8 Food Hacks That Will Save You Tons Of Time

I'll be honest — I want to spend as little time in my kitchen as possible. I love to eat. I'm just not as big of a fan of the cooking part. So, I'm game to try any sort of trick or tip that promises to speed up the whole process of making my meals. And these time-saving food hacks do just the trick.

I know that there are plenty of people out there who are amazing cooks, and absolutely love spending their time whipping things up and trying new things with their food. It's a hobby and an interest for them. But, some of us prefer to get in and out as quickly as possible — even if that means waltzing out with one hardboiled egg, a carton of pudding, and a Diet Coke. I just want to get out of the kitchen and back to my couch.

Regardless of whether you're a world-class chef or someone who frequently eats baked beans out of a can, we've all run into those frustrating kitchen scenarios that end up wasting a ton of your time and energy. So, I've rounded up eight hacks that are equally appealing to an expert cook or a total novice. And, if you're one of those people that would rather not spend time in the kitchen, these tips should help to get you out as soon as possible.

1. Use Your Crock-Pot

Crock-Pots are the best. Pretty much all you need to do is flip a switch, and walk away while it does all of the work for you. But, typically when I think of Crock-Pots, I think of chilis, stews, and soups. No, my friends. Crock-Pots can be used to make everything from oatmeal and French toast, to risotto and lasagna. Start Googling some recipes, turn on your Crock-Pot, and save yourself some major time and labor.

2. Wet Your Fingers To Remove Egg Shell

We're probably all too familiar with this scenario: you're quickly making scrambled eggs, and a tiny piece of shell falls into your bowl. You spend the next five minutes chasing that shell around through the slime, making a huge mess, and shouting many choice curse words. No more! Simply wet your fingers before grabbing the shell. You won't believe how easy it is.

3. Stop Crying Over Onions

Perhaps this isn't a super time-saver. But, nobody likes the watery eyes that come along with chopping onions. To save yourself some tears, leave the onion in the freezer for about 30 minutes prior to cutting. Bye bye, glassy eyes and runny nose!

4. Keep Ice Cream Soft

I've dealt with many bent spoons that have resulted from me trying to shovel frozen ice cream out of the container when it's rock hard. Sure, I could wait for it to thaw a bit. But, who's got that kind of time? Instead, store your ice cream carton in the freezer inside of a sealed plastic bag. Then, rejoice in how creamy and soft your ice cream is as soon as you open it.

5. Use Every Last Drop Of Nutella

We all know the pain of trying to get every last bit of Nutella out of the jar. Save yourself from frustration and sticky fingers! When you're almost finished with the jar, simply fill it with some ice cream, and enjoy the leftover Nutella as a delicious topping.

6. Cut Cake With Dental Floss

If you've been longing for an easier way to slice cake, look no further. Use dental floss to simply cut through cake — and even cheese. Just make sure that you use unscented floss, unless you like foods that taste minty fresh.

7. Save Your Guacamole

There is no love greater than the love of guacamole. But, you can't help but to harbor a little resentment when it starts to look brown and disgusting almost immediately. To effectively store guacamole, shower a thin layer of water over the top before sealing and putting it in the fridge. The water will act as a barrier, and prevent the guacamole from interacting with oxygen. Green guacamole for longer than an hour?! It's a miracle!

8. Stop Boiling Water On The Stove For Foods Like Oatmeal

If you just want to make a quick bowl of oatmeal, it can be a pain to have to wait for an entire pot of water to start boiling on your stovetop. Instead, place your bowl of oatmeal under your Keurig, and just run a water cycle through. Voila! Boiling water in a matter of seconds.

Images: The Crepes of Wrath; Chris Ford, Janine, Chiot's Run, Philippa Warr, moogs, Leslie Greeen, Harsha K R, She Paused 4 Thought, Jill/Flickr