Save Time & Money with these 20 Tricks
Throughout my life, I have learned
quit a few kitchen tricks that have saved me a lot of money and time. I
think these 21 tricks are the best amongst them, and some of them might
change your kitchen experience forever.
|
1. Keep onions and garlic in ventilated paper bags |
Keeping onions and garlic cloves in ventilated bag will keep them fresh and free of mold for 2-3 months longer.
|
2. Fix stale chips and crackers in the microwave |
Don’t throw away stale chips or
crackers. Instead – put them in the microwave, but be sure to consume
them quickly after, since the staling process accelerates once they cool
down.
|
3. Turn a finished jar of spreadable chocolate into hot coco |
That “empty” jar of Nutella is not
really empty, is it? Those leftover bits of delicious chocolaty goodness
can be turned into amazing chocolate milk with ease – simply pour hot
milk into the spent jar, close the lid and give it a good shake until
the residue all mixes with the milk, then pour in a glass and enjoy!
|
4. Store pineapples upside-down |
Ever bought a fresh pineapple and cut
it up, only to discover that the top is deliciously sweet, but the
bottom is very tart? This happens because naturally, the ripening
process begins at the top of the pineapple and slowly moves down. To get
the pineapple to ripen faster and be fully sweet, cut off the leafy
part and store it upside down, the sugars will travel from the old top
to the “new” top and hasten the ripening, leaving you with a sweet and
delicious pineapple quickly.
|
5.Store apples with potatoes |
Apples produce Ethylene gas, which is effective at preventing the potatoes from sprouting.
|
6. Wrap celery and broccoli in aluminum foil |
Wrapping celery and broccoli in
aluminum foil and keeping it as airtight as possible can preserve them
for up to a month. The reason is that fresh celery/broccoli has the
right amount of moisture inside, and by keeping it in the airtight foil,
it keeps it fresh and crisp for longer.
|
7. Store lettuce with a paper towel |
When it comes to lettuce, as opposed
to the celery, moisture is the enemy. Keeping it in a sealed bag with a
paper towel will keep moisture away from lettuce, leaving it crisp and
delicious.
|
8. Store natural nut spread upside down |
The common way to store natural nut
spread leads to the natural oils in the nuts to float upwards, leaving
the bottom hard and drier. By flipping the container for a couple of
days, you help the oils return to the whole of the spread, making
stirring much easier and helping you avoid that terrible, hard bottom
layer.
|
9. Avoid empty spaces in the fridge |
Every time you open the fridge door,
you let the cool air inside seep out, while allowing the warmer room
temperature to get in. This forces the fridge to work harder to restore
the temperature and can lead to fungus and bacteria to propagate faster
(the cold temperature slows this process down considerably). If your
fridge isn’t full, keep a few containers full of water in the empty
spaces. Water cools down slower than air, helping maintain the
surrounding ambient temperature down.
|
10. Turn leftover mayo into salad dressing |
Every time you finish a jar of mayo,
don’t throw it away. The leftover mayo in the jar that you can’t be
bothered to scrape out can be turned into fantastic salad dressing: pour
in some olive oil, vinegar, and add your choice of herbs, then shake it
until the residue is all mixed with the liquids, leaving you with an
easy, delicious and free dressing.
|
11. Before you squeeze citrus, microwave it for 15 seconds |
It might sound weird, but warm fruit releases juice more easily than a cold one.
|
12. Wrap banana crowns in cling-film |
Bananas release Ethylene gas,
similarly to apples. The only problem with that, is that it hastens
ripening and then – rotting. Once harvested, this process begins and
cannot be stopped. You can, however, slow it down by wrapping the crowns
in cling-film, minimizing the amount of ethylene released. (For even
better results, separate all the bananas from the bunch and wrap each
crown individually)
|
13. Fertilize potted plants with spent coffee grounds |
Used coffee grounds are still rich in
nutrients, making them wonderful fertilizer for potted plants, and
their acidity also helps to keep snails and slugs away. You can sprinkle
the grounds on the soil, mix it in the first 2 inches or brew it
a-little, and pour the concoction into the flower-pot.
|
14. Use huggers to preserve cut fruits and veggies |
Cut vegetables and fruit rot faster due to the exposure to air. Use the huggers to keep them fresh for longer.
|
15. Make ready-for-use herbal butter |
Chop fresh herbs and place them in an
ice tray, then fill with melted butter or oil. This will prevent the
herbs from spoiling and give you individual portions of your choice of
herb-butter! YUM!
|
16. Regrow leftovers |
The bottom of various green leafy
veggies can be regrown. Celery, green onions, lettuce and more can be
regrown from the leftover bottoms, using a small container and keeping
them watered.
|
17. Leftover cheese wrappers can be used for storage |
Cut the first part of the cheese
along with the wrapper, remove the cheese and use the wrapper to seal
the rest of the cheese. No more dry ends on your cheese!
|
18. Get all the mango while keeping your hands clean |
Cut the mango in halves, grab a glass
and use it as a scooper to separate the flesh from the skin. No more
wasting mango or getting your hands sticky!
|
19. Keep your avocado with an onion |
The sulfur in the onion fumes will
prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown. A splash of apple
cider vinegar or lemon juice will work similarly.
|
20. Make leftover pizza crispy again |
There are 2 ways to get that leftover
pizza crispy again: Put it in a skillet and let the oil in the crust
return it into crispy goodness. Alternatively, put it in the microwave
with a glass of water. While it’s not as efficient, it’s faster…
|
vendredi 17 octobre 2014
Save Time & Money with these 20 Tricks
Inscription à :
Publier les commentaires (Atom)
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire