18 Great Hacks for your New Kitchen

Quick fixes for kitchen predicaments and a better culinary life to boot – that’s what we like to think we offer.

However, even though it hurts us to say it there are some things even our fabulous new kitchen doors and fittings can’t do. So, what more can we do than provide you with a list of mind blowing kitchen hacks to make your life with a spatula even easier. From prepping food, to cook, baking and tidying up afterwards get ready to hack your kitchen.

6 Tips for Food Storage and Care – Behind your New Kitchen Doors

• • Speed up the ripening of fruits such as peaches, pears, bananas and more by placing them inside a paper bag. The food in the bag creates ethylene gas, which will help the food soften and ripen.
  • Tomatoes are quick to rot, however by leaving them attached to the vine you slow down the process. Ironically, storing them at room temperature rather than in the fridge also helps increase their lifespans.
  • Grey potatoes are caused by oxidation and you can reduce the chances of this after peeling by placing them in a bowl of cold water. It slows down the oxidation process and ensures they stay white.
  • Brown sugar tends to get congealed and stuck together – it’s not very nice. One way to prevent this problem is to place a little piece of orange peel in the container with the sugar – this helps keep it scoopable.
  • A shower cap can make a great item for covering foods in an emergency. Just make sure it’s clean and hasn’t been used.
  • You can determine how fresh and egg is by how well it floats. If the egg floats to the top of a bowl of cold water it’s seen better days, if it sinks it’s still fresh.

6 Tips for Food Preparation in the Kitchen

• Can’t open a jar? Simply wrap a rubber band around the top of it to get extra grip and it should come right off.
• Honey or sticky substances can be hard to measure as they stick to the spoon. By dipping the spoon in a little vegetable oil you prevent them from sticking, making it easier to measure the amount.
• If your honey crystallises – place it in a bowl of hot water.
• Melting butter can take time, however if it’s more surface area and is thinner then it’s likely to melt faster. To soften it, just chop it into pieces. Alternatively, grate it.
• Buttermilk is a necessity for pancakes and a number of recipes. If you don’t have it, just add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk and watch as it thickens.
• Onions make us cry! They probably make your cry too. To stop them making you weep freeze them. You can also cut a slice and place it in your mouth. It manages to absorb the gas that makes you cry before it enters your nose, preventing problems.

6 Tips for Cooking in your New Kitchen

• • One simple way to prevent a pot from boiling over is to place a wooden spoon across the top of the pot. Wood doesn’t conduct heat and so the water won’t rise over the handle.
  • Poultry breasts tend to cook faster than brown meat. The best way to ensure an even cook is to ice the breast to slow down its cooking time, ensuring the bird cooks evenly.
  • So you don’t have a frother for your coffee. Well, frothing milk is easy with this low-fi effort. Simply place the milk in a small jar with a lid. Ensuring it’s around half full shake it until the milk has doubled in size. Then simply remove the lid and microwave for 20 seconds.
  • You don’t need a coffee make to brew coffee either. Simply boil coffee on a stove and then leave it for a few minutes until the grounds settle. Then use a ladle to scoop into cups. Viola – fresh coffee.

• Chips need to be turned in the oven. Well, that’s if the oven tray is cold. Heating the oven tray and then placing the chips on it prevents the need for turning and stops them sticking to the bottom of the tray. It also works for vegetables too. However, be aware it doesn’t work for baked goods.

These are just some great hacks that will make your kitchen life a lot easier, tidier and ensure your food lasts longer. We’ve plenty more tricks to ensure that you make the most of your new kitchen and new kitchen doors and appliances.

Do you have any hacks or ideas to make kitchen life easier?