5 Foodie Hacks To Add Life To Any Meal

We’ve all been there, tired, bored and downright sick of our own cooking. For every chef, we all get stuck in our cooking patterns. We have a set amount of recipes every week on constant rotation. But what if you could add that special spark back into your cooking routine? Society19 is here to help! Here are 5 foodie hacks to add life to any meal.

This foodie hack is great to add life to any meal.

1. Making Your Own Spice Blends

This hack is great when you don’t have a lot of time but are looking to liven up your weekday recipes. I personally love this hack because it allows you to explore your sense of culinary adventure depending upon your cravings. You can make spice blends for any craving occasion! Whether you’re craving spicy or savory, you can add just about anything to your spice cabinet. I personally love making my own Italian spice blend. I find the ones that I buy at the store simply don’t hit the spot. I love my spices with a little extra added kick of garlic powder that isn’t always there with store bought spices. I personally love adding dried basil, oregano, onion salt  and garlic powder to make my perfect spice blend. Also, if you’re like me and some spices in certain blends are a little too overpowering, this hack is perfect for creating quality spices without having to brave through an invasive spice. When you’re looking to add that extra sense of perfection to your food, try this hack out. 

This hack is great to add that extra kick to your next meal.

2. Making Your Own Sauces

Sauces are a great way to liven up any tired meal. Homemade sauces are even better, as you can control the sugar content and customize the flavor to exactly what you’re making. I personally love making homemade ketchup. It’s a fun activity and lasts forever. I find that some ketchup is overly saturated and sweet. I feel like I’m tasting total sugar rather than the rustic sweet kick of tomatoes that I crave. If you’re like me and want something more out of your dipping sauces, try this hack out. For ketchup especially, the prep work is easy and well worth it. All you need is a can of tomato paste, ¼ cup honey, ½ cup vinegar, ¼ cup water, 1 dash sugar, 1 large pinch salt, 1 pinch onion salt and 1 pinch garlic powder. Simply combine all your ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Mix until smooth and bring to a rolling boil, then reduce for 20 minutes. Let cool and you are left with a beautiful rustic tomato sauce! This hack works for any sauce that is great for reducing that artificial sugar and adding some natural sweetness back into your cooking.

This hack is great for when you are craving some extra flavor and have a little extra time.

 

3. Making Your Own Stocks

This food hack is perfect when you have some extra time and are ready for awesome flavor! While this hack is time consuming, it will be well worth it in the long run to liven up any meal. This can be used for any sort of stock and is great for using your leftover meats to the fullest. I personally use chicken. Rotisserie chickens especially are perfect for making great stocks, as they are seasoned and add that extra natural salt into your stock. These recipes are fairly straight forward. The only thing you need to watch out for is that the water line in your stock doesn’t get too low. Otherwise, your stock will turn into globs. To make your own chicken stock, just fill a large pot halfway with water and add your chicken. You want to bring this to a rolling boil before reducing the heat to low, cover with a lid and let simmer for at least 6 hours. I recommend more. The more you let it simmer the stronger the flavor! When you’re ready, drain the chicken mixture of fats and chicken parts and you are left with a golden brown stock. You can even freeze some in an ice tray to keep for that extra flavor. This hack is great for any chefs who are looking to add a quick punch of flavor to their weekday dinners. 

This hack is perfect when you’re craving that vinigar kick.

4. Pickling Your Own Veggies

If you’re looking for some easy prep work with maxim results, this food hack is perfect for you. This foodie hack allows you to have a  vinegar crunch and flavors on a dime and add it to any recipe. I personally love pickling red onions. And the best part? The prep is fast and easy! All you need is a mason jar with a tightly fixed lid, white vinegar and peppercorns. Fill your mason jar halfway with white vinegar, finely slice your red onion into delicate rings. Place into your vinegar mixture and add your peppercorns. Add more white vinegar until filled close to the top. Seal and put in your fridge. You will be left with a beautiful pink mason jar, as the pigment of the onion will bleed out into the vinegar around it. This only needs to sit for about a day before you can start adding your pickled onions to your next dinner! These are especially great for stir fries or even sandwiches when you’re looking to liven up your work day lunch. 

This hack is great when you want to get fancy with your next meal.

5. Making Pre Seasoned Butter

This personal favorite hack is a must try for any chef who is looking to take their weekday recipes to the next level. Butter is a basic fat that is essential to most cooking. This hack allows you to make your butter customizable and delicious to your pallet and your recipes. I personally love making rosemary and sage butter. The prep is relatively easy and is gorgeous to look at. I personally love to take several rosemary sprigs, stripping them off their stems and whole sage leaves. Take your butter out and bring it up to room temperature, that way it’s more malleable. Carefully coat your butter in your rosemary sprigs and firmly press the whole sage leaves on your butter. And you are left with a delicious and beautiful creation. 

These hacks are great for livening up any weekday recipes. With these few easy food hacks, you’ll never get bored of weekday dinners again.