10 Quick Kitchen Tricks for Saving Time and Money

In this article: A few simple tips and tricks that can make meal prep faster and easier and may even save you a little money.

by Leanne Ely, SavingDinner.com

Who doesn’t want to save a bit of time in the kitchen or a bit of money on the grocery bill?

The following ten kitchen tricks will make your life a little bit easier. And they’re so simple that you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of them yourself!

1. Save the tears.

Cut onions without crying by lighting a candle beside you as you’re chopping. You might also find that holding a toothpick between your front teeth helps to stop those onion tears.

2. Split up the bunch.

You can get twice as much life out of your bananas by separating the bananas from the bunch when you get them home!

3. Prevent cheese from hardening.

If you want to prevent your block cheese from getting hard around the edges, rub some butter on the cut edge and wrap the block in paper towel before wrapping in plastic or storing in a reusable container. (See also: How To Prevent Cheese From Getting Moldy.)

4. Extend lettuce life.

Store a piece of paper towel in your lettuce container. It will absorb the moisture that causes lettuce to wilt.

5. Enlist the help of your shells.

When you get a bit of eggshell in with your egg yolks and whites, instead of chasing it around the bowl with a spoon, use another piece of eggshell to help scoop it out. The bit of run-away shell will be attracted to the shell you’re scooping with.

6. Slice a potato in no time.

Use that apple slicer in your drawer for making short work of turning a potato into wedges! (See also: 15 Tasty and Inexpensive Ways To Use Up Potatoes.)

7. Peel with a spoon.

Ginger is very difficult to peel. Use a spoon to gently remove the peeling from fresh ginger.

8. Sample your meat.

When you’re making a sauce, you can taste for seasoning as you go, but not so much with meatloaf or meatballs. If you’re trying a new recipe with your ground meat, fry a little bit on top of the stove so you can see if it suits your taste. Adjust seasoning if necessary!

9. Keep your rinds.

Don’t throw away your parmesan rinds. Save them in a bag in the freezer and add them to soups and stews for a great cheesy flavor. Simply add the rind 20-30 minutes before your dish is finished.

10. Pre-freeze your meat.

Make it easy on yourself when you’re slicing chicken, pork or beef for your stir-fry. Simply freeze the meat for a half hour or so before you cut it. Your knife will go through the meat more easily when it’s slightly frozen. (See also: Frugally Freezing Meats: Protect Your Savings From Freezer Burn.)

For a bonus tip, if your bananas have gone overripe on you, peel them, pop them in a freezer bag, and freeze them. Use your frozen bananas to thicken and sweeten up your smoothies!

Related:

• 7 Kitchen Staples You Can Easily Make Yourself
• Smart Food Storage That Can Save You Money and Time in the Kitchen
• 9 Ways To Survive a Cooking Slump

Reviewed March 2024