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With the pandemic still knocking on people’s doors outside, home cooking has never been more popular. More people have been attracted to the prospect of making their own meals at home.
But whether you have a small kitchen or a large one, no one likes them messy or cluttered!
You already have enough on your plate (pun intended) to deal with while cooking, so what can you do to ensure that you’re using your kitchen most effectively? Here are some ideas for you.
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Remember the Kitchen Triangle
The kitchen triangle is still one of the best ways to maximize efficiency in your kitchen, even in the modern world.
The idea is simple: The three most used parts of the kitchen (Refrigerator, Sink, and Stove, for instance) are very close to each other.
It needs to be close enough that you will not have to continuously walk back and forth when you need something done elsewhere, but not too close that there is practically no breathing room for the cook (which can also be a nightmare for the claustrophobic).
Having a setup like this ensures that less time is wasted when trying to cook, especially since you likely won’t have all of your ingredients, cutlery, and other items on the same spot in the kitchen.
Invest in at Least One Knife of Exceptional Quality
If you are seriously considering becoming a chef at home, you need to have a chef knife that is sharp and of excellent quality.
Depending on the dish you are trying to make, you will likely need to do a lot of cutting and chopping, and these ingredients may wear out a knife if its quality isn’t up to par.
Not only that, if your knife gets too blunt, but it may also actually become extremely dangerous to use!
In that case, you will want one that is already good from the get-go, as to avoid having to make multiple purchases (The hassle and costs make this part really annoying) once your old one wears out in just a few months.
A good knife can last you decades. An amazing knife can last you for your entire life.
Consider Versatile Items
To reduce the amount of space you need to keep your kitchen tools nearby, it is a wise idea to invest in items that are flexible in their usage.
Mason jars, for instance, are large enough to be used as items for storage, while still being small enough to be used as a drinking glass.
If you have ever visited a homely café, they have likely served their drinks on these thick jar-like glasses to you at least once.
There are many types of items that fit this bill, and having multipurpose items help in reducing the total amount of items you have in the kitchen! (That means fewer things to put in the dishwasher too!)
Use Open Storage
When you have too many plates and bowls, having a cabinet might feel like a tempting investment to hide the clutter of your dinnerware.
But most of the time, they simply need to be arranged properly to look proper. Stacking similar plates and bowls on each other does not make for a messy look.
With all that said, having storages that have breathing room such as open cupboards allow you to put your dinnerware and other items in full display, allowing the room to savor in their designs and aesthetics (if they have any).
Plus, it helps move things around faster. You no longer need to open cabinets to get things you need; you simply need to reach out for them.
Keep Serve Wares Simple
You don’t need to have an amazing variety of plates, bowls, and cups to make your kitchen look nice. One style for each is sufficient enough, and the best color for your dinnerware is white, which fits no matter the occasion of food or events happening.
In doing so, you won’t have to worry about having multiple-sized plates that just don’t agree with one another on the kitchen counter or in the dishrack, while also having the benefit of consistency in the aesthetic of your kitchen.
The Order of Cooking Matters
There is a good reason why you don’t serve dessert first.
Not just because you will lose your appetite from eating sweets before the main course even arrives, but because some types of dessert, like ice cream, will melt long before you finish eating the main course. Or heck, before it even arrives!
Before you start cooking, consider the type of food that you are going to make, and how long it would take to make it.
In this case, timing is everything, so sometimes; you can have two things ongoing at the same time. Just finished cooking rice, but find that it’s way too hot to handle?
Let it cool down for a bit while you fry your chicken.
Also, important to consider is to cook things that take the longest to make first, if you don’t, your other dishes may not taste as well as they should due to being in the open air for too long.
For that, don’t miss considering the best cookware sets that will ensure all your delicious food gets the superb cooking they deserve.
Finishing Up
And there you have it. These are some of the best ways to get cooking efficiently, while still making your kitchen shine.
You probably noticed that some of these ideas involve combining them with other ideas.
Indeed, versatility is an important skill for cooking, especially when you want to cut back on unnecessary steps and items in your kitchen. It helps even more those willing to multitask, but the idea of multitasking isn’t for everyone.
The best you can do right now is to cut back on the unneeded fat in the kitchen and replace it with more adaptable options.
Oh, and make sure to clean up properly after too! This is an unspoken rule of kitchen efficiency but having a tidy kitchen environment makes things feel less stressful while also giving you proper space to cook.
