Hi, I’m Anne, the default cook in my house. If you’re tired, hungry, and trying to feed people without using your last brain cell, these kitchen shortcuts are for you.
These are 10 simple habits I use all the time. Here’s a quick taste of what you’ll find below:
- DIY all-purpose seasoning so you grab one jar instead of five
- Sharpie and tape system so you actually label and date things
- Fridge-safe defrost method that does not need constant water changes
- Sheet pan foil dividers so kids and adults can share a pan, not flavors
- Pre-browned ground beef in the freezer for fast taco and spaghetti nights
These lazy but smart habits save time, cut down on dishes, and make dinner feel more doable on the nights you’re already running on empty.
1. All-Purpose Seasoning Jar
If you season food the same way pretty consistently, mix a house blend.
Use an almost-empty spice jar and add what you like. My personal blend is:
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- Onion powder
- Paprika
Shake it, label it, and keep it by the spice rack. Next time you cook, grab one jar, not five.
2. Store Cream Cheese In A Jar
Stop dealing with dry, crusty cream cheese in foil.
- Open the brick
- Scoop what you need
- Put the rest in a small jar or container with a lid
- Store it in the fridge
It stays smooth much longer. If you like, write the open date on the lid with our next tip.
3. Keep Sharpies And Tape In The Kitchen
You’ll label food more if the marker is right there.
- Keep a Sharpie with your zip-top bags and wrap
- Keep another near the fridge (if the zip-top bags aren't near there already)
- Stash painter’s tape or masking tape in the same drawer if you can
Write on the tape and stick it to containers, bags, and jars. It comes off clean and saves you from mystery leftovers later.
4. Easy & Fast Meat Defrosting
Skip babysitting a bowl in the sink. Instead, take that bag of meat (it does still need to be in waterproof packaging) and grab a bowl.
- Put the meat in a bowl instead of the sink
- Cover with cold water
- Place the bowl in the fridge
The water stays cold, the meat thaws faster than in plain air, and you don’t need to keep changing the water.
5. Peel Potatoes Into A Bag
Peel directly over something you can throw away or shake out later, like:
- A plastic grocery bag
- A paper towel
- A kitchen towel you can shake out
When you’re done, dump the peels in the trash or compost. Your sink stays clear, even after a big batch.
Never put potato peels down your sink or disposal, because they can clog it fast.
6. Use Your Hand As A Measuring Tool
You won’t grab a ruler in the middle of dinner. Use your hand instead.
Measure your hand with a real ruler. For example:
- Pinky to thumb in a “hang loose” pose might be about 8 inches
Then you can:
- Judge if a dough circle is close to 12 inches
- See if a baking dish is more like 8x8 or 9x9
Once you know a few hand measurements, you can eyeball sizes fast and with reasonable accuracy.
7. Break Frozen Veggies Without Chopping
When you have extra peppers or onions, freeze them into the largest shape you tend to use. Then, if they need to be diced smaller when you go to use them, you can snap them frozen into smaller pieces.
To break them up, simply bang the bag of frozen vegetables on the counter a few times. The frozen strips snap into smaller chunks inside the bag. Use them in soups, casseroles, and skillets without extra knife work.
8. Foil Dividers On Sheet Pans
Cook different flavors on one pan without mixing everything together.
- Line the sheet pan with foil
- Pinch up a “wall” of foil to divide sections
- Press it so it stands up and holds sauce
Use one side for plain chicken, the other for saucy chicken. Or lemon-pepper salmon in one section and sweet chili in another. One pan, fewer dishes, everyone happy.
9. Use Your Slow Cooker As A Warmer
Your slow cooker is great as a hot-hold station.
For holidays, parties, or nights when people eat in shifts:
- Transfer cooked food into the slow cooker
- Set it to “warm”
The food stays hot and safe without overcooking, and people can serve themselves as they are ready.
10. Pre-Cook Ground Beef For Fast Dinners
Brown a big pack of ground beef once, then freeze it in portions.
- Cook a large batch in a big pan
- Tilt the pan and soak up the grease with folded paper towels
- Let the meat cool
- Divide into meal-size portions in bags or containers
- Label and freeze
On a busy night, grab a portion, reheat it, and use it in:
- Tacos
- Spaghetti sauce
- Casseroles
- Sloppy joes
That one prep session makes weeknight cooking much easier.
What's your favorite cooking tip?
Which of these are you going to try- or are already doing?
Feeding people every day is real work, even when it’s simple. You don’t have to use every shortcut at once. Pick one or two that feel easy this week, and know that you're doing a great job.
Leave a Reply