Martha Stewart’s Timeless Kitchen Hack And A Culinary Expert’s Genius Tips To Streamline Your Cooking

Martha Stewart’s influence in the kitchen is timeless, thanks to her clever, unfussy hacks, from using ice-cream scoops for meatballs to peeling garlic by shaking it in a jar.

She’s now back with a new simple hack to help reduce bench space, which is perfect for those with smaller kitchens. If space is tight, Martha Stewart recommends the handy hack of hanging your chopping board on a hook on the wall so it’s always within easy reach. 

Alternatively, if that isn’t possible with your kitchen she suggests an over-the-sink board to create a practical workstation, giving smaller kitchens more counter space while making cleanup easier.

Senior Recipe Development Manager at food box service, Mimi Morley comments:

“Martha’s tip shows that with a little ingenuity, there are ways to enjoy a more convenient and organised kitchen, even if you lack bench space.”

Mimi has shared four of her ingenious kitchen hacks to help make everyday cooking and cleaning more practical – and you’ll kick yourself for not knowing them sooner.

Storing knives with a magnetic strip on the fridge 

Instead of filling a drawer or a bulky block with knives, Mimi suggests attaching a magnetic strip to the side of your fridge. Depending on your kitchen layout, it keeps your knives within reach of the prep area and frees up counter space in the process.

“Accessibility encourages more deliberate knife use. When the right knife is always in reach, you’re less likely to improvise with the wrong tool,” She says. “In professional kitchens, everything is laid out to improve your workflow while cooking.”

Getting more juice from citrus

Mimi recommends microwaving lemons, limes or oranges for 15 seconds before juicing. The quick burst of heat loosens the juice inside, making it easier to extract.

“It’s such a simple fix,” She says. “You’ll notice you get significantly more liquid from each fruit, especially with limes which are often stubborn. It saves you from needing extra fruit, and makes cocktails, salad dressings or marinades taste brighter with less effort.”

Peeling ginger with a spoon

Instead of battling with a peeler or knife, Mimi suggests using the edge of a spoon to peel ginger. The rounded edge glides over the skin, removing only the thin peel and leaving the ginger beneath intact.

“It’s faster, easier and you waste far less of the ginger,” She says. “Because the peel is papery, a spoon follows the shape of the root and works around the knobbly bits without taking chunks out.” 

Ripening fruit with apples

Ever gone to make a smoothie only to find a green banana? Mimi recommends placing bananas, avocados or peaches in a paper bag with an apple as they naturally release ethylene gas, which helps the other fruit ripen faster.

“It’s a gentle, reliable method,” She explains. “You don’t need to rely on leaving fruit out on the counter for days. Even a very firm avocado, which would likely take days to ripen, can be ready in 24 to 48 hours, and the closer it already is to ripening, the quicker it’s ready.”

Softening butter quickly

If you forget to take butter out of the fridge, Mimi suggests grating it with a cheese grater. The small shreds come to room temperature much faster than a solid block.

“It’s perfect when you need to bake on short notice,” She explains. “You get evenly softened butter in minutes without resorting to the microwave, which can make it greasy or uneven. It’s one of those tricks you’ll end up using constantly.”

No more struggling with sticky spoons

Honey, golden syrup or other sticky ingredients can cling to spoons, but Mimi says to coat the spoon with a touch of oil first. The thin layer helps sticky ingredients slide off easily.

“It’s a tiny adjustment but makes a big difference,” She notes. “You don’t waste any product, your measurements are more accurate and cleaning up is far easier.”