One of my favorite hobbies that I have developed during my time in college is cooking. From looking through recipes online to crafting the perfect meal, cooking has brought me so much joy. That being said, I am also a college student and there’s not always an extraordinary amount of time to dedicate to cooking. However, I have learned several hacks along the way to save myself time.
Need shredded chicken? Bring out your hand mixer.
Okay, so I know what you are probably thinking. Chicken? And a hand mixer? But stay with me. When I need shredded chicken, I start by filling a large pot with water and boiling the chicken. This in itself is a convenient hack, as it allows me to not have to constantly watch the chicken to prevent it from burning. I usually boil my chicken for around 15-17 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the chicken. Once the chicken is finished cooking, I then transfer it to a mixing bowl. Next, I will bring out my hand mixer and begin shredding the chicken in the bowl. It may sound strange, but I promise you, every time I have used this hack, I have ended up with perfectly shredded chicken — all without the strain of having to shred the chicken with a fork.
Want to keep your cookies soft? Throw a slice of bread into the container.
One of the most frustrating things is when you spend time making a delicious batch of cookies only for them to become stale a few days later. When I first learned this hack, it was life changing. Now, I don’t know exactly how it works, but I have heard claims that the cookies will absorb the moisture from the slice of bread, allowing them to stay soft. Regardless of the mechanism behind it, I swear that this hack actually works. So, say goodbye to hard, stale cookies and say hello to long-lasting, soft, delicious cookies!
Remove broken eggshell pieces like a pro!
I think it’s safe to assume that most of us have been in a situation where we have accidentally dropped eggshell pieces into whatever we are making. Subsequently, I am sure that we spent ample time struggling to get these eggshell pieces out. For whatever reason, pieces of eggshell don’t want to leave a mixture once they have entered, and it can create a mess trying to get them out. One of the best tips I have used over the years is to use an already broken piece of eggshell to scoop the other pieces out. For whatever reason, this will allow the eggshell to come out much easier, and it prevents much of the mess that occurs when trying to remove the pieces with your hands.
While these are only a few cooking hacks, they really do decrease the amount of time that you will need to spend in the kitchen, so you can spend more time enjoying the delicious food you made! Additionally, they will help your food last for longer periods of time, so you do not have to throw perfectly good food out. If you are a fellow college student, it can be difficult to find the motivation to spend time cooking when time is one of the most valuable assets you have. That being said, it is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle during college, and one of the best ways to do this is through cooking healthy meals at home. So, try out these tips, and I am confident that you will be amazed by how much free time you still have, even with cooking at home!