Cook Smarter, Not Longer
Does dinner prep feel like it's eating up all your time? It doesn't have to be that way. The truth is, small changes in how you chop, mix, or even plan can make a kitchen feel effortless. Once you learn these little efficiencies, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without them. If you’re ready to reclaim your time, keep reading to learn 20 essential cooking shortcuts that will truly change your life.
Michelle @Shelly Captures It on Unsplash
1. Use Shears To Chop Herbs Much Faster
Kitchen shears might just become your new favorite tool. Instead of pulling out a knife and board, snip herbs straight into your dish in seconds. They’re quick to use, easy to clean, and can also trim chicken without extra mess.
Do These Amazon Herb Scissors Work? by The Average Kitchen
2. Freeze Garlic Cubes For Instant Flavor Boosts
Skip the sticky garlic mess. Frozen garlic cubes give you all the flavor without the fuss, melting right into sauces or oil. Brands like Dorot make these handy cubes, and they save you time while keeping meals aromatic and flavorful.
Frozen Garlic Cubes | How to Freeze Garlic | 3 Ways to Freeze Garlic by Yummieliciouz Food Recipes
3. Store Pre-Cut Veggies To Save Prep Time
Cut your veggies once, eat fresh all week. Spend a little time chopping on Sunday and store them in airtight containers with damp paper towels. Now you’ve got ingredients ready for quick stir-fries or salads whenever hunger hits.
4. Boil Pasta Faster Using Less Water
Want pasta ready sooner? Just use less water. The pot boils faster, noodles cook perfectly, and cleanup stays simple. That starchy water left behind even enhances sauces. A small adjustment makes weeknight cooking noticeably smoother.
5. Microwave Citrus Fruits To Get More Juice
Don’t wrestle with stubborn lemons again. Pop them in the microwave for a couple of seconds and roll them on the counter to get the juice flowing easily. The same trick works beautifully for limes and oranges too, giving you more yield with little effort.
6. Use A Cold Pan For Crispy Bacon
Here's the secret to perfect bacon: don't preheat the pan. Lay your strips in while it's still cold, then turn on the heat. As everything warms up together, the fat renders slowly and evenly, and you get crispy bacon without any burnt spots.
Michelle @Shelly Captures It on Unsplash
7. Freeze Leftover Wine Cubes For Easy Sauces
Don't let that leftover wine go to waste. Fill an ice tray and freeze it for later. When you're cooking sauces, soups, or braised dishes, just pop in a cube. It adds rich flavor without opening a new bottle every time.
Freezing Leftover Wine | Freezer Cooking Tips by Freezer Meals 101
8. Roast Everything Together To Save Time
One pan can handle dinner with ease. Toss veggies and proteins together on a sheet pan, placing denser foods near the edges. Everything cooks evenly, and cleanup takes seconds. Not to mention that your meal still looks impressive.
Sheet Pan Roasted Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, & Broccoli + Meal Prep by Gimme Delicious
9. Shake Boiled Eggs To Peel Them Easily
Say goodbye to tedious peeling. Drop boiled eggs into a jar with a splash of water and shake gently to get the shells to slide off with ease. For the best results, use older eggs and add baking soda when boiling.
How to Peel Boiled Eggs Easily | Tested 3 Best Methods by MOMables - Laura Fuentes
10. Peel Ginger with A Spoon, Not A Knife
Forget wrestling with a knife around those bumpy ginger knobs. Grab a spoon instead and use the edge to scrape the skin right off. It glides around curves, keeps your fingers safe, and you'll waste way less of the good stuff. Perfect for when you need fresh ginger fast.
How to Peel Ginger - Spoon Trick by Home Cook Basics
11. Label Freezer Items To Prevent Food Waste
A tidy freezer starts with clear labeling. Write names and dates on freezer tape so nothing becomes a mystery block of ice. Using color codes for categories like meats or sauces makes finding dinner options quick and waste-free.
SIDE-BY-SIDE FRIDGE ORGANIZATION: Clean, Sort, Restock and Organize by The Organization Station
12. Use Parchment Paper To Skip Scrubbing
Cleanup becomes simple when you prepare smartly. Line baking trays with parchment paper before cooking, and food won’t stick or burn. As soon as the meal’s done, just toss the paper—or reuse it if it’s still clean.
13. Freeze Herbs In Oil To Keep Fresh
Fresh herbs fade fast, but there’s an easy save. Chop them finely, fill an ice tray, and pour olive oil on top. Once frozen, these cubes drop straight into soups or sauces, keeping your cooking vibrant.
How-To Preserve and Freeze Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil by Balanced Wellness with Beth
14. Preheat Pans For Crisp Veggies Faster
Perfect texture starts before the veggies hit the pan. Wait until a water droplet sizzles away instantly—that’s your cue, it’s ready. The quick sear locks in flavor and gives your vegetables a crisp, golden edge.
15. Use The Bowl Trick To Peel Garlic Fast
Garlic prep doesn’t need to be tedious. Toss the cloves into a jar or between two bowls and shake hard for a few seconds. The peels slip off effortlessly, leaving you with clean cloves ready for chopping or roasting. This trick works best with larger batches and dry cloves.
Fastest Way To Peel Garlic | Food Wishes by Food Wishes
16. Bake Bacon Hands-Free For Less Mess
Bacon tastes better without the grease drama. Lay strips on a parchment-lined sheet pan and then simply place it in the oven. When you return, the bacon’s evenly crisp with no splatter or flipping required.
Wright Brand Bacon on Unsplash
17. Shred Chicken In Seconds With Mixer
There’s no reason to fight with forks anymore. Warm chicken shreds easily when tossed into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. In less than a minute, you’ll have tender pieces perfect for tacos or salads.
How to Shred Chicken in a Kitchenaid by Create Kids Club
18. Soak Skewers Early To Stop Burning
To stop wooden skewers from catching fire, soak them in water for around half an hour first. For bonus flavor, use wine, broth, or juice—or switch to metal skewers and skip soaking altogether.
19. Spin Herbs Dry Quickly With The Spinner
The humble salad spinner does more than dry lettuce. It whirls herbs dry in seconds, keeping them fresh longer and ready to use. You can also rinse berries or small veggies inside, then stop the spin instantly with its built-in brake.
Spin and Serve-Must-Have Kitchen Gadgets-Salad Spinner Review by Padhuskitchen
20. Freeze Cooked Rice For Instant Meals
Batch-cooking rice pays off later. Once cooled, portion it into freezer bags for quick weeknight sides. Reheat with a splash of water to revive the texture, and it’s ready to go into stir-fries, soups, or burrito bowls.
How to Freeze Cooked Rice - Best Method for Easy Fried Rice by Great Lakes Country
KEEP ON READING
