20+ Food Hacks to Make You a Jedi in the Kitchen

If you can't stand the flavor of instant oatmeal but don't have time to make old-fashioned oats every morning, make a big batch over the weekend, divide the cooked oats in a muffin tin, freeze, then transfer to a resealable freezer bag. So brilliant!

Sticky ingredients like honey and molasses come off of measuring cups and spoons if you spray the tools with nonstick spray first.

Overripe bananas can be saved by freezing 1-inch chunks on parchment paper.

Clean a spice grinder, aka coffee grinder, by blending up some white rice inside. It will trap any leftover spices and aromas.

Forgo forks for chopsticks when eating a salad so none of the pieces awkwardly fall into your lap.

The mincing trick involves no knives — just a Microplane.

Liberally salt your desserts (and add flake salt to the tops) to bring out the flavor.

If you have trouble opening pesky jars, try this spoon trick to pop the top off.

Many recipes may call for day-old bread like stuffing, french toast, and bread pudding — and this simple hack slowly dries out fresh bread without toasting it.

Fill and freeze ice-cube trays of cold-brew coffee so that your iced coffees never ever dilute.

Yes, ironing bread and cheese works. Throw some ham in the mix for a full-fledged panini.

Stop shredding with your hands and use a fork instead!

A spring-loaded ice cream scoop will be your key to evenly portioned cookies and cupcakes.

Don't have a Microplane? Get citrus zest anyway by peeling the skin and chopping it up.

Foil works wonders as a makeshift lid for a pot.

Prep for your next cookie craving by freezing the dough into perfect tablespoon portions.

You're going to need a tall glass to fill a pastry bag with ease.

Thaw meat (without getting food poisoning) by setting it in a mixing bowl and letting room-temperature water run into the bowl.

A cheese grater is by far the best way to get butter to room temperature fast.

Freeze sliced bread to keep artisanal (or homemade) bread fresh forever.

No nutcracker needed for this method to crack open shelled nuts with your hands.

Freezer-burnt ice cream begone, simply by turning the pint upside down.

Don't let your cutting boards slip as you cut by adding a damp dishcloth underneath the board.

There's no bigger bummer than crunchy quinoa. Keep it ultrafluffy by cooking it like pasta, then steaming it.

The trick to better-tasting cake from a box involves adding your own sprinkles and making homemade frosting.

Keep brown sugar soft (or "rehydrate" it from a rock-solid state) by throwing a marshmallow into the bag or air-tight container.