Have you ever wondered if there’s an easier, quicker way to get things done in the kitchen? Well, I’ve got some cooking hacks that are sure to help with that! I’ve spent hours cooking dinner and cleaning up, while simultaneously pondering how to make the process more efficient.
My goal was to spend less time on post-dinner cleanup and more time with my family, engaging in meaningful activities. As a result, I’ve gathered 17 useful cooking hacks that I’m going to share with you now.
DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links and in the event of a sale, I will be rewarded a small commission. I only recommend services & resources that I truly believe in and that I use regularly. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and the Amazon Associates program. For more information, please read my Disclaimer.
17 Useful Cooking Hacks
1. Damp cloth under cutting board
Put a damp washcloth or dish towel under your cutting board to prevent it from slipping while slicing meat and veggies.
- Dish Towels – I love these dish towels! Don’t be fooled! I know they look plain and boring, but I find them extremely useful in the kitchen and they’re so versatile. Even though they feel pretty thin, they’re great at absorbing water when drying dishes.
2. Pre-slice your veggies
When starting a dish, ensure that all the necessary vegetables are sliced before proceeding, and have all the other ingredients ready to go!
3. Pizza Cutter for herbs
Use a pizza cutter to cut herbs. You can slide it back and forth over the herbs to cut them easily.
4. Minty Gum and Onions
If you struggle with tears while cutting onions, try chewing some minty gum next time. It will prevent the fumes from making you cry.
5. Two cutting boards
Always keep at least two cutting boards, one for raw meat and one for everything else. Use a permanent marker to clearly label the one used for raw meat.
6. Cooking spray for sticky ingredients
Spray a very small amount of cooking spray on your cheese grater to keep the cheese from sticking to it. You can also do this with measuring spoons before measuring sticky things like honey, or just use a small amount of olive oil to coat the inside of the cup.
7. Cold butter
Use a small metal mesh strainer or a cheese grater to spread cold butter.
8. Measure Spices
When making a dish, measure out all the spices first! You can simply measure them out into one bowl, then you’re ready to dump them in when you reach that point of the recipe.
9. Whipped Cream
Make small portions of whipped cream using an immersion blender, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.
Related Posts:
10. Shredding Chicken
Use your hand mixer or stand mixer to shred cooked chicken effortlessly.
- Stand Mixer – This Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer is great!
11. Chill wine
Keep grapes in the freezer to chill wine. Unlike ice, which can dilute the wine, grapes won’t melt; they’ll simply thaw over time. This way, you can enjoy a chilled glass of wine without compromising its taste.
12. Pancake shapes
Use a cookie cutter as a pancake mold (only metal, NOT plastic ones).
13. Easily portion ground beef in the freezer
Lay out ground beef in large Ziplock bags, and flatten it into a thin layer. You can use a butter knife or a dull dough cutter to press and shape the beef into square portions. After freezing, you can easily snap off a piece of beef for use and reseal the bag.
14. Freeze leftover ingredients
Freeze single portions of ingredients such as Tomato Paste or Chili in Adobo, using an ice cube tray. Once frozen, pull them out of the tray and toss back in the freezer in a Ziploc or Tupperware.
15. Easily peel hard boiled eggs
If you have an Instant Pot, peeling hard-boiled eggs becomes a breeze. Seriously! Follow the directions for your Instant Pot. For mine, I add 1 cup of water, place the eggs on the wire rack, close it, and set it on manual for 5 minutes. When it’s done, I let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then I place the eggs in a 5-minute ice bath. The peels will practically fall off the eggs. You’re welcome!
- Instant Pot – Try out this Instant Pot, it’s great!
16. Easy garbage clean up
Keep a bowl or a plastic grocery bag on the counter while cooking to collect garbage. This reduces the time spent walking back and forth to the trash can, and you can easily dispose of everything once you’re done.
17. Proof your bread dough, even when it’s cold
Use your oven as a proofing drawer for your bread, which is especially useful if your kitchen or home is chilly, especially during the winter. Simply place the bread in the oven with the light on and close it to create a warm environment for the dough to rise.
Related Posts:
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to make kitchen tasks seamless. In this post, I’ve shared 17 cooking hacks, and I’m certain that many others will come up with even more. The possibilities are truly endless!
If you found these cooking hacks useful, be sure to save this pin to your Pinterest Cooking Board!
I love the ideas of using the pizza cutter for herbs though I do have some herb shears on my Amazon wish list! I love freezing tomato paste because what else are you going to do with the rest of the can when the recipe only calls for a tablespoon?! And I will definitely try out the proofing method in the oven with the light on. I’m still loving experimentation with Sourdough Einkorn!
Yes! I always got so frustrated with tomato paste. Even though you can buy those tiny cans, its still waaaaaay more than you use for one recipe.
The hand mixer for shredding chicken! What a great idea.
Thank you! I hope it’s helpful 🙂
These are awesome tip and will definitely help speed up my meal prep!
These are great tips!
As someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, I’m always looking for ways to speed it up and make it easier 🙂
So many good time-saving tips. This is awesome! I’m going to put these to use tonight while making dinner.
Loved reading this! Have bookmarked it for later.
Thanks for the list of helpful kitchen hacks!