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Do you ever wonder how people who can’t cook to save their lives are getting by in a world where eating is a requirement for life to exist? It’s a necessary evil that, if you don’t contend with, you won’t be able to contend with anything at all.

But what if I told you that nobody’s hopeless and that everyone can learn it, given that they undergo the right kind of training? Yep, r/FoodHacks is one such place for folks to learn how to go about making food without having to remodel their kitchen every time cooking happens.

#1

Absolutely A Genius Idea

Absolutely A Genius Idea

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    #2

    Wish I Knew This Sooner But My Future Sandwiches Are Gonna Be So Much Better

    Wish I Knew This Sooner But My Future Sandwiches Are Gonna Be So Much Better

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    #3

    If You Want To Keep A Salad Fresh, Put A Paper Towel On Top Under The Lid To Absorb Moisture. Pic On The Right Is Day 4

    If You Want To Keep A Salad Fresh, Put A Paper Towel On Top Under The Lid To Absorb Moisture. Pic On The Right Is Day 4

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    The r/FoodHacks Reddit community is dedicated to delivering quick and simple tips and tricks on prepping food that would be delicious, nutritious, and wouldn’t demand architectural nor spiritual sacrifices to make it happen.

    The last time Bored Panda covered hacks, tips and tricks from the community, it had 2.1 million members but has since then (almost two years later at this point) doubled and stands at 4.3 million, making it the Top 1% by size on Reddit.

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    #4

    Does Anybody Else Do This Or Am I The Only Crazy One?

    Does Anybody Else Do This Or Am I The Only Crazy One?

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    #5

    Biggest Food Hack Is To Never Try And Catch The Knife. Just Step Back

    Biggest Food Hack Is To Never Try And Catch The Knife. Just Step Back

    reddit.com Report

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    #6

    Put A Koozie On Your Ice Cream Pint, Keep Your Hand Warm, And Ice Cream Cold

    Put A Koozie On Your Ice Cream Pint, Keep Your Hand Warm, And Ice Cream Cold

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    As you probably might have already expected, the community is all about sharing advice that’s both simple and useful for every caliber of cook.

    Advice spans across pretty much any domain of the cooking process: everything from preparation to technique and methodology to frugal solutions to make cooking convenient. And fun, don’t forget that! Oh, and creative, definitely that too.

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    Much, if not all of it, is all about making it approachable for everyone. And once you’ve mastered it, you can go full gourmet all while being an amateur underneath it all.

    #7

    Spring Onions In Water Works Almost Too Well. Infinite Greens!

    Spring Onions In Water Works Almost Too Well. Infinite Greens!

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    #8

    May I Present You With The Fork Anchor

    May I Present You With The Fork Anchor

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    Loverboy
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Homemade skewer? You could just use tongs though, that fork gonna be hot as a mf when you pick it up

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    #9

    Easiest Way To Instantly Improve Your Baking: Use The Right Type Of Baking Pan

    Easiest Way To Instantly Improve Your Baking: Use The Right Type Of Baking Pan

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    Loverboy
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I like my brownies fudgier and not completely done, ima stick with my glass pans

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    Now, sure, you can argue that cooking isn’t easy. Skill is only part of the equation, and lacking even that can seem like a hurdle that’s impossible to overcome.

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    All around food expert and historian Rachel Laudan elaborated on why cooking is hard in a blog post of hers. Besides actual skill, there’s also things like supermarket inventory, food handling and storage, mental capacity for recipes, basic knowledge of chemistry, alchemy, and any other -y to even begin to understand how to turn something raw into something edible.

    #10

    A Little Too Fancy For My Liking Thoughts?

    A Little Too Fancy For My Liking Thoughts?

    NoAcanthopterygii780 Report

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    Lame Llama
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Are people aware that not all plastic are food safe?

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    #11

    Storing Avocados With Onion In The Refrigerator Keeps Avocado Fresh For Days. I Learned This By Accident And Found Out It's Actually A Thing

    Storing Avocados With Onion In The Refrigerator Keeps Avocado Fresh For Days. I Learned This By Accident And Found Out It's Actually A Thing

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    Loverboy
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or you can coat the surface with oil or lime juice, works just as good

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    #12

    Don’t Have A Cake Dome? Use A Tupperware Container Upside Down To Store It

    Don’t Have A Cake Dome? Use A Tupperware Container Upside Down To Store It

    WarningGipsyDanger Report

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    POST
    Mitchell
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’m concerned that this is so high on the list. Is this really an unexpected hack?

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    If you were to consciously consider all the fine detail that goes into cooking, it’s not just throwing peas into a pan and calling it a day. No, Laudan estimates even after decades of cooking, it still takes her at least 8 to 12—at least—hours per week to make cooking happen at all. In context, that’s a work day and a half. Throw in planning, shopping and all that jazz and you got yourself a part time job as a domestic chef without even interviewing for the position.

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    #13

    Use A Binder Clip To Keep Your Thermometer Inside Your Cooking Liquid…

    Use A Binder Clip To Keep Your Thermometer Inside Your Cooking Liquid…

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    #14

    Use Empty Sriracha Containers As Twist Top Cooking Oil Dispensers

    Use Empty Sriracha Containers As Twist Top Cooking Oil Dispensers

    rdwtoker Report

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    Anna Stephenson
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's also good for thicker sauces like oyster sauce- so you don't have to smack the bottom or shake it up and down to amen it come out each time!

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    #15

    We Are Well Into Apple Pie Season

    We Are Well Into Apple Pie Season

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    Robert T
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These are dessert apples. Apple pies are normally made with cooking apples, like Brambleys.

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    But, practice makes perfect. Cooking is no exception. If you can get across the initial hurdle of deciding what you want to cook and invest yourself in it, you’ll get progressively better.

    Nobody is born a master at it. Blogger Christine Amorose Merrill points that out in a piece of hers on how practice makes perfect in the kitchen. One thing she always hears from her grandmother, who in her eyes is the epitome of cooking, is “I’ve had years to practice. Of course I’m going to be better at it than you!” It takes time, patience and reflection to make it work. No other way about it.

    #16

    I Had A Ton Of Leftover Christmas Ham, So I Rolled It In Puff Pastry, With Some Brie, Cranberry Sauce And Mustard! Here They Are, Freshly Baked In January

    I Had A Ton Of Leftover Christmas Ham, So I Rolled It In Puff Pastry, With Some Brie, Cranberry Sauce And Mustard! Here They Are, Freshly Baked In January

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    #18

    Three Words: Air Fried Broccoli

    Three Words: Air Fried Broccoli

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    Ace
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Air fried" is just roasted. Yes, roasting vegetables is great. Works well for all sorts, including butternut squash and sweet potato . Often do this before using in a curry or making soup.

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    And you’d be surprised how far simple culinary tricks can take you. You don’t need dimensional thinking or the fingers of a god to perfectly line a tray with baking paper. You don’t need to cut yourself, nor be meticulous with how you cut an onion. Heck, you don’t even need to cut open a butter packet at a restaurant and use anything other than a fork and fingers to spread it on bread as an appetizer or side-whatever-those-things-are-called. Learn that and you’re golden!

    #19

    Door Dasher Asked For A Drink Holder…. Hold My Apron

    Door Dasher Asked For A Drink Holder…. Hold My Apron

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    #20

    Heavy Cream About To Go Bad? Shake It In A Jar And Make Butter (And Some Bonus Buttermilk.) Don’t Forget The Flaky Salt!

    Heavy Cream About To Go Bad? Shake It In A Jar And Make Butter (And Some Bonus Buttermilk.) Don’t Forget The Flaky Salt!

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    #21

    Unused Disposable Chopsticks Make Great Bag Clips

    Unused Disposable Chopsticks Make Great Bag Clips

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    And if you’re thinking, “Well, you still have to know what you're doing to make sure your food stays healthy and stuff," you’d be right. To some degree.

    The way you cook does have an impact on the nutrients you’ll be getting in the end, but it’s also not rocket science. Lay off the salt and use herbs and spices instead, eat fruits and vegetables, focus on the least-processed foods or foods that you know the origins of and you should be more than fine. Heck, salads don’t even need any cooking—just chopping and ingesting. And that is healthy!

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    #22

    The Easiest And Best French Toast

    The Easiest And Best French Toast

    All I used is the egg nog and French bread. I chose the cinnamon flavor this time, but I’ve also used the Southern Comfort kind too.

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    Daniela Lavanza
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Funny name, since in France, it's called "lost bread" (pain perdu).

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    #23

    An Absolute Revolution For Herbs. This Cilantro Is Two Weeks Old. It’s As If It Were Picked Today. Paper Towel On Bottom, Rinse & Untied Cilantro, Paper Towel On Top - Sealed In Container

    An Absolute Revolution For Herbs. This Cilantro Is Two Weeks Old. It’s As If It Were Picked Today. Paper Towel On Bottom, Rinse & Untied Cilantro, Paper Towel On Top - Sealed In Container

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    #24

    I Just Bought A New Knife Set And Was Thinking This Post May Help A Few Of Us

    I Just Bought A New Knife Set And Was Thinking This Post May Help A Few Of Us

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    Another thing that helps in this case is understanding food. Rob Lapham, an award winning registered health viking, dedicates much of his time debunking food myths, giving out helpful food advice, and straight up educating folks on the things that actually matter when it comes to staying healthy.

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    One of the key takeaways that Lapham has emphasized time and time again is the idea of being able to eat pretty much anything that is considered food, as long as it is in moderation.

    #25

    If You Have Leftovers From A Cookout, 1 Hot Dog Bun Makes 3 Great Slider Buns

    If You Have Leftovers From A Cookout, 1 Hot Dog Bun Makes 3 Great Slider Buns

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    #26

    I Use A Mason Jar Ring To Form Hamburger Patties!

    I Use A Mason Jar Ring To Form Hamburger Patties!

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    #27

    Packaging Chopped Mirepoix And Freeze For Soup Base Saves Time

    Packaging Chopped Mirepoix And Freeze For Soup Base Saves Time

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    Dave Nalesnik
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bag up and freeze my veggie trimmings/chicken bones from prepping until I have enough to make stock

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    With that said, yes, it’s perfectly fine to eat frozen dinners, it’s perfectly fine to eat McDonald’s or KFC, it’s perfectly fine to put mayonnaise on bread. There are entire sets of laws and regulations that apply to the food industry that make sure what you eat doesn’t kill you. Even if the food does have known carcinogens or stuff you’d otherwise consider poisonous, as long as they are within legal limits, within a chemical context, and it’s being consumed in moderation, the food is for all intents and purposes good.

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    #28

    I Am Never Going To Throw Away My Potato Peels Again! My #1 Leftover Hack

    I Am Never Going To Throw Away My Potato Peels Again! My #1 Leftover Hack

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    #29

    Roast Your Bones And Garlic Together Before Making Your Favorite Soups And Gravies..... 350° @ 25 Mins Does Wonders And Adds Dimension

    Roast Your Bones And Garlic Together Before Making Your Favorite Soups And Gravies..... 350° @ 25 Mins Does Wonders And Adds Dimension

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    David
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Finally a post that is a useful TIL for me. I am a good cook (according to some) and have made and canned many large pots of soup. But while I know bone / marrow adds flavor I had never heard of roasting them first. This is just my ignorance apparently as opposed to being something new but I still appreciate learning something new to me.

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    #30

    This Simple Item Makes It Easy To Make Soup Stock. Great For A Rotisserie Chicken Carcass. Just Simmer What You’d Like In It And Discard

    This Simple Item Makes It Easy To Make Soup Stock. Great For A Rotisserie Chicken Carcass. Just Simmer What You’d Like In It And Discard

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    Note: this post originally had 116 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.

    So, if you’re up for it (honestly, you have no choice, you gotta eat), dig through the endless arsenal of food advice on r/FoodHacks and educate yourself to a degree where you can make casual look like gourmet.

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    But before you do that, the comment section is open for your own hacks, stories and takes on food, so be sure to share all that you have to say down below!