How-To Guides about Food Hacks

Difficulty: Novice Time: 5-15 minutes per hack Cost: Price of regular menu items

Difficulty: Novice Time: 15 minutes Cost: ~$8

Difficulty: Novice Time: 15 minutes prep + 20 minutes baking Cost: ~$18 Yield: Serves 8-10 as appetizer

Difficulty: Novice Time: 10 minutes per order Cost: Saves $5-25 per order

Freeze Coffee Beans Like a Pro: 4 Easy Steps to Lock in Freshness for Months

Reviewed by: Jame Jimenez

Reviewed by Julianne Ngirngir

Ever wonder how to squeeze more flavor, value, and satisfaction out of your McDonald's breakfast run? Whether you're rushing to work or treating yourself to a weekend morning meal, there are clever ways to transform basic menu items into something spectacular. Former McDonald's Corporate Chef Mike Haracz has shared insider tips, and savvy customers have discovered ordering tricks that can save money while delivering better taste. These breakfast sandwich hacks range from simple substitutions to...

Difficulty: Novice Time: 2-60 minutes per recipe Cost: Free with meal plan to $6 per serving

A friend asked me the other day what kitchen tool I most frequently use. After my chef's knife, I told him that it had to be my cast-iron skillet. He was a little confused and asked what I used it for other than pancakes and bacon. I told him this: everything.

When I first started cooking, if I saw lemon juice or zest in a recipe, I almost always left it out. Unless it was a main component, I never thought it made much of a difference in the dish's overall flavor — but I couldn't have been more wrong.

Sushi rolls, known as makizushi in Japanese, are only limited by your imagination — and your ability to roll them neatly, of course. While it may seem like a lot of effort, rolling sushi is a snap if you have the right tools.

Kitchens smell, and whether you find the smell tolerable or revolting is entirely up to you.

Everyone talks about how great sliced bread is, but there's nothing better than the taste of a just-baked loaf of crusty French bread. Like most beautiful things in life, however, the beauty of the baguette doesn't last. The next day, it's rock-hard and good for very little except for croutons or breadcrumbs. But there is a trick to make it taste fresh again.

For those of us without rice cookers, conventional wisdom tells us that the stove is our only real option (unless, of course, you dabble in microwavable rice). However, if you're only using the stove for cooking rice start-to-finish, you're missing out on the easiest way to make perfect rice every time.

Fall is the time for comfort foods — and what is more comforting than crusty bread slathered in melted cheese? Owning a fondue pot is both convenient and wonderful, but not all of us have the luxury of space for nonessential kitchen appliances. However, there are plenty of ways to make an absolutely delicious, lump-free fondue without the traditional equipment.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner... which is the perfect excuse to ignite your inner cupid and bake a heart-shaped cake. If you have a heart-shaped cake or springform pan, you're all set. If not, don't worry—you don't need one! With a little ingenuity, you'll have a beautiful heart cake using the pans you already own.

Being able to sleep deeply and fully is one of the foundations for real health. When you go without it, you feel subhuman and incapable of dealing with the world—just ask a student who's had to pull an all-nighter or the parents of a newborn. In fact, many studies have shown that lack of sleep or irregular sleep is linked to acne, weight gain, and depression.