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There are few things more comforting than a hot, fresh home-cooked meal. Sitting down at the end of the day to devour a slice of lasagna that was made with love can heal any emotional wound. But not everyone feels confident enough in their cooking skills to spend hours making tomato sauce from scratch. And let’s be real, most of us just don’t have the time!
So if you’re looking for tips and tricks that will allow you to spend more time eating delicious meals and less time stressing over the stove, we’ve got you covered. Home cooks have been sharing their most brilliant kitchen and food hacks, so we’ve compiled them all below. Some of this advice may sound unconventional, but it also might make you twice as efficient when whipping up dinner. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the genius ideas that you can’t wait to try!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Beans or lentils. Add to just about everything to bulk up a meal to make it more filling and go further. And from a colon cancer survivor, fiber is your friend!
RELATED:
#2
Using scissors instead of knives to cut meats. I began watching some Korean cooking and mukbang videos and noticed they often had a pair of scissors on hand when they were grilling meats. I gave it a try and I am sold on the idea! It is faster and requires less effort than using a knife and fork. I have even used scissors to cut homemade pizza and it worked like a charm.
Cathy Jo Baker 2 weeks ago
My kitchen shears are one of the best purchases I've ever made! Could not cook without them!
#4
Cooking corn on the cob in the husk. I'll never shuck corn again. Told my 95 year old grandma, changed her life.
#5
I'm the only one who eats a specific type of bread in my house. I always eat it toasted. I was getting tired of going through half a loaf before it molded so I started wrapping them individually and freezing them. They toast back up just fine and now I never waste expensive bread. .
#6
As the only person in the house, when I buy bell peppers, I get one of each color then cut them up into pieces, freeze on a sheet tray in a single layer, then store in a baggie (color individually) until I need some. Throughout my life I had far too many bell peppers go bad after I used the original part I got them for. I just don’t use the leftover parts quickly enough.
Don’t do that with carrots, though. I learned to my sorrow that thawing raw carrots just turns them into glop. Disgusting glop, at that. You can parboil them and then freeze in a single layer. *Then* they will be fine when thawed.
Get big cans of tomato paste and freeze separately Ina single layer, big dollops in a size typically used, then freeze until needed
If sauces that come in cans/jars can’t all be used when opened, freeze in ice cube trays, until needed.
#7
Crushing garlic with the flat of a knife blade rather than peeling them by hand.
#8
- Food needs acid. Salt and fat isn't enough.
- Sugar goes in places you wouldn't think it belongs. Don't fight it
- Brine your white meat and age your red meat.
- Dry your produce after you rinse it. Veggies cook WAY better when they are dry, it is a HUGE difference. (Same goes for meat, actually)
- Clean you area as you go. Seriously, do this.
- Mise en Place is everything. Get some little bowls for specifically this purpose. It might feel extravagant, but it is absolutely worth it. Prep and measure everything ahead and future you will thank you. I got my bowls at Daiso for cheap, and they are cute.
- Use a trash bowl to collect your garbage while prepping food. It's so much nicer than having to deal with the trash can.
#9
Storing leftovers in rectangular containers rather than round. When there's limited space in the fridge or freezer its so much more efficient.
#10
Keep a pot to replant green onion root ends in. You'll have a mix of newer regrowth that's thick and green onion like and older regrowth that's thin and chive like.
#11
Stopping "sandwich leakage". I hate when I take a bite and stuff starts falling out the bottom of the sandwich. I like the large slices of deli turkey. So I place my bread bottom to bottom on the plate and put the slices of turkey across both slices of bread. Put on your normal condiments. Now when you fold it and eat it, the bottom gap is covered with that first slice of turkey and nothing falls out.
Teresa Thomas 2 weeks ago
Legit just whispered out loud "thats really smart," while laying in bed here. Mind blown.
#12
Frozen garlic cubes!! And using chicken/veggie/beef broth for most things that say water (cooking rice, soups, etc. etc.).
#13
I make some really simple chicken/rice lunches and found keeping some of the drippings from the chicken and pouring it over the cooked rice right before you throw it in the freezer helps it steam a bit better when you microwave it and tastes great.
#14
When making grilled cheese sandwiches I used to spread the butter on the bread before i grilled the sandwich. I got tired of bread tearing because the butter was too firm. So I just take a stick of butter. and melted as much as I need in the pan and dip each slice of bread in the butter and then fill cover one slice of bread with cheese and slap the other coated slice top. Faster and easier and the bread slices don’t get torn.
Gail Lott 2 weeks ago
Pan already hot - dabs of butter on all corners and one in the middle - lay it in the pan for a second - shake the pan back and forth while the sandwich floats on the butter. The butter spreads out as you shake. Wipe the pan out after 2 sandwiches unless you like the burned speckles on your sandwich.
#15
To caramelize onions a little faster add water and boil it off a couple times. Then turn to low when they’re brown. Half the time and great flavor.
#16
Freeze root ginger. When you need some, grate it directly using a microplane, and stick it back in the freezer. Fresh ginger all the time!
#17
AFTER my kids grew up and left home THEN I discovered I can BAKE bacon in the oven - the whole pound at once - even with strips overlapping - and after baking let them cool then freeze on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper then into a freezer bag. Now when I want or need bacon I just zap as many strips as I want in the microwave.
Similar thing with breakfast sausage except I purchase it in the one-pound log now (instead of patties or links back in the day). Pat the sausage out to about 1/2" thick onto a baking tray and bake in the oven. When done, cut it into 8 pieces and freeze.
I remember when the kids were young, spending my weekend mornings at the stove frying up bacon and/or sausage and it was a PITA not to mention bacon/sausage grease is HOT!
ƒιѕн 2 weeks ago
If I'm cooking a pound of bacon, I'm eating a pound of bacon. No bacon of mine will survive to go into the freezer.
keyboardtek 2 weeks ago
I make a tray using large sheets of aluminum foil. I put those trays on the grill. Spray some non stick PAM on them. Lay out the bacon and fire up the grill to high. Then after the bacon has cooked and been removed, let the whole grease mess cool. Roll up the foil/grease mess and throw it out. Saves you any pan cleanup and any grease going down the drain.
#18
Making my own brown sugar substitute.
I don't buy brown sugar anymore. I realized that all it is is white sugar and molasses. Brown sugar always gets hard as a rock, and you have to do all sorts of tricks to keep it scoopable.
I always have white sugar on hand, and molasses lasts forever, so you just keep both and add molasses to the recipe. The nice thing about it is that you can also add extra to make it a more "dark" brown sugar and I like the extra deep/rich flavor that it adds.
Crissy Newbury 2 weeks ago
Pop your dark brown sugar in the microwave for a few seconds on medium heat. Softens it beautifully.
#19
Make your milk and butter hot before adding to mashed potatoes. I was making glue for years, so much so I used powdered potatoes because they tasted better. 😂😂.
#20
I put the date (just the number of day) on the leftovers. This prevents science experiments from hatching.
Binny Tutera 2 weeks ago
I keep freezer tape in a drawer and label leftovers with what they are and a use-by date: usually 3 or 4 days out. For example, " Cooked chicken, eat by Friday 6-23". The use-by date means we are more likely to eat it and not end up throwing it away.
#21
You can cook spaghetti faster by using a pan instead of a sauce pan/pot.
#22
Soak lettuce in water first. Invest in a salad spinner if you can. It makes the lettuce very crunchy. Chop lettuce first then soak it in a salad spinner for as long as possible. Then drain and spin out all the water. Now I can’t eat salad without a salad spinner!
Crissy Newbury 2 weeks ago
Use a plastic knife on lettuce. Metal knives cause your lettuce to turn brown much faster.
#23
Squeezing the water out of shredded potatoes by putting them into a cloth, twisting the top to close and squeeze! I used to just drain the potatoes through a colander and press the liquid out that way. This is so much easier.
#24
Slow cooker, sous vide machine, and how to (safely) use a mandolin (hint: steel mesh glove).
#25
Using eggshell to remove eggshell.
#26
Make soups with a bouquet garni of fresh herbs instead of adding dry herbs.
David 2 weeks ago
dry or fresh depends on the dish, and with soup, which herbs and which type of soup matters. But also they have flax net bags for herbs (as well as bones) for soups, that are food safe and impart no flavor of their own, but allow to flavor to be imparted from the herbs and the like into the soup, and they remove when finished
#27
I started buying salad kits and it’s a 1 min way I can construct a salad and make sure i’m eating healthy veggies without having to think much about it. Otherwise I probably won’t be cooking veggies.
#28
Using AI as an assistant. I've been able to eliminate food waste by taking photos of what I've got left in my pantry/fridge, uploading to ChatGPT, and have it spit out delicious meals I never thought of.
Best part about is I don't have do dig thru pages and pages of recipe websites filled with SEO clickbait :).
April Pickett 2 weeks ago
An actual real use for ChaptGPT? Amazing. I might try this, otherwise AI is not for me....yet.
#29
Putting a damp paper towel under a cutting board. Sounds tiny, but it stops the board from sliding around, makes chopping like 10x safer and faster.
#31
If you’re cooking or baking something pull out all your ingredients line em up make sure you have enough of everything before you even start. Don’t want to have to go to the store mid process to go get a single ingredient and then surprise you forgot about another ingredient you forgot you were out of. This goes for liquids as well make sure you have plenty. Don’t rush take your time.
#32
Idk why it took me forever to figure this out but don’t use pre-shredded cheese if you need to make cheese sauce or melt the cheese down into your dish somehow. It won’t combine correctly because of the anti-caking agents. Instead, grate a block of cheese.
Breadcrumb. 2 weeks ago
Weird I've never used shredded but in restaurants to make a sauce and I've never had this issue. It must be different than store bought.
#34
Brown your rice in oil before adding water and bringing to a boil.
Robin Roper 2 weeks ago
I use butter for this but you have to be careful, butter has a low burn point so don't walk away.
#35
When seasoning raw meat mixtures like dumpling filling or meatloaf, put a small spoonful of the mixture on a plate and microwave for 30 seconds or however long until the bite is cooked through and then taste to see if anything needs to be adjusted.
#36
Heating up the frying pan! So simple but nothing sticks if you heat the pan to temperature for about 4/5 mins before adding your cooking fat. Also someone already said it but it will release when it’s ready, don’t scrape!
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 weeks ago
Not for sausages! Start them from cold to prevent bursting. Keith Richards taught me that!
#37
I have Corningware covered dishes. I started thick rubber bands to keep the lids from slipping around when they are full and I’m putting. them in the refrigerator. Or even when they are washed & I’m putting them away int the cabinet. I put one end around the handle and pull the other end over the knob and twist to hold and then stretch it around the other handle. For the larger lids I use two rubber bands. One on each handle and both go over the knob, holds securely without sliding around.
#38
Not really a hack but I just learned how to use the crisper drawers yesterday and I’m 35.
#39
Finish with pasta water.
#40
Eating Cheetos with chopsticks so my fingers don't get orange.
They're also pretty ideal for eating salad. Better than a fork, at least.
Zig Zag Wanderer 2 weeks ago
Will also prevent me ramming 5 a time into my mouth. Apparently 😝
#41
Mayo instead of butter for grilled cheese is an absolute must. The game changer to end all others.
#42
Store fresh basil by putting it in a glass of a few inches of water and keeping the glass on the kitchen counter. It is best to remove any leaves that would be well below the water line. Change the water every few days and recut the stems just a bit to remove the ends. Do not store in the refrigerator! Your basil will keep a good 7-10 days or longer. I did this even when it was hot and humid and the basil kept beautifully. Basil stored in the refrigerator will blacken and rot very quickly.
Spencer's slave no longer 2 weeks ago
Grow some in a plant pot and just cut what you need. It keeps growing for months.
#43
Using a tea strainer for woody herbs and things like fennel seeds, ppercorns, chunks of garlic, etc….
#44
Hit the top of egg with spoon (gently) before boiling -youll hear a lil crack- it will make peeling them easier. Because with that tap, you break the membrane.
#45
Using the water from your pasta to make a ragu with your sauce.
Theora Fifty-five Johnson 2 weeks ago
no. my pasta sauce does not need flour and water added. I will die on this hill.
#46
Cut an onion in half before peeling it. Lets you peel it off with your fingers easily.
#47
When you make something, cookies, lasagna, dal makhani, cottage pie, pot pies, scones... make a double, no make a triple batch, and portion it out into servings that make sense. I make mini one portion lasagna, same with pot pie and cottage pie.
Meatballs too, freeze them then store in a freezer bag. I then bake until halfway done then add to the sauce and finish on stove top.
I freeze what I'm not using on the day and when I have an urge for 1 scone,2 cookies, dal makhani ( takes me a day to make) ... it's all in the freezer for grabs.
I even make samosas and freezethem unfried.I fry them frozen, they are perfect.
The only thing that I bake and freeze are cake. I need a cake,I make an extra and freeze for another occasion. Unfrosted. Frozen cakes are so much easier to frost and I think they are more moist after freezing.
Pharmtechgurl 2 weeks ago
If you're making genuine Dal Makhani, it's labor intensive, so I always make a lot and freeze it to have and hold close to my heart
#48
Instead of peeling potatoes just cut them in half. Boil water and cook potatoes as usual. When finished potatoes will scoop out of skin.
#49
Crockpot liners. Meat tenderizer (hammer). Good knives. Quality cookware. Meat thermometer.
Pharmtechgurl 2 weeks ago
Every crock pot liner I have ever used gave my food an odd artificial taste. Although convenient for clean up, I just didn't like the flavor I was left with
#50
Covering garlic shoots so they are jn complete darkness makes then much longer and taste gentler.
#52
When putting leftovers in the fridge, I found that my pot lids fit on my glass bowls. No more fussing with Saran Wrap.
Plus I can see what and how much is in the glass bowls.
Auntriarch 2 weeks ago
I've got a selection of floppy silicone dish covers, every size from ramekin to casserole, immensely useful, also fit on the cut end of a pineapple or watermelon
#53
Apple cider vinegar in my homemade tartar sauce rather than plain white vinegar.
Tartar sauce recipe:
In one small bowl, combine:
1-2 spoonfuls of Mike’s Amazing Mayonnaise (or your own favorite)
1-2 spoonfuls of pickle relish
1-2 spoonfuls of red cider vinegar
Mix thoroughly
(Amounts depends upon serving size. “Spoonfuls” are regular spoons, not teaspoons or tablespoons).
Cathy Jo Baker 2 weeks ago
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Tartar sauce always seemed gross to me, yet this recipe sounds fresh and delicious.
#54
Put food in vacuum bags before freezing:
1. flat packs of food -> better use of freezer space
2. no frost burn -> food keeps A LOT longer.
#55
Spray vinegar on roasted potatoes- to get really chrispy on the outside and soft of the inside.
#56
Just throw some veggies in with the pasta halfway through boiling. You can even save the starchy veggie water for soup/stew/chili the next day for a fuller flavor and thicker texture.
Crissy Newbury 2 weeks ago
Onions, peppers, leeks, tomatoes. After draining I throw in the Italian herbs, some butter and two cups of grated cheese. Instant meal in one pot.
#57
I had this idea that adding water to any dish was watering it down and therefore made things gross, especially if meat was involved.
It never occurred to me that I'm blending the salts and spices with the foods and then essentially cooking the water out, therefore doing the opposite of watering down my foods.
#58
Every well-balanced dish or sauce should include three main flavors:
1. Salt (e.g., salt or soy sauce)
2. Acid (e.g., vinegar, lime, lemon, or wine)
3. Sweetness (e.g., sugar, honey, or maple syrup).
#59
When peeling LOTS of garlic for processing (dehydrating or freezing), I now soak the cloves for 15-20 min to help remove the residue that causes the skins to stick to fingers when peeling.
Brining pork chops & chicken.
#60
I'm tall and very active and often struggled to feed myself adequately.
The Ninja Crispi air fryer has saved the day.
Chicken and potatoes and veg cooked in a glass dish in 20 minutes unattended.
I don't need to make extra if I don't want to. Mostly I leave enough seasoned meat and veg in the fridge so I can just make more whenever I want.
#61
Storing scallions upright with roots in water in the fridge. They last for days that way.
Ice plunge for vhard boiled eggs. I consistently boil up jammy yolks now.
Crissy Newbury 2 weeks ago
I store root vegetables in a bucket half filled with water. Store it in the coolest place in the house- or even outside.
#62
You can make boxed pancake and waffle batter and then store them in the fridge. The batter lasts about a month if you store it in smaller containers.
You can mince onions and garlic in the food processor and freeze them. Defrost as per usage.
This is a very specific Canadian hack. You can get the bagged milk and freeze the bags you’re not gonna use immediately. There’s usually 3 bags in a pack so most people don’t use it all at once. I buy these as they’re cheaper than buying per carton.
Make cold brew tea, store in the fridge without adding anything to it. Add in simple syrup and those juice mixes or whatever flavour you want when you make a cup.
Jeremy James 2 weeks ago
For the pancake batter, you would lose the initial reaction when your baking powder comes into contact with the liquid, so they wouldn't be as fluffy. But having a squeeze bottle of batter in the fridge sounds pretty handy.
#63
I portion the big tubes of Costco hamburger meat into 1lb portions and put them in ziplocks bags. Smash them flat, and they thaw sooooo much quicker.
#64
Dry brine for poultry!! has been a game changer requires a little planning ahead and patience but well worth it . Always did a wet brine or marinade before.
nottheactualphoto 2 weeks ago (edited)
I've been dry-brining for the last several years, and I like it better than the wet. The food ends up dry (!), so it will brown more quickly and easily that it would if it were wet. You can of course wet-brine, then air dry in the fridge, but a dry brine is faster and simpler.
#65
Brining my meat/veggies
Freezer cubes
Using water to store or crisp vegetables and replacing often
Dehydrating and grinding my
Own herbs for seasoning
Remove as much moisture as possible for crispiness for frying or baking
Sharp sharp knife
Letting things cook until they release naturally instead of scraping
Cast iron pans can and should be scrubbed with soap
Make changes to a large dish by adjusting a small bowl or portion of it to see if it works
Portion things before you freeze.
#66
When frying an egg in a pan, as soon as it goes in to the hot pan, take the sharp part of half the egg shell and use it to poke at the white albumin that forms almost in a bubble around the yolk. Then tilt the pan and let that albumin run out. It makes for an even white section of the fried egg. Otherwise you get that thicker area almost enclosed in its own casing. Also, before frying use mostly avo or olive oil and a small dab of butter. Wait until the butter starts forming tan bits of color and only then crack the egg. Finally, don’t use water and a lid to baste. That makes the whites chewy and rubbery. Use a torch to quickly whiten the yolk skin and any surrounding clear albumin. Best fried egg of your life guaranteed.
Ace 2 weeks ago
Just no to the first bit, that's not how they're supposed to be. And butter is absolutely the worst fat for this usage, it burns and sticks far too easily. And who would even think about using water to bast a frying egg? And as for blowtorch - heathens. Just splash some of the fat over the yoke, or flip it gently for the last few seconds.
#67
Prechop garlic, flatten it in a ziplock bag, score the garlic and lay it flat in the freezer over night. Congrats, you now have minced garlic that doesn't have that gross jarlic taste.
#68
You can infuse your own oils with a mug and a microwave, chilli, garlic ginger flavourings herbs etc. in minutes in the container you’ll put in the fridge after it cools down a bit. Awesome for stir frying without a wok, creating condiments etc.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 2 weeks ago
Flavouring oil with fresh garlic is a ticket for botulism if you do it wrong. I would not recommend making your own garlic oil
#70
An 8X8 metal baking pan fits *perfectly* in a Hefty/Ziploc Gallon-sized sealable bag. I make cornbread and it lasts in there for a week in the fridge, use the same technique for brownies or whatever. (make sure the pan is cool before doing this, duh).
#71
You can pre-cut your green onions and keep them in a little deli container and they'll remain moist and usable for a surprisingly long time.
You can pre-cut and pre-sautee your mushrooms and keep them in a little deli container and they'll last a lot longer.
Also little deli containers are the best storage device. They're cheap, readily available, and the lids interoperate, and if one breaks, no big deal, it cost like 10¢. Plus you can use them to give leftovers to people and feel super fancy.
#72
Sheet pan pancakes in a cake pan is lovely, cover roast in sugar and put on high makes it baby spoon tender, pre made items help (bread, pastry dough, rolls ect).
What do you think ?
Cerridwn d'Wyse 2 weeks ago
I don't mind cooking, it's the cleanup that's the b****
Load More Replies... Cathy Jo Baker 2 weeks ago
I am clumsy and have terrible knife skills. A veggie chopper has been a life saver! Wham, bam, uniform pieces of onion, peppers, whatever I can chop goes into that gadget. Amazing. I also have a smaller one for garlic. At this stage in my life, I don't care if I have single-use gadgets in my kitchen. They make my cooking easier and more fun.
nottheactualphoto 2 weeks ago
Cooking at home is a huge win. Do it well and you'll get a nice reward. Food becomes better and cheaper, compared to eating out.
Ace 2 weeks ago
I think it's sad that people are growing up in a world where this even needs to be said. There's a lot of things wrong with the American model which threatens to take over in other parts of the world -standardised, highly processed, low nutrition foods, high in salt, sugar and fat, made with meat from poorly raised animals, prepared in factories by low-paid unskilled workers, served up by poorly-paid school kids who rely on tips to make even a meagre living... All in an effort to get the great American public to buy more at ever lower (in real terms) prices. The concept, as exemplified by so many posts repeated here, that people regard fast food as an almost daily thing, is abhorrent to me. I confess that I did eat a KFC thing a couple of weeks ago when I was arriving home late after a 250km drive, but that's the first take-away I've had for oh, at least two or three years. It was OK, certainly nothing I would eat out of preference.
Load More Replies...
Remi (He/Him) 2 weeks ago
I was a terrible cook in my 20s. Not inedible food but wrongly seasoned, hard carrots with mushy bell peppers and absentminded on details type. Practice makes better, as does reading basic cooking instructions.
Cerridwn d'Wyse 2 weeks ago
I don't mind cooking, it's the cleanup that's the b****
Load More Replies... Cathy Jo Baker 2 weeks ago
I am clumsy and have terrible knife skills. A veggie chopper has been a life saver! Wham, bam, uniform pieces of onion, peppers, whatever I can chop goes into that gadget. Amazing. I also have a smaller one for garlic. At this stage in my life, I don't care if I have single-use gadgets in my kitchen. They make my cooking easier and more fun.
nottheactualphoto 2 weeks ago
Cooking at home is a huge win. Do it well and you'll get a nice reward. Food becomes better and cheaper, compared to eating out.
Ace 2 weeks ago
I think it's sad that people are growing up in a world where this even needs to be said. There's a lot of things wrong with the American model which threatens to take over in other parts of the world -standardised, highly processed, low nutrition foods, high in salt, sugar and fat, made with meat from poorly raised animals, prepared in factories by low-paid unskilled workers, served up by poorly-paid school kids who rely on tips to make even a meagre living... All in an effort to get the great American public to buy more at ever lower (in real terms) prices. The concept, as exemplified by so many posts repeated here, that people regard fast food as an almost daily thing, is abhorrent to me. I confess that I did eat a KFC thing a couple of weeks ago when I was arriving home late after a 250km drive, but that's the first take-away I've had for oh, at least two or three years. It was OK, certainly nothing I would eat out of preference.
Load More Replies... Remi (He/Him) 2 weeks ago
I was a terrible cook in my 20s. Not inedible food but wrongly seasoned, hard carrots with mushy bell peppers and absentminded on details type. Practice makes better, as does reading basic cooking instructions.
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