Cooking can sometimes feel like a daunting task, but with a few clever hacks up your sleeve, you can make your time in the kitchen easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting, these 25 cooking hacks will change the way you approach everything from meal prep to cleanup, saving you time and effort while boosting your culinary skills.
From simple tricks like how to peel garlic in seconds or perfectly poach an egg, to game-changing methods for keeping herbs fresh or making the fluffiest pancakes ever, these hacks are designed to make cooking feel less like a chore and more like a creative, stress-free experience. You’ll find ways to rescue overcooked dishes, speed up cutting and chopping, and even use everyday kitchen items in ways you never thought possible.
But it’s not just about efficiency—some of these hacks will take your dishes to the next level in terms of flavor and presentation. Learn how to use a splash of acid to brighten up your meals, how to perfectly crisp bacon in the oven, or how to make your buttermilk in a pinch. Small adjustments can make a big impact on your results, and these hacks will empower you to cook with confidence.
Ready to transform the way you cook? Dive into these 25 life-changing cooking hacks, and soon you’ll be whipping up meals that are easier, tastier, and more impressive than ever before!
Here is the List:
1. Freeze bananas for healthy ice cream
Source: Well Plated
If you’re craving ice cream but want to avoid the extra calories, try this simple hack: freeze a few bananas, then mash them up once they’re frozen to create a creamy texture. This makes a delicious base for any toppings you like, such as chocolate syrup, sprinkles, or chocolate chips!
2. Make baked chicken taste like fried chicken
For extra crispy baked chicken, try this tip: before placing it in the oven, lightly coat the chicken with mayonnaise, followed by an egg wash, and then toss it in bread crumbs. The mayo helps the breadcrumbs crisp up as the chicken bakes, while adding a flavor that closely mimics traditional fried chicken.
3. Freeze juice into flavored ice cubes
Source: The Harvest Kitchen
If you’re tired of melted ice diluting the flavor of your drinks, this tip is for you! Instead of using water in your ice cube trays, pour in your favorite juice. This way, your drinks stay cold without losing any of their flavor.
4. Place ginger in the fridge
Does grating your ginger ever get tiring? Try putting it in the freezer so that it’s easier to grate the next time you cook!
5. Get the fudgiest brownies
Source: Cafe Delites
Nobody enjoys a dry, crumbly brownie! For extra fudgy brownies without altering your favorite recipe, simply cut the baking time in half. If they’re still too gooey, you can always pop them back in the oven for a few more minutes until they reach the perfect consistency.
6. Use dental floss
Cutting soft foods can get messy unless you have a custom-made Japanese knife. For cleaner, more precise cuts, use dental floss to slice through cakes, rolls, doughs, and other soft items without the mess.
7. Do basic meal prep
Source: Medical News Today
Let’s be honest—cooking every day can be exhausting, and coming up with new recipes for every meal is a challenge. That’s where meal prepping comes in handy. Set aside a few hours over the weekend to cook up your favorite frozen vegetables, proteins, carbs, and other ingredients, then store them in plastic containers in the fridge.
Throughout the week, you can easily mix and match the prepped ingredients, heat them up, and enjoy a quick, hassle-free meal!
8. Break up ground meat
Breaking up ground meat using your hands can be messy; use a potato crusher instead. You can also use it to crush up other ingredients, like whole tomatoes.
9. Put salt in your coffee
Source: Medical News Today
While it’s not a replacement for sugar, adding a pinch of salt to your coffee can help reduce its bitterness. It can also eliminate the stale taste from tank-stored water, giving you a fresher-tasting cup of coffee. Give it a try!
10. Dry out your herbs
Freshly dried herbs add great flavor to any recipe, but store-bought options can sometimes taste overly dried. For a fresher alternative, buy herbs from the market and dry them yourself using a microwave.
Simply heat them in 20-second intervals, flipping them over until they’re fully dry. Once dried, crush them in a food processor and store them for later use.
11. Use a spoon to peel your eggs
Source: Life Hack
Peeling boiled eggs can be frustrating—shells scatter everywhere, the eggs get nicked, and sometimes they even fall apart. To make the process easier, try using a teaspoon. Simply insert it between the eggshell and the egg, and you’ll find the spoon fits the curve perfectly, allowing you to peel the shell away in just one or two swift motions.
12. Coat measuring cups and spoons with oil
A lot of batter goes to waste during baking because it sticks to measuring cups and spoons, even after pouring. To avoid this, coat your cups and spoons with a light layer of vegetable oil. This simple trick makes the process cleaner and ensures you get every bit of batter into the tray.
13. Grill fish on lemon
Source: Pinterest
One of the most frustrating aspects of grilling fish is how much it tends to stick to the grill. To prevent this, place lemon slices on the grill before adding your fish on top. This way, you’ll enjoy perfectly cooked fish without losing half of it to the grill!
14. Fix salty soup
If your soup turns out too salty, grab any vinegar you have in the pantry and add enough to counteract the excess sodium.
15. Cool beverages down faster
Source: Pop Sugar
Are your guests on the way, and your bottle of beer, wine, or juice is still lukewarm? Take wet paper towels, wrap them around the bottles, and then place them in the freezer. They will cool down much faster.
16. Use a waffle iron to make your hash browns
Making hash browns can be frustrating when they keep falling apart in the pan. To solve this problem, try using a waffle iron! It helps your hash brown mixture maintain its structure, resulting in perfectly crispy and intact hash browns. Voilà!
17. Invest in a large chopping board
To avoid having multiple chopping boards that don’t fit all of your ingredients, purchase the largest one you can find. You’ll have all the room you need without fussing over the lack of space.
18. Roast lemons for lemonade
Before squeezing lemon juice out for lemonade, roast the lemons to draw out their natural sugars and lower the tartness. This way, you’ll also use less sugar for a healthier and tastier drink.
19. Renew stale bread
Source: Maangchi
Before tossing out stale loaves, try reviving them! Spritz some water on top and pop the bread into the oven for a few minutes to help it crisp up. Alternatively, you can wrap a damp towel around the loaf before placing it in the oven. This method will restore its crunch and texture!
20. Crumple parchment paper
Parchment paper that keeps curling up can ruin your baked goods. To prevent it from doing so, crumple it slightly and lay it flat on your baking sheet.
21. Use apples to moisten pastries
Source: Evolving Table
Baked goods can dry out quickly, losing their fresh taste. To keep them moist for longer, simply add an apple slice to the storage container. This will help retain their moisture and flavor!
22. Dry meat before searing
To get a clean, sharp sear on your meat, pat it dry with a towel to get rid of excess moisture before placing it in a well-oiled pan.
23. Store ice cream in ziplock bags
Source: Wired
Ice cream can freeze up into a block of flavored ice in the freezer, and thawing it out can result in an undesirable texture when you’re in the mood for ice cream. To ensure that it stays at the right consistency, put your tub of ice cream in a plastic ziplock bag before placing it in the freezer.
24. Use a spritz of lemon in your pastries
Rich, fruity muffins and cupcakes can taste a bit too rich, so by adding some lemon zest or juice at different points of the baking process; you can balance out the flavors.
25. Heat oysters before opening
Source: Squarespace
Oysters are tough to crack open. By placing them in a vat of warm water or the microwave for a few minutes, they’ll be easier to open and eat.
