and waste. This keeps your countertop tidy and makes cleanup faster.
Hack: Use a Damp Towel to Stabilize Cutting Boards
Place a damp towel or paper towel underneath your cutting board to prevent it from slipping while you chop. It’s a simple trick that enhances safety and efficiency.
- Master Knife Skills and Food Cutting
Hack: Use Dental Floss for Clean Cuts
Unflavored dental floss is perfect for slicing cakes, soft cheeses, and delicate baked goods. It creates a clean cut without squishing your food.
Hack: Peel Garlic in Seconds
To quickly peel garlic, place the cloves in a jar, secure the lid, and shake vigorously. The skins will separate easily, saving you time and frustration.
Hack: Freeze Meat for Easier Slicing
If you need thin slices of meat for stir-fries or sandwiches, pop it in the freezer for 15–20 minutes. This firms up the meat and makes slicing more precise.
- Cooking Techniques Simplified
Hack: Use a Spoon to Prevent Boil-Overs
Place a wooden spoon across the top of your pot while boiling pasta or soup. The spoon prevents the water from boiling over by breaking the surface tension.
Hack: Perfect Poached Eggs
Add a splash of vinegar to the boiling water when poaching eggs. This helps the egg whites coagulate faster, resulting in a neater poached egg.
Hack: Keep Pancakes Fluffy
For light, fluffy pancakes, don’t overmix the batter. Lumps are okay—they’ll disappear as the pancakes cook.
- Flavor Boosters
Hack: Enhance Canned Soups and Broths
Transform store-bought soups or broths with a splash of lemon juice, a pat of butter, or a handful of fresh herbs. These additions add depth and freshness to otherwise basic flavors.
Hack: Balance Flavors with Acid
When a dish feels flat, try adding a splash of vinegar, citrus juice, or even a pinch of sugar. These small tweaks can brighten up and balance flavors.
Hack: Infuse Butter or Oil
Add fresh herbs, garlic, or citrus zest to butter or oil and let it steep for a few minutes. This easy step creates flavored oils and butters that can elevate any dish.
- Baking Tips for Success
Hack: Substitute Buttermilk
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and you’ll have a perfect substitute for recipes.
Hack: Use Ice Cubes for Crispier Bread Crust
When baking bread, place a few ice cubes in a pan at the bottom of your oven. The steam they create will help you achieve a beautifully crisp crust.
Hack: Soften Butter Quickly
Forgot to take the butter out of the fridge? Grate it with a cheese grater, or place it between sheets of wax paper and roll it flat with a rolling pin to soften it quickly.
- Save Time While Cleaning Up
Hack: Use Parchment Paper
Line your baking trays with parchment paper to minimize cleanup. This is especially useful for sticky or greasy foods.
Hack: Clean a Blender Easily
After using your blender, fill it halfway with warm water, add a drop of dish soap, and blend for 30 seconds. Rinse it out, and you’re done—no scrubbing required.
Hack: Prevent Stains on Cutting Boards
Rub a little oil on your wooden cutting board before chopping ingredients like beets or tomatoes. This creates a barrier that prevents stains from setting in.
- Preserve Food Longer
Hack: Revive Wilted Greens
To bring wilted greens back to life, soak them in a bowl of ice water with a squeeze of lemon juice. They’ll perk up in just a few minutes.
Hack: Freeze Leftover Herbs
Chop fresh herbs and freeze them in an ice cube tray with olive oil or water. These herb cubes are perfect for soups, stews, and sautés.
Hack: Keep Avocados Fresh
Brush the cut side of an avocado with lemon or lime juice, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap. This slows the oxidation process and prevents browning.
- Make the Most of Leftovers
Hack: Turn Leftover Rice Into Fried Rice
Day-old rice is perfect for making fried rice because it’s less sticky than freshly cooked rice. Add soy sauce, vegetables, and a protein for an easy, delicious meal.
Hack: Repurpose Stale Bread
Don’t throw away stale bread—turn it into breadcrumbs, croutons, or bread pudding. These options are versatile and help reduce food waste.
Hack: Blend Overripe Fruits
Overripe bananas, berries, or mangoes can be blended into smoothies or used for baking muffins and quick breads.
- Fun Kitchen Tricks
Hack: Use a Straw to Hull Strawberries
Remove the stem from strawberries by pushing a straw through the bottom. This is a quick and mess-free method.
Hack: Keep Potatoes White
If you’re peeling potatoes in advance, store them in a bowl of water with a splash of vinegar to keep them from browning.
Hack: Test Egg Freshness
To check if an egg is fresh, place it in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs sink, while older ones float.
Cooking hacks can simplify your kitchen routine, save you time, and help you achieve better results with less effort. From prepping ingredients to enhancing flavors, these clever tips are perfect for home cooks of all levels.