Whether you’re a professional chef or an everyday person who enjoys spending time in the kitchen, you’ll love these incredible food tricks. While some of them will save you time others will help cut back on spending. Yes, some of these are a little out there but who knows, they might be the very hacks you’ve been looking for.
Without further ado, here are 75 food tricks that everyone who enjoys cooking should know about.
1. A perfect egg sandwich
If you and your family love egg sandwiches, you’re going to flip over this. It’s an awesome hack. And it requires little effort and time.
2. Multitasking
Although this hack involves outdoor barbecuing, it’s brilliant. Instead of running back and forth to keep an eye on the temperature of the grill, a husband did this. Yes, he used a baby monitor.
3. Tornado omelet
Whether you have company visiting or perhaps own a bed and breakfast, this is a great way to impress guests. It’s called a Tornado Omelet. And making it is a breeze.
4. Slicing made easy
If you’ve ever tried to cut open a pomegranate, you know that it’s kind of a pain. But with this hack, you’ll have no problem. This video shows you exactly how to do it.
5. Thick and chunky
Everyone has their favorite brand of salsa. But even then, it’s sometimes a little too watery. This trick solves the issue. And you can use the juice when cooking chicken, beef, or even vegetables.
6. Zero waste
What a fantastic idea. No matter how careful you are when eating a taco, quite a bit of the filling ends up on the plate. Instead of using a fork, eat your hard-shelled taco over a flour tortilla and you end up with a second taco.
7. A little at a time
For individuals or small families, most people end up using one or more pounds of bacon when they don’t need that much. You could do what this person does. Freeze the individual pieces, bag them, and pull out what you need at any given time.
8. Easy French toast
Who doesn’t love French toast? When you’re in a hurry and that’s what everyone wants for breakfast, cook it in a waffle maker. Not only does it taste the same but it’s also pretty.
9. Removing tendons
Even people who love chicken, regardless of how it’s cooked, don’t necessarily like the tendon. But trying to pull it out takes a lot of effort. Well, not anymore.
10. Camping s’mores
The highlight of any camping trip is when everyone sits around the fire. Often, that includes roasting marshmallows. But with this hack, you can make s’mores that everyone will love.
11. Wrap it up
Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before? To keep tomatoes, pickles, onions, and other fillings from falling out of your burger, do this. Wrap them up inside a piece of lettuce.
12. Every last drop
When making packaged macaroni and cheese, you always have to fight to get all the cheese out of the packet. And then, it’s a messy process. But this individual shows how to get every last drop without making a mess.
13. Cutting watermelon like a pro
You’ve probably seen all kinds of videos that supposedly make cutting a watermelon easy. Unfortunately, few of them work. But this one does.
14. Name changes
This is beyond interesting. A lot of people who cook Mexican food probably don’t know this. But the names of chilis change once they’re dry.
15. Stop the rolling
If you like to stack beer or soda in your refrigerator on its side, you understand that rolling is a big problem. But this person has a great solution. Simply use a large clip.
16. The pan’s too small
If you have two pizzas but they won’t both fit on the baking sheet, you can only cook one at a time. Well, that’s not true. Just cut them differently.
17. No more gooey messes
Rather than buy bagel bites at the store, you can make them at home. They’re cheaper and you can customize them however you want. But to prevent the cheese from spilling out onto the baking sheet, first place a pepperoni over the hole.
18. Fast peeling
Many people have only recently learned about this. Typically, when peeling vegetables, you move the peeler in only one direction. But here’s a quicker method. Peelers work both forward and backward.
19. Homemade ravioli
Few things are better than homemade ravioli and a glass of wine. But instead of buying an expensive gadget to make your ravioli come out perfect, try this. Just use the bottom of a wine bottle.
20. Fresh garlic any time
Nothing’s better than cooking with fresh garlic. But unfortunately, it doesn’t last that long in the kitchen cabinet. This person came up with a great trick that involves freezing garlic. When they need some to make a dish, they simply pull out the number of one-teaspoon cubes required.
21. Eliminate the grease
If you’re like most people, you probably make your fair share of soups and stews. But there’s always that one issue…grease floating on the surface. With this trick, you can remove it in seconds.
22. Salmon grilling hack
Salmon tastes so great when cooked on the grill. But as a delicate fish, it quickly falls apart or burns. To avoid this, place a piece of salmon on a layer of lemons and then grill. This will also enhance the flavor.
23. Crispy on both sides
There’s nothing like a burrito or wrap cooked on the stove with crispy sides. But that means flipping them, which increases the risk of the filling spilling out. Here’s a way to get the crispiness you want without flipping.
24. Ramen popcorn
Sometimes, the seasoning that comes with ramen soup is too powerful. So, people only use a portion of it. Instead of throwing out the leftover seasoning, use it to give a bowl of popcorn a unique boost of flavor.
25. Where there’s a will there’s a way
Have you ever put all the ingredients of a cake together only to realize you don’t have a pan small enough to bake it in? Here’s a way to overcome that problem. Tinfoil is far too underrated.
26. Pizza in a skillet
The issue with warming a slice of pizza in the microwave is that it comes out soggy. And in the oven, it takes way too long. This person found a solution that’s not only fast but also produces a crispy piece of pizza.
27. Microwave chips
If you love homemade potato chips but not all the grease from deep frying, use your microwave. For this, cut a potato into super thin slices. Place these flat on a plate, sprinkle with sea salt, and then microwave them for two to three minutes.
28. Upcycled ketchup bottles
Instead of throwing out an empty bottle of squeezable ketchup, keep it. After cleaning the inside, it’s perfect for pancake batter. You can make perfectly round hotcakes of any size.
29. Impressive breakfast sandwich
Now, you can make a breakfast sandwich at home that looks even better than the ones sold at restaurants. While browning your bread, crack an egg inside of a mason jar lid. You’ll end up with an egg that fits the muffin or bagel perfectly.
30. No twine…no problem
After spending time in the kitchen preparing a gorgeous turkey for dinner, you realize you’re out of twine. What are you going to do to prevent the stuffing from spilling out? Use a piece of raw bacon instead.
31. Cool way to open a hardboiled egg
Are you tired of trying to get the shell off of hardboiled eggs? If so, you’re not alone. While a little unconventional and something you should do only on eggs that you plan to eat, this method works amazingly well.
32. No more coffee grounds
It’s nice to grind your own coffee beans. But that means tiny pieces getting stuck in your grinder. Well, all you have to do is run dry rice through a cycle and the leftover grounds disappear.
33. Innovative spice storage
Whether used at home or on camping trips, this is an awesome idea. Save your Tic Tac dispensers. Then, fill them with whatever spices you want.
34. A new way to make tamales
We bet you never thought of this before. But it seems that someone did. They make tamales in a waffle maker. This is an incredible concept with outstanding results.
35. Get rid of the hair…
…on corn cobs, that is. This lady shows the easiest way to get rid of the stringy hair off corn on the cob. Wow…this is so amazing.
36. Sprinkling has never been easier
When sprinkling powdered sugar on a cake or flour on a cutting board, it’s almost impossible to get it even. Not anymore. The next time you do this, use a tea steeper.
37. Make fancy salads
If you’re looking for a way to make your salads a little fancier while heightening the flavor, consider this. Edible flowers are delicious and nutritious. You can find them at a variety of stores.
38. Cracking open a watermelon
At first, this seems impossible. But after watching the video, you’ll see just how easy it is. Just think of all the time you’ve wasted getting to the inside of a watermelon.
39. Toasted buns
A lot of people like their hamburger buns soft on the outside and toasted on the inside. Using an oven certainly won’t work. Neither will a toaster. Unless you do it like this.
40. The crispiest potatoes ever
If you like your fried potatoes extra crispy, you’ll appreciate this food trick. Start by boiling cubed potatoes in water with a little bit of baking soda. When almost soft, drain them, and then put them in a skillet with a small amount of oil for frying.
41. Dessert cups
Have you ever wondered how pastry chefs make those delicate dessert cups? We’re not sure if this is the method that they use but at home, it’s ideal. Now, you can serve guests with food that has a special flair.
42. Another pizza hack
Here’s yet another tip for heating leftover pizza but without worrying about sogginess from microwaving or heating an entire oven for a single slice. Just turn the burner on the stove and place a sheet of tinfoil on top. Set the pizza on the tinfoil until crispy on the bottom and hot on the top.
43. Chef’s secrets
Instead of going to a restaurant for a fancy dessert, watch this video. It’s a compilation of several tips for turning something ordinary into something extraordinary. And it’s all so easy.
44. Vegetarian burgers
Whether a vegetarian or not, non-beef burgers have become incredibly popular. But when making them out of beans, it’s hard to get the burger shape to hold. Again, a mason jar lid to the rescue.
45. Wine with a twist
You can enhance both the appearance and taste of a glass of white wine with one simple hack. First, freeze several seedless, green grapes. Then just before serving the wine, drop five or six into the glass.
46. Healthier and tastier chicken
The great thing about this is you can bake or grill the chicken and get the same amazing results. For this, you want to skip the regular breadcrumb coating. Instead, coat chicken breasts with crushed dried edamame.
47. A natural tenderizer
The next time you marinate pork, chicken, or beef for sandwiches, try this. Add pineapple juice to your marinade mix. Not only does it bring out the sweetness of the meat but it tenderizes it naturally.
48. Taco shells made at home
The problem with making taco shells is they’re left dripping with oil from the deep fryer. As this image shows, you can prevent that from happening. This is super quick and a much healthier way to enjoy your favorite Mexican dish.
49. Waste not want not
Most often, people throw the stems of broccoli away after removing the head. But don’t do that. Instead, use a spiralizer to make zoodles. These are an excellent replacement for traditional spaghetti noodles.
50. A better way to cook eggs
Especially if you eat a lot of eggs, it’s hard to find new recipes. Well, here’s one. Inside of egg whites, you simply add the ingredients of your choosing. Things like cheese, jalapeno peppers, onions, and even pepperoni make this a delicious meal.
51. Cutting a cake
Great…you take a cake to your child’s birthday party but you forgot the knife to cut it. Here’s an easy solution. Just use any glass to scoop out perfectly-sized pieces.
52. Alternative hotdog bun
Most people don’t keep hotdog buns in the house. But what happens when you want a hotdog but don’t have the buns to go with it? Use a baked potato instead. We bet this is delicious.
53. Know the difference
Depending on the ingredients used, chocolate cookies come out differently. Everyone has their favorite type. But with this information, you can experiment to see if your family has a new preference.
54. Improvise
As someone who enjoys time in the kitchen, you know that improvising is a big part of cooking. This individual had a splashguard that was too small for the skillet. So, they did this.
55. Same delicious flavor minus the sugar overload
Do you enjoy sweetened cereal but find your favorite brand is a little too much on the sweet side? You can mix both the plain and sweet versions. You get the same yummy flavor but without all the sugar.
56. That’s one way to do it
This is for people who have a serious obsession with Chinese dumplings. If they can’t wait to put them together, there’s always this. Yes, it’s bizarre but for this guy, it works. If nothing else, it’ll give you a good chuckle.
57. Crispy bacon every time
Not very many people like floppy bacon. Most want it as crisp as possible but without it being burned. Here’s a cool hack. Place bacon on an elevated rack and bake it. The bacon stays out of the grease while the circulating air boosts the level of crispiness.
58. Two in one
Chicken Kiev is so yummy but baking it leaves behind a small amount of garlic butter on the bottom of the pan. Instead of wasting it, cook the chicken on top of a slice of bread. When done, you’ll have both Chicken Kiev and garlic bread.
59. Melting cheese
If you’ve ever tried to melt a jar of cheese in the microwave, you know what happens. It turns into a big clump of goo. So, try using a candle warmer instead.
60. Basting trick
If you need to baste something with butter but you don’t have a brush on hand, you can use the top of a celery stalk. If you don’t have that, a paper towel will work. Remember, cooking entails improvising at times.
61. Replace the toothpicks
Here’s another way to improvise in the kitchen. If you have a party platter ready to serve to guests but no toothpicks, don’t panic. You can use pieces of fettuccine noodles instead.
62. Super cold iced coffee
Iced coffee is all the rage. If you like this but prefer it to be extra cold, here’s a great hack. Fill your ice cube tray with coffee and then add a few to your prepared drink. You can do this with flavored creamer as well.
63. Secure the ladle
Often, people serve punch from a large bowl at parties. But the darn ladle likes to fall into the liquid. With this tip, that won’t ever happen again.
64. Delicious cinnamon chips
If you or someone in your family doesn’t like the crust on bread, don’t throw it away. You can use it to make delicious cinnamon chips. Just pour melted butter over the strips of crust, followed by sprinkling on a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Then, bake them until crunchy.
65. Grated cheese
A great way to save money is to purchase block cheese and then grate it at home. And you don’t even need a cheese grater. Instead, you can get perfect slices using a vegetable peeler
66. Grow vegetables in your kitchen
You can have fresh vegetables on hand by growing them at home. For things like celery, lettuce, potatoes, and more, this is super satisfying. With a quick Google search, you’ll find all kinds of ideas.
67. Keep cake fresh
Once you cut a cake, the areas exposed to the air dry out quickly. To prevent that from happening, here’s an amazing food trick. Simply place slices of bread over those areas.
68. Golden brown grilled cheese sandwiches
For a grilled cheese sandwich that’s golden brown, you’re going to love this. Instead of using butter on the outside of the bread, coat it with a thin layer of mayo. This also takes the flavor up a notch.
69. Slicing cherry tomatoes
Why cut cherry tomatoes in half one-by-one. That wastes a tremendous amount of time. Instead, use this food trick.
70. Rice patties
Making fried rice isn’t the only thing you can do with leftover rice. While that’s one option, there’s another. Make patties by mixing the rice with a couple of eggs, diced veggies, chopped up meat, and a small amount of flour. Then, fry them in a little bit of hot oil.
71. Bay leaf saver
Bay leaves are great for boosting the flavor of soups and stews. But you can’t use the small pieces because they’re too hard to remove once the dish is ready to eat. Instead of tossing out all the broken pieces in the bag, put them inside a tea infuser so that nothing goes to waste.
72. Fruit and veggie hacks
Here’s another great video that includes several hacks. You’ll learn the easiest and fastest ways to peel some of your favorites. Finally, you can save precious time.
73. It works in a pinch
If you loaned your rolling pin out or forgot to buy one the last time you were at the store, you probably feel stuck when making a pie. Not at all. Just grab a bottle of liquor or wine. It works just as well.
74. Flavorful Brussels sprouts
The next time you make Brussels sprouts, give this a try. Place pieces of raw bacon on top of the veggies. Then bake as usual. The grease will give them a nice crunchy exterior and a mouth-watering flavor.
75. Cook two dishes using the same pan
With this food trick, you can make two completely different dishes using only one pan. This saves a lot of time cooking. It also leaves fewer dishes to wash.