7 Kitchen, Recipes & Cooking Hacks You’ll Wish You Learned Ages Ago!
- stylovelife
- Feb 15
- 5 min read
Updated: May 8
Hey Mom, ever feel like you spend half your day in the kitchen? Between cooking, cleaning, and constant snack requests, it’s a major time drain.
Let’s be real—who has time to cook every single day from scratch? Between prepping, cooking, washing dishes, and putting dishes in place, kitchen tasks can feel like a never-ending cycle. And the worst part? Doing the same repetitive tasks over and over again!
Trust me, I get you!
What if you could cut down your kitchen time without sacrificing fresh, homemade healthy meals that all family members could enjoy?!
Over the years, I’ve picked up some simple but powerful kitchen, recipes & cooking hacks that have freed up my time—so I can spend more of it doing what I love, with the people I love! These tricks make meal prep faster, cooking easier, and cleanup way less of a hassle.
Ready to take back your time? Let’s dive into the top kitchen, recipes & cooking hacks!
Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links to Amazon. If you make a purchase through these links I may earn a small commission—at no additional cost to you.
1. MEATS
Before freezing fresh meats, marinate them in portioned meal sizes. This way, when you thaw it, it’s already seasoned and ready to cook—no extra waiting required!
2. WHOLE CHICKEN
Boil a whole chicken, debone it, and freeze it in portioned bags.
Freeze the broth for future use in soups, stews, or rice dishes.
This saves time and ensures you always have flavorful, ready-to-use chicken.
3. GARLIC and ONIONS
Portion pre-minced garlic into an ice cube tray, freeze, then store garlic cubes in a ziplock bag.
Portion pre-minced onions into ziplock bags.
Now you can grab a garlic cube or an onion bag anytime you need them without the chopping hassle.
4. Pre-Cook in Big BATCHES & Freeze!
Freezing full meals is great, but you know what’s even better? Pre-cooking ingredients so you can whip up fresh meals in no time!
Let’s be real—do you actually love eating frozen leftovers? Maybe sometimes, but nothing beats a freshly cooked meal!
By cooking and freezing key ingredients, meal prep gets way easier, and you save tons of time during the week.
Think about it—how much time do we spend cooking and washing pots, blenders, and utensils every time we make a meal? Now imagine using the same pots and kitchen tools just once and getting multiple meals out of it. That’s a serious time-saver!
Try this: Make a big batch of meat sauce, portion it into freezer bags, and store for quick meals like spaghetti, tacos, or shepherd’s pie. Just thaw, cook, and enjoy!
How I Prepared 2 Meals and Pre-Prepped for 8 in Less Than 2 Hours!
Using the above hacks, I was able to prepare two meals and pre-prep for eight future meals in under two hours, including cooking and pot washing time. Here’s how:
Used a Ninja blender to quickly chop cabbage and carrots for the coleslaw salad, along with onions for the rest of the meals.
Saved extra carrots and boiled them for my baby’s meals.
Precooked 9 portions of ground beef—a total of 4.5kg beef—with pre-minced onions, then portioned and froze 8. Now, I have ready-to-use beef for meals like shepherd's pie, spaghetti, tacos, and more.
Used one portion of the minced beef mix for today’s spaghetti dinner!
Prepared coleslaw salad using a mayo-based recipe.
The End Product: Spaghetti, coleslaw salad, boiled carrots for baby, and 8 pre-cooked minced beef!
5. Pre-Cut CHEESE slices
I used to hate slicing cheese every time I made my kids’ sandwiches. Then one day, I thought—why not cut the whole cheese block at once?
And guess what? I’ve never looked back!
Now, whenever we get a cheese block, I slice it all at once for sandwiches or cube it for quick, grab-and-go snacks. I even pop the cubes into small containers for easy lunchbox packing.
One simple trick, and snack time just got way easier!
6. Here's an Obvious One, But Wouldn't Go Back to Cooking Without it:
Keep the TRASH Close While Prepping!
I love this simple addition to my kitchen, with a big impact! Having a trash can right next to my meal prep area, ready to collect food scraps out of the way and make cleanup a breeze!
I found this perfect trash can—it’s just the right size, neatly hangs inside or outside of my cabinet doors, and even matches my stainless steel appliances. Stylish and practical? Yes, please!
7. Smart Kitchen STORAGE SOLUTIONS
Use Clear Containers for Dry Goods: Organize rice, pasta, and cereal in clear containers to see stock levels easily.
Pots Organizer or Hanging Racks: Free up cabinet space by hanging pots, pans, and lids.
Lazy Susan for Hard-to-Reach Items: Use in pantries and fridges to make condiments and sauces easy to access.
Install Sliding Cabinet Drawers for easy access to pots, pans, and small kitchen gadgets.
Click HERE for more kitchen storage ideas: Maximize Your Kitchen Space with These Smart Storage Solutions |
Bonus:
One more kitchen gadget that I recently bought which I AND the kids just LOVE!
I recently bought this apple peeler and corer. It peels apples and cores them easily and perfectly. Just what I needed to easy and quick morning school lunch prep!
Check it out here.
Take Back Your Time in the Kitchen!
Cooking shouldn’t feel like a never-ending chore.
With just a few smart hacks, you can cut down on repetitive tasks, speed up meal prep, and spend less time cleaning up.
The best part? You’ll have more time for what really matters—whether that’s family, hobbies, or just a little me time!
So why not give these tips a try? Let us know in the comment below, which one or two hacks your will start with this week!
And if you found these tips helpful, share them with a friend who could use a little extra time in their day too!
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