Questions tagged [food]

Hacks involving the general use and consumption of food, as well as the storage, preservation and transportation of food.

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6 votes
6 answers
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How to easily start a fire in a charcoal for grilling without using gas?

Are there any life hacks for starting a fire in a pack of charcoal for grilling without using gas? I do have access to matches, lighters, etc.
Jaeger Jay's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
7k views

Make a hacksaw blade suitable for use with food

I have some frozen meat that I would like to be able to cut while frozen so that some can be used now and the rest frozen for later use. It's to hard to cut through with a knife, so a saw would be ...
Dave's user avatar
  • 1,749
1 vote
6 answers
2k views

How do I eat from a bowl without needing to clean it?

Sometimes the morning/night is just too cold for me to get my hands wet or some idiot has damaged the water-main forcing the suburb's water to be cut off until it's fixed. I am wondering if there is ...
Memor-X's user avatar
  • 732
12 votes
7 answers
142k views

How to store bananas and keep fruit flies away?

I leave bananas out on the counter, I find them surrounded by fruit flies. I can't put them in the fridge since that causes them to ripen quickly. What other options do I have?
Flair's user avatar
  • 703
7 votes
2 answers
265 views

How can I get single portion size amount of sprouts per day, with minimum attention?

For example some seeds (such as lentil seeds) require humid environment and washing ~2 times a day to sprout. How can I get a small portion of sprouts every day, with minimum attention (I'm not around ...
Sparkler's user avatar
  • 171
15 votes
12 answers
12k views

How to transport single servings of powdered drink mixes

There are lots of drink mixes that come in powdered form: protein powders, meal replacement shake mixes, etc. Usually these come in a big container of powder with a little scoop, and you scoop out ...
Thomas Johnson's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
4k views

How to prevent ice cream from melting without a refrigerator?

There are times when you are at work where you have the best ice cream parlor in town around the corner from your office. But you want to take the ice cream home and enjoy it there. Is there a way to ...
SandyShores's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
5k views

How to untie sacks properly (eg bags of charcoal)

Whenever I do a BBQ at home I enjoy opening the bag of charcoal correctly - in that when you pull the correct thread the whole bag unstitches. My problem is that I can never work out which one I ...
Bendy's user avatar
  • 447
6 votes
6 answers
42k views

Thaw out just one piece of meat

I was in a rush and had to put some chicken which was soon to expire into the fridge. Now it's frozen, but it's 600 gram of chicken for just 2 persons split in 3 parts. They are all frozen together. ...
Kevin's user avatar
  • 514
-3 votes
1 answer
310 views

How can I pit a bowlful of olives? [closed]

I kind of understand how you might remove the stone from one olive but how are mass produced olives pitted but remain intact when I buy them or is it genetically modified somehow? I want to try to pit ...
Sebastian Zeki's user avatar
22 votes
10 answers
70k views

How to eat loud food (chips, celery) quietly

I like munching celery at work, but I don't want to annoy my co-workers. Today, I cut my celery into 1-inch (bite-sized) pieces so I don't have to loudly bite it off from the stalk. How else could I ...
BrettFromLA's user avatar
  • 11.5k
7 votes
5 answers
6k views

Makeshift cooler after buying icecream or beverages at the beach

When offering to buy icecream and beverages for me and my friends at the beach, and then discovering that the shop is a little farther away then expected, how do you suggest transporting the icecream ...
holroy's user avatar
  • 6,974
5 votes
7 answers
11k views

How to easily clean dough remains after baking bread?

I have a strong preference to self made bread. The only issue is that's a dirty job; it leaves dirty hands, a dirty marble working surface, and dirty dishes. How can I clean all of this without ...
yevgeniy mordovkin's user avatar
0 votes
5 answers
1k views

How do I make breakfast when I don't have time to make breakfast? [closed]

I'm usually/always caught up in the morning rush hour and sometimes skip breakfast because I don't have time to cook up something and most importantly because I don't know even a bit about cooking. So ...
lonelyguy9's user avatar
8 votes
5 answers
2k views

How to make air-free ice?

Air-free ice dilutes drinks less. The naive way is to boil the water. But it seems like a waste of fuel. I have both a stove and microwave. How do I make air-free ice without using as much fuel?
Jesvin Jose's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
3k views

Getting the stringy stuff off a clementine / tangerine easily?

I have a clementine or tangerine (not sure which but does not matter), I hate to eat the stringy stuff that covers the segments so I spend valuable time peeling it off. Is there a quick way to do ...
MrPhooky's user avatar
  • 6,494
3 votes
0 answers
257 views

How to open a bottle that won't open [duplicate]

So sometimes when I leave bottles of sauce in the pantry too long, the lid seems to "stick" to the bottle and won't allow me to open it. How can I open the bottle when it doesn't want to open? Below ...
Darren's user avatar
  • 1,674
24 votes
8 answers
211k views

How can I get rid of the tiny fish-bone stuck in my throat upon eating fish?

My dinner is a fried Milkfish. While I am eating a portion of this fish I feel a tiny bone is stuck near my throat. What are some effective ways of removing this?
neferpitou's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
380 views

Clean blender as fast as possible, or prevent it from accumulating protein powder residue

I use a Ninja Master Prep blender to mix protein powder or Soylent with water. Is there a way to clean it very quickly? The blades are super sharp and I'd rather avoid having to scrub bits of powder ...
Dan Dascalescu's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
257 views

Stopping My Burning Tongue [duplicate]

People have always claimed that they can completely negate the effects of eating something too spicy, which results in "burning" your tongue, where people will either drink cold water or cold milk. ...
Anthony Pham's user avatar
  • 1,010
11 votes
10 answers
12k views

How to transport liquids without spilling?

My question is as simple as it sounds. With the liquid filled to the top of an open container; How to transport liquids in open containers without spilling? Specifically if I prepare myself a ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 3,979
7 votes
3 answers
712 views

How can I make an improvised vegetable steamer?

My first thought was to use a colander over a pan but then I realised I don't have a colander. For my straining needs I use the inside of this pasta pan (on left). I thought about using that. But the ...
James Webster's user avatar
13 votes
15 answers
46k views

What can be used besides rice to keep moisture out of salt?

Often, rice is in salt dispensers to prevent moisture from making the salt become clumpy and possibly get stuck in a shaker. What else can be used to get the same effect?
Maverick283's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
16k views

How to keep leftover pizza tasting fresh

Whenever I order pizza, I always have some leftovers. I'll usually have them in the next day or two, but they never taste as good. I don't know if it's how I store the pizza (in aluminum foil in the ...
michaelpri's user avatar
  • 11.3k
6 votes
4 answers
3k views

How to warm a meal when camping or in the wild

Can you give me an advice how to warm a meal which I carry in a jar or in a can when I go somewhere on camping or on tents in the wild. I don't want to carry heavy things like gas bottles, a pan or ...
vladiz's user avatar
  • 5,653
1 vote
5 answers
5k views

Replacement For Slow Cooker

I bought a cookbook a few hours ago and I have just realized that I need a slow cooker. I don't have one and I do not have the money to buy one (I'm saving up money). What is a good replacement for a ...
Anthony Pham's user avatar
  • 1,010
4 votes
3 answers
2k views

Get Just a Portion of a Block of Frozen Pasta

My wife and I cooked too much elbow macaroni one night, so we put it in a gallon freezer bag in the freezer. A few days later when I took it out, it had formed a solid mass the size of an eggplant. I ...
BrettFromLA's user avatar
  • 11.5k
4 votes
4 answers
722 views

Keep the tea bag underwater while microwaving

When I'm in a hurry, I make tea by heating up a cup of water in the microwave for 2 or 2 minutes, then steeping a bag of tea. The problem is, the tea bag floats, so if I leave it in the cup while ...
Dan Dascalescu's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
8k views

How to store ice cream so that it is easy to scoop

Whenever I eat ice cream (store bought), I have to work really hard to get it into my bowl. It always freezes when I put it in the freezer and makes it very tiresome to scoop. What are some good ways ...
michaelpri's user avatar
  • 11.3k
15 votes
4 answers
2k views

How to quickly peel a bag of potatoes

There have been several times that I have had to make a huge potato salad or a lot of mashed potatoes in a short amount of time. I usually have to use an entire bag of potatoes (I have a big family). ...
michaelpri's user avatar
  • 11.3k
0 votes
3 answers
247 views

What is the perfect microwaving time for my food?

Ever since I started working in this company I'm taking my lunch (leftovers of the dinner last night) to the office in a microwavable container, because we have a small kitchen including a microwave. ...
Alex's user avatar
  • 3,979
18 votes
5 answers
75k views

Removing Pepper Juice From Eyes

I was wiping my eyes with my hands as they felt itchy and I immediately felt a sharp, burning sensation and realized that I let pepper juice (jalapeno) get into my eyes. I went to the sink and tried ...
Anthony Pham's user avatar
  • 1,010
7 votes
6 answers
119k views

How to cut open a pita bread?

I recently tried making a pita sandwich type thing, naturally it didn't go anywhere near as well as it did in the link I provided. This is mainly due to the fact I couldn't cut open or separate the ...
MrPhooky's user avatar
  • 6,494
33 votes
13 answers
108k views

How to keep bread fresher for longer

How do you keep bread fresh (lasting to/beyond the actual expiration date quoted on the packaging) as the bread I purchase always goes stale/moldy within a couple of days of opening. I've heard that ...
Darren's user avatar
  • 1,674
5 votes
1 answer
928 views

When should I remove popcorn from the microwave?

I'd like to know exactly when to remove popcorn from the microwave. If I leave it in a little longer, a few more kernels will pop, but I might burn the popcorn. if I take it out too early I may leave ...
subjectivist's user avatar
  • 3,485
42 votes
6 answers
91k views

Find out if an egg is boiled or not without cracking it

How to find if and egg is not boiled before cracking it. If I have boiled several eggs and after that someone have mixed them with other not boiled eggs, how can I separate them. Of course I don't ...
vladiz's user avatar
  • 5,653
4 votes
1 answer
7k views

How to improvise a mesh tea strainer or filter?

My metal mesh tea strainer rusted so I discarded it, but I have failed to find a replacement strainer because this teapot was likely purchased overseas. This differs from my other question because I'...
user avatar
-2 votes
4 answers
5k views

How to cook without using electricity or gas?

What are the legal methods of cooking which doesn't involve electricity or gas (or at least without paying for it)? I'm looking for life hacks which allows me to cook by using alternative source of ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
18 votes
12 answers
24k views

How do I apply cold solid spreads (butter/cheese) evenly on breads/sandwiches in a short time?

There are some situations where I struggle to apply cold solid butter, which is hard to spread on breads/sandwiches. I usually cut it in small pieces, put it between the pieces of bread and microwave ...
Joachin Joseph's user avatar
4 votes
6 answers
3k views

How to steep but separate leaves in a teapot without a mesh strainer?

My metal mesh tea strainer rusted so I discarded it, but I have failed to find a replacement strainer because this teapot was likely purchased overseas. In a teapot, how else can I filter the tea ...
user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
88k views

How can I confirm if meat is cooked without a thermometer?

We all know meat should reach a certain temperature whilst cooking before we eat it. This temperature is 160-165°F for most meats. But what if I don't have a thermometer? How can I reliably confirm ...
Mooseman's user avatar
  • 11.6k
13 votes
11 answers
9k views

Mixing coffee without a spoon

I often encounter a situation where I have coffee, hot water, sugar, and Styrofoam cups, but no spoon. How do I effectively mix the ingredients?
anonymous's user avatar
  • 149
9 votes
3 answers
6k views

How to boil milk without a pot?

How to boil milk for a cup of coffee without a pot? Kettle sounds reasonable, but it's difficult to clean it after use.
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
6 votes
5 answers
17k views

How do I store frozen sausages, so they are easy to separate?

I generally keep sausages in the freezer, but I buy them in packs of 8 or 12, and they tend to freeze together, which sometimes makes them hard to separate. I usually need to force a knife into the ...
Silverfish's user avatar
10 votes
7 answers
118k views

How to hard-boil an egg in the microwave safely?

It's quite dangerous to hard-boil an egg in the microwave as it may simply explode and making a big mess. Cleaning the microwave after that kind of accident to avoid a bad smell can be a miracle. Are ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
5 votes
3 answers
45k views

How to boil an egg using an electric kettle without a mess?

Boiling eggs in a kettle is a fast and convenient way to cook them, especially if you don't have access to a full kitchen and proper pans for frying an egg (e.g. hotel room). But usually what happens, ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
7 votes
1 answer
253 views

How do I prevent peanut butter from getting on the handle of the knife?

Whenever the peanut butter jar is half-full or less, I end up with peanut butter on the knife handle. It seems inevitable that the handle will touch the edge of the jar each time you dig deep. In ...
Minnow's user avatar
  • 1,987
12 votes
8 answers
42k views

How to get rid of smell from kitchen trash?

The trash is a handy appliance that helps keep things clean and tidy in the kitchen. However, it can become a problem when it starts to smell due to spoiled food or other bacteria that increase after ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
9 votes
6 answers
47k views

How to keep water from boiling over?

It's very common to boil something (e.g. pasta) and then after few minutes you hear the hissing sound of water boiling over and your whole kitchen is a mess. How do you stop the water from boiling ...
kenorb's user avatar
  • 4,462
4 votes
1 answer
906 views

How to cleanly cut cake into even slices

Whenever I have a cake or some other bread item, I can never get a good cut while keeping the pieces even. Usually I use a knife, but that takes more work than I would like and I usually can't get a ...
michaelpri's user avatar
  • 11.3k