18 Food Hacks that You Should Know

We spend a large amount of time and energy preparing and eating food every day, and often there is a lot of waste. It is time to change the way we cook and eat. Make kitchen life fun, easy and innovative with these clever food hacks.

1. Prevent brown sugar from clumping together

Put a few marshmallows into the jar to keep sugar moist and clump-free. No judgment if you happen to scoop up a marshmallow into your cup of hot chocolate by accident.

2. Brew the perfect cup of coffee

Use cold water instead of hot water when brewing  your daily mug of joe. Hot water tends to sit in the heater until you are ready to use it, so it collects mineral deposits. On the other hand, cold water comes directly from the tap so it tastes fresher.

3. Frozen butter? Shred it.

You’re in a rush but that brick of frozen butter is giving you a hard time (pun intended). Use a cheese grater to shred off yummy butter shavings.

4. Make restaurant-quality ice cubes

Boil bottled water to remove air bubbles, then let it cool down. Boil it again, then let it cool down again. Pour into an ice cube tray and cover it up with plastic wrap to prevent any particles from getting in.

5. Separate egg yolk without using your hands

Crack an egg onto a plate, making sure the yolk is intact. Grab an empty water bottle and position it over the yolk. Squeeze the bottle to create a vacuum, then carefully lower the tip to the yolk. Unsqueeze the bottle to suck the yolk up.

6. Peel and crush garlic quickly

Stop wasting your time peeling and chopping garlic. Just put a clove into a garlic press, squeeze it,and voila! Crushed garlic comes out instantly while the skin remains in the press.

7. Ripen avocado in 10 minutes

Cover the entire avocado with tinfoil and put inside the oven. Turn the heat up to 200°F and wait until the fruit softens. Then, place the avocado in the fridge to cool down.

8. Clean up a coffee grinder

Clean up your coffee grinder by grinding white rice in it. The rice will effectively trap the smell and leftover coffee grounds.

9.  Add salt to desserts

Sprinkle some salt on your desserts. The salty-sweet contrast brings out their delicious flavor.

10. Thaw meat quickly

Did you forget to thaw meat for dinner? Place the frozen meat in a mixing bowl and let warm tap water run over it.

11. Make no-fuss cheese sticks

Get a slice of bread and flatten it with a rolling pin. Remove the crust and place a thin layer of cheese on top. Roll it up and fry. Serve with tomato dip for tasty snack your kids will love.

12. Make French toast using a crock pot

You can cook almost anything with a trusty crock pot, including fluffy, French toast for breakfast. Get the recipe from Thecakeeccentric.wordpress.com.

13. Make creative pancakes

Instead of the usual round pancakes, create different shapes by pouring batter into cookie cutters or molds. You can also do this with scrambled eggs.

14. Use dental floss to cut soft foods

Tired of destroying soft cakes or cheeses when you slice them? Instead of a knife, use unscented dental floss. A brilliant idea!

15. Make salad greens last longer

How can you prevent salad greens from wilting in the crisper? Put them in a plastic bag, blow the bag, seal it, and store in the fridge. The carbon dioxide keeps the leaves fresh. Make sure the leaves are dry before storing.

16. Keep ice cream soft

Zip the ice cream into a freezer bag to keep it as soft as the first time you opened the tub. This hack makes scooping a lot easier.

17. Oreo ice cubes

Break Oreo cookies into small bits and put them into an ice cube tray with milk. Place the tray in the freezer. Once it freezes, place the Oreo ice cubes into a glass and then pour in milk or coffee. Yum!

18. Peel hard-boiled eggs quickly

Pour a teaspoon of baking soda into a pot of water, put in the eggs and boil. Let the eggs cool and peel. You’ll find that the shell comes off easily.