If you spend literally any amount of time online, you’ve already seen tons of videos about kitchen and cooking hacks. Though they’re satisfying to watch, you can’t always trust them because not all of them work. That said, the ones that do work can make your cooking experience much easier and save you time in the kitchen. We thought we would do you a solid and compile a list of 10 hacks that actually work, so let’s just get into it:
Peel garlic by shaking it in a jar
Peeling garlic can be the most annoying thing in the world, but the alternative of cooking without garlic is too sad to even consider. Instead of wrestling with each garlic clove, here’s a hack that will make it easier than ever: put your garlic cloves in a jar, seal it, and shake it furiously. The skins will magically come off! This is something that many restaurant cooks do because it takes no time at all. Another thing you could do is pour your garlic cloves into a pot of boiling water, stir them a bit, and then drop them in cold water. This softens the skins so you can peel them right off.
Dental floss to cut cheese or baked goods
Have you ever tried slicing soft, creamy foods like cheesecake or goat cheese with a knife, only to end up with a squished mess? Enter dental floss. Turns out it’s perfect for making clean, smooth cuts without dragging through the food. You just need some plain, waxed dental floss (skip the minty kind) and use it to slice through your food. Loop the floss around what you want to slice and pull it tight. This technique works wonders for baked goods like cinnamon rolls too, giving you neat slices without flattening them.
Use deli lids to cut multiple round items at once
Cutting cherry tomatoes, olives, grapes, etc., one by one can be a time-consuming task. Good thing there’s a clever little hack to speed up the process and you just need deli lids. Place one lid on your work surface, right side up, then add a layer of the items you need to cut. Place another lid on top, inverted, and press down slightly to hold everything in place. Slide your knife horizontally between the lids, and you’ll have perfectly halved items in no time. This hack will come in handy when meal-prepping or making salads!
Freeze individual portions in ice cube trays
Photo by Ron Lach
If you’ve ever opened a whole jar or can of sauce only to use a spoonful and wonder what to do with the rest, this hack is for you. It works for any ingredient that you use in small quantities, like pesto, minced garlic, and more. You just need an ice cube tray that you’ll only use to spoon whatever leftover sauces or ingredients you don’t want to waste. Once the cubes are frozen, you can pop them out and store them in labeled bags in the freezer. It will make cooking a lot easier and reduce waste!
Freeze ginger to make it easier to grate
Ginger is a flavorful addition to many dishes, but peeling and grating it can be a hassle. Frozen ginger grates more easily than fresh, and you don't even need to peel it, so just pop it in the freezer. Another great thing about this hack is that it will keep ginger fresh for longer. This hack is a game-changer for anyone who loves cooking with ginger.
Use a larger eggshell to remove eggshell fragments
We've all been there: cracking an egg only to have a tiny piece of shell fall into the bowl. Instead of fishing around with your fingers, use a larger piece of the eggshell to scoop it out. The eggshell acts like a magnet, attracting the smaller fragments and making them super easy to remove. It’s a quick and effective solution!
Peel your kiwis with a spoon
Peeling a kiwi can get messy pretty quickly, but not with this hack. First, cut off both ends of the kiwi. Then, slide a spoon under the skin and run it around the fruit, keeping the spoon as close to the skin as possible. The skin will come off effortlessly, leaving you with a perfectly peeled kiwi. This method is quick and easy, but more importantly, you won’t waste any kiwi in the process.
Get pomegranate seeds easily
Pomegranates are delicious but can be a pain to deseed. Make the process easier with this simple trick: cut the pomegranate in half, hold it over a bowl, and whack the back with a wooden spoon. The seeds will pop out easily, saving you time and effort. It’s also a lot less messy than doing it with your hands and you’ll be able to enjoy sweet and juicy pomegranate seeds in no time.
Portion your muffin batter more evenly
Scooping muffin batter can be messy and inconsistent, but an ice cream scoop with a trigger release can make the job easier. Use the scoop to evenly portion the batter into muffin tins. The trigger release ensures the batter drops cleanly into the cups, giving you uniform muffins every time. If you want your muffins to look good and get as many muffins as possible out of the batch, this hack will do the trick.
Keep potatoes from browning
If you want to peel potatoes in advance but you don’t want them to turn brown, you just have to cover them with cold water. This simple trick keeps the potatoes fresh until you're ready to cook, making it perfect for meal prep or cooking the next day. Just peel and chop the potatoes, cover them with cold water, and store them in the fridge. When you’re ready to cook, simply drain and start making your dish.
There you have it! These internet cooking hacks are tried and true, so give them a try and see how much time you save. Happy cooking!