My Favorite Kitchen Hacks To Save Time and Money

It’s no secret that the last thing I want to do after a long day at the office is cook. Honestly, cooking is probably one of my least favorite things to do. I just don’t have the patience for it most days. I’m one of those people that believe the higher the heat, the faster it cooks. Now I know that’s not accurate and it just means you burn the outside of your chicken breast while the inside is still raw – I’ve done it enough times to know it by now. However, I still think that this time I will find the perfect combination of fast cooking and a delicious ending.

Since I don’t like to spend too much time in the kitchen, but I still want to provide healthy meals for my family I’ve discovered a few kitchen hacks to save time and money, plus they make life a little easier. Now some of these are common sense, but others are mind blowing.

Slow Cooker Liners

I’ve talked about these beauties in my IG stories before – they are my secret weapon to a fast clean up. All you do is place a slow cooker liner in your slow cooker before cooking, add your food and that’s it. When it’s time to clean up, just grab the bag and toss it in the trash. No mess in your slow cooker, which means no scrubbing. Beautiful!

Bullet Blender

I use my little blender for just about everything. From grinding, to pureeing, and to mixing. I’ve been known to make batter in this beauty when I make banana oatmeal pancakes and it’s what I used to make all of our little guys baby food during the first year. This handy tool is so much more convenient than hauling out the massive blender and then clean up is a breeze. No more bulky canisters in the dishwasher and sharp, loose blades needing to be cleaned. I just unscrew the lid, throw it all in the dishwasher and walk away.

I have this magic bullet, I bought mine almost five years ago and it’s still runs like new.

Freeze Leftover Sauces and Broth

Whenever you have leftover pasta sauce, tomato sauce or really any leftover liquid then you should be freezing it. Grab a cheap ice cube tray, pour your leftover sauce in it and freeze overnight. Then you can pop those tiny cubes in a freezer baggie, label it with a sharpie with the date and what it is and then voila. Next time you go to cook a dish and need a little sauce, just throw a few of those cubes in. You can even season them differently to speed up your cooking time. I like to leave some plain and then season the rest for spaghetti sauce.

I actually use our old baby food freezer tray to freeze sauces in. It works great!

Clean Out A Drawer For Entertainment

If you have a toddler at home then you’re going to love this kitchen hack. Clean out a drawer of anything sharp and leave all those plastic lids, spoons and straws in it. Then grab a stool or chair and let your little one go crazy. They will be entertained the whole time you’re cooking, which means less whining and less getting in your way to make cooking easier. Just make sure the drawer is far enough away from anything hot or sharp.

Clean Your Microwave Without Scrubbing

Again, I’ve mentioned this trick on IG before but it’s still a favorite. All you have to do is grab a glass bowl or cup, fill it with white vinegar and microwave for 5 minutes. Afterwards just take a damp sponge and wipe out the inside. All that nasty crud will easily wipe away without scrubbing.

Keep Your Bananas Fresher Longer

Did you know you can extend the life of your bananas? All you have to do is grab a piece of foil and wrap around the bunch. It will keep your bananas from turning brown so fast.

Throw A Piece Of Bread With Your Brown Sugar

If you ever go to bake something and pull out your brown sugar to find it as hard as wood then I have a trick for you. Simply throw a piece of bread in your container before closing it. The bread will absorb the moisture inside, keeping your sugar nice and soft. Just make sure to swap out the pieces from time-to-time. If you’re needing sugar now and didn’t throw bread in the container last time then simply microwave for a few seconds with a glass of water next to it. The moisture in the air will help soften the brown sugar back up.

Stop Flipping Half Way Through

Does your recipe call for flipping the fries, rolls or tenders half-way through cooking? Well here’s a kitchen hack to save you from messing with a hot pan and hot food. Throw your empty cookie sheet in the oven while it preheats. Then carefully pull it out and add your food. Since the pan is hot, it will prevent the need from having to flip half-way through.