14 Genius Kitchen Hacks.
Making homemade food is one of the best ways to save your family money, and eat healthier too. But cooking does take time, so I’m always on the lookout for clever kitchen hacks to help speed things up in the kitchen. So I thought it would be fun to share these 14 Clever Kitchen Tips You Need to Know with you. Some of these I’ve tried and others I want to try!
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Here are 14 handy tips & tricks to help you in the kitchen!
14 Clever Kitchen Tips You Need to Know
Here are some suggestions for how to make the most of these tips:
- Pick a few. The Internet can be so helpful but the flood of information that we have access to can be overwhelming. I like to pick a few kitchen tips that will save me time and stick to those. If I find a new one that I love then I add it in but I try not to spend too much time worrying about kitchen hacks. You can never perfectly optimize your kitchen time, so don’t stress about it.
- Keep your kitchen organized. I have found the best kitchen tip is to keep it organized! If you know where everything is, then cooking and baking are so much easier and more enjoyable.
1. Easily Remove Broken Eggshell Pieces
Instead of using your finger to get that piece of broken eggshell out of the bowl, use one of the eggshell halves! Check out Naturally Loriel’s site for How to Easily Remove A Broken Egg Shell.
2. Shred Chicken with your Mixer
Ambitious Kitchen shows you how to shred chicken with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. I have done this and it is so easy!
3. Save your Bananas
I tried wrapping the stem of a bunch of bananas in plastic wrap and I didn’t feel that worked so I’ve got to try this tip of separating the bananas and wrapping the stems – read more about it here from Philly Mag.
4. Preheat your Baking Dish
You don’t have to flip your fries and some other foods if you pre-heat the baking sheet or pan (not just the oven)! Time saver! Read more about this great idea from The Kitchn- 3 Reasons Why You Should Preheat Your Baking Sheet
5. Quickly Bring Eggs to Room Temperature
Forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge? Get your eggs at room temperature in 5 minutes with this tip from Eat the Love. How to Quickly Bring Eggs to Room Temperature
6. Simplified Cake Decorating
Do you feel like you don’t have any cake decorating skills? Use cookie cutters to help you decorate a beautiful cake (use metal ones to make shaped pancakes). Little Life of Mine shows you How To Decorate A Cake With Cookie Cutters.
7. Cutting Butter into Flour
I can’t wait to try this tip! I always buy extra butter and freeze it. Sometimes, I forget to take it out to let it defrost when I need some for baking. Grate the frozen butter into your baking mix! Good Life Eats has the post about Kitchen Tips For Cutting Butter Into Flour.
8. Avoid Ice Cream Freezer Burn
I use this trick when storing leftovers in the freezer but it works on ice cream too. Put some plastic wrap on the top! The Frugal Girls have more information on How To Avoid Ice Cream Freezer Burn.
9. Spray your Measuring Cups
I always do this and it makes clean up a breeze. When you’re measuring honey, molasses, peanut butter, or anything that’s sticky, spray your measuring cup with some non-stick spray first. Our Best Bites shares this tip for when they make their Honey Caramel Apples.
10. Make the Best Pancakes
Get several tips from Ambitious Kitchen on how to make the best pancakes. Ones that are crispy on the outside but fluffy on the inside!
11. Tips to Reheat Frozen Food
Naturally Loriel shares 3 tips to reheat frozen food to make it just as good as the day you made it. This will be a game-changer for busy families that like to meal prep!
12. Make your Own Soft Scrub Cleaner
Throw out the chemical-laden cleaner and switch to this soft scrub cleaner. It works great in the kitchen and the bright lemon scent is perfect to put you in the mood to scrub! Grab the recipe from A Cultivated Nest!
13. Egg Substitutes
Have you run out of eggs, right in the middle of a recipe? I know I have before. The Kitchn shares some ways to substitute for eggs. These are handy to have around when you are in the middle of a crisis.
14. Bring Butter to Room Temperature Quickly
I know I have forgotten to set my butter out ahead of time and I love this tip from Eat the Love for bringing butter to room temperature quickly!
What’s your favorite kitchen tip or trick?
You may also be interested in: 20 Printables to Keep You Organized & Help You Save Money
Terri Steffes says
Love this post! I think the one I want to try is the butter idea. I don’t use plastic wrap on my ice cream because frankly, it is never in the freezer long enough! Have a great weekend!
Manuela Williams says
Glad you liked it! Yes, I’m trying the butter one too. My husband makes “ice cream” in the Vitamix – it’s so yummy and healthy since it basically two ingredients so we don’t buy much ice cream (although do like Haagen Daz bars). But I put plastic wrap on top of leftovers if I freeze them in a container. That way no freezer burn!
Terri Steffes says
You have to tell me the two ingredient ice cream! Woo hoo!
Glenda says
Some really good ideas – thanks for sharing.
Enjoy your weekend.
Manuela Williams says
You’re welcome Glenda. Have a great weekend too! (brrr…it’s so cold here)
Chris k in Wisconsin says
I have one that truly works. When I get celery home from the store I wrap it completely ~ no holes showing ~ in aluminum foil and refrigerate it. It lasts for several weeks and remains crispy as long as it is completely wrapped. I wash it as I use each stalk. Don’t wash it before you cover it in the foil. I was so tired of throwing out celery that was mushy and limp after just several days.
Manuela Williams says
Fantastic tip! Limp celery is NOT tasty!
Hilary says
That frozen butter trick is GENIUS!!!!
BTw, I couldn’t find where to comment for a few seconds — maybe make the font size bigger? Just an FYI. 🙂
Manuela Williams says
Thanks Hilary! I’m having my blog re-designed next month and I’ll mention that to her. Let me know if you think of anything else. I really appreciate the feedback!
Kelley says
Great tips, Manuela! I WILL be checking these out for myself!
Hugs and happy weekend,
Kelley~
Manuela Williams says
Thanks Kelley! Have a great weekend too!
ShelleyM says
I can’t wait to try the butter grating trick! This seems far easier than even using my pastry blender. Thanks for a great post!
Shelley
Manuela Williams says
I know! I can’t wait to try it either. It seems like a really good idea!
Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow says
LOL I was JUST fishing an eggshell piece out of a bowl this morning teling myself that after all these years of cooking and baking you’d think I could crack an egg correctly by now! Will try your tip! 🙂
Doreen@househoneys says
These are great Manuela, especially the cake decorating and grated butter! Definitely have to try that one.
TerriC says
For the bananas, I’ve found that tucking the green bananas into a plastic bag will keep them green longer. Aldi used to have them in a bag but if not I use a bread sack which works as well. I just take out one or two to ripen and close the bag up around the others. It worked fairly well.
My big tip is one I found in a magazine and it’s a real help. The original suggestion was to use a pasta pot with an insert to cook your chicken/veg for broth. Then you simply lift out the insert and automatically strain the broth. No need to get a second big pot to hold the broth! Well I don’t have a pasta pot and hate to buy one just to cook the occasional batch of broth, so I found a big steamer basket that has handles and fits in my big dutch oven. Works like a dream and saves those extra dishes and my extra messes.
Manuela Williams says
Hi Terri, That a great tip about the steamer basket. I’ll have to find one and give it a try. I’m trying the separating the banana tip, if that doesn’t work I’ll try yours. Thanks!
Mary from Mission to Save says
I’ve done the cutting in butter trick for years- works like a charm! Love some of these ideas! Thanks for linking up on Saver Tips Tuesday too!
vidya sudarsan says
Great tips! I have to try freezing butter, I have never done that!
Ms Hanson says
Heating the pizza stone WITH the oven is my fave. I never tried the skillet, though, and we grew spuds this year – I cannot wait to try this.
Joanne/WineLady Cooks says
Thanks so much for sharing your terrific 10 Clever Kitchen Tips with Foodie Friends Friday party this weekend. Will be pinning/sharing this weekend.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Amy @ LI Parent Source says
Great tips here! I am going to try shredding chicken with my Kitchen Aid, it’s always such a pain to shred. Found you from G’day link – will be pinning this as well. Thanks for the tips!
Lou Lou Girls says
I love your tips! Pinned and tweeted. Lou Lou Girls
Tanya Anurag says
Awesome tips!! The one for keeping ice cream is the fridge is what I needed. Thank you for linking up at WUW!
Hugs from party co-host,
Tanya
http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/
Ashley ~ 3 Little Greenwoods says
Fantastic kitchen tips!
Thanks so much for sharing this post at Show Me Saturday! I can’t wait to see what you linkup this weekend!
Merry Christmas!
~ Ashley