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Healthy Kitchen Hacks #48

Healthy Kitchen Hacks #48

*Knives Sharpened for Free * Which Side of Foil is Non-Stick? * Natural Fruit Fly Trap * How to Tell a Sweet Ripe Watermelon * The Best Way to Store a Cucumber *

#HealthyKitchenHacks - HOW TO PICK A SWEET WATERMELON * GET KNIVES SHARPENED FOR FREE * NATURAL WAY TO GET RID OF FRUIT FLIES * BEST WAY TO STORE CUCUMBERS * WHICH SIDE OF TIN FOIL IS NON-STICK

It’s time for another round of Healthy Kitchen Hacks! Here are the shortcuts and “ahas” that I’ve tried in my kitchen in the past few weeks that I’m totally using…now. I’d love to hear about if you plan to try these out – or maybe you already have?

1. Get Your Knives Sharpened for FREE
via @Shnucks and @MSN

#HealthyKitchenHacks - How to Get Your Knives Sharpened for FREE | @TspCurry

If your local grocery store has a meat department, they will probably sharpen your knives for FREE. I’ve known about this service at my local Shnucks supermarkets for a while – and I thought I was just lucky to have a Shnucks nearby.

However this MSN article “13 Things Grocery Stores Can Do for You for Free” makes me think that wherever you live, you can be lucky enough to have safer knives too. Because, sharper knives are safer knives.

2. Why is One Side of Aluminum Foil Shiny?
via @Reynolds Wrap

#HealthyKitchenHacks - WHICH SIDE OF FOIL IS WHICH? | @TspCurry

Am I the only one who didn’t know why one side of aluminum foil is shiny and one side is not? I might be! But in case I’m not, I just learned from a Reynolds ad that you can:

  • Use the non-shiny (dull) side of foil for: A better non-stick surface (some oil is still recommended.)
  • Use the shiny side of aluminum foil for: A heat reflecting surface (I’ve found cookies baked on the shiny side brown more evenly and don’t burn on the bottom.)

3. The Fail-Proof Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Naturally

#HealthyKitchenHacks - GET RID OF FRUIT FLIES NATURALLY | @TspCurry

Seasonal apple or peach picking not only yields a bounty of fruit, but we also bring home fruit flies. To catch the majority of them, I make this simple trap I learn from my friend Rebekah:

  1. Place a little apple cider vinegar, or a piece of ripe fruit in a clean quart Mason jar – or a pasta jar. << The fruit works best.
  2. Cut a sheet of paper in half and shape into a cone with a 1/4- to 1/3-inch-diameter hole in the bottom. Secure the cone with a piece of tape.
  3. Place cone in the top of the jar. The fruit flies will fly into the jar and be unable to fly out. Release the flies outside daily by removing the cone. (Or you can put a lid on a jar with vinegar and shake it to drown the flies.)

4. How to Choose a Sweet Ripe Watermelon
via Jen @JenHaugen RD

#HealthyKitchenHacks - HOW TO PICK A GOOD WATERMELON | @TspCurry

Do you tap? Or sniff? Jen offers great advice for picking watermelon at the market – or from your garden. When shopping at a market, you should tap (see above) and look for a creamy yellow spot on the bottom.

I’m a super novice gardener. But Jen’s excellent advice was so helpful, I ordered her book Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden. And it has many more helpful tips. Now I’ll be a bit more ready for next years garden – which I’m already planning.  How to choose a ripe watermelon + 4 more #HealthyKitchenHacks via @TspCurry Click To Tweet

5. The Best Way to Store a Cucumber
via @America’s Test Kitchen

#HealthyKitchenHacks - THE BEST WAY TO STORE CUCUMBERS | @TspCurry

Cucumbers are my kids favorite veggie. All of them will eat cukes all year round. Maybe it’s the shape of the slices – they’re just so easy to pop into your mouth.

America’s Test Kitchen tested storing a cucumber in the crisper drawer, in plastic wrap and a few more ways. And of course my results matched with their careful testing.

In parchment paper, the results weren’t pretty after a week in the fridge. You might guess the winner from my photo, but you can get the whole scoop on their recent podcast.

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Would you try any of these hacks? Do you have any healthy kitchen or healthy living shortcuts to share? Shoot us an email (or share in comments below and we’ll try them out.)

sarah

Sunday 29th of October 2017

LOVE all of these tips! thanks for telling the best way to keep the cucumber fresh i really need that one keep posting good tips

Clara

Saturday 3rd of September 2016

Just had a group of pesky fruit flies so I was delighted for the tip.

Serena Ball

Tuesday 6th of September 2016

Oh good! I'm glad you got them!

EA-The Spicy RD

Friday 26th of August 2016

LOVE all of these tips! I was actually just wondering about the 2 sides of aluminum foil the other day :-)

Serena Ball

Tuesday 6th of September 2016

And....now you know. (: #randomfactsmadeuseful right?

Tara | Treble in the Kitchen

Thursday 25th of August 2016

So many great tips!! I'll be honest…I thought the shiny side of foil was the non-stick side…oops!!!

Serena Ball

Friday 26th of August 2016

I've never really known...that's why these Hacks are SO FUN to research! (: So glad (relieved!) to know I'm not the only one to be clueless about foil!

Jessica @ Nutritioulicious

Wednesday 24th of August 2016

This is the best HKH yet (as I already commented on FB!). First of all, the foil thing - too funny! I seriously thought food should never touch the shiny side! Second, watermelon - that's another tip my mom needs to learn. I learned that a while ago and I've had success picking watermelons at the supermarket ever since. Cucumbers getting soggy? Story of my life. And fruit flies. Those darn fruit flies! I'm telling you, best HKH!

Serena Ball

Friday 26th of August 2016

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with fruit flies. I used to think it was just me...when my kitchen got...ummm, less than tidy. So thanks for making me feel better...I've now heard from lots of people who love this fruit fly trap! And so appreciate you taking the time to comment on each of the other hacks!!

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