Latest news with #cookinghack
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
The weird $3 Kmart kitchen gadget I had no idea I needed until now
Kmart Australia has quietly launched a 'clever' $3 item that solves a common cooking problem many people face. The pot lid holder - shaped as a blue hand - is designed to release steam and reduce pressure, helping to prevent pots from boiling over while you cook. Whether you're looking for a safe spot to rest your hot lid while you stir or season, or you're tired of awkwardly balancing it off the pot, the heat resistant holder does the job for you. It fits onto most saucepan rims, propping the lid open just enough to let steam escape and avoid messy boil-overs on your stovetops. Offering hands-free convenience, the holder is a great kitchen essential - especially when you're making something like a slow-cooked lamb ragu or beef stew. 'Okay this is actually genius,' one shopper said. The unusual kitchen item comes just months after Kmart released a $6 chicken shredder, ideal for shredding chicken, beef, pork and more. The practical kitchen tool is easy to use. Simply place the meat in the shredder, close the lid and use both hands to turn for effortlessly shredded meat in seconds. 'Do I need it? Probably not. Do I want it? Absolutely!' one shopper said. 'People like me who have disabilities and issues with dexterity, grip, strength, etc would love this. If you don't need it, don't buy it,' another shared. However not everyone was on board with the gadget, with some suggesting they can do the same shredding technique with two regular forks. 'Two forks for the win! This thing would be impossible to clean,' one said. 'How lazy can we get?' another asked. Despite the criticism, the chicken shredder sold out - but has recently returned to shelves across the country.
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Kmart shoppers rave about $5.50 kitchen gadget 'everybody needs instantly'
A simple kitchen gadget from Kmart has shoppers scrambling to their nearest store - and it's all because of a viral potato hack that's saving Australians serious money. The $5.50 Spiral Potato Slicer has become the latest cult favourite among foodies and bargain hunters alike, promising crispy, golden 'chips on a stick' from the comfort of your own kitchen - without the $15 festival price tag. Originally spotted on TikTok, the gadget quickly captured attention for its ability to transform ordinary potatoes into perfect spirals, mimicking the popular market-style snack seen at food trucks, festivals and carnivals around the country. 'I'd betray the trucks any time of day. $10 is too much and I'm broke,' one user commented under a demonstration video, which shows the tool in action with a single potato turning into a beautifully uniform spiral in seconds. 'I still can't believe people are paying $9 or $10 for a potato that was spiralled with a drill,' another joked, referring to how many food vendors prepare the dish behind the scenes. With just one potato and a little seasoning, users claim you can recreate the fan-favourite snack for a couple of dollars. Others shared ideas to take it further, suggesting the slicer could be used on apples, sweet potatoes and even zucchinis for healthier or dessert-style variations. 'A spiral apple in the air fryer, dusted with cinnamon sugar - stop it. That sounds so delicious,' one user said. Many have praised the slicer's ease of use, saying it's perfect for kids, parties and even dinner prep on a budget. The product description boasts that it's dishwasher safe, simple to assemble, and delivers restaurant-style results with no need for fancy appliances or heavy-duty equipment. The gadget joins a long list of Kmart kitchen tools that have gone viral in recent years - including the cult-status air fryer, mini pie maker and snack-sized waffle irons - all adored for their affordability and ability to elevate everyday meals. In the midst of ongoing cost-of-living pressures, many households are looking for small ways to save money while still enjoying their favourite treats. And for just $5.50, the Spiral Potato Slicer offers a playful, satisfying way to do just that.
Yahoo
21-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Your Spice Jar Lids Have a Not-So-Secret Feature That Everyone Is Just Finding Out About — And It's Totally Brilliant
I have a spice rack in my kitchen that I am very, very proud of. All of the little jars are the same size and shape, with matching labels on the lids that make it easy to spot and grab whatever spice or seasoning I need. While this certainly is aesthetically pleasing, the real reason I set up this rack is because I truly hate the plastic bottles that your seasonings come in. They don't make for a pleasant user experience, and when you go to shake them while you cook, nothing really comes out — or you end up with a huge mess. So I quit the battle and made my own setup. Yet now, after finding out this clever spice jar trick, I'm wondering if all my work to make the perfect spice rack has gone to waste. Here's the hack: Instead of shaking that seasoning or spice jar on top of your plate, pot, or pan, twist the lid back and forth. Yes, just like you would with a pepper mill or a salt grinder; you pinch the plastic perforated top with your thumb and pointer finger, gently twist, and the seasoning will come out effortlessly and evenly. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaron Turk (@fatsdabarber) This tip was shared on Instagram by Aaron Turk from @fatsdabarber, who hilariously seasons an empty plate with dried herbs and spices and continues to repeat, 'I just learned this today,' as he twists different jars with wide, exasperated eyes. 'You could have been twisting the top this whole time,' he says, his voice full of shock and joy. Fellow home cooks are sharing how 'mind-blown' they are in the comments of Turk's post. 'You mean to tell me all that splashing I've been doing all these years of cooking, I could have saved myself all the cleaning around the stovetop counter? Oh crap, it works, just tested it,' writes one follower. 'I'm sorry for all the mean things I've said to my spice jars,' jokes to say, if you've been getting arm cramps every time you shake your seasonings and spices — and end up with a messy countertop because of it — we apologize that you only just had to learn this post originally ran on The Kitchn. See it there: Your Spice Jar Lids Have a Not-So-Secret Feature That Everyone Is Just Finding Out About — And It's Totally Brilliant We Tested (and Rated!) All the Living Room Seating at Burrow to Determine the Best for Every Space and Need I Just Discovered the Smartest Way to Store Paper Towels in Your Kitchen (It's a Game-Changer!) We Asked 8 Pro Travelers What They Never Pack in Their Carry-On, and Here's What They Said
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Woman causes outrage over bizarre method for frying an egg which she 'learnt from an Italian grandmother'
A woman has sparked controversy after revealing she uses cucumber water to fry an egg. The TikTok user who goes by the handle @ on the video-sharing platform recently posted a video in which she uses a cucumber instead of oil. The Germany-based influencer claimed in her video caption that she learned about the oil alternative from an unnamed 'Italian grandmother'. In her video, which has been viewed over 16.8 million times on TikTok, Jana rubs the cut end of a whole cucumber directly on the bottom of her frying pan on the stove. She then cracks an egg straight into the pan. The clip then cuts to a fully cooked egg in the frying pan, with Jana looking surprised that the 'hack' worked. She picks up her phone and swaps the camera around to film herself gently scraping the egg off the frying pan and lifting it up, before transferring it to a piece of toast on a plate. Jana then turns the camera back to the frying pan, which is completely oil-free and clean save for a few remnants of egg. In text over the video, she wrote: 'Learned this from an Italian grandmother and will NEVER do it with oil again.' Her video caption read: 'That was so smooth WHAT?' Jana's cooking tip was clearly popular, with nearly two million likes and thousands of comments on social media, but not everyone is convinced. Many viewers were sceptical about whether it was the cucumber that helped the egg to cook without sticking - or if it was, in fact, the non-stick frying pan that Jana used. 'You're using a non-stick pan, hope this helps,' one TikTok user commented. Another added: 'It's a non-stick pan, of course you could've literally used nothing and it wouldn't stick.' A third challenged: 'Do it on a stainless steel pan and then I'll be convinced.' Others questioned Jana's claim that the hack came from an Italian, with several Italian TikTok users chiming in. 'My nonna would slap my a** if I don't use the olive oil from our garden in Sicilia,' one person wrote. Viewers weighed in on the TikTok influencer's video, with many pointing out she used a non-stick pan and others lamenting what their Italian grandmothers would say about it 'And I understand why! Because it tastes 1,000 times better and it's healthy if you don't use too much.' Another said: 'As an Italian, absolutely not. No Italian grandma would replace oil.' One user went even further and said they showed the video to their Italian grandmother, who 'yelled this was insulting'. A fourth person joked that their Italian grandparents were 'turning in their graves while I watch this'. Some people worried that Jana's video meant more people were shunning the use of cooking oil out of concern for their health. It comes amid fear surrounding seed oils among Americans, after US health secretary Robert F Kennedy claimed these types of vegetable-based oils are 'poisoning' people and so-called health influencers denounced them. But Kennedy Jr isn't calling for people to use less oil or no oil at all - instead, he has urged Americans to use beef tallow or animal fat when they cook. 'Oil is healthy. I don't get why people are so scared of it,' a TikToker commented on Jana's video. The clip was also shared on X, formerly Twitter, where one person said: 'Oil does a lot more for both flavour and the cooking process than simply preventing things from sticking. 'I implore [someone] to do this with a pork chop or mushrooms and let me know how it tastes.' 'I really wish people would understand that some dose of oil is perfectly fine and healthy,' a third added. However, the influencer made it clear that she has nothing against oil and was simply sharing what she had learned. 'I love oil. But it's a fun hack. Don't worry.' In reply to a comment about there being fewer calories with her hack, Jana also clarified that she still uses oil to cook and was not interested in maintaining a calorie deficit. 'It was actually just a hack I wanted to try. I am still using oil, because it's healthy and we need it.' Using plant-based oils - such as olive, avocado, sunflower, canola, corn, and grapeseed - has been linked to better health outcomes, according to research. A 30-year study of more than 200,000 adults conducted by researchers at Harvard University found that people who cook with these types of oils instead of butter were less likely to die of any cause, including cancer and heart disease. The researchers were 'surprised' to find swapping less than a tablespoon of butter for the same amount of oil lowered the overall risk of death by 17 percent, which the team called 'a pretty huge effect on health.' They suggested this could be because seed oils are lower than butter in saturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and some forms of cancer. While it's unlikely there would be any health benefit to using a cucumber instead of oil to cook, the mild-flavoured vegetable became a surprising favourite among TikTok users thanks to recipes shared by Canadian content creator Logan Moffitt. Logan's recipes for sliced cucumbers went completely viral last year, sharing combinations such as soy sauce, chili oil, garlic, sugar and MSG, and salmon, cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning.
