17 Crazy Kitchen Hacks You Have To Try
Hey, have you ever tried these weird kitchen hacks?
BuzzFeed Staff, Mexico
BuzzFeed Staff
1. Throw a quarter of an onion in the same container that you're storing your avocado in to stop it from going brown.
According to The Kitchn, it will slow down the oxidation process, and it beats throwing it in the fridge on its own.
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vote votesYes. It works well.
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vote votesNo. That doesn't work.
2. Open a hard coconut by placing it in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes.
After you've drilled a hole in the shell and drained the water, putting a coconut in the oven for 10-15 minutes on 400º F should crack the shell and help separate the meat from it.
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vote votesYep! Totally works!
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vote votesNah. That's bogus.
3. Keep onions fresh after cutting them with a little butter.
This tip comes from Pinterest, and claims that spreading butter on the cut side of an onion will help it stay fresh in the fridge for days.
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vote votesYep! Totally works!
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vote votesNope! Don't bother.
4. All you need to keep your bananas fresher longer is a little cling wrap.
Just pull the bananas off the bunch, and wrap the ends in cling wrap, and some claim they'll stay fresh 3-4 days longer than usual.
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vote votesYes! It works great!
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vote votesNo. It's not worth the hassle.
5. Make two holes in a disposable plate to improvise a lid for your mixer.
You'll never again make a mess of your kitchen (or yourself) when making a cake.
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vote votesYep! Makes baking so much cleaner.
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vote votesNo. My kitchen was still a mess.
6. If you overdid it on the salt, turn off the heat and throw a piece of eggplant or potato into your dish.
The eggplant or potato is supposed to absorb the excess salt if you leave it in for about 10 minutes.
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vote votesYes. It really cuts down on the salt.
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vote votesNo. It's too much work.
7. Place lettuce or spinach in a container and add paper towels to absorb the moisture.
It'll keep spinach from getting slimy, and should help your leafy greens last about twice as long as they would otherwise.
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vote votesYes. My greens have never been crisper.
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vote votesNo. Still a soggy mess.
8. If you bought lettuce with the stems intact, submerge them in a container of water and cover the rest with a plastic bag.
The water keeps the lettuce from drying out and spoiling.
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vote votesYes. Keeps lettuce fresh for days.
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vote votesNo. It still dried out.
9. If you don't have any chocolate sprinkles, improvise with a chocolate bar and a potato peeler to create shavings.
Just a few swipes, and you'll have all the sprinkles you'll need.
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vote votesYes. It definitely worked in a pinch.
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vote votesNo. It wasn't worth the effort.
10. Place boiled chicken breasts in an electric mixer on the lowest setting. You'll shred the chicken in record time without getting your hands dirty.
You can even use a hand mixer, if that's easier.
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vote votesYep! Works great every time.
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vote votesNo. It's more trouble than it's worth.
11. If you accidentally leave the cereal box open and it goes stale, all you have to do is put it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp it right up again.
Spread it out on a sheet pan and bake it at 375º for 5-10 minutes. Good as new!
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vote votesYes. It was just like new again.
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vote votesNo. My cereal was still pretty stale.
12. Drop an egg into a glass or bowl of water to tell if it's still fresh.
If it sinks and rests on its side, it's fresh! If it sinks but stands up on its end, it's a little old. If it floats, throw it out.
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vote votesYes. It's the easiest way to tell how fresh an egg is.
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vote votesNo. It didn't work.
13. Prevent mushrooms from losing their flavor by cleaning them with a moist paper towel or a soft brush.
Never run them under tap water. Some people insist that their porosity means they will lose the right consistency and flavor if you wash them that way.
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vote votesYes. My mushrooms were much better.
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vote votesNo. Not clean enough for me.
14. Use a little vinegar to remove grease stuck to pots and pans.
Add a little vinegar with water into the pan until it boils. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely before washing with a sponge and detergent. You'll see how easily the grease comes off.
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vote votesYes. Worked like a charm.
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vote votesNo. Still lots of stuck-on crud.
15. Melt any kind of cheese on your burger in seconds.
Place the slice of cheese on top of the meat after it's good and brown and add a little water to the pan. Cover with a lid and the steam will melt the cheese in seconds.
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vote votesYes. Gooey, melty cheese!
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vote votesNope.
16. Make the most of the last of a jar of peanut butter or Nutella by using them as breakfast bowls.
Pour in oatmeal or cereal, add milk, stir, and enjoy.
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vote votesHeck yeah! There's no better way to eat breakfast.
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vote votesNo. It was too messy.
17. Spray your chopping board or knife with a little lime juice before chopping onions.
Thanks to the interaction between the onion and the lime, it should stop you from crying your eyes out.
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vote votesYep! No tears.
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vote votesNo. I still cried like a baby.