Have you ever noticed that cooks have a lot of tricks up their sleeves that make their work in the kitchen a lot easier and their food a lot more delicious?

We’ve rounded up more life hacks from bloggers that prepare something extremely tasty on a daily basis.

1. How to bake a flat cake

In order to get a flat top on a cake instead of a dome-like shape, wrap the baking form with a strip of wet durable cloth (you can use an old towel). This trick will help bake ideally flat biscuits.

2. An easy trick to prevent fish from sticking to a frying pan

In order to avoid fish sticking to a frying pan during cooking, follow this rule: hot frying pan, cold oil.

3. Caramelized sugar will definitely improve the taste of your baking.

Sugar affects the taste of baked goods greatly. Slightly fried sugar will add a bright note of caramel to confectionery products. For example, an hour of heating up sugar on the stove gives it a slight caramel tinge, while 5 hours creates granulated caramel with a unique aroma. Try to use this recipe and you’ll be surprised at how the usual tastes of your desserts will change.

4. How to squeeze lemon juice without seeds

You can avoid seeds getting into lemon juice if you wrap the citrus fruit with a cheesecloth before squeezing.

5. A trick that will prevent brown sugar from clumping

Brown sugar tends to clump and harden quickly. In order to avoid this situation, place a marshmallow into the container with sugar. It will help keep the sugar soft thanks to the moisture a marshmallow has.

6. A simple idea for transporting a cake

In order to keep the shape and decorations on a cake in good condition while transporting it, put it on a dish, stick wooden skewers (or toothpicks) on the edges and cover it with a plastic wrap. The cake won’t get damaged or dried out. We looked up this idea here.

7. How to melt chocolate chips and maintain a perfectly melted consistency

You can melt chocolate chips in a slow cooker. Place the chocolate into heat-resistant bowls and put them into a slow cooker. Add hot water and don’t close the lid.

8. How to keep a cake fresh

In order to prevent a cut cake from drying, use pieces of bread and toothpicks. Adjust the bread with the help of toothpicks to the cut edges of the cake. The bread will get dry but the cake will keep the moisture and, therefore, stay tasty.

9. What you should do before putting macarons in the oven

When cooking macarons, leave them out for at least 20 minutes (or till they get a crust) on the baking sheet before placing them in the oven. It will help macarons raise better as well as get a better shape.

10. How the amount of sugar affects the consistency and taste of baked goods

There is hardly any baking recipe that has no sugar. Not only does it affect the taste, but also the volume and aroma of cakes and pies. For example, a sugarless pie will be dense, pale, low and almost aromaless. At the same time, pies with a higher content of sugar have a deeper taste, they are more fluffy and tall.

11. A simple idea for combining dessert stuffings

By combining only 2 ingredients: chocolate, and heavy whipping cream, you can create a poured glaze, fillings for cakes, and a base for truffles. The main thing is to know the right proportions and temperatures.

For example, by using equal parts of chocolate and whipping cream, you can make a filling for a cake. And later, when the mass cools down, you can cook truffles.

12. A few tips on how to cook perfect spaghetti

The process of cooking pasta seems so obvious: water+ spaghetti = a tasty dish. However, in order to get the perfect dish, you need to use several tricks:

• The pot in which you are going to cook spaghetti should be large so that it doesn’t stick.
• When you add spaghetti to boiling water, keep stirring it.
• Drain the pasta into a colander. Taking it out with a special spoon will prevent the unnecessary water from staying in the pasta, making it soggy.

Which of these ideas will you start using? Do you have your own secrets that ease your cooking? Please tell us about them in the comments!

Cutting tomatoes in half

Lifehack: Put tomatoes or other vegetables and fruits that are round in shape on a plate, and place another plate on the top upside down. Hold the top plate to keep everything in place, and cut carefully.

Result: It works! Just make sure your knife is very sharp and long.

Cooling a drink

Lifehack: To quickly cool your favorite drink, wrap the glass bottle in a wet paper towel and put it in the freezer.

Result: It’s a myth! A bottle wrapped in a towel cools at exactly the same rate as an unwrapped one.

Peeling a boiled egg with a spoon

Life hack: Hit the wide end of the egg on a hard surface to break the shell and crush the air pocket. Slide the spoon in between the egg and the shell, and carefully remove the shell.

Result: It doesn’t work! Besides, it’s a really time- and effort-consuming process! We recommend you use another life hack: once the eggs are cooked, pour off the boiling water and refill the pot with cold water. Then close the lid. Shake the pot vigorously, holding the lid in place. At the end you can simply rinse the broken shells off the eggs.

Separating the egg yolk from the white

Lifehack: All you need is an ordinary plastic bottle to quickly separate the egg yolk from the white. Crack an egg onto a plate, then take the bottle and gently squeeze the air out of it. Place the neck of the bottle close to the egg yolk, and slowly unsqueeze the bottle. The egg yolk will pop up into the bottle pretty easily. Then squeeze the bottle again, and the yolk will fall out of it.

Result: It works perfectly! This hack requires no special skills. Strongly recommended!

Hulling strawberries

Lifehack: You can use a simple plastic straw for hulling strawberries. Simply push the straw from the bottom of the berry up through the top, and the green leafy part will easily pop off with the white core of the berry.

Result: It totally works! Just one note: use this super simple trick for smaller strawberries, while for the bigger ones use the traditional method of hulling with a knife.

Slicing soft cheese or a cake

Life hack: Use dental floss to cut perfect slices of soft cheese or cake. Cut the required length of floss, hold it tightly at both ends, and cut the product.

Result: It works perfectly! Unlike a knife, floss doesn’t stick to the cheese and helps you get nice thin slices. The situation is a little bit more difficult with cakes. Just practice a little, and you will be able to cut the cake into equal pieces.

Opening jars with duct tape

Lifehack: Use duct tape to easily open tightly closed jars. Stick the tape on the top of the lid. Hold the jar with one hand, and pull the duct tape with the other.

Result: It’s a complete fail! Actually, it’s an excellent way to spill half of the contents of the jar on yourself and the table. We recommend using another life hack instead: wear rubber gloves or put a rubber band around the lid to open the jar easily.

Keeping water from boiling over

Lifehack: Place a wooden spoon on top of your boiling pot, and it will keep the water from boiling over.

Result: It’s not a myth. Water will keep on boiling over, and a spoon will stop it.

Making the crust of your day-old pizza crispy again

Lifehack: Reheating your day-old pizza in the microwave with a glass of water will make the crust really crispy again.

Result: Wrong! The crust won’t be as crispy and tasty as the day before.

Peeling a kiwi, avocado, or a mango

Lifehack: You can easily peel a kiwi, mango, or avocado by using an ordinary glass. Cut the fruit in half, place the fruit against the edge of the glass, and slide it down as shown in the picture.

Result: Actually, it doesn’t work! You have to be a real professional to peel fruit this way, or there will be only fresh fruit puree in the glass. If you really want to quickly peel kiwi or mango, just take a spoon and follow this instruction.

IMHO, poaching is the toughest egg cooking method to master. If you’re nervous about your eggs falling apart in a pot of boiling water, try poaching in the microwave.

Or poach them in plastic baggies to keep the whites together

Line a small cup or ramekin with plastic wrap, coat it with a small bit of oil, crack an egg into the cup, then gather the sides of the plastic wrap and twist it into a pouch. Easier than traditional poaching, this method ensures that your eggs stay together when you add them to boiling water.

Freeze onions before cutting to prevent crying

I’ve attempted a handful of hacks to see which was the most effective in preventing crying, and freezing onions before slicing was a clear winner. Pop your onions in the freezer for as little as 15 minutes before cutting them and you’ll hardly shed a tear.

Freeze herbs in ice cube trays so you always have them on hand.

Another great freezer hack: If you have fresh herbs that are going to go bad, chop them up and freeze them in ice cube trays with olive oil. Just defrost them in the microwave or in a skillet whenever you need herbs for cooking!

Ripen bananas slowly with a banana hanger

Invest in a banana hanger to stop your fruit from getting bruised and going bad too quickly. As long as it’s located somewhere that allows for free movement of air around the bananas, this handy contraption will slow down the ripening process. Keep your bunch away from other fruit too – bananas give off gases that cause produce to spoil faster.

Microwave lemons to get more juice

Get more juice from a lemon by microwaving it on high for around 20 seconds. It’ll be warmer and softer than straight from the fridge, making the citrus fruit easier to squeeze. It’s a must-try hack if you’re making lemonade too.

Freeze individual packs of fruits and veggies for on-the-go smoothies

Instead of constantly buying fresh produce for your morning smoothie, meal prep and make little freezer baggies that contain your favorite combination of fruits and veggies. When you’re ready to make a smoothie, just add the pre-cut frozen produce to your blender with milk or yogurt.

Peel tomatoes like a pro

When rustling up tomato sauce or salsa, discarding tough tomato skins is a must. Here’s how: score an X at the stem of each tomato, drop in boiling water for 15–20 seconds, remove and put straight into iced water until cool enough to handle. Then easily pull away from the skin in strips.

Try the hedgehog mango trick

Mangoes can be a pesky fruit to prep, but there’s a speedy way to do it without fuss or waste. Cut the mango in half (on each side of the stone), slice a grid pattern into each half, then invert the fruit. You’ll be left with mango cubes popped up as pictured – simply slice them off and enjoy.

Hardboil a dozen eggs at one time in the oven

This trick is especially handy if you’re boiling eggs in a big batch or meal prepping. Just place an egg into each pocket of a muffin tin and bake them at 325ºF. Depending on how long you cook them, you can bake eggs that taste soft-boiled, medium-boiled, or hard-boiled.

Make tropical piña coladas with just three ingredients

Do you want to mentally transport yourself to a tropical paradise with a frozen cocktail? Don’t worry about it. These three-ingredient pia Coladas couldn’t be simpler…or more delicious. You only need rum, full-fat coconut milk, and frozen pineapple chunks. Toss everything in a blender with some additional ice and blend until smooth.

Add a splash of olive oil to pasta water to prevent the pasta from sticking together

This trick goes especially for homemade pasta, which can often clump together. Add a drizzle of olive oil to your pasta water before boiling to ensure those noodles don’t stick together.

Freeze sliced avocado on parchment paper

If (for some reason), you find yourself with leftover avocado, you can actually freeze it in halves, slices, or chunks so you never have to waste it again. Just freeze the avocado on parchment paper, then transfer it to a freezer bag.

We’ve gathered together some life hacks for preparing food, cleaning, and organizing your cooking space. Some of them you may have never suspected.

Make peeling boiled eggs easier

Add soda or vinegar to the water you boil the eggs in. These substances get inside the shells and make it easier to peel them off.

Remove seeds from vegetables quickly

To quickly remove seeds from pumpkins or zucchinis, use an ice-cream scoop. Its sharp edge easily scrapes out seeds from veggies. You can also use it to make a thinly sliced salad.

How to remove excess fat from cooked food

If a dish you’ve cooked turns out to be unexpectedly rich, you can easily remove excess fat using a couple of ice cubes and a paper towel. Wrap the ice in the towel and wipe it over the top of the food. The ice will act as a magnet, drawing floating fat towards it to congeal on the tissue.

The smart way to boil pasta

If you don’t want the pot to boil over while you’re not watching it, put a wooden spoon or stirrer over the top. The wood will stop the foam from going over the edge.

Keep cooking herbs

If you freeze herbs in an ice-cube tray, their vitamin content is preserved. Try freezing them in water or olive oil.

Use film wrap like a professional chef

Does your plastic wrap stretch unevenly and rip? Keep it in the fridge, like professional chefs do. Cold food wrap behaves better, sticking and tearing less, leading to less of that familiar feeling of exasperation.

Peel Citrus Fruits Easily

Is peeling oranges, lemons or satsumas too much of a faith? Don’t want to ruin your manicure digging into that hard, thick rind? Stick them in the microwave for 20 seconds and it becomes much easier to separate these fruits from their wrappings.

How to squeeze more juice out of your citrus fruits

To squeeze the last drops out of a lemon, first cool the fruit in the fridge, and then zap it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Making perfect basted eggs

Break the eggs into a pan as if you’re going to fry them, but instead of vegetable oiladd some water and then put the pan on the heater. As a result, you’ll get the perfect eggs with liquid yolk.

How to grate soft cheese with less mess

Bung it in the freezer for half an hour before grating. The cheese hardens and doesn’t stick to the grater. It’s easier to sprinkle it too.

How to cut onions without tears

The freezer will help you here too. Put the onions in for 30 minutes before chopping them. Bear in mind that it’s only worth doing this if you plan to cook the onions; don’t subject them to this treatment if you want to make a salad with them or they’ll lose their crunch.

How to roast a whole chicken

When your roast a chicken (or other bird) whole, lay it on its breast. This is because the breast contains most of the meat; the closest it is to the source of heat, the quicker it will cook through.

Parchment paper for cupcakes

If you don’t have special molds for cupcakes, use parchment paper instead. This method has the added benefit of producing non-standard cupcakes, which look much more interesting.

The right way to store shelled nuts

Freeze shelled nuts to preserve their nutritional properties, taste and aroma. Pack them into sealed containers before placing them into the freezer. It isn’t worth roasting the kernels first, or they’ll be no good for anything. The nuts must be raw and unprocessed. Nuts kept this way won’t acquire the bitter aftertaste of shelled nuts which have been hanging around at room temperature for a while.

The right way to clean a cast iron frying pan

To stop a cast iron frying pan from rusting over time, avoid washing it using regular dishwashing liquid. Use table salt instead. This method will also rid the pan of persistent odors from spices used during cooking.

How to rid your hands of unpleasant odors

To remove stubborn garlic or onion oders from your hands use table salt or lemon. Just rub them into your hands and rinse with water. 

 The right way to clean wooden chopping boards

To remove odors and food residues from wooden chopping boards rub them with coarse grain salt and leave for 10-15 minutes. Then wipe with half a lemon and dry. This procedure is guaranteed to get rid of unpleasant smells.

Restoring wooden spoons to life

Over time wooden spoons and spatulas lose their looks and acquire an unpleasant odor. It would seem that the only thing to do is to chuck them out. However, if you are loath to part with your favorite kitchen helper, there is a way out. Boil the wooden spoons in plain water and leave them to dry in the sun. This will remove unpleasant odors and give them a new lease of life.

The right way to warm up baked items

When warming up pizza or other baked items in the microwave, put a cup of water in alongside it. The moisture will stop the pastry from drying out too much and preserve crunchy crusts.

Shellfish

Besides potentially stinking up your slow cooker, there’s another good reason you should avoid putting shellfish in the appliance. Chef and recipe creator Jessica Randhawa explains that shellfish “cooks really quickly, which is the opposite of what a slow cooker is designed to do. When slow-cooked, the fragile shellfish meat tends to disintegrate.”

Although regular fish is a bit heartier, she also recommends keeping it out of the slow cooker, because it’s still fairly delicate and “tends to break apart when slow-cooked easily.”

Frozen meat

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns against placing any frozen meat in your slow cooker. “Always defrost meat or poultry before putting it in the slow cooker,” the agency says. “If you place frozen meat or poultry in a slow cooker, it can spend too much time thawing, allow bacteria to multiply, and make you sick.” Using defrosted food will also ensure that your meal cooks evenly and all the way through, the USDA notes.

Hot chiles

While popping a handful of hot chiles into your slow cooker may seem like a simple way to add some flavor to your dish, it could backfire on you. Randhawa warns that this added spice should be used with caution, because “the capsicum tends to disperse over the entire pot over the extended slow cooking process.” Since it’s nearly impossible to remove excess heat, she suggests, “If you are unsure about how hot certain chili peppers are, it’s better to go light if the recipe calls for them initially and add more towards the end of the cooking time if you still want more heat when taste testing.”

Dry beans

Beans are a key ingredient in many beloved slow cooker recipes, from chilis to soups. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against tossing beans in your slow cooker without properly preparing them first. In the FDA’s “Bad Bug Book,” the agency explains that beans contain toxins called lectins, and slow cookers don’t get hot enough to destroy them.

Before pouring beans into your slow cooker, you need to break down the toxins. The FDA cites a U.K.-based study that says beans should be soaked in water for at least five hours. Then you should swap the water for fresh water and boil the beans for at least 30 minutes. Once this process is complete, you can safely add the beans to your slow cooker.

Milk

Plenty of recipes call for milk to help make your dish a bit creamier. However, experts say you should avoid using milk in a slow cooker—and if you must, you need to be strategic about the amount and timing of the addition. “Milk and other dairy products should not be slow-cooked because the slow, prolonged cooking could cause them to separate and curdle,” says food science expert Divya Raj.

Chef and recipe developer Devan Cameron suggests that, “If you really must add dairy to the slow cooker, add it at the end of the cooking.” If you add it too soon, it’ll make your dish chunky with curdled milk.

Wine

Cooking with wine is a common practice when preparing food on the stovetop or in the oven. However, if a recipe calls for wine in a slow cooker, you may want to avoid it. “Any recipe calling for wine shouldn’t be slow-cooked,” Raj wants. Unlike a stovetop or oven where alcohol can burn off or reduce, “The alcohol won’t have an outlet when it evaporates. So, your dish will taste funny.”

Water-based vegetables

Vegetables often help fill out a recipe, but some veggies won’t hold up well in a slow cooker. Experts warn against putting water-based vegetables, such as cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, or broccoli, in one of these devices.

Recipe connoisseur Laura Ritterman says that if you must put them in the slow cooker, you should add them later on, so they spend less time stewing. “These vegetables cook quickly, and if heated for the majority of the day, will become mush,” she says.

Not getting all the grounds out of your grinder.

As tedious as it might be to wash your grinder with soap and water on a daily basis, if you are passionate about your morning coffee, it’s key. “Coffee bean oils may turn rancid and give fresh coffee an off taste,” says Carolyn Forte, director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

Cooking on a dirty grill.

“Charred bits and flavors of previously cooked food can transfer to fresh foods,” says Forte. Yuck. To clean grill grates, the Good Housekeeping Institute recommends scrubbing the surface with coil brushes that do not have bristles or crumpled aluminum foil.

Cleaning a skillet in the dishwasher.

Apparently, washing with mild soap is okay, but the dishwasher is not: “What will strip the seasoning off a skillet is washing it in the dishwasher,” says Sharon Franke, the director of the Kitchen Appliances and Technology Lab in our Good Housekeeping Institute. And since seasoning prevents foods from sticking, this could cause your dinner to cook unevenly.

Using a strongly scented dishwasher detergent.

It’s true: Not all detergents are made equally. “I’ve heard complaints that sometimes the dishwasher cleaners are so heavily fragranced that people complain the scent lingers on their dishes,” says Forte. And who wants their plate of pasta to taste like soap?

Not cleaning oven spills promptly.

Unfortunately, juicy spills in your oven shouldn’t be put off until tomorrow. “Un-removed food spills not only bake on more with subsequent cooking, but they can emit odors that may impact the taste or smell of fresh food cooking in there,” says Forte.

Not flushing your coffeemaker after a deep clean.

If you descale your coffeemaker with white vinegar every month, bravo. But if you notice your morning mug doesn’t taste the same the next day, we might know why: “Not thoroughly flushing the coffeemaker after descaling it could give your next cup of coffee a vinegar taste and smell,” says Forte.

Not rinsing plastic containers after use.

By immediately removing the food and juices that are stuck on the sides, you’ll help eliminate smells and stains as early as possible. But, if you forget this step (been there!), lingering odors could impact tomorrow’s leftovers, says Forte.

Using too much dishwasher detergent.

Sometimes more is not better, and this is proof: Use too much of this stuff and you could be left with residue on your plates. Yuck. Though Forte says if you make this mistake, hopefully, you’ll notice before you start to eat: “Chances are you’ll see or smell the residue and wash it off before using the plates.”

Letting utensils nestle in your dishwasher.

When you load forks, spoons and knives all facing the same way, they tend to nestle together, which prevents your appliance from doing a thorough wash job. “Spoons, particularly, can nest in the dishwasher, but when that happens, you rewash them,” says Forte. Or, you could load your dishwasher with every other utensil facing the opposite direction.

Putting your garlic press in the dishwasher.

This tool should really be hand-washed. “Washing it in dishwasher will lead to dried garlic in holes that will prevent it from working properly,” says Franke. Meaning you might not get all the garlic out of your press needed for your recipe the next time you use it.

Not rinsing bleach carefully.

Even though this cleaning agent is a beast at killing bacteria and other things you don’t want to ingest, if not rinsed well, the taste could ruin your food. “This has happened to me with a coffee filter,” warns Franke. So make sure you rinse thoroughly to prevent any off-tastes.

As such, the pores hold on to the cool food in the pan, making both sticks together. Also, the food particles form chemical bonds with the metals’ atoms sometimes. However, this isn’t unchangeable. Here are ways you can stop food from sticking to your stainless steel pans:

Ensure The Cooking Surface Is Clean And Dry

Dirty cooking surfaces have small food particles that cause food poured into the pan to stick. Always ensure the pan’s surface is clean before cooking. Also, don’t put cold food inside the pan. Allow frozen foods to thaw for some time at room temperature before you cook them.

Cold foods stick easily when you cook them in stainless steel pans. Ensure the pan’s surface is dry too. You can also apply some oil to the surface before you start cooking.

Ensure The Pan Is Hot Before You Put It In Your Oil

Wait for the pan to get hot before you add your oil or butter. However, you can put hot oil in a cold pan as well. The oil should be at room temperature before you add your food. Don’t overheat the oil till it starts to smoke. The oil should cover the pan’s bottom from edge to edge to prevent food from sticking. Also, use healthy fats for cooking.

Don’t Crowd The Pan

Putting too much food in the pan lowers its temperature and releases moisture. The temperature becomes incapable of browning your food and bringing out its flavors. Instead of crowding the pan, divide your food into batches and cook them one after another or use another pan on another cooktop.

Don’t Turn The Food Hastily

Moving food around quickly in the pan also causes food to stick. Even if your foods stick initially, they will be released from the pan on their own after some time. Sticking means that your food isn’t done yet, so you should give it more time. You can also reduce the heat.

4 Tips For Taking Care Of Stainless Steel Pans

As much as stainless steel pans are excellent kitchen tools, they need to be adequately maintained. You have to protect them from discoloration and damage. Below are some tips on how to do so:

1. Use Non-Harsh Sponges And Soaps

Using harsh sponges and soaps to clean your stainless steel pans will scratch them permanently and make future cleaning harder. You can easily remove water spots, marks, etc., by boiling the pan in water mixed with baking soda, applying the mixture of elbow grease and baking soda to the effects, etc.

Stay away from products that can damage the polished finish of your stainless steel pan. Also, when cleaning your pan, don’t go against the grain. This helps to preserve the pan’s appearance.

2. Season Your Stainless Steel Pan Regularly

Stainless steel pans don’t need to be seasoned before they work well. However, seasoning them fills the porous pores on the cooking surface, making the surface smoother and non-stick.

However, you should season your stainless steel pan before and after cleaning as soap and water remove the seasoning. Don’t use cooking sprays as it causes buildups in your pan and makes food stick.

3. Salt Only Boiled Water

Another important thing to take note of is to saltwater only when it has boiled. If salted water hasn’t come to a boil, corrosion happens. The salt falls to the pan’s bottom and leaves minor but irreversible marks similar to a nail’s shape before it finally dissolves. To prevent this, you can stir the salted water well.

4. Don’t Cook Cold Foods In The Pan

Ensure your foods are at room temperature before you cook them. Foods with moisture readily stick to the pan’s surface. This is because steel contracts when it is exposed to cooler weather. Don’t cook refrigerated foods immediately. You can remove excess moisture from the cold foods with paper towels. Also, ensure your food is ready before you start cooking.

Not using seasoning

You may be afraid of making steak too salty or overpowering it with spices, but trust us: Caution doesn’t pay when it comes to seasoning. Since you can’t season the steak’s interior, playing it too safe will deprive you of rich flavours and a bold crust.

What to do instead: Season the meat heartily on both sides about 35 to 40 minutes before cooking. Another mistake? Not knowing how to grill each specific cut of meat.

Cooking steak cold

When it comes to steak, it can be hard to be patient, but you never want to pull steak straight from the fridge to throw on the grill. Plan ahead, giving the meat time to reach room temperature. A cold steak will cook unevenly, potentially causing the outside to burn while the inside remains undercooked.

What to do instead: Depending on the cut, allow a half-hour to two hours for the meat to sit on the counter.

Getting the wrong cut

Choosing a steak isn’t as easy as grabbing it from the cooler and heading to the checkout. There are plenty of varieties, and not all of them should be cooked the same way. For instance, T-bones thrive on the grill, but a boneless ribeye does best in a frying pan (thanks to the fat running through it). Treating all steaks the same can deprive you of the best possible flavour.

What to do instead: Learn your cuts and preferred cooking style. If you forget which cut you like, remember that the higher the price point, the more likely it’s meant to be fried. (Any good butcher will be happy to provide answers and advice!)

Choosing a lean cut

There’s a time and place for lean cuts, but steak night isn’t one of them. Lean cuts tend to be tough and dry since fat is what provides most of the flavour.

What to do instead: Pick out a steak with a healthy amount of marbling (the fat which shows up as white flecks and lines). It may be more expensive, but the tenderness and juiciness will be well worth it.

Turning the steak only once

It’s a common misconception that the best way to keep a steak tender and juicy is to flip it once. While you may get photo-worthy grill marks, your steak won’t be any more delicious. In fact, with this method, you may be drying out the steak. There’s another surprising reason you actually don’t want to have a steak with grill marks.

What to do instead: Get into the habit of turning your steak multiple times as it cooks, especially when the heat is high. Extra flips allow the steak to cook more quickly (up to 30% faster than the one-flip method.) This is what will give you a juicier steak. You’ll also find that this method helps the meat cook evenly, without much curling along the edges.

Sticking to the supermarket selection

It makes sense to purchase meat with the rest of your groceries, but if you want to cook a knockout steak, go the extra mile. To cook like a pro, trust a pro to help get you started.

What to do instead: Head to a local butcher. They’ll be able to help you figure out the best cut and introduce you to lesser-known options. A butcher will also be able to answer any cooking questions you have and offer their own suggestions.

Cutting into it too soon

A freshly cooked steak is almost too tempting but resists the urge to dig into it right away. Like lots of other foods, steak needs time to relax, as do the fibres within it. While the meat cooks, its fibres shrink, emitting moisture and making the steak juicy. Cutting into the meat right away will cause that hard-earned moisture to spill out onto the plate, leaving a drier, less flavourful dinner.

What to do instead: Cover the meat in foil and let it rest after cooking – five minutes for thinner cuts and up to 15 minutes for heartier pieces. The fibres will then have time to expand and reabsorb the juices.

Skimping on a meat thermometer

No matter how expert your grilling skills, you probably can’t accurately tell when a steak is ready simply by looking at it. Visual cues can be deceiving: The exterior may look tantalising while the inside is still too raw. If you tend to test how it’s progressing by poking it with a fork, you’re releasing some of those flavours and juices that make the meat delicious.

What to do instead: Wielding a trusty thermometer, aim for internal temperatures of 60–65°C for medium-rare, 65–70°C for medium, and 70°C for medium-well steaks, respectively. (P.S. If these temperatures are lower than you’re used to, it’s because we’re factoring in a process called “carryover cooking.” Once the steak is removed from the grill, its internal temperature will rise several degrees as it rests.)

Using an oil with a low smoke point

Extra virgin olive oil is lauded for its health benefits and for the flavour it adds to sauces and sautés, but when it comes to high-heat situations, leave that bottle in the cupboard. Its smoke point is a relatively low 160 degrees, and it emits unpleasant flavours and toxic chemicals when it passes this point. Because steaks are cooked at temperatures of up to 260 degrees, using dark olive oil risks a smoky kitchen and puts the meat’s flavour at risk, too. Butter’s smoke point is only 160 degrees, so we’d pass on that, too.

What to do instead: Generally, lighter oils have higher smoke points. If you plan to brush oil onto your steak, look for peanut, canola or extra light olive oil.

Not cleaning the grill

There’s nothing quite so tedious as cleaning a grill, but a dirty grill makes for subpar steak. Debris on the grate makes it sticky and causes the meat to adhere and tear. You’ve worked hard – don’t let a little neglect stand in the way of cooking a perfect steak.

What to do instead: Clean the grill each time you use it. When the coals are still hot, use a wire brush to clean the gunk off the grates. Top it with a small amount of oil, and the grill will be good for the next use.

1.Clean up with condiments

Reader S.N. Downs says, “Tomato sauce does a great job of polishing copper cookware. Just rub a small amount on the bottom of discoloured pots or pans, let stand for a few minutes, rub again and rinse.”

2. Stretch pricey maple syrup

Reader Edna Hoffman advises stretching maple syrup by adding 1 cup applesauce to 1 cup syrup. “Heated, it makes a delicious topping for pancakes and waffles.”

3. DIY herbal cooking oils

For rosemary-flavoured oil, place a sprig of fresh rosemary in a glass bottle. Top it up with mild olive oil and leave to infuse for 14 days. Strain the oil through a fine sieve. Tip: Never keep flavoured olive oil in the fridge, as it will thicken and turn opaque in the cold. Remember to remove the herbs from the oil once infused or the herb can turn mouldy and taint the oil. Use within one month.

4. Give brownies a flavour boost

Take your brownies from simple to scrumptious. Reader Marcy Wright says, “Substitute brown sugar for granulated sugar for a rich caramel flavour in brownies.”

5. Stop drips in their tracks

Add milk to your coffee without making a mess. Reader Bertha Mueller says, “Rub a small amount of butter on the lip of your creamer, and you’ll have no more drips on the tablecloth.”

6. Give the fabric a second chance

Don’t throw away your worn tablecloths. Instead, reader Helen Lamance says you can make a variety of dish towels and napkins from them.

In addition to wasting worn tablecloths that could easily be repurposed, there are at least 12 other kitchen mistakes it’s time to stop making.

7. Make a money-saving swap

Save money without sacrificing flavour. Reader Mary Jane Swanner says, “For an economical substitute to chopped nuts in cookie recipes, use quick-cooking oats browned in a bit of butter.”

8. Keep apples looking fresh

To prevent browning when working with peeled apples, Bernetta Rokusek recommends slicing them into the water with 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice added.

9. Ripen tomatoes in a rush

Tired of waiting for your green tomatoes to turn red? Reader Anne Schofield says, “Place unripened tomatoes with other fruit, especially bananas, to speed up ripening.”

10. Bake perfectly portioned muffins

Reader Teresa Graham has a smart breakfast tip. She says, “Use a baster to fill muffin cups all the same size – and to make no-drip hotcakes.”

11. Repurpose your decorating tools

A cake frosting bag and decorating tip are not just for birthday cakes. Reader Dawn Lofthus says, “They also work great for filling deviled eggs. It’s decorative and fast.”

12. Just add cocoa

More chocolate is always a good idea. Reader Lois Hill says, “When making chocolate cake, use cocoa instead of flour to coat your cake pan. This will keep the cake from having that white-flour dust on it when you remove it from the pan.”

13. Boil potatoes before baking

To bake potatoes quickly, reader Maxine Martin says, “Boil them in salted water for 10 minutes, and then put them into the oven. The boiling water will heat the potatoes more rapidly than if they were placed into the cold oven.”

14. Toast and shout

Need bread crumbs fast? Reader Dawn Leedy says, “Put two slices of bread in the toaster, transfer them to a sandwich bag, and then crush them with a soup can or rolling pin.”

15. Use a make-shift cookie cutter

If your cookie cutters aren’t handy, don’t hang up your apron. Reader Dorothy Blessing says, “A small can of beans or a water glass makes perfectly round cookies.” While making cookies is fun, it always results in a huge mess.

Ethylene-producing foods

Ethylene may sound scary, but don’t worry, it’s completely natural. It’s a gas that helps to ripen fruit or vegetables into that perfect, juicy produce that we all know and love. Here are some of the more common ethylene producers.

1. Apples

Apples are probably one of the most common ethylene producers, so keep them far away from your other produce! However, what’s interesting about apples is how ethylene affects it based on how long the apple was harvested. If the apple was picked before reaching a peak in harvest, the ethylene may cause the apple to scald, which makes the skin turn brown. Apples last three weeks in the pantry, 4 to 6 weeks in the refrigerator, or 8 months in the freezer. So if you buy some apples, it may be best to store them in a bowl in the center of your table, all by themselves. It’s safer that way!

2. Avocados

Avocados don’t ripen on the tree, which is why picking the perfect avocado is quite a difficult ordeal. Ethylene production happens after the avocado is plucked from the tree, and will increase as the avocado continues to ripen. An avocado is ripe when it feels tender and the skin color has darkened. They usually only last 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

3. Bananas

The ethylene in the banana is released from the stem, so you can keep bananas fresh by wrapping the stems with plastic wrap. Because ethylene production happens quickly, it’s important for bananas to have little exposure to carbon dioxide in order to delay ethylene from releasing. In order to keep bananas from ripening during transport, special boxes or ripening rooms are used. Once bananas hit your preference in ripeness, they will last 3 days in the refrigerator. Bananas also last 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

4. Honey Dew

Surprisingly, some melons (like honeydew) actually produce ethylene, unlike other melons (like cantaloupe) who are sensitive to it. Honeydew will ripen slower pre-cut, but ethylene production increases once it is cut. It seems shocking that these two fruits are usually served together, right?

Melons can be ripe in the pantry for seven days. You’ll know if it’s ripe if the fruit is tender. Melons will last 2 weeks in the refrigerator, but if you open up the melon, it will only last 2 to 4 days. It can stay frozen for 1 month.

5. Mangos

While ethylene production for mango is smaller compared to other fruits, it will still ripen from the gas. Mangos can stay in the pantry for 3 to 5 days, or up to 1 week in the refrigerator. You can store them in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.

6. Pears

Similar to mangos, pears will ripen faster when exposed to warmer temperatures, but at a much faster pace. If you want the ripening of a pear to extend for a longer period of time, putting the pear in a colder environment will reduce ethylene production. Pears can last 1 to 2 days once they are ripe in the pantry. They’ll last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or 2 months in the freezer.

7. Peaches and Plums

The ethylene production for these two fruits is very similar. When a peach or a plum is unripe, the ethylene production is very small. However, as the fruits continue to get ripe, ethylene production spikes. Peaches and plums have the same shelf life as a pear: 1 to 2 days once ripe in the pantry, 3 to 5 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer. So if you’re looking to ripen a peach for one of these peach recipes, leaving it out for a day or two may be the fastest way to get it ripe. Just don’t store it near anything else!

8. Potatoes

Compared to other ethylene producers, potatoes (both regular and sweet) release a very small amount of ethylene. The ethylene rate will increase if the potatoes are chilled, wounded, or start to decay. Potatoes have a pretty long shelf life. They can last in the pantry for 1 to 2 months, which is actually longer than their 1-to-2-week shelf life in the refrigerator. It’s actually recommended to store potatoes in a pantry at room temperature. You can freeze potatoes for 10 to 12 months, but only if they are already cooked.

9. Strawberries

Unlike other ethylene producers, which tend to ripen once off the tree, strawberries are typically picked when they are fully ripened. Storing them outside of the refrigerator wouldn’t be best practice for proper strawberry storage. Instead, remove the strawberries from ethylene producers and place them in the refrigerator where ethylene production is stifled. Nevertheless, it may still be wise to keep them away from ethylene-sensitive items. Strawberries will last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 8 to 12 months in the freezer.

10. Tomatoes

Because ethylene production for tomatoes happens at a moderate rate, tomatoes can be stored in the pantry up to 7 days once they are ripe. However, because exposure to ethylene can affect numerous vegetables negatively, it’s highly recommended to store tomatoes like other ethylene-producing “fruits”—in a basket by themselves. Surprisingly enough, the USDA doesn’t recommend storing them in the refrigerator because it may affect the flavor, so don’t even bother putting them in the refrigerator door with those other vegetables. If you want them to last, tomatoes can be in the freezer for 2 months.

Ethylene-sensitive foods

While some ethylene-sensitive crops can also produce a very small amount of ethylene during ripening, it isn’t significant enough to make a difference for that plant. That’s why it’s important to keep ethylene-sensitive foods away from ethylene producers; it will ripen them quicker. Here’s what to keep away from the fruit bowl.

1. Asparagus

Ethylene accelerates the lignification of asparagus, also known as “toughening” of the asparagus spears, and will even cause the vegetable to yellow. Asparagus should always be stored in the refrigerator and will last 3 to 4 days. They’ll last a much longer time in the freezer (up to 5 months).

2. Broccoli

When exposing broccoli to ethylene producers, the shelf life is reduced by 50 percent. The broccoli florets will start to yellow. When stored separately, broccoli only lasts 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, so if near an ethylene producer, that’s a very short shelf life for this vegetable! However, broccoli lasts up to 10 to 12 months in the freezer, so freezing may be your best bet for keeping this vegetable fresh.

3. Brussels Sprouts

While Brussels sprouts can produce a small percentage of ethylene compared to other green or leafy vegetables, it is more sensitive to ethylene than anything. When exposed, Brussels sprouts will start to yellow and some of the leaves will detach. Stored separately, Brussels sprouts have a similar shelf life to broccoli: 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, and 10 to 12 months in the freezer.

4. Carrots

When exposed to ethylene, carrots will start to develop a bitter flavor. While carrots will last up to 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator, when exposed to ethylene, the bitter flavor will set in after two weeks. If you would rather freeze, carrots last 10 to 12 months in the freezer.

5. Cauliflower

Similar to broccoli, cauliflower is highly sensitive to ethylene. The vegetable will start to yellow and the leaves will detach themselves from the stalks, so it’s highly recommended to store away from ethylene producers like apples, melons, and tomatoes. Cauliflower and broccoli have a similar shelf life with just 3 to 5 days in the fridge, and 10 to 12 months in the freezer.

6. Cucumbers

Most gourd vegetables tend to be sensitive to ethylene, including cucumbers. Cucumbers will experience an accelerated yellowing and decay when exposed to ethylene, especially around bananas, melons, or tomatoes. Cucumbers will last 4 to 6 days in the refrigerator, but the USDA does not recommend freezing cucumber. So you better eat up that cucumber quickly!

7. Herbs

Some fresh herbs are more sensitive to ethylene compared to others. Marjoram, mint, parsley, and oregano are very sensitive to ethylene. Others such as sage, thyme, basil, and rosemary aren’t affected as much. When exposed, herbs will start to yellow, experience epinasty (when the stem curves), and leaves will start to fall the stem. In the fridge, herbs will last 7 to 10 days. They can last 1 to 2 months in the freezer.

8. Lettuce and leafy greens

Although some types of leafy greens can last longer than others, most are highly ethylene-sensitive. Romaine and spinach will discolor in certain spots, and even experience some spotting. So if you plan on making a salad with leafy greens that mix with an ethylene producer (like apples or tomatoes), it may be wise to make the salad fresh and consume day-of for the best quality. In terms of proper storage, lettuce will range based on type. Spinach can last 3 to 7 days in the fridge; Iceberg and Romaine can last up to 1 to 2 weeks; Any bagged lettuce—such as leafy greens, spinach, or mixes—will last 3 to 5 days after opening.

9. Onion

Onions have a long shelf life similar to potatoes, which is why people tend to store these together. However, because potatoes do produce a small amount of ethylene, onions will start to sprout and even grow decay-causing fungi. When stored separately, onions last 1 month in the pantry, 2 months in the refrigerator, and 10 to 12 months in the freezer. Because these have a longer shelf life in the refrigerator compared to the potato, it may be best to store your onions there—far away from your taters!

10. Pumpkins & squash

Pumpkins may look tough on the outside, but they’re very ethylene-sensitive on the inside! Pumpkins, as well as all types of squash (summer and winter), will ripen quickly when around an ethylene-producing crop. Pumpkins last 2 to 3 months in the pantry, or 3 to 5 months in the refrigerator. Summer squash lasts 1 to 5 days in the pantry, 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator, or 10 to 12 months in the freezer. Winter squash will last longer at 2 to 6 weeks in the pantry, 1 to 3 months in the fridge, and 10 to 12 months in the freezer.