16 genius student kitchen hacks to make life easier

Make life easier with these ingenious student kitchen hacks, 'cause those Aldi instant noodles aren't going to microwave themselves.

Use an open draw for more space

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Place a chopping board on an open draw to give you more worktop space, whether it's actually for cutting or just somewhere to place something.

Squeeze more into your microwave

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Free up space and save time. Cook more than two things at once by using an upside down bowl or mug as a stand.

Stop making onions a chore to peel

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Make onions easier to peel – and stop yourself from a case of watery eyes – by cutting the ends off and heating them for 30 seconds. This tactic also works to make garlic gloves easier to peel too.

Cook bacon in the microwave

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Yes. You can cook perfectly crispy bacon in the microwave. It takes just minutes and – if you do it right – leaves no mess whatsoever. Just place the bacon between two pieces of kitchen towel.

> How to cook Bacon in the microwave

Get more juice from your fruits

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Microwave fruits like oranges, lemons and limes to make them easier to peel, squeeze and to get more juice out. A quick 20 second blast on a high heat will do!

Cook and eat in foil

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via buriedcarrots.com
Save time washing up by cooking and eating meals in tinfoil as if camping. You easily can cook up whole meals in foil - check out these awesome Tin Foil Recipes.

Recover stale crisps

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Recover stale crisps and make them crunchy once more by laying them out on a paper towel and microwaving for 30 seconds.

Use an old squeeze bottle for pancake batter

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Clean out an empty squeezy bottle and use it for pancake batter. You can fill it up and store it in the fridge for keep for a few days to make pancakes whenever you wish!

Grate butter

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Use your grater for more than just cheese: Grate butter to make it easier to spread on bread and toast, plus for baking to make it easier to mix.

Use lemons to clean the microwave

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Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into a microwavable bowl with around 300ml of water. Microwave for 5-10 minutes. Remove bowl and wipe clean.

Store leftover pizza the RIGHT way

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Take your time to store your leftover pizza to get the most out of it: Double wrap in cling film with a kitchen towel between each slice.

Use cookie cutters for eggs and pancakes

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Cookie cutters work great for containing liquid ingredients when frying such as eggs and pancakes. Use them cutting/sharp side up.

Make the PERFECT poached eggs every time

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Use sandwich bags to make the perfect poached eggs EVERY TIME.

Re-heat pizza by frying

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For best results, reheat your pizza slices by frying in a pan rather than in the microwave.

Learn to love FryLight spray

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We reckon FryLight sprays are a kitchen essential.

Make perfect burgers

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via momfilter.com
A thumbprint in the middle of the burger will give you a nice and flat patty when finished cooking.

About the author: Thomas Brella

Thomas Brella is the founder of Student Hacks, starting the website in 2013 while studying at the University of Brighton to share tips and tricks on life as a cash-strapped student. He's now spent over 10 years scoping out the best ways to live on a budget

More on: Food Living
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