Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. With just a few simple tricks you can save time, money and hassle. From getting the most out of leftover pizza to pimping your mac ‘n’ cheese and making the perfect poached egg, these handy hacks might just change how you cook and eat forever.
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Turn your peanut butter upside down
This is so simple, but once you make this easy switch, you’ll never look back. Turn your jar of peanut butter upside down. That’s it. Natural peanut butter – and other nut butters – don’t have any added stabilisers, so the oils will usually separate and move to the top of the jar. Save yourself the time and faff (and mess) of trying to stir it together, and just store it upside down. The oils will head to the bottom of the jar, making it much easier to use when the time comes. Happy nut butter spreading and spooning.
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Ripen bananas slowly with a banana hanger
Invest in a banana hanger to stop your fruit from getting bruised and going bad too quickly. As long as it’s located somewhere that allows for free movement of air around the bananas, this handy contraption will slow down the ripening process. Keep your bunch away from other fruit too – bananas give off gases that cause produce to spoil faster.
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Use overripe bananas for the best banana bread
If you do end up with black or brown bananas, fear not. Overripe bananas are best for use in baking as they’re sweeter and easier to mash into batter. Banana bread is a favourite for using the fruit – this version also incorporates cocoa nibs and a shot of coffee.
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Use a hand mixer for mashed potatoes
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Microwave pizza with water
Revive leftover, dried-out pizza by microwaving it with a mug of water. As the water evaporates, moisture fills the microwave, rehydrating the dry crust and giving you a gooey, cheesy pizza slice once more.
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Grate butter for easy spreading
If you’re having a hard time with cold butter, use a grater to soften the perfect amount to put on toast or bread. It’ll make the butter easier to spread, without destroying your loaf in the process. This method is even used by chefs to make perfect buttery pastry.
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Use vegetable water in gravy
You might already use the juices from roasted meat in your gravy, but don’t forget about veggies. Add the nutrient-rich water from boiled veg and any run-off from a roasting tin as well. It’ll make for a flavourful gravy packed with vitamins.
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Massage kale
If you’re planning on eating raw kale in a salad, massage the greens beforehand. It may sound odd but it’ll tenderise the hardy leaves. First, remove the stem and add a glug of olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt to the leaves. Then gently knead the kale with your hands until the leaves start to wilt a little. Be careful not to overwork the greens though as they’ll become mushy.
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Add nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour
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Revive old bread with water
Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over bread that’s a few days old, then stick it in a hot oven for a few minutes. It’ll bring your stale loaf back to life. This trick works best on whole, unsliced loaves like baguettes, sourdough or ciabatta.
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Store herbs like flowers
Want to know the secret for making cut herbs last? Keep them upright in about 5cm (2 inches) of water as you would a bunch of flowers. Shelter them from direct sunlight and change the water regularly. They’ll stay fresher for longer.
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Keep coffee cool and caffeinated
This tip is essential for iced coffee lovers who don’t want their caffeine hit watered down. Brew fresh coffee (as strong as you like it) and pour it into an ice cube tray. Add the frozen coffee cubes to cold brew or iced coffee, or blend them with milk to make an iced latte.
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Pair your pasta and sauce correctly
Dried pasta is one of the most versatile ingredients out there – and there’s more science than you might expect behind the perfect pasta and sauce pairings. For example, conchiglie (pictured), otherwise known as pasta shells, should be served with thick and chunky sauces, which collect inside the shell and stick to the ribbed outside surface.
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Rescue burnt biscuits with a grater
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Use ice cube trays to freeze leftover sauce
Whether you’ve made too much pesto or have spare sauce from a jar, don’t throw your leftovers away. Pour them into an ice cube tray and you’ll always have some on hand – plus they’ll last far longer than if you kept them in the fridge.
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Microwave lemons to get more juice
Get more juice from a lemon by microwaving it on high for around 20 seconds. It’ll be warmer and softer than straight from the fridge, making the citrus fruit easier to squeeze. It’s a must-try hack if you’re making lemonade too.
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Use an ice cream scoop for meatballs
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Add sugar to savoury dishes and salt to sweet
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Peel tomatoes like a pro
When rustling up tomato sauce or salsa, discarding tough tomato skins is a must. Here’s how: score an X at the stem of each tomato, drop in boiling water for 15–20 seconds, remove and put straight into iced water until cool enough to handle. Then easily pull away the skin in strips.
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Prep ahead for smoothies
Juices and smoothies are a nutritious way to start the day but prepping can be time-consuming. When you have a moment, chop and divide fruit and veg into individual food bags and store in the freezer or fridge. Take out as and when needed, adding extras such as yogurt, water or plant-based milk before blending.
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Say goodbye to stained food storage containers
If last night’s chicken stew or chilli has stained your storage container and hot soapy water just won’t shift it, reach for the baking soda. Wipe the inside with a smooth water-and-soda paste and allow it to sit for a few hours. This should get rid of any stubborn marks.
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Try the hedgehog mango trick
Mangoes can be a pesky fruit to prep, but there’s a speedy way to do it without fuss or waste. Cut the mango in half (on each side of the stone), slice a grid pattern into each half, then invert the fruit. You’ll be left with mango cubes popped up as pictured – simply slice them off and enjoy.
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Say yes to soy sauce on popcorn
If you’re an umami lover, don’t just put salt on your favourite movie snack. Blend soy sauce with melted butter and pour onto plain popcorn for a super savoury treat.
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Stop syrup sticking to your spoons
There are two ways to stop syrup from sticking to your spoon. Try dipping the spoon into hot water first, then into the syrup. Alternatively, wipe the spoon with a little flavourless oil then plunge it into the jar.
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Buy ovenproof storage containers
Invest in glass storage containers that are also oven-safe. Not only can you cook food then handily store the leftovers in the same dish, but you can reheat a meal without creating more washing up too. Best of all, some containers (such as the Joseph Joseph nesting set pictured) are shock-resistant and have a nifty space-saving design.
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Make and freeze breakfast burritos
We all know an extra 10 minutes in bed is much more appealing than waking up early to make breakfast. To save time, make a batch of breakfast burritos on a Sunday night, wrap them and pop them in the freezer ready for the week. Get one out the night before you want to eat it, leave to defrost in the fridge overnight, then microwave until piping hot in the morning.
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Quick-cook bacon in the microwave
When we think of bacon, most of us imagine it sizzling away in a frying pan – but there are quicker ways to cook your favourite breakfast meat. One method is to use a microwave. Lay a paper towel on a plate and put strips of bacon, not touching, on top. Cover this with another paper towel and cook on high for around three minutes. Transfer the bacon to another paper towel for a few moments to absorb some grease and allow to cool before eating.
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Bulk out sauces with lentils
If you’re cooking on a budget, lentils are a great way to make your meals go further. Bulk out meat sauces, soups and salads with the legume for a filling dish. They’re also a great source of fibre and protein. A winner all round.
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Always have herby butter on hand
If you love your steak topped with a slab of melting garlic, herb or chilli butter, don’t leave it to the last minute. Prep a batch of herby butter in advance and freeze it in ice cube trays – the cubes will just take an hour or so to defrost (avoid using the microwave, as this will heat them unevenly).
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Reuse sauce bottles for pancakes
Ladling pancake mix can be a messy business, so take an empty plastic sauce bottle and use it to squeeze out the batter into circular pancakes. Or have a bit of fun and create animals, shapes or numbers out of the batter.
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Make hash browns in your waffle iron
Waffle irons aren’t just for waffles. Use them to cook omelettes, quesadillas and – best of all – hash browns. Grease the waffle iron first and ensure any raw ingredients, such as whisked egg or grated potato, are cooked through.
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Mix it up with mug omelettes
Cooking an omelette in a mug might not look like the real deal, but it’s quick and simple. Whisk an egg, two egg whites, seasoning and some grated cheese or chopped ham. Pour the mixture into a greased mug and microwave it on high for one minute. Stir, then cook again on high for another minute.
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Blanch your vegetables
There’s a simple way to keep your green vegetables green: blanching. Cook vegetables in boiling water for a few minutes (depending on the variety) then plunge them into a bowl of ice water. This stops the vegetables overcooking so they’ll retain their crispy texture and colour. It also seals in flavour and vitamins, and removes bitterness from certain varieties.
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Use orange juice for marinades
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Never throw out pasta water
Rather than drain pasta in a colander, lift it from the pot and mix it into the sauce on a low heat. While the flavours are mingling, add a ladle or so of the pasta water. It will give the sauce a rich, silky texture.
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Sneak beetroot into brownies
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Stop soggy sandwiches
No one likes a soggy sandwich. Reduce the amount of liquid seeping out from ingredients such as sliced tomato or cucumber by placing them between two pieces of kitchen paper for five minutes. This will soak up any excess moisture before they’re added to sandwiches. It’s also a good idea to spread butter, cheese or mayo onto the bread first – this acts as a barrier against soggier ingredients.
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Froth milk the easy way
Fancy a barista-style coffee in the comfort of your own home? For perfect froth, fill a jar halfway with milk, screw on the lid and shake. Once foamy, remove the lid and microwave on full power for 30 seconds. Your froth should double in size and provide the perfect topping for your coffee.
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Separate onions and potatoes
Ever wondered why your potatoes aren’t lasting very long? Start by storing them in a separate place to your onions. Both potatoes and onions release moisture and gases that will cause the other to spoil faster, so it’s best to keep them apart.
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Use a cupcake tin for egg muffins
Not only are egg muffins an ideal breakfast, snack or lunchbox treat, they can be made with ingredients you need to use up such as leftover herbs or a solitary slice of ham. Chop up ham, red pepper, onion or mushrooms, lightly fry then place a spoonful into a greased or lined muffin tin. Mix eggs with a little milk, pour over the mix and bake for around 20 minutes in a hot oven until golden and cooked through.
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Bake potatoes in minutes
You won’t get potatoes that are perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle just by cooking them in a microwave – but you can use one to save time. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and microwave them on high for 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer to a hot oven to crisp up the skin for 10–20 minutes.
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Transform cake fails
Don’t worry if a cake doesn’t match up to your expectations – it happens to the best of us. Instead, turn it into something else. Broken pieces of cake can be used in trifles (pictured) or even crumbled in a food processor to make cake pops.
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Stop using boiling water for coffee
Most coffee beans react best to hot water that’s not boiling (although some argue that letting the water boil and then cool down slightly helps deal with hard water and other impurities). Boiling water poured straight over your coffee scorches the grounds, and will result in a mediocre brew. Trust us, you’ll notice the difference.
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Pimp your mac ‘n’ cheese with mustard
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Score your meat
Prevent skin from shrinking and pulling away from meat by scoring it before you cook. Scoring meat and fish also allows marinades to be better absorbed and speeds up the cooking process.
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Ditch the oven for mug cakes
There’s simply no end to the mug cake variations you can make in your microwave. Experiment with what you have in the cupboard. The best bit? There are no dishes to clean up and the cakes take just minutes to make.
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Make French toast in the slow cooker
Slow cooking isn’t just for savoury recipes. Make perfect French toast by whisking two eggs with two egg whites, plus a little honey, cinnamon and milk. Place triangles of bread in the bottom of the slow cooker, pour over enough mixture to wet the bread, then layer more bread and mixture. Cook on high for around two hours or for around four hours on low.
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Salvage split hollandaise
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Use the float test for eggs
To check if eggs are fresh, fill a bowl with cold water and try the ‘float test’. If the egg sinks to the bottom on its side, that means it’s very fresh. If your egg sinks to the bottom in an upright position, it means it’s not quite as fresh but still perfectly edible. If your egg floats, it means it has started producing rotting gases that lift the egg to the water’s surface, so it has most likely gone bad.
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Poach eggs in clingfilm
If your attempts at poached eggs always end in a disaster, follow this top tip. Lay a piece of clingfilm in a bowl, lightly oil the inside and crack in an egg. Gather up the sides of the clingfilm and tie it tightly on top. Add to boiling water for two to four minutes, depending on the size of the egg and how soft you want it.
