![30+ Shockingly Easy-To-Master Cooking Hacks That All Professional Chefs Know]([["default","https:\/\/posts-cdn.kueez.net\/DA6V6PhUKWtL1RmO\/image-O6fgpjGjuF3bmZre.png"]])
Most of our time is spent running from one thing to the next, leaving only one last sacred time when we can stop and truly appreciate the moment. Food. Having a delicious homemade meal, whether by yourself or with your family, is the highlight of many days. So why is it so hard to make delicious food? On top of everything else going on, we can't spend hours in the grocery store and kitchen just to have something that we love and makes us feel good. We decided to take it upon ourselves to collect every possible hack from resourceful people out there and compiled some of the most clever food shortcuts that will leave you with unbelievable meals that will be the best part of your day!
1. Put Lemon Slices Under Your Grilled Fish
Salmon fillets are delicious, nutritious, and usually very easy to cook. They are indisputably one of the quickest and yummiest family recipes to meal prep. But there’s actually a way to elevate that recipe even further.
You can cut some lemon slices and place them under your salmon fillet. Afterwards, all of the juices from your recipe will get soaked up, and the dinner will be super flavorful.
2. Instead Of Boiling Your Eggs, Steam Them
Boiled eggs are one of the easiest items not only to cook but also to prep. They can last a few days in the fridge, and can quickly be added to a meal or be eaten as a snack.
But peeling them can be a total pain sometimes. To avoid it, just steam them over boiling water for about 10 to 15 minutes and the shell will come off.
3. Avoid Burning Your Sauteed Onions With An Ice Cube
Sauteed onions are delicious and can be added to most dishes. Sometimes they burn easily though, but we’re glad to tell you that there is an easy fix for it.
Throw some ice cubes into the pan once it looks like the onions are on the verge of burning. The ice cubes will begin evaporating quickly, and will instantly add a bit of moisture to the veggies.
4. Chop Some Veggies And Then Freeze Them
Leftover chopped veggies that didn't end up in the meal shouldn't be put in the fridge. Once there they'll immediately start wilting, which is always a bummer.
So instead of putting them in the fridge, try to freeze them instead. That way they'll stay fresh for much longer, and you can add them to your frying pan after a bit of defrosting.
5. Add Boiled Chicken To Your Mixer To Easily Shred It
Shredded chicken is one of those versatile ingredients that can always come in handy. Whether you use it for salads or taco Tuesday, we spend way too much time shredding them by hand or with a fork.
There is a quick and easy way to shred that chicken though. Simply add some baked or boiled chicken breasts to a mixer, and voila!
6. Preserve The Moisture In Your Microwave By Adding Some Water
Microwaves are a great tool for any kitchen, and most of us use them on a daily basis. But every time we heat our food in there we do risk drying it out.
There is a very simple way to fix that though. You can get a glass of water and toss it into the microwave while your food heats up - that will add some much needed extra moisture.
7. Put Your Favorite Sauces In Ice Cubes
One of the reasons why some people don’t meal prep is because the process can be really time-consuming. But if you use sauces when you cook you can make a bunch of them in advance and store them.
Just grab an ice cube tray, mix up all of your favorite sauces, put the liquids in your ice trays, and then freeze them.
8. Easily Peel Off Your Potatoes By Boiling Them
Everyone loves potatoes! Be it chips, fries, or mashed, potatoes are an important part of many recipes all over the world. But peeling them can sometimes be really annoying, and using a potato peeler or a knife isn’t always effective.
To fix that, simply boil the potatoes before you need to use them, let them cool down and in a couple of seconds the skin will peel off.
9. Use Silicone Baking Sheets
Cleaning cookie sheets is the worst, but there is an item you can use that will make that process much simpler: silicone baking sheets! Silicone sheets will make the challenge of removing grime and grease from the process much easier.
These sheets will make removing everything much easier, and will forever make your baking experiences much more fun.
10. Peel Mangoes With A Glass
Mangoes are absolutely delicious, and when summer comes, we cannot get enough of them. If you'd like to change your peeling game forever though, just slice a mango in half, get a tall glass, and use the rim to peel it.
Get the part between the fruit and skin and once you push it down the skin will instantly slide off.
11. Add Some Marshmallows To Brown Sugar
Brown sugar is used by people on a daily basis. But brown sugar dries much faster than white sugar, and after some time you might be stuck with blobs of sugar.
If you want to prevent this from happening, you can throw a few marshmallows into an airtight container with the brown sugar, which will help contain the moisture.
12. Separate Strawberry Tops With A Straw
Everything about strawberries is great, they’re a delicious summer treat and they’re full of healthy benefits. But chopping off their green tuffs every time you eat them can take forever.
If you want the process to be quicker, you can use a straw to do a little trick. Push the straw from the bottom of the fruit to the top and it will quickly pop the green leaves off.
13. Use A Pizza Cutter To Finely Cut Your Herbs
Fresh herbs are a yummy and flavorful addition to any food - including on dressings and as aromatic marinades. But there is a simpler way to cut them, especially if you need them finely chopped.
Grab your pizza cutter, place the herbs on your chopping board, and roll it out as much as you need. That should certainly make your life much easier!
14. Use A Ziploc Bag To Flatten Ground Meat
It doesn’t matter how much you try to organize your freezer - it feels like you never have enough space in it. So if you have some ground meat in there, take it out and do this simple trick.
Place it in a Ziploc bag, flatten it out, and then put it back in the freezer. That should create enough space for awhile!
15. Use A Bundt Cake Tin To Cut Corn
Chopping fresh corn can be such a messy and time-consuming process. The little kernels keep getting everywhere on the counter, no matter how gentle you are in the process.
If you’d like to prevent this from happening, grab a bundt cake tin, put it upside down, and slice the kennel off by putting the corn upright in the middle of the tin.
16. Prevent Your Cutting Board From Sliding With A Damp Towel
Isn’t it just the worst when you’re cutting your vegetables and your cutting board keeps sliding off? In fact, it’s not only annoying but possibly dangerous, though slicing and dicing are often inevitable.
Instead of going through all of that though, you can simply put a damp dishtowel underneath the board to keep it in place.
17. Catch Popsicle Drips With A Cupcake Liner
Kids absolutely love popsicles, so they are a staple snack in many parents’ houses. Though they are an easy snack, they can often turn into a mess, especially if you have younger kids.
But thankfully, there’s an easy fix for that. You slip some cupcake liners into the bottom of the popsicle in a way that cups the bottom part. That should catch all the little drips.
18. Use Dental Floss To Cut Your Cheesecake
Cheesecake is one of those major desserts that everyone loves! But when it comes to cutting equal slices, it can become a problem.
So, we have a suggestion for the next time you do it. Grab some unscented dental floss and easily cut even slices for everyone on the table.
19. Use A Cheese Grater To Grate Butter
Softened butter is a necessary ingredient for baking recipes! Yet, it’s not always that easy to put solid butter in the microwave, especially if you need smaller amounts of it.
So if you’re looking to make softening bits of butter easier, try grating it. Just grab your cheese grater, grate the butter, and then put the quantity you need in the microwave.
20. Use White Bread To Preserve A Birthday Cake
Who doesn’t love a yummy birthday cake? They are not only delicious but so festive, and we’d describe them as happiness in a cake. But sometimes they can be big, and you find yourself with half of the entire cake left.
If you’d like to prevent it from getting dry, you can just cut some white bread slices and place them in the interior of the cake.
21. Create Some Fun Food With Cookie Moulds
It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, festive cookies are always welcome in the house! But who says that only cookies can be festive? Yep, we’ve got an idea for you.
Instead of only using those cookie molds for cookies, try to use them for a variety of foods such as eggs, pancakes, or anything you fancy.
22. Keep Your Food Fresh With Binder Clips
Binder clips are one of those things that can be used for a multitude of things. But we bet you haven’t thought of this one! How about storing your favorite munchies in the fridge in the freshest way possible?
Grab some handy binder clips and clip all open bags directly onto the rungs of each shelf you want to place them in.
23. Use Your Rice Cooker To Make Oatmeal
The rice cooker is one of those inventions that couldn’t have been more welcome! But they can be used for many other things than just cooking rice.
If you like oatmeal, for example, try to use your rice cooker to make a hearty oatmeal dish. That way, you won’t have to constantly check it so it doesn’t burn or overcook.
24. Make Popsicles Out Of Capri Sun
Though making popsicles is not necessarily the hardest thing in the world, sometimes you may just not have time to make them. So if you need to make them quickly and easily, try to use Capri Sun.
Simply stick the package in the freezer, and once you take it out, rip the top part and give them to the kids, they will for sure love their improvised popsicle.
25. Make French Fries With An Apple Corer
Hmm, who doesn’t love fresh fries? They are hearty, delicious, and make for the perfect snack, side dish, or if you’re feeling adventurous, it can even make a meal!
What if we told you that there is an easy way to transform a plain potato into perfectly cut fries? With an apple slicer, you can cut your fries in a snap!
26. Use Ice Trays To Freeze Herbs
Freezing your herbs is an effective way to have fresh thyme, basil, rosemary, and whatever you want, all year long! Just grab a couple of ice trays, add some oil and your herbs of preference and freeze them.
The oil will help them stay their fresh color and will preserve it for longer in the freezer.
27. Use Rubber Bands On Apples
Though apples are some of the best fruits to easily grab out there, we don’t always finish it in one go. And if you want to go back to your apple without letting the part with the cut get brown, use a rubber band.
Once you're ready to store the apple, simply bind it back together with a rubber band, and it will be like you never cut it.
28. Slide Your Watermelon In A Grid To Easily Eat It
Let’s be honest, watermelon wedges are no longer a “cool” way of slicing one of the juiciest summer treats out there.
How about instead of slicing the fruit into wide wedges (that always end up getting juice all over the place), just cut it in half and slice it nicely in a grid. In a few minutes, you’ll have a perfectly sliced watermelon, ready to eat.
29. Use A Pizza Cutter To Cut Pancakes
Pizza slicers are probably one of the most common utensils in anyone's kitchen. If you particularly have small kids, they are a must for those days that you just need to get some food on the table.
But believe it or not, they can be much more useful than just slicing pizzas. You can use it to slice pancakes, sandwiches, and much more!
30. Use The Oven To Cook Eggs
How about making your sandwich game even better by cooking your eggs in the oven instead of frying them?
If you put your eggs in a muffin tin, they will end up perfectly shaped and you can add a bunch of different ingredients to each egg (cheese, ham, veggies, whatever you like). Then, you can freeze them for use whenever you need them.
31. Freeze Your Grapes For A Great Snack
If you haven’t heard of the grape freezing trick then you’ve been missing one of the greatest snacks out there. The treat makes for a crunchy and healthy alternative to higher caloric treats, especially during those summer days when all you need is something refreshing.
By placing your grapes in the freezer, you’ll also make sure to keep them fresh for much longer.
32. Keep Your Water Cups Handy By Using Magnets
Now, this might be one of those “why did I never think of this before?” moments. If you have a big family, then you probably go through a few water cups a day, which can be really tiring since you have to constantly wash them.
But maybe you don’t have to go through that. You can get some magnets and place the cups there.
33. Grab Some Scissors And Cut Your Noodles
If you’re looking for a way to ease up the frustration at the dinner table, then you might want to use this trick. Sure, it might be a bit of a controversial one since everyone has their own “right way” of eating pasta, but just give it a try.
Cut up your noodles with kitchen scissors and create small bites that make it easier to eat, share, and clean up after.
34. Make Your Own Uncrustables
Many of us grew up eating the classic PB&J sandwich, and though we love it, we’d like to find a quicker way to make them, seal them, and freeze them.
All you have to do is put some jelly on one side and peanut butter on the opposite side put the crustless slices together, grab a small plastic cutting board, and press the edges. That’s it!
35. Contain Your Snacks By Using Coffee Filters
Believe it or not, there is a very simple way of swapping plastic bags for something much more environmentally friendly when containing your snacks.
Swap the plastic for a biodegradable coffee filter, which you probably already have somewhere collecting dust around your kitchen. By doing so, you’ll be able to still contain your snacks perfectly, without using any plastic.
36. Make Popsicles Out Of Your Yogurt Containers
Imagine those situations where all the kids want is a popsicle, but you’ve got nothing but yogurt! No need to panic. Simply transform those yogurts into yummy and healthy popsicles!
By pushing a stick through the top of the yogurt and placing it in the freezer for a couple of hours, you’ll have popsicles in no time.
37. Use Ice Cube Trays To Hold Your Snacks
Ice cube trays have many more uses than we first thought. So needless to say that they are an absolute must for anyone in the kitchen.
For example, if you're hosting people and don't feel like buying brand new dishes, you can simply use an ice cube tray to divide them and make it festive.
38. Put Jelly On Top Of Your Grilled Cheese
If you love jelly, butter, and cheese, then you’re in for a treat here. While PB&J sandwiches are much more popular around the world, there is another sandwich you should definitely be trying.
That’s a jelly and grilled cheese sandwich! Once you take your grilled cheese out of the toaster, simply spread grape jelly and you’ve got a delicious sandwich!
39. Freeze Your Gummy Bears
Who would have thought that frozen gummy bears would be one of the greatest inventions of all time? Well, here’s a great tip for you; if you love gummy bears, try placing them in the freezer for a few hours.
Soon you’ll see that they become super soft and chewy, letting you experience the flavors from a completely different angle.
40. Split Your Black And White Cookies
Black and white cookies are delicious, and some of us wish we could experience them to the fullest. Mostly though, all we get to do is experience each flavor at a time, or an disproportionate division of each side.
Well, there’s a brilliant way of changing that. Just split the cookie in a way that each bite contains a bit of both.
41. Eat Your Cheetos With Chopsticks
If there is one thing that is annoying about Cheetos is that they leave a smell and color in our hands. If you’d like to avoid that the next time you eat the delicious treat, try to use chopsticks.
It sounds weird at first, but you’ll see that the experience ends up being super fun, and you’ll never have to worry about orange fingers again.
42. Eat Your Doughnuts Upside Down
Now here is something you probably never thought of. But apparently, if you eat your doughnuts upside down it's much more enjoyable.
Since the icing will be facing down, the sweet part will reach your taste buds much faster on your first bite than it usually goes when you eat it “the right way”. Try it, it really works.
43. Season Your Ketchup
Now here’s another thing that might sound weird at first, but it totally makes sense once you try it. Instead of seasoning your french fries with pepper, salt, or whatever you season them with, try to season your ketchup.
Grap different piles of ketchup and season it with different spices, that way you’ll dip your french fries in a multitude of tastes.
44. Combine Cereals For Extra Flavor
If you love different types of cereals and struggle with choosing the right one every morning, why not just mix them? You can combine different flavors and combos, making it super colorful and tasty.
That way, you’ll never have to settle for just one cereal anymore, you can just have the whole thing every single morning and start your day right. Enjoy!
45. Change Up Your McDonald's Chicken Nugget Game
If you’re a fan of McDonald’s chicken nuggets like we are, then we’ve got the perfect tip for you to up your game. The next time you order them, take the breaded part off the nuggets first and eat it.
And then, dip the rest of the chicken into the sauce, and eat. Seriously, once you try it, you’ll never go back to eating chicken nuggets the classic way again!
