Small kitchen tricks can save time, reduce mess and make everyday cooking just a little easier. Often, the most useful ideas are simple changes that you can start using straight away.
These 15 clever everyday kitchen tricks cover food preparation, cooking, storage and those little kitchen problems that seem to happen all the time.
Clever Food Preparation Tricks
- Put a damp cloth under your chopping board. Place a slightly damp kitchen cloth underneath the board to help stop it sliding around while you chop.
- Use a bowl for scraps while preparing food. Keep a small bowl beside your chopping board for peelings, packaging and other scraps so you aren’t constantly walking to the bin.
- Roll citrus fruit before juicing it. Roll lemons, limes or oranges firmly against the bench with your palm before cutting and juicing them.
- Use kitchen scissors for quick chopping jobs. Clean kitchen scissors can make easy work of cutting herbs and other suitable ingredients without needing another chopping board.
- Prep ingredients before you start cooking. Measure, chop and organise what you need first, particularly for recipes that cook quickly.
Make Cooking & Serving Easier
- Keep a rubbish bowl beside you while cooking. For larger cooking jobs, designate a bowl for wrappers and other rubbish to keep your workspace clearer.
- Rest your cooking spoon on a small plate. Keep a saucer or small plate beside the stove for spoons and utensils rather than leaving them directly on the bench.
- Use a larger bowl than you think you need. Extra room makes mixing easier and helps prevent ingredients spilling over the sides.
- Read the entire recipe before starting. Check the ingredients, equipment and steps before you begin so there are fewer surprises halfway through cooking.
- Set a timer whenever you walk away. Even if you think you’ll remember, setting a timer can prevent food being forgotten while you’re distracted by something else.
Everyday Kitchen Tricks That Save Time
- Keep your most-used tools together. Store the utensils you reach for every day close to your main preparation and cooking area.
- Line up ingredients as you use them. Move each ingredient to another part of the bench after adding it. It’s an easy way to keep track when a recipe has a long ingredient list.
- Keep a permanent marker near your food-storage containers. Use it with removable labels or suitable tape to date leftovers and opened ingredients.
- Freeze useful ingredients in small portions. Ingredients you regularly use in small amounts can often be portioned before freezing, making it easier to take out only what you need. Check appropriate food-storage guidance for the particular ingredient.
- Do a quick kitchen reset while food cooks. Use safe downtime while something bakes or simmers to put ingredients away, load dishes and wipe preparation surfaces.
Small Tricks Can Make a Big Difference
You don’t need expensive gadgets or complicated systems to make your kitchen work better. Often, a few small habits can make cooking more organised, reduce unnecessary mess and save time throughout the week.
Try the tricks that solve problems you regularly encounter and make them part of your normal kitchen routine.
Looking for more clever ways to make everyday life easier? Explore more Life Hacks from The Thought Hive.
