30 Simple Kitchen Hacks for Easy Cooking and Preparation

Kitchen Hacks Introduction

Here are 30 great simple kitchen hacks tailored for our Lifestyle Hub visitors. Feel free to add your own in the comments below!

Revive Stale Bread: Sprinkle a few drops of water on stale bread and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to freshen it up.
Easy Peel Boiled Eggs: Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the water when boiling eggs to make them easier to peel after cooking.
Avoid Overcooked Rice: Place a clean tea towel under the lid of the saucepan when cooking rice to absorb excess moisture and prevent it from becoming soggy.
Faster Ripening Avocados: Place avocados in a paper bag with a ripe banana or apple to speed up the ripening process.
Sharp Knife Trick: To quickly sharpen a knife, run the blade along the bottom of a ceramic mug at a 20-degree angle.
Fresh Herbs Preservation: Chop fresh herbs and place them in ice cube trays with olive oil. Freeze them for easy access when cooking.
Easily Peel Ginger: Use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin of ginger. It's much easier and wastes less of the ginger.
Quick Potato Peeling: Boil potatoes with their skins on, then transfer them to cold water. The skins will easily slide off.
Keep Lettuce Fresh: Store lettuce leaves in a container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and keep them crisp longer.
DIY Buttermilk: Mix one cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to create a quick substitute for buttermilk in recipes.
Easy Garlic Peeling: Place garlic cloves in a bowl, cover it with another bowl, and shake vigorously. The skins will loosen, making them esier to peel.
Prevent Potatoes from Sprouting: Store potatoes with an apple to slow down the sprouting process. Apples release ethylene gas, which helps prevent sprouting.
No-Mess Pancake Batter: Use a clean ketchup bottle to dispense pancake batter for mess-free cooking and precise portion control.
Juicy Meatloaf: Add a splash of milk or broth to your meatloaf mixture to keep it moist and tender while baking.
Quick Tomato Sauce Thickening: Simmer tomato sauce with a Parmesan cheese rind to add flavour and naturally thicken the sauce.
Frozen Wine Ice Cubes: Pour leftover wine into ice cube trays and freeze it. Use the wine cubes to add flavour to sauces and stews without watering them down. (I never have leftover wine!)
Non-Stick Baking Parchment: Line baking trays with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent food from sticking.
Speedy Citrus Zesting: Use a vegetable peeler to quickly zest citrus fruits like lemons and oranges. It's faster and easier than using a zester.
Even Cake Layers: Wrap dampened towel strips around cake pans before baking to ensure even rising and prevent doming.
DIY Flavoured Butter: Mix softened butter with herbs, spices, or honey to create your own flavoured butter for spreading on bread or adding to dishes.
Silicone Baking Mat: Use a silicone baking mat instead of parchment paper for baking cookies. It's reusable, non-stick, and helps promote even baking.
Lemon Microwave Cleaning: Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and add lemon slices. Microwave on high for a few minutes, then wipe down the interior of the microwave. The steam will loosen food particles, and the lemon will leave a fresh scent.
Frozen Herb Cubes: Chop fresh herbs and place them in ice cube trays. Fill the trays with water or olive oil and freeze. Use the herb cubes in soups, stews, and sauces for instant flavour.
Ziplock Bag Ice Cream: Combine cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a small Ziplock bag. Place this bag inside a larger Ziploc bag filled with ice and salt. Shake vigorously for about 5-10 minutes to make homemade ice cream!
DIY Piping Bag: Cut the corner off a Ziploc bag and insert a piping tip for easy frosting and decorating cakes and cupcakes.
Eggshell Removal: If a piece of eggshell falls into your cracked egg, use a larger piece of shell to scoop it out. The shell attracts the smaller pieces, making it easier to remove.
Fresh Cheese Storage: Store cheese in a breathable wrap like wax paper or parchment paper, then place it in a partially sealed plastic bag. This allows the cheese to breathe without drying out or absorbing other odours.
Homemade Croutons: Don't throw away stale bread! Cube it, toss with olive oil and seasoning, then bake until crispy for homemade croutons to top salads and soups.
Waffle Iron Hash Browns: Use a waffle iron to make crispy hash browns. Simply shred potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the waffle iron until golden brown and crispy.
Quick Garlic Peeling: Place a head of garlic in a bowl, cover it with another bowl, and shake vigorously. The cloves will separate from the bulb, making them easier to peel.