Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Bhg
  • Shop
  • News
  • Food
  • DIY
  • Garden
  • Renovating
  • Decorating
  • Health
  • TV
  • Hard to Find
Subscribe
  1. Home
  2. Decorating

Six hacks to save time in the kitchen

Spending less time prepping and more time entertaining. - by Nicola Conville
  • 31 Jul 2019
Six hacks to save time in the kitchen
Getty

Anyone who loves indulging in reality DIY shows will know that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Now, new research from Thermomix has confirmed this, revealing most Aussies prefer cooking at home to eating out or ordering in. With more of us realising the advantages of home cooking, here are a few simple hacks to help you save time in the kitchen.

1. Declutter the kitchen

Release your inner Marie Kondo and declutter the kitchen. Most of us have kitchen cabinets that are filled with pots, pans, utensils and other appliances that go unused. So, take everything out and decide what you need and what you’ll never use. This is also a good time to throw out anything that’s stained, broken or, as Marie Kondo says, doesn’t “spark joy”. Once you’ve cleared out the kitchen, ensure everything has a home. There are various products available to help organise everything, including canisters for things like flour, spice racks and hooks for utensils. This will save you time looking for the right pan, measuring jug, scissors and whatever else you need during cooking.

2. Invest in quality products

After you’ve decluttered your kitchen, invest in good quality products to help make your cooking efficient. High-tech appliances are worth the investment if they’ll be used. For example, if you like a coffee every morning, a coffee pod machine might save you time. If you like smoothies or juices, a proper blender is a worthwhile purchase. It’s also a good idea to invest in a great pots and pans that will replace a cupboard full of cheap ones - and save you in the long run. 

Woman in kitchen
Unsplash

3. Try guided cooking

In case you haven’t heard of it, guided cooking is a new trend that’s been gaining momentum over the past couple of years. Appliance makers and tech companies alike are jumping on the bandwagon, helping home cooks save time by creating appliances that take you through recipes with clear on-screen instructions, plus temperature and timings are set automatically by the machine. 

4. Make a meal plan

Planning ahead is one of the best ways to save time in the kitchen. Having a meal plan for the week saves time (and stress) thinking of what to make every night. You can then get all your groceries at once and save time on emergency trips to the shop! It also means you can start prepping meals earlier. So you can start preparing breakfast the night before, or marinate meat in the morning for dinner that night. Obviously life sometimes (often) gets in the way - whether it’s a last-minute dinner invite or everyone is craving pizza - so leave room in your weekly plan for this. It’s also a good idea to account for leftovers with a “Leftovers Day”.

5. Shop smarter

Making small changes when buying groceries is an easy way to save time in the kitchen. There are myriad products available to help you take shortcuts, but the key is to choose items that save time but without compromising on taste. Try buying pre-chopped veggies, packaged stock and curry pastes so you don’t have to start from scratch. Recipe bases are particularly good for weeknight meals and can easily be jazzed up with extra spices. You can buy crushed ginger, garlic and chilli to use in everyday dishes and reserve crushing the fresh ingredients for recipes that need a stronger flavour. 

6. Make the most of your leftovers

Repurposing leftovers to create new meals is a great way to save time, since most of the food is already cooked. It also helps to reduce food waste, which is an issue for most households - 35 per cent of the average household bin in Australia is food waste. Have a few go-to leftover recipes up your sleeve and you can include them in your weekly meal plan. Cooksmarts has a handy infographic that you can get printed with ideas for repurposing leftovers. Aside from using leftover food for the next day, you can also repurpose things like leftover herbs and fruit to avoid waste - make some pesto, jams, smoothies or banana bread!

WATCH THIS KITCHEN TRANSFORMATION BELOW:

You might also like:

Six kitchen storage ideas

The designer Ikea hack that turned this kitchen gold

The best kind of paint for kitchen cabinet makeovers

  • Decorating
  • Kitchen Designs
  • Hacks
Nicola Conville
Nicola Conville
Nicola is a writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in print and digital media. She specialises in health and wellbeing, parenting, travel, beauty, lifestyle and human interest stories.

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Plus, your chance to win

Subscribe Now
Treat yourself to a subscription

Recommended to you

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

{headline}

{headline}

How to cut a watermelon in one minute

How to cut a watermelon in one minute

5 clever kitchen sink storage hacks

5 clever kitchen sink storage hacks

10 of the hottest air fryers to add to your *basket* right now

10 of the hottest air fryers to add to your *basket* right now

This blogger's pantry is next level amazing

This blogger's pantry is next level amazing

{headline}

{headline}

How to clean a can opener

How to clean a can opener

How to refit a kitchen

How to refit a kitchen

Tara’s top tips for clever kitchen storage

Tara’s top tips for clever kitchen storage

{headline}

{headline}

Top 6 trending kitchen products

Top 6 trending kitchen products

How to save money with a DIY kitchen

How to save money with a DIY kitchen

How To Clean Dishwasher: Step By Step Instructions

How To Clean Dishwasher: Step By Step Instructions

The best kind of paint for kitchen cabinet makeovers

The best kind of paint for kitchen cabinet makeovers

How to wash up the right way

How to wash up the right way

Start your own windowsill herb garden

Start your own windowsill herb garden

Don’t unpack your kitchen until you’ve done these 6 things

Don’t unpack your kitchen until you’ve done these 6 things

Bhg
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
Bhg Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • All Recipes
  • BHG Shop
  • Girlfriend
  • Home Beautiful
  • New Idea
  • New Idea Food
  • Practical Parenting

Our Network

  • marie claire
  • Beauty Crew
  • Who
  • Women's Weekly Food
  • Bounty Parents
  • That’s Life
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • 7mate
  • 7NEWS
  • 7Sport
  • Sunrise
  • Starts at 60
  • Hard to Find
© 2022 Are Media PTY LTD
All products are independently selected, tested or recommended by our team of experts.If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Get more from Better Homes and Gardens

Magazine Subscription Offer

Treat yourself to a subscription-Save up to 25%

Shop This Offer
Treat yourself to a subscription