My grandma dealt with stains using items in the kitchen, and nothing ever stayed ruined for long. I have two teenagers and a goldendoodle, which means stain removal is not a hobby in this house — it is a necessary skill and required habit. I have tested most of these out of necessity and can confirm they are not just old wives’ tales.

1. Act Fast — The First Two Minutes Matter Most

The most important part of stain removal is doing it quickly. The sooner you can get to a stain, the easier it will be to remove as it won’t have time to bond with the fibers. Removing a stain after a few days is nearly impossible. The moment something spills, make sure to soak it up, do something to treat it, and make sure not to let it set. Whatever else you do, it will work better if you do this first.

It may seem obvious, but I continue to find stains on the couch that no one can remember creating. In a house with teenagers, taking care of something quickly is a group activity, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

2. Blot — Never Rub

Rub some stains into a fabric even further, and spread them out. Blot some stains up and out. Blotting is both an art and somewhat of a science. When treating a stain, it is best to use a clean white cloth or an unused paper towel and press straight down, working from the outer edge of the stain and moving toward the center of stain. This guideline applies to all methods of stain treatment. Blot the stain cleaning solution in and blot the stain cleaning solution up. Resist the urge to scrub.

Blotting is the right option! Rubbing can feel nice for some people, but it’s almost always the wrong choice. Think about it. The fabric can get ripped, the stain can get larger, and the supposed satisfaction you got from rubbing is a total lie. Every time. Blot.

3. Salt on Fresh Liquid Spills

If you put a lot of salt on a fresh spill of red wine, coffee, or juice, it will absorb some of the liquid before it can set. After you put salt on the stain, allow it to sit for several minutes and absorb as much as it can. When you are finished, brush the salt off and treat the area. This will keep the stain from meeting the fibers, and it will buy you time to do a proper wash.

Salt is always right on the table for dinner, and that is precisely when someone spills something show-stopping. Because the items are already accessible, it’s one of the most practical emergency stain hacks. Especially remember this for holiday meals and tablecloths.

4. Cold Water for Blood Stains

Never use hot water to remove blood stains because it can cause the proteins in the blood that is in the clothes to stick to the fabric. For a better result, make it your priority to remove some of the stain as quickly as possible. To do that, rinse the affected area under some cold running water. After doing that, apply some dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, or a mixture of salt and cold water.

Using hot water on blood stains secures them to the material. This applies to your new cut, your nose bleed, and to whatever happened to the knee of the jeans that appeared in the laundry with no explanation. Always start with cold water.

5. Club Soda on Fresh Fabric Stains

Stains can be lifted out of fabrics by the carbonation in club soda because they help agitate the stain particles before they set. Pour it on the stain and leave it there to fizz and then dab it with a new cloth. This is not going to work for every stain, but it works great for coffee, wine, and juice stains if done immediately. This also gives you time before having to treat the stain fully.

While out and about and away from my cleaning supplies, I appreciate that I can use club soda to clean stuff. I also appreciate that I can keep some in my refrigerator to keep it cold. I know that it may sound like I am providing some advice straight out of the 1970s, but it is surprisingly useful.

6. Cornstarch on Grease Stains

For fifteen to thirty minutes, sprinkle some cornstarch all over the fresh grease stain. The cornstarch will absorb some of the oil so that the fabric does not set the stain. Brush it away, and wash the fabric after treating the remaining stain with dish soap. This method works on stains made with cooking oil, butter, salad dressing, and fat-based stains.

Cornstarch absorbs oil just like dry shampoo does. Older homemakers kept cornstarch handy; they knew it served a purpose beyond baking. I like to pretend I knew of this trick instead of finding the greasy shirt three days later and wishing for a miracle.

7. Dish Soap on Grease and Oil Stains

Because dish soap is designed to tackle grease, it works great on oil based stains on fabric. Put a little bit of dish soap directly on the stain, rub it in gently with your fingers, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing. After that, wash it like you normally would. This should get out stains from cooking oil, motor oil, butter, and other food-related grease stains.

For years, this household has depended on Dawn dish soap for oil stain removal. Since this soap is advertised as safe to use on animals after an oil spill, then surely it can handle the olive oil that ended up on a kitchen towel. To use, apply the soap to the stain and let it sit before washing as you normally would.

8. Hydrogen Peroxide on Protein Stains

Hydrogen peroxide helps remove stains from proteins from blood, eggs, dairy and sweat. To use, apply directly to stains, wait a few minutes while it bubbles, and rinse with cold water. You’ll need to mix a small amount of dish soap with hydrogen peroxide to make a paste for removing more difficult stains. Note that hydrogen peroxide can lighten some colored fabrics, so do a test on an area that cannot be seen first.

This is the combination that takes care of the stains that nothing else seems to touch. Blood stains on light shirts, sweat stains on white fabric – hydrogen peroxide is almost always the answer. Just be sure to check the fabric color first, and avoid leaving it on for too long.

9. Baking Soda Paste on Set Stains

Combine baking soda with enough water to create a thick paste and apply it directly to a stain. Wait thirty minutes to an hour before brushing it off and washing it like normal. The combination of the baking soda’s slightly abrasive action along with its ability to neutralize odors makes it useful for a variety of stains on fabrics, including sweat, food, and mildew.

Baking soda paste is usually the last effort made before you decide something is ruined for good. Sure, it’s not a magic solution for everything, but you might be surprised what it works for, and since it costs so little, it’s worth a shot to save an article of clothing from total loss.

10. White Vinegar on Deodorant Stains

The white substance that shows up on shirt underarms due to deodorant is a reaction to the aluminum in antiperspirant and the material of the shirt. White vinegar removes it. Soak the area with the buildup in white vinegar for 30 minutes before washing it. For extreme buildup, scrub the area with an old toothbrush after soaking. This also removes sweat stains when used with baking soda.

Deodorant stains are one of the most frustrating problems when it comes to stain removal. But did you know that deodorant stains are easily fixable? This is one of those life hacks that your grandma would know off the top of her head, while most people today may be unaware or are using some sort of specialty spray. All you need is white vinegar, let it sit for 30 minutes, and then wash it as you normally would.

11. Lemon Juice and Sunlight on White Fabric

Apply fresh lemon juice to the stained white fabric and then lay the item flat in the sun. The combination of citric acid and UV light acts as a natural bleach. It eliminates yellowing, sweat stains, and general discoloration from white and light-colored fabrics without using chemical bleaches. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and wash afterward.

This trick is effective on the dingy yellowing that sets into white t-shirts and linens over time. Plus, it feels good to use this method rather than a commercial bleach product. The best part is that the sun does most of the work, and that is free.

12. Meat Tenderizer on Protein Stains

Unseasoned meat tenderizer has protein-digesting enzymes which break down stains like blood, eggs and dairy that have protein in them. Apply some meat tenderizer mixed with cold water until it forms a paste, and spread the paste on the stain. After 30 minutes, rinse and wash the fabric. This method works the best on fresh stains and on fabrics made from natural fibers like cotton or linen.

It seems odd at first, but if you consider what a meat tenderizer does to protein, it begins to make sense. It’s one of those classic pantry tricks that works on a level most people haven’t thought of. The meat tenderizer only works on unseasoned meats. Tenders to season your meat will leave behind their own staining situation.

13. Rubbing Alcohol on Ink and Marker

Rubbing alcohol breaks down the ink and permanent marker solvents, which is why it’s one of the best ways to treat pen and marker stains on fabric. Just apply it to the stain with a cotton ball and let it sit for a minute. Then, blot (do not rub) it with a clean cloth. Repeat this until the ink is gone. After, use dish soap and wash the fabric as normal. Be careful and test it on a hidden part of the fabric first because it may change the color of certain dyes.

Pen explosions in shirt pockets and marker incidents, which I will not place blame on, have come across rubbing alcohol in this house and lost. It works surprisingly well on what seems to be an unwinnable situation. The secret right way is to blot and show some patience instead of rubbing it into a bigger and lighter version of the original problem.

14. Shaving Cream on Carpet Stains

To remove stains such as juice, coffee, and mud, apply plain white shaving cream to the carpet stain, allow it to sit for thirty minutes, and then blot it clean. The foam will sink into the fibers of the carpet without soaking the carpet’s backing and will act like a carpet cleaner. After applying the cream, you just have to blot it again using a damp cloth and then blot it dry to remove the foam. Remember to use plain white foam shaving cream, not gel.

Every time I mention this, I get a look of skepticism, then it works, and people are surprised. The one that actually works is the plain foam version. The blue gel version will give you a blue carpet and a lesson learned. Only white foam.

15. WD-40 on Crayon and Wax Stains

In the upholstery and fabric industry, WD-40 is effective for breaking down crayon and other wax based stains. Just spray a little on the stained area, and after letting it sit for a few, use dish soap to cut the oily residue before machine washing. This removes ground in stains including crayon, lip balm, and candle wax. While it may seem like putting oil on a stain would make it worse, WD-40 loosens the wax and allows dish soap to remove the stain.

Finding crayon stains in clothes may appear like a disaster, but it is recoverable. The process is to apply WD-40 to the stain, then apply dishsoap to remove the WD-40, and rewash the clothes again. This is more complicated than what is typical in laundry situations, but it works, and the clothes are saved. I know this from experience, and I would prefer not to deal with this.

16. Ice on Gum and Wax

Place the ice cubes or a bag of frozen veggies against the gum or candle wax stuck to the fabric until the gum or wax freezes. Since it’s now solid, the gum or wax will break off easily without stretching or tearing the fibers of the fabric. After more wax or gum has been removed, treat any remaining residue with rubbing alcohol or WD-40.

It may seem like a catastrophe to have gum stuck to fabric, but here’s a simple solution! You can freeze the gum, crack it off, and then treat the left-over stain. The biggest mistake you can make is trying to pick it off when the gum is still soft. This will only make the situation worse as it will work the gum deeper into the fibers of your fabric.

17. Boiling Water on Berry and Fruit Stains

Place the stained fabric over a bowl. Pour boiling water over the stain from a height of a few inches. The force and heat of the water will push the stain out of the fabric instead of spreading it. This works exceptionally well for fresh berry, fruit juice, and tomato stains. Do not do this on silk, wool, or other heat sensitive materials.

This method may seem a little aggressive, but boiling water is better than any other method for berry stains. Whether it’s blueberry, blackberry, or strawberry, berry stains from any berries seem permanent. Before tossing the garment, give boiling water a chance; the results can be quite satisfying.

18. Chalk on Fresh Grease Stains

Simply grab some normal white chalk and rub it on the fresh grease stain. After, let it sit for about five to ten minutes, and then brush it off. The chalk does the same thing as cornstarch, and is able to pull out a lot of the grease so you can wash it. This trick is great when you are not near any of your laundry supplies.

With kids in the house, there always seems to be chalk around. Surprisingly, it has a legitimate use! Here’s the trick for the butter or salad dressing situation at a restaurant when you don’t have a chance to get to a laundry room and do something before the stain sets.

19. Aspirin Paste on Sweat Stains

Make a paste by crushing 2-3 uncoated aspirin tablets and mixing it with warm water. Spread this paste on the stained fabric and then leave it there for 2-3 hours before doing the laundry. The salicylic acid in aspirin is able to break down the compounds in sweat that cause yellow stains and build up on white or light fabric.

Stains from sweat on white shirts are both a cumbersome and an annoying laundry issue, and this is one of the better solutions for it. Aspirin paste and if necessary, hydrogen peroxide, work on most of what other products fail to get. It’s more time-consuming, but it does the job.

20. White Wine on Red Wine

When a red wine stain is fresh, pour some white wine on it. The white wine acts as a solvent and helps lift some red wine before it sets. After you pour the white wine, blot the stain because you want to absorb as much liquid as possible. Then, you can treat the stain with some salt or some club soda. This is just a first response trick and is not a complete solution. As soon as you treat stain, properly wash it so you can prevent the wine from setting to the fibers of the fabric.

It might sound like a gimmick to try to get you to pour more wine, but this little party trick does help as an initial response to a wine spill. While it won’t completely remove the stain, it definitely makes the follow up treatment more effective. So, get it done quickly, use what you have at your disposal, and treat it properly afterwards.

21. Dish Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide for Tough Set Stains

To treat a specific stain or a set-in stain I recommend using a mixture of one part dish soap and two parts hydrogen peroxide. Apply the mixture to the stain and let it sit for thirty minutes and then rinse and wash it. This mixture works well for food stains, grass stains and stains caused by sweat which have been washed before. Before using the mixture to treat a stained area, test it in an inconspicuous place, as hydrogen peroxide can bleach colored fabrics.

One combination I use often is when something is already washed and dried and I see the stain is still there. If you wash and dry a stained item, you set it with heat, so it makes this more of a shot situation, but this mixture gives it the best chances of working. It works more often than it should.

22. Cream of Tartar on Fabric Stains

You can create a paste using cream of tartar mixed with lemon juice or white vinegar and apply it to stains on white or light-colored fabric. After applying it, let it sit for thirty minutes then rinse and wash it. This combination works particularly well with rust stains, ink stains, and yellowing. Cream of tartar is an acid that helps oxidized stains break down without the commercial rust remover aggressiveness.

Most baking cabinets have cream of tartar that is only used for baking about twice a year. I didn’t know it could also be useful for laundry. Cream of tartar is especially good for rust-ring stains that metal buttons and snaps leave on fabric over time.

23. Milk on Fresh Ink Stains

Try soaking an item stained with ink in milk overnight. This might help draw the ink from the fabric fibers. Completely submerge the stained area and let it sit for a few hours, or overnight, before washing. This method is more gentle than using rubbing alcohol, and works best on delicate fabrics, as it is ideal for fresh ink stains as opposed to older, dried, or set ones.

This is one of those age-old remedies that seems like it shouldn’t work, but actually does. It isn’t going to help if a ballpoint pen exploded in a dryer, but if you are working with an ink stain on a delicate piece of fabric, it is a fair first try before you reach for something harsher.

24. Dish Soap on Grass Stains

Apply dish soap directly to the stain and scrub it onto the fabric using an old toothbrush or your fingers. Allow it to sit for about 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing and washing it. Since dish soap is great at breaking down the chlorophyll and other plant compounds, it works best on grass stains when you do it before the stain has dried. For more tough and stubborn stains, use hydrogen peroxide afterwards.

Kids and a rambunctious goldendoodle who loves the yard makes grass stains a given. For fresh stains, dish soap applied before washing does the trick. Dried and set stains take dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, and patience, but can be removed.

25. Never Put a Stained Item in the Dryer

Heat bonds most stains to fabric. If you treat the stain, wash the item, and are unsure if the stain is completely treated, let the item air dry. Check to see if the stain has been removed before putting the item in the dryer. Once an item is put in the dryer and a stain is present, the heat bonds the stain to the fabric making removal much harder. This one rule prevents more stains than any cleaning product.

Always check before drying. The dryer is notorious for making stains permanent, and nobody notices until the garments come out warm and the stain has been baked in. In a busy household, air drying and checking takes 30 seconds and saves clothing on a regular basis.

26. Glycerin to Loosen Dried and Set Stains

You can find glycerin almost anywhere they sell medical supplies. It helps loosen dried stains by rehydrating and softening them, making the stain easier to treat and lift from the fabric. Simply use a little bit on the stain and leave it there for an hour before treating it with dish soap or your regular stain remover and then putting it in the wash. It also works well for food stains that have dried up, certain types of ink stains, and stains that have gone through the wash a few times.

Most people don’t know about this step: glycerin. Glycerin will loosen and rehydrate dried stains before you treat the stain, which helps everything else work better. Glycerin is inexpensive and has a long shelf life, so it is definitely worth adding to your laundry cabinet.

27. Keep a Stain Kit in the Laundry Room

The best way to remove a stain is to have the right supplies on hand to act quickly. A DIY kit that includes white vinegar, dish soap, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, cornstarch, and rubbing alcohol can tackle nearly all stains that occur in the home, no need to buy specialty products. Keep the kit in one spot so you can catch every stain and save your shirts!

Grandma didn’t have specialty stain sprays in cabinets. She had a pantry full of things that could be useful and the know-how to grab what she needed. The kit approach recreates that without the need to memorize a dozen competing products. It’s the most straightforward improvement you can make to your laundry routine, and it costs almost nothing to assemble.

Most stains won’t be permanent if you act quickly and use the right methods. Stains aren’t as bad as they seem and there are many cleaning products you probably have at home that work better than store bought products. Your methods are more important than the brand you use, and speed is more important than the product you have.

For more old-school cleaning methods worth bringing back, check out 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts — that post started this whole series. And if you’re tackling a specific surface or appliance rather than a fabric stain, 33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar has most of those covered.

Every room in my grandma's house had a box of baking soda. I thought this was pretty odd until I learned a bit about it after I grew up. It is a mild abrasive and a great deodorizer and surface cleaner (even for surfaces that are prone to scratching). I now buy baking soda in bulk and it feels very satisfying. The teenagers might not appreciate it, but at least the house is clean!

1. Carpet Odor Absorber

To eliminate odors from carpet, try this method. For 15 minutes, place some baking soda on the carpet and leave it. If the smell is tough, then let it sit longer. Once you let it sit, vacuum the carpet. The baking soda, rather than covering up the smell, actually absorbs it. This works on pets, food, and just general smells.

Before guests come over, try this. The carpet will smell clean without that "I covered up the smell with a candle" vibe. Gigi really adds to the carpet situation in this house and the one constant solution is baking soda. For best results, let it sit longer than you would expect!

2. Stainless Steel Sink Scrub

You should first dampen your stainless steel sink, then sprinkle some baking soda on it. Using a sponge or cloth, scrub the sink in the same direction as the grain. The gentle abrasiveness of this method will help in removing residue, water stains, and build dullness without scratching stainless steel. To avoid getting water stains again, dry the sink with a cloth after rinsing it. You will see a big difference after just one scrub.

A clean kitchen sink can totally change the look of the kitchen! Motivating right? Just still feels a little wrong when everything else is a mess. You can use baking soda to clean the sink so there is no need to bother with smelly store bought scrubbing cleanser. This is a good habit to build!

3. Toilet Bowl Deodorizer and Cleaner

Directly put a good amount of baking soda into the toilet bowl and wait 15 to 30 minutes before brushing and flushing. More cleaning action happens if you put white vinegar after baking soda and let the fizz do its work before brushing. It cleans and removes light staining while also deodorizing without the smell of toilet bowl cleaners.

When vinegar and baking soda react in the toilet bowl, it creates a fizzing sound that might make you think something dramatic is happening—and it is. The reaction creates an effective and all-natural toilet cleaning solution, and it won’t leave you with that pesky chemical smell lingering in the bathroom afterwards.

4. Refrigerator Deodorizer

A box of baking soda in the fridge absorbs and captures food odors so they don’t transfer to other foods. Depending on the smell severity, replace the box every 1-3 months. If your fridge has strong odors, consider using one box for each shelf, and add one to the freezer.

Most people know that baking soda neutralizes bad odors, and it does its job. It keeps the fridge smelling neutral instead of like the odd combination of every leftover container that has ever been in there. Replace it more often than you think you need to. Most people leave it for far too long and then wonder why it stopped absorbing odors

5. Drain Deodorizer

For odour build up in your kitchen and bathroom drains, maintain and clean your drains by flushing half a cup of baking soda and half a cup of white vinegar down the drain. Wait 15 minutes and then flush with hot water. The baking soda and vinegar get smelly drains cleaning and odour neutralizing reactions started.

Drains slowly develop odors over time, so you don't notice it anymore, but the person using your sink does notice it. The flush method using baking soda and vinegar is quick, costs nearly nothing, and helps with drains smelling clean, not just less bad.

6. Oven Cleaner

Combine baking soda and water until you have a thick paste. Spread this paste along the inside of your oven (be careful to avoid the heating elements). Leave this paste on for twelve hours or more. The baking soda will break down and soften the grease and food that has been baked onto your oven. This will allow you to wipe it down with a damp cloth instead of scrubbing. For additional cleaning power, spray some white vinegar on the paste before wiping to help with the dissolving of the baking soda.

When using oven cleaner sprays, it is important to note that they can be harmful, and the odors are potentially dangerous. Therefore, the entire kitchen has to be ventilated. While it may be tedious, using a baking soda paste is less expensive, does not require anything special to create or use, does not release fumes that will make you unsafe, and involves no gloves / dangerous materials. While it may take 1 extra step, it is the safest and most economical choice. You can even do it the night before to save time in the morning.

7. Microwave Deodorizer

To absorb odors each time after using the microwave, put a small, open bowl of baking soda in the microwave. For a more thorough deodorizing, place a bowl containing a tablespoon of baking soda and set it to high for two minutes. After that, let it sit for five minutes while the microwave door is closed, and then wipe out the microwave. This helps eliminate the accumulation of odors from food.

Microwaves trap smells in a strange and irritating way. The baking soda bowl placed in the microwave between uses really helps reduce some of the odors. The heated water method also works for when reheated fish or last week's leftovers have really stuck to the walls of the microwave.

8. Grout Scrub

Mix water and baking soda together until you get a thick consistency. Then use a straw to apply this mixture to the grout lines. Scrub gently in small circles. After that, rinse the paste off. For grout that is more heavily discolored, spray white vinegar over the baking soda paste. Then, wait a few minutes for the fizzing to do its trick before scrubbing again. The mild abrasive action will remove surface grime and mildew and will not damage your grout.

Most people tend to avoid cleaning grout due to the nature of the work and the strong chemicals involved. While cleaning your grout with an old toothbrush and some baking soda paste is just as tedious, it won't be as harsh on your lungs. With the same results and costs, it beats specialty grout cleaners.

9. Porcelain Tub and Shower Scrub

Directly sprinkle some baking soda on a tub or shower floor that has been made damp and then use a non-scratch sponge to scrub it. It will remove soap scum, water marks, and light staining without scratching the porcelain. Be sure to rinse afterwards. For more difficult stains, let a baking soda paste sit for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing to give it time to work into the residue.

While commercial scrubbing cleansers do their job, the abrasives in one or two can over time dull the finishes on porcelain. In contrast, baking soda is gentle enough to be used on porcelain as long as the user wants, so no long term surface damage occurs. The tub looks clean and nothing is harmed in the process.

10. Cutting Board Deodorizer

To clean your cutting board, simply sprinkle some baking soda on it, take a brush or a cloth and scrub it in, let it sit for five minutes, and then rinse it off. The baking soda gets rid of food odors such as onion and garlic that soap and water alone do not get. It can be used on both wood and plastic cutting boards and after you rinse it, it won’t leave a taste or residue.

Dish soap won't get the smell of last Tuesday's onions out of your cutting board. But baking soda is a solution! It's a quick extra step after washing to make the cutting board smell clean, rather than just washed. It's a huge difference when you're getting ready to chop up some fruit on your board.

11. Trash Can Deodorizer

To soak up odors while trash is being thrown away, sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the can under the liner bag and repeat this when you change the bag. For trash cans that have a lingering smell that refuses to leave, wash your can with some soap and water, dry it, and before putting the bag back, add a thick layer of baking soda to the bottom. Unlike the other options baking soda will absorb the smell continuously.

Trash cans smell because odors build up not only in the bag but also in the can itself. The layer of baking soda under the bag helps with the problem at the source. This small habit will improve the smell of the kitchen a lot for almost no work.

12. Shoe Deodorizer

To absorb odors, sprinkle some baking soda in your shoes and let it sit overnight. You can wear the shoes the next day after you shake or tap out the baking soda. If you have athletic shoes or boots that have a lasting odor, you can leave the baking soda in for a full twenty-four hours. Before you wear the shoes, use a small brush to remove the baking soda. You can do this regularly to keep your shoes odor free.

A pair of shoes that has been worn all day definitely needs to be aired out, and baking soda helps with that, a lot. It works on the same principle as shoe deodorizer sprays, but is considerably cheaper. As for the teenager’s shoes, they have really had a complicated history with baking soda, and I see it as an essential household item.

13. Gym Bag and Sports Equipment Deodorizer

To help your gym bag stay odor-free, make a small cloth bag or use a container to put some baking soda in the bag. You can do the same for your sports gear (shin guards, helmets, pads, etc.); put some baking soda in the gear, let it sit for a few hours to absorb the smell, and then shake or brush the baking soda out. This process eliminates odors and bacteria, as opposed to masking sprays that just cover the smell.

Fragrance sprays, or any other air freshener, just mask the odor that develops on gym bags and sports equipment, making the smell worse because the spray combines with the odor. The real solution is the odor absorbing baking soda. If you have teenagers involved in sports, this is something you may have wished you knew sooner.

14. Mattress Deodorizer

Take off the sheets, put some baking soda on the mattress, and let it sit for at least thirty minutes. You should vacuum it before making the bed. Baking soda absorbs moisture and bad smells baked into the mattress. You should do this every few months.

Mattresses take a lot of punishment over the years and many people never clean them. Instead of using chemicals, you can use baking soda to help freshen the smell of a mattress. It won't make your mattress smell brand new again but it will be a noticeable improvement. This is particuarly true for homes with dogs.

15. Pet Bedding Deodorizer

Baking soda can be used to combat odors on bedding, blankets, pet beds, and any pet-related items. While pet items should be washed regularly, spreading baking soda on pet items removes odors between washes. Spread the baking soda and then let it sit for about 15 to 30 minutes. Once it is done sitting, take the baking soda outside and shake it off or vacuum it and it will be ready to be returned back to the pet. This method will not cause any issues to the pet's skin or be harmful to them as it doesn't use any chemicals.

Gigi's bed washing happens routinely and yet somehow retains a very particular Gigi scent in-between washes. The interim solution is baking soda. While she is not fond of the vacuuming step, she is always glad to have her bed back, which is what matters most.

16. Scuff Marks on Walls and Floors

Using a damp cloth, rub a small amount of baking soda onto scuff marks on your walls and the vinyl and tile floors. The scuff marks and paint are removed without scratching the surface. To make sure there are no issues with the finish, check and test on a painted walls first concealed area. After eliminating, the mark rinse with a clean damp cloth.

People living in a house can be annoying, especially when scuff marks appear on the floors and walls. Specialty cleaners may take longer to use, but baking soda combined with a damp cloth will take them off in no time. The simple solution might be annoying.

17. Silver Polish

To make a paste, mix baking soda with water. Using a soft cloth, rub the paste onto the silver in circular motion. Rinse the silver and then dry buff it using a clean cloth. If the silver pieces are badly tarnished, place aluminum foil along the bottom of a basin and pour in some very hot water. Then, add one tablespoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of salt, and soak the silver in the solution for a few minutes. A chemical reaction will cause the tarnish to transfer from the silver to the foil.

The method with aluminum foil seems like a science experiment, and it actually works for tarnishing on silverware and jewelry. This is one of those tricks that is more fun to watch than it actually is. While store-bought silver polish works, methods using baking soda are equally as effective, and almost free.

18. Coffee and Tea Stain Remover From Mugs

Put some baking soda in the stained coffee cup, and add enough water to create a paste. Mild abrasives that help remove stains from coffee cups without scratching the cup. Then, rinse the cup. If you notice that the stains are really old and stubborn let the paste sit for around ten minutes before scrubbing.

Many coffee mugs have a stain that soap doesn’t seem to remove, and many people just accept that as a mug owner. Using a baking soda paste removes these stains and makes mugs look new again. This method also works for stains in teapots, thermoses, and coffee carafes.

19. Thermos and Water Bottle Deodorizer

To eliminate unpleasant smells in containers that have been used to store coffee, tea, or other flavored beverages, add one teaspoon of baking soda to a thermos or water bottle, fill it with warm water, and let it sit for thirty minutes . You can rinse it thoroughly. For stubborn odors, let the solution sit overnight before rinsing. Finally, air dry without the lid on.

When water bottles smell like last week's coffee, it makes the water taste like it too. Use baking soda, soak it, rinse it then air dry with the top off. This is a cleaning routine that is very easy to skip but will be very obvious if it is skipped.

20. Dishwasher Booster

To enhance cleaning, reduce smells, and brighten your dishes, sprinkle 1/2 cup of baking soda on the bottom of the dishwasher before running it. Baking soda softens the water, allowing the detergent to function better. This is helpful for loads with lots of dirt, or dishwashers that smell bad between cycles.

Baking soda can be added to your dishwasher to improve how clean your dishes look, since it is an easy and inexpensive method. With this trick your dishes may look cleaner, your dishwasher may smell like less old food, and your glasses may look clean, too. Once you try this tip for the first time, you're probably going to want to do it every time you wash your dishes.

21. Laundry Booster

Put in half a cup of baking soda for every load along with the normal detergent. It works to soften the water, strengthens the detergents ability to clean, as well as, helps clean the bad smells trapped in the fabric. By using this, the clothes come out smelling a lot fresher, and the detergent has less of work to do. This is especially true for the towels, workout clothes, as well as, anything that tends to trap bad smells in between washes.

Using baking soda in your laundry is a real game changer and costs almost nothing! The towels smell fresh, the workout clothes look better, and it actually helps detergent last longer. For generations, people have recommended using baking soda in laundry, and the new version of this tip is exactly the same as the old one.

22. Sweat Stain Paste

Take baking soda and combine it with a bit of water until it forms a paste-like texture, then rub it into the area of the fabric that has the perspiration stains. Allow it to sit for one to two hours before washing the fabric as you normally would. The baking soda will help remove the compounds found in sweat that lead to discoloration and can even remove the smell, and works especially well on the underarm portions of the shirts. If you have a more difficult stain, apply the paste and let it fully dry before you wash the fabric.

Stains from sweat can be found on white shirts and are a unique problem that can be frustrating. If washing shirts with sweat stains on them along with some baking soda paste, you can remove those stains effectively. Even though it seems counterintuitive, applying the baking soda paste to the dry fabric as opposed to the damp will help you see a difference in your results.

23. BBQ Grill Grate Cleaner

To clean the grill grates, sprinkle some baking soda onto the warm grates, then use a stiff brush (or crumpled aluminum foil) to scrub the surface. This will remove built-up grease and carbon without damage due to the mild abrasiveness of baking soda. Before the next use, rinse with water and dry. Scrubbing will be easier after making a baking soda paste and letting it sit on the grates for thirty minutes if there is a lot of built-up grease.

Cleaning grill grates is one of those chores that tends to get neglected due to the nature of the job. The standard cleaning methods are unpleasant, and just brushing the grate after a bake cleaning won't get it totally clean. The same methods grandma would have used on a cast iron skillet work just as well on the grill grates, and considering what the two surfaces have to contend with, that seems reasonable.

24. Tupperware Odor Removal

If your container is stained or holding a smell, fill the container with warm water and a tablespoon of baking soda. Leave it to soak for 30 minutes (or longer) and then wash it as you usually would. This will remove the stains and odors that are absorbed in plastic containers from foods like tomatoes, curries, garlic, or odors that dish soap just can’t remove. If you still smell the container after washing it, try this method: Pack the container (without lid) with baking soda and seal it for 24 hours.

Dishwashers won't eliminate tomato sauce smells from plastic containers. They need a baking soda soak. If a container smells like three-week-old marinara, it isn't clean, and baking soda will make short work of that problem.

25. Burnt Pot and Pan Rescue

To clean your burnt cookware and pots, fill the burnt pot or pan with water and add two to three tablespoons of baking soda. Bring it to a boil on the stove and let it simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to cool before you start scrubbing. The baking soda combined with the heat will loosen the burnt food, so it lifts away with out the need to aggressive scrubbing. This method works on most cookware and stainless steel.

The first sight of a burnt pot can make it seem like it's doomed. Fortunately, it usually isn't. After fifteen minutes of boiling water and baking soda, it looks much better. Using this method, I've saved many pots from looking completely done for, and it's very satisfying to know I don't have to throw things away after one cooking accident.

26. Shower Curtain Mildew Treatment

Sprinkle some baking soda directly on a damp shower curtain liner with mildew spots and scrub gently with a brush or cloth. Rinse well. For a more thorough cleaning, take down the liner and wash it in the washing machine with detergent and half a cup of baking soda on a gentle cycle. Be sure to hang the liner to dry instead of using the dryer. This will take care of mildew and keep the smell from coming back too quickly.

Every few months, mildew on shower curtain liners becomes a nuisance and replacing them can get costly. The washing machine technique and baking soda scrub can help remedy this and extend the lifespan of a liner. The methods can be costly, but it is worth the time and effort prior to replacing liner.

27. Chrome Fixture Polish

To remove light tarnish and water spots from chrome without scratching, use gentle pressure from a soft cloth to apply a small amount of baking soda paste to the chrome fixtures. After removing the paste, rinse then buff to dry. The main point is to rub the surface with a soft cloth and very gentle pressure. Less pressure is better. Baking soda will clean the surface without the need for any pressure.

After cleaning chrome with baking soda and a damp cloth, it genuinely shines. Water spots that make chrome look dull are mineral deposits from the water, and the abrasive action of baking soda removes them without scratching and removes the deposits! This two-minute task makes bathroom fixtures look brand new!

28. Garage Floor Oil Stains

Method 1: For multiple spills on your garage floor, leave some baking soda on the spill and let it soak up the oil. After a few minutes, use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the stain. Rinse the area with water.

Method 2: For baking soda removal stains, you will need to pre-soak the area. To do this, you will need to add a sufficient amount of water to completely cover the area. Allow the water to stand for at least 5 minutes. After the time has elapsed, cover the area with a thick layer of baking soda (about 1/2 inch) and allow the soda to absorb the oil for at least 30 minutes. Use a stiff-bristled brush to scrub the area. Rinse the area with a hose.

This oil stain treatment method will not completely remove oil stains, as you may have thick oil stains on your garage floor.

Concrete oil stains are easier to manage when treated with baking soda. However, if the stains are older then more intensive stain removal methods may be required. Before using harsh degreasers always try using baking soda first. The quicker baking soda is applied after an oil spill, the more effective it will be.

29. Refrigerator Drip Pan Cleaner

Baking soda is a great deodorizer! Most refrigerators have a drip pan that collects condensation, and water that collects in the drip pan can cause mold and a foul smell that can spread to the rest of the kitchen. The source of the smell can go undetected by most people. To clean the fridge drip pan, first pull it out. Then sprinkle it with some baking soda and let it sit for a few minutes. After a few minutes, scrub it with a brush and rinse it out. Make sure to let it dry before putting it back in the fridge. As part of a seasonal maintenance routine for your fridge, clean the drip pan every three to six months.

A lot of people don't discover the drip pan until there's an odor in the kitchen that they cannot pinpoint. If the kitchen has a bad smell with no apparent cause, this is one of the first things you should check. It's generally simple to get to the pan, and it only takes about five minutes to clean.

30. Litter Box Deodorizer

To manage odors in your litter box, add a light coating of baking soda before adding litter. You can also add baking soda between full cleanings of the litter box. It will neutralize, not cover, the ammonia odor from cat urine. For best results, replace the contents of the litter box frequently, and clean the box with baking soda paste between cleaning it.

This will also work for cat owners. When baking soda is sprinkled under and within the litter box, it really helps with the smell even between cleanings. Although we are a dog family, we often hear about this in relation to inexpensive cleaning hacks, so it goes on the list.

31. Keep a Bowl in Every Problem Room

An open dish of baking soda will absorb odors in any room, regardless of whether it is a basement, bathroom, mudroom, or laundry room, without using any fragrance or chemicals. It is advisable to replace the baking soda on a monthly basis. This trick works like the refrigerator box trick, as it provides ongoing odor control in enclosed spaces.

Thinking of Grandma keeping baking soda in every room, I thought it was a bit too much, but I get it now. Having an open dish of baking soda in the bathroom or the mudroom does its job quietly and consistently. You only notice it when it’s gone. A dish of baking soda is one of the simplest and cheapest improvements to how a home smells.

A single box of baking soda is capable of dealing with more cleaning scenarios than most people's whole cabinets of specialty products. It may not do dramatic foaming and may not smell like a cleaning product, which may give the impression that it's not doing much – then you look at the results and realize it was doing exactly what it was meant to do all along.

When using a pantry method to create cleaning supplies and work on vinegar, baking soda goes together to cover most household situations. For a full breakdown on what vinegar deals with, visit 33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar. The original list of old-school cleaning methods that started all of this is at 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts.

My grandma's kitchen and mine differ more in habits than in cleaning supplies. She cleaned constantly and briefly, so nothing ever got out of hand. I clean infrequently and overtly, so it takes me more effort for the same result. I have been gradually taking on her habit, and the kitchen is better than ever. The teenagers have not. But two out of four isn't bad.

1. Clean as You Cook

Instead of leaving everything for after dinner, old-fashioned homemakers wiped down surfaces, rinsed tools, and washed prep bowls as food was simmering or baking. They were cleaning as they cooked. Because of this, the kitchen was never a total disaster. Most of the mess was cleaned up when dinner was on the table.

It takes a little practice to clean as you go, but it pays off. You can rinse your colander while your pasta is boiling. Wipe down the counter while your chicken is resting. Your time isn't being taken up anymore, it is just being used in a different way. With a little extra effort, you can finish dinner and see that the kitchen is already mostly cleaned. If there’s one thing that our kids learn from me, I hope this is it! So helpful!

2. Sweep the Kitchen Every Night

Daily sweeping/vacuuming of the kitchen will prevent the accumulation of debris, deter pests, manage the floor, and keep the floor from becoming a big project. It only takes about 3 minutes, and the kitchen is reset for the next day. Vintage homemakers would resort to daily sweeping of the kitchen as a daily routine.

I always feel good about my day when I walk into my kitchen and see a freshly swept floor. My husband never notices the crumbs, and Gigi is a huge part of the problem. I have come to terms with these things, and that is why I have become quite fond of my broom.

3. Wipe the Stovetop After Every Use

Instead of allowing grease and splatters to dry and harden on the stovetop, vintage homemakers wiped it down immediately after cooking. A warm stovetop surface can be wiped down practically instantaneously, while a cold surface will require scrubbing to remove grease that has been allowed to dry and harden. This practice not only prevents the stove from becoming excessively dirty and taking significant scrubbing to clean, it also becomes a faster process overall.

Wiping down a warm stovetop takes no effort at all and will take thirty seconds maximum. Scrubbing a cold stovetop that has three days worth of built up grease will take a lot longer, and it's certainly not fun. For some reason, it seems like this habit is obviously positive, and yet the stovetop looks dirty. I am trying to improve on this.

4. Keep the Sink Empty at Night

Growing up my grandma would say dishes left in the sink overnight was unfinished business. When she was growing up people would wash the dishes before going to bed and as a result wake up to a clean kitchen and a clean start to the day. It also stops food residue from sitting in the sink smelling bad. An empty sink at the end of the night can be that little reset to change how a morning feels.

Waking up to a clean kitchen makes my day better. The longer I wait to do the dishes the more I feel like there are. It feels like there are ten plates instead of three. Do the dishes and they do not exist.

5. Clean the Refrigerator Before Grocery Day

Before going grocery shopping, vintage homemakers would clear out the refrigerator, check what should be thrown out, clean the shelves and drawers, and restock. This kept the ‘science experiments’ (aka expired leftovers) easy to find and gave the new groceries a clean, organized space instead of putting them on top of older, forgotten groceries.

Cleaning the fridge before shopping may sound like a hassle, but it literally takes ten minutes and prevents the dilemma of having to stack new groceries on top of mystery containers from two weeks ago. This way, you know for sure what you have, which will stop you from buying duplicates of things you forgot you already had.

6. Wash Dishes in Hot Water

Genuinely hot water cuts through grease more effectively than water at room temperature. Water at the highest temperature you can tolerate will take grease and residue off the dishes with less effort when combined with dish soap than water at a lower temperature.

If you observe closely, the difference between hot and lukewarm water on greasy pans is very clear. In fact, greasy pans that look like they need scrubbing in lukewarm water, often come clean in really hot water. This is a really small change that makes washing dishes by hand a lot quicker and more efficient, and the best part is, you don’t need to buy any special products.

7. Use Dish Rags Instead of Paper Towels for Most Tasks

When paper towels weren't so available, cloth rags were used instead. Cloth rags work better for soaking up spills and for wiping surfaces and drying hands. They cost a lot less to use too because they are reusable. If you have old cut-up t-shirts or dish cloths, you can keep a stack under the sink and use them in situations where you would grab a paper towel, but only out of convenience.

I still use some paper towels and I'm not saying that should change. What I am saying is that cloth rags do a better job for most kitchen wiping tasks. Plus, without using paper towels for everything, the rolls last a lot longer. Having separate rags for the sink and the counter helps keep things organized.

8. Wipe Down Cabinet Fronts Weekly

Over time, kitchen cabinet fronts collect a layer of cooking grease and fingerprints, and the longer the buildup sits, the more difficult it is to clean. Vintage homemakers wiped down cabinet doors with a damp cloth and a small amount of dish soap and did this weekly as part of the kitchen cleaning routine. Frequent damp wipe downs remove buildup before it necessitates a major cleaning task.

Cabinet fronts around the stove collect grease more than any other place in the kitchen. It may go unnoticed, but it will eventually become visible. It takes zero effort to maintain with weekly wipe downs. Wipe down work is still far easier than scrubbing work and never looks as clean. Here, frequency wins over intensity.

9. Keep a Simmer Pot for Kitchen Odors

Instead of grabbing an air freshener after cooking fish or fried food, old-fashioned home-makers would do a simple trick. They would put a pot of water and lemon, cloves, cinnamon or orange peels on the boil, and let the mixture neutralize and replace any cooking odor. It takes only about five minutes to set up, and clears the smells better than any air freshener.

It’s annoying how an unfresh smell lingers in the kitchen after certain foods are fried. A great way to clear that smell is to use a simmer pot. Just cut up a lemon and throw the scraps and any spices in a pot and let it simmer. This method feels like a cheat code, but it actually works.

10. Descale the Coffee Maker Monthly

Older homemakers kept up with the maintenance of their coffee makers and other appliances. To keep coffee makers functioning, and to maintain the taste of the coffee being brewed, owners should run a cycle of half white vinegar and half water through the machine once a month. In a matter of minutes, this will remove any mineral buildup and restore the efficiency of the machine. After you run the vinegar and water solution, be sure to run two cycles of plain water through the machine to remove any remaining vinegar solution. Many people have unexplainably bad coffee. This is an issue that could be easily resolved by putting a little effort into the regular maintenance of the maker.

A lot of people don't clean their coffee makers, even though they use it for a cup of joe every day. The worst part about this is that it's even more disgusting than people think. The coffee gets gross not just from the coffee itself, but from the build-up of minerals from the water they put in it. It's gross. If you drink hard water, it's even more disgusting. Regularly cleaning it actually makes the coffee taste better because you've removed a bunch of yeast and mold from your coffee maker. Once a month, do the following: vinegar cycle, rinse out the reservoir with water and then run a couple of cycles of just water. It takes ten minutes and the coffee genuinely tastes better afterward.

11. Wipe Appliance Exteriors Daily

Wiping down appliances in your kitchen like the refrigerator handle, microwave door, toaster, and coffee maker, will keep grease and fingerprints from building up. This will keep you from having to do a bigger cleaning job. Also, only takes thirty seconds to do each appliance and it will makes the surfaces look clean and polished instead of dirty or in need of some attention.

Appliance fronts are going to collect fingerprints faster than any other surface in the kitchen. They also make the whole kitchen look dirtier than it is. The daily wipe down is such a fast task that it barely registers as a task, which is why it becoming a habit really improves the overall look of the kitchen. The fingerprints on the stainless steel fridge are next level and I have just accepted this fate.

12. Clean the Microwave Weekly

Fill a microwave-safe bowl with water, then add some lemon slices or a bit of vinegar. Microwave it on high for five minutes. After that, wait a couple of minutes before wiping the microwave down with a damp cloth. Weekly cleaning stops the surfaces from getting splattered with food or built up odors. The steam works to clean the microwave, and then it takes just two minutes to wipe it down.

A microwave wiped down every week never gets to the point where cleaning it becomes a big job. The same microwave ignored for a month takes real effort and still has a somewhat suspicious smell. This takes five minutes each week and that takes twenty minutes if you do it once in a while. The math is really simple.

13. Clean the Garbage Disposal Weekly

To clean the disposal blades and help with odors, run ice cubes and a cut up lemon through the disposal once a week. The ice scrubs the blades and the citrus oils from the lemon deodorize the blades, remember to run cold water afterwards. You can also pour half a cup of white vinegar into the disposal and let sit for a few minutes before running cold water to flush. Disposals that are maintained weekly won't develop smells.

Disposals that smell bad will smell bad. Over time, you'll get used to it, so it'll smell bad to everyone else too. Cleaning the disposal is as easy as running a lemon and ice cube disposal every week. It will smell clean, and the whole kitchen will smell better. It only takes sixty seconds, and it has a huge effect on the overall kitchen smell.

14. Run the Dishwasher with Vinegar Monthly

To keep your dishwasher smelling fresh and working like new, pour a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe bowl, top rack, and run a hot water cycle. Do this monthly as it keeps the spray arms free of grease, soap scum, and mineral residue. As an added benefit, it removes stale odors from old food.

A dirty dishwasher loses its ability to clean dishes, so why would you even own one if it's just going to sit there and get dirty? All it takes to get your dishwasher back in cleaning shape is a monthly one cup vinegar treatment and a running an empty load. It requires only 10 minutes of your time, but the results can be life changing. Your dishwasher will smell clean and your dishes will come out even cleaner.

15. Dust From Top to Bottom

Vintage homemakers had a way of cleaning that was logical — cleaning high surfaces first so that the dust or debris that was removed would be picked up when doing the floors last. So they'd do the tops of the cabinets and the refrigerator, work down to the counters and appliances, and then do the sweeping or vacuuming last. If you clean in the reverse order, it means that you're doing the floors twice.

This may sound obvious but it gets ignored all the time as people rush to finish cleaning. Ceiling fans are really good at redistributing dust onto surfaces that have just been cleaned. Each time you go top to bottom, you eliminate the frustration of having dust settle onto freshly cleaned surfaces.

16. Keep a Trash Bowl on the Counter While Cooking

Before you start cooking, put a bowl or bag on the counter to collect your scraps, peels, and packaging. Instead of walking to the trash can multiple times, you can keep your countertop clean while cooking and speed up the whole process. When you're done cooking, make just one trip to the trash and empty it.

This is one of the habits that enhances your efficiency. It may look small, but the impact is gigantic once it gets embedded into your routine. Your cooking counter stays clean, your trash can remains closed until it’s necessary to empty it, and your entire cooking experience will feel more organized. Most importantly, the habit makes the dreaded post-cooking clean-up much faster because most of the waste is already collected in one place.

17. Organize Pantry Items Front to Back

Vintage homemakers rotated their pantry and refrigerator items so that older ones were always in front while new ones were pushed to the back, much like practices borrowed from grocery stores. This prevents items from being forgotten about and reduces food waste. A simple front-to-back check as new groceries come in keeps the pantry organized without the need for a full reorganization.

Discovering expired items that are hiding in the back of the pantry isn’t very fun. When putting away groceries, front-to-back rotation only takes about two minutes and prevents “mystery items I forgot existed” from forming.

18. Polish the Sink to a Shine Weekly

After washing your hands, take an extra minute to dry and buff the kitchen sink with a clean cloth. A polished and dry sink will stay clean longer because no water spots, dirt, or soap scum will accumulate. If you want an extra shine and deeper clean, sprinkle some baking soda in the sink before buffing. Your sink shows how clean the rest of your kitchen is more than any other surface.

A clean sink makes the entire kitchen look clean, even if it isn't. This is a good thing. Just one more minute spent polishing the sink after doing the dishes massively improves the look and feel of the entire kitchen. This is the type of small habit that transforms a space for very little effort.

19. Wipe Light Switches and Door Handles Daily

Cabinet handles and kitchen light switches are some of the most frequently touched surfaces in the home and yet, they seem to be cleaned the least. Taking the time to quickly wipe these surfaces as part of the daily kitchen clean up only takes about 30 seconds, and while you may not think it, these surfaces are accumulating oils, food particles, and other gross build up very quickly. This type of hygiene habit is quite easy to implement and helps.

Everyone's hands touch the kitchen light switches after they handle food, and they are not changed. They are never cleaned. A daily wipe as part of the tidy routine addresses this without requiring it to become a separate task. Once it becomes automatic it takes no more thought than wiping down the counter.

20. Let Cleaning Products Sit Before Scrubbing

Cleaning sprays work better the longer they sit, so take a tip from vintage homemakers and try to let them work their magic. After spraying a surface, take a break for five to ten minutes while the cleaning solution breaks down the grease and grime. You will have to do less physical scrubbing because the spray will pull its weight and do a lot of scrubbing for you. If you start scrubbing immediately, you will be chemically battling the grime up close instead of allowing time for the spray to do its job.

When something is dirty, the first instinct is to start cleaning it right away. Most cleaning products work better if you spray it and walk away for a little while. Stubborn stovetop grease that requires you to scrub really hard will come off really easily if you just let the cleaner do its job first. Being patient is an excellent strategy for cleaning.

21. Deep Clean the Oven Monthly

Instead of waiting for the oven to smoke or smell during cooking — which means the build up is already significant — vintage homemakers cleaned the oven regularly as part of monthly kitchen maintenance. A baking soda paste applied overnight and wiped in the morning handles routine build up without the fumes of a commercial oven cleaner. Keeping up with it monthly means it is never a major project.

Cleaning the oven once a month is only ten minutes of work, and an overnight wait. Quarterly cleaning is going to take a lot more time and work. That’s because the build-up is more likely to have hardened and baked on. Monthly cleaning means the job will not become a major project.

22. Use One Cloth Per Zone

In the past, how old-fashioned homemakers worked always involved the use of cleaning cloths that were designated to cleaning specific areas. There would be one cloth for cleaning the sink, another one for the counters, and even one for the floor. These cloths would be cleaned regularly. By having separate cloths for each cleaning zone, cross contamination is prevented between the areas where food is prepared and the sink, and the process of cleaning becomes more sanitary overall. Additionally, color coding each cloth to the area it is designed to clean means you do not have to guess cloth was used where.

It's best to avoid the habit of using the same cloth for cleaning the sink and the cutting board. It’s more hygienic and easier to maintain a cleaning system when you have separate cloths for separate areas. Once you have the color coding done, it’s automatic and takes no thinking.

23. Store Cleaning Supplies Simply

While today’s homeowners have likely bought into the trend of several different brands of specialty kitchen cleaners, vintage homemakers kept it simple with just a few multipurpose cleaning supplies — baking soda, vinegar, and dish soap and knew exactly what each individual product was used for. With just a few effective and versatile cleaning products you can easily find what you’re looking for, and removing the choice anxiety that occurs when faced with dozens of similar cleaning products.

My cleaning cabinet has had more products in it than I can explain at various points. However, for most situations in cleaning the kitchen, these three things are the most useful: vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap. The specialty sprays usually duplicate one of those three, and one of those three do about the same job as the specialty spray. Grandma cleaned an entire house with a very short list of supplies and the kitchen was clean.

24. Air Out the Kitchen Daily

To stop the buildup of stale cooking odors, steam, and moisture in the kitchen, open a window or run the exhaust fan for 10-15 minutes each day. This will move moisture out of the kitchen. Vintage homemakers, even when it was cold outside, would open the windows as part of their daily routine. They knew that the buildup of smells and moisture could lead to mildew and odors.

A kitchen that gets aired out each day smells a lot better than one that doesn't. The moisture from cooking gets absorbed into the fabrics, interiors of cabinets, and curtains, and over time it develops an odor. Ventilating the kitchen for 10 minutes every day after you cook is a good way to prevent the buildup that will be much harder to get rid of later on.

25. Clean Behind and Under Appliances Seasonally

Dust and grease can build up on your appliances and even lead to issues with how well they work or how good the air is in your kitchen. Vintage homemakers included cleaner fridge coils and behind the stove in their seasonal deep cleaning. In the case of your fridge and stove, doing this two times a year will pull out your appliances, and it will take an hour to do it. However, this will prevent a significant build-up that will make these areas much harder to clean over time.

A lot of dust collects behind the fridge, so cleaning it out can be good for you. Cleaning it out every six months helps the fridge run more efficiently and gets rid of whatever creepy crawlers have made a home back there. This is one of those chores that gets worse the less you do it. Seasonal cleaning: manageable. Never cleaning it: not so much.

26. Wipe Down Cabinet Interiors Quarterly

Kitchen cabinets can become messy and dirty inside. Over time, they can accumulate food debris, spills, and various remnants from items stored inside the cabinets. Take everything out of the cabinet once every 3 months, clean the inside with a damp microfiber cloth dipped in a drizzle of dish soap, wait until it is completely dry, and restock the cabinet. This is also a good time to check the expiration dates on items and throw away anything that is expired.

Because cabinet interiors are closed most of the time, you would think they would look pretty clean. The truth is, they don’t. The quarterly wipe-out is something that you should do even if you feel like you are not going to find anything interesting. The wipe-out usually exposes old, expired products, cradle that has been living its best life, and other products that have likely turned to dust. It's worth doing, even when you're confident you won't find anything interesting.

27. Wash Kitchen Towels Frequently

Kitchen towels become contaminated quickly. They should be washed every 1-2 days, not weekly. Vintage homemakers kept a supply of clean kitchen towels and rotated them to avoid using a damp, potentially unsanitary cloth. Towels should be stored so multiple dry towels can be used.

When towels are used for a few days, they get a familiar odor. That smell is bacteria, and it can be transferred to the dishes you’re drying or hands you’re wiping. Wash them more often to fix the problem. It’s one of those situations where the solution is almost effortless and it can really improve hygiene.

28. End Each Day With a Full Counter Wipe-Down

Every vintage homemaker's evening kitchen routine included a complete wipe-down of all counter surfaces. All items were removed from the surfaces, wiped down, and left clean and dry. In the morning, clear counters greeting you changes the way the morning begins. It also stops residue and crumbs from lingering, which happens when surfaces are only wiped when they look dirty.

At night, it takes about four minutes to wipe down all of the counters. The kitchen looks reset in the morning, and it starts off with the least amount of mess possible and avoids the build up. This one habit is more impactful than most cleaning supplies on how the kitchen looks and feels every day. It’s the last thing I do before I leave for the night, and each morning, the difference is clear.

29. Make It a Routine, Not a Reaction

Old kitchen cleaning habits differ from modern ones mainly in that old homemakers cleaned on a schedule instead of in reaction to visible messes. Daily, weekly, monthly, and seasonal tasks meant nothing could get too far out of control. Because the cleaning happened before the mess became a big job, the cleaning was easier.

Cleaning before something gets dirty puts you in a better position. It's clear that cleaning habits take little time and effort. They can boost efficiency. Frequent cleaning habits help more than letting mess pile up. A clean kitchen feels better than a dirty one. My grandma did it. I'm still trying to get there.

You can store the ingredients needed for all the habits in this list in a single cabinet. You'll need vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, dish cloths, and a broom. Everything else is the habit itself — daily wipe, nightly sweep, weekly sink polish. It’s not the products that are the variable, it’s the consistency.

To see the full list of old-school cleaning methods that started this whole series, check out 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts. If you want to know exactly what you can clean with white vinegar or baking soda, those are covered at \"33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar\" and \"31 Things You Can Clean With Baking Soda.\"

We have pretty full laundry baskets in the Sorensen household. Between two teens, a husband, myself, a goldendoodle who rolls in gross things, the laundry never stops. The old-fashioned tips on this list have made the process more effective and I’ve noticed that when I use them, our clothes last longer, which is the whole point. The teens still leave their laundry on the floor right next to the hamper, but that is a different problem.

1. Sort Every Load — Every Time

Many “vintage” homemakers sorted laundry into piles based on clothing type — whites, lights, darks and delicates. Sorting provides protection against color bleeding, ensures delicates are safe, and proper washing temperatures can be used for different types of fabric. This process takes approximately two minutes, but can significantly prolong the lifespan of clothing compared to washing everything together.

Until a red sock turns everything pink, sorting laundry feels like more work than it really is. The consequences of not sorting take a lot longer than the sorting step. I have learned this countless times. The teens have not learned it yet, which is why they have separate laundry.

2. Treat Stains Before Washing, Not After

Before doing laundry, check for stains and treat them with soap, vinegar, or a baking soda paste to wash away as pre-treating aids the process. The stain on fabric can be harder to remove if the stain goes through a wash cycle without being pre-treated. It can be even harder to remove if the stain goes through the dryer. Old-fashioned homemakers would treat a stain before washing, never after.

A simple thirty seconds can save a lifetime of aggravation. Check your clothes for stains before loading them into the washer. Otherwise, you risk washing, drying, and discovering a stain burned into the fabric. You can avoid this. Just check before you load.

3. Use Less Detergent Than the Label Suggests

The measurements on packaging are set to trick people into thinking they need to use a lot more detergent than is necessary per load. Unlike modern detergents, vintage laundry detergents were not as concentrated and were therefore very expensive meaning that vintage homemakers used small precise amounts to save money. When at all possible, use 1/2 to 3/4 of suggested amount of detergent for a normal load of laundry. Skin irritations can be caused by laundry detergent and fabric softener residue left in the fabric and detergents attract more dirt and debris to fabrics.

When detergent builds up in fabric, it can cause the fabric to feel stiffer than normal and the color on the clothes can begin to look stained or dull. It may feel strange to use less detergent than recommended by the manufacturer, but after a couple of washes you will notice a difference in the condition of your clothes. This is one of those instances where using less detergent reaps the most economical rewards.

4. Wash in Cold Water for Most Loads

Unless items are soiled or are towels and bedding, cold water cleans clothing just as well as hot, and even helps the fabric last longer by causing less wear and tear. Hot water breaks down elastic, causes shrinkage, fades colors, and degrades fabric. Vintage homemakers did not use hot water for everything, it was used strategically for items needing to be sanitized.

When washing clothes, many people prefer to feel the sense of using hot/warm water rather than feel washing clothes in cold water, yet this is a common habit that damages clothing quickly without providing an actual better clean. Most loads of clothing, using cold water and a good detergent will do the job. The energy bill will also be lower, something grandma would have noticed right away.

5. Soak Heavily Soiled Items First

Soaking laundry was the first step for washing work clothes, muddy clothes, and clothes that have heavy stains. You would fill a tub or washing machine with water and detergent (or even baking soda), and submerge the clothes to soak for 30 minutes or 1 hour. This loosened the dirt so the washing machine's cycle didn't have to work as hard.

If you wash a heavily soiled item without soaking it first, washing it will only result in something that is cleaner, but still not clean. It's the soaking process that causes the washing to be more effective, resulting in the item being clean after being washed. When dealing with something that is genuinely filthy, the soak process is not optional.

6. Add White Vinegar Instead of Fabric Softener

When put in the fabric softener compartment, half a cup of white vinegar softens clothes, eliminates static, removes detergent build-up on fabric, and leaves clothes clean with no added scent. Your clothes will NOT smell like vinegar since the smell will be gone by the end of the wash cycle. Commercial fabric softeners silicone coat fibers and make towels less absorbent, so washing towels without fabric softener will make them more absorbent.

Using a commercial fabric softener means the fibers of your clothing will feel soft because they will be coated with a substance that will eventually make the fabric less absorbent and breathable. In contrast, white vinegar removes residue instead of adding to it which allows softening and will have your fabrics and towels performing as they should. These towels have been washed with vinegar for a year and now work a lot better than they used to.

7. Add Baking Soda to Every Load

Combined with detergent, 1/2 a cup of baking soda poured into the washing machine will help to soften the water, boost the effectiveness of the detergent, and neutralize odors trapped in the fabrics. This is great for workout clothes, towels, and anything else that can hold odor between washing. Before commercial additives became a thing, this was a standard laundry booster and it works just as great today as it did back then.

Adding baking soda in each load may make a difference in how clothes smell and feel right out of the wash, and it only costs you about two cents per load! Even the smelliest workout clothes come out fresh. Give it a try for a whole month, and see for yourself!

8. Line Dry When Possible

Compared to clothes dried in a hot dryer, clothes dried outside on a line or drying rack will last significantly longer. The dryer breaks down fibers, degrades elastic, and causes shrinkage. Also, the lint trap collects pieces of your clothes. However, line drying naturally brightens whites due to UV and removes odors without a fragrance.

Nothing can beat the smell of bed sheets and towels that have been line dried. It is far superior than anything you'd find at the store, not even dryer sheets compare. Line drying definitely takes more time, and it requires a allergy pollen check to see if you will get allergy symptoms from doing it, but dry sheets and towels will last longer, and your linen closet will smell better from it. I specifically do this with sheets and towels, and I can promise you, there is a big difference.

9. Use the Gentle Cycle More Often

Everyday clothing is not going to need the agitation that accompanies a regular or heavy cycle. Over time, the gentle cycle is less damaging to your clothing as it uses reduced mechanical force. Delicates once were hand washed, so now that would be the equivalent to using gentle cycle. Regular cycles should only be used for towels, bedding, and actual dirty work clothes, not clothing that only needs to be freshened.

Default settings on washers have people washing their clothes incorrectly. Lumens recommends a gentle cycle wash as each setting will extend the life of the garment by years as they will avoid the common wear and tear from washing like fraying seams and collars. It's as easy as making one additional setting change on your washer. This is no extra work and you'll get to enjoy your clothes for longer.

10. Turn Dark Clothes Inside Out

By washing clothes with darker colors inside-out, it helps to reduce the pilling and fading of the fabric on the outside. The external surface of the clothing experiences less friction because the inside of the clothing is experiencing all the wear and tear from the washing and drying cycles. This practice keeps dark denim, dark shirts, and dark sweaters more visible for longer and all it takes is the effort of flipping them before washing.

Turning dark jeans inside out helps them fade less quickly because they dark dye fades quickly and washing twice as often as wearing is going to cause them to fade more quickly. This is such a small effort to make that results in a large difference. It takes practically no time to do and I'd be willing to bet it would make a visible difference after a year. My guess is "the teenagers" don't do it but, me, I do.

11. Hang Shirts to Dry on Hangers

To air dry dress shirts, blouses, and knit tops, hang them on hangers to keep their shape and prevent wrinkles. It also reduces the risk of shrinkage from heat drying. While damp, pull your garments into shape and hang them directly in the closet. Most won't need ironing if they are hung properly while still damp.

After years of repeated drying cycles, shirts might appear shorter and wider. Instead of tossing your shirt in the dryer, you could develop a habit of hanging it up to dry. Plus, a bonus of this method is that you won't have to iron your shirt since most shirts will be wrinkle-free after drying.

12. Iron Clothes While Slightly Damp

In the past, vintage homemakers used to iron clothes when the fabric was slightly damp from washing. This requires way less heat and effort than ironing dry clothing. If the clothes were dry, they would use a spray bottle of water and lightly dampen the fabric to make ironing easier. For sure ironing dry clothes will require some heat, so starting with a lower temperature would be best.

It takes way longer to iron a dry wrinkled shirt than a damp one. This is because the fabric melts at a lower temperature than the metal of the iron, so it responds instantly. This is the difference between thirty seconds versus one hundred and thirty seconds of ironing a shirt. Grandma ironed everything, and that is because that is how it was done, and her system is still the best one.

13. Never Overload the Washer

To get clothes clean, they need space to move in the washing machine. When washing machines are overloaded, the cleaning process will be less effective. It will be harder for the items to move through the water and detergent. Vintage homemakers did smaller loads more frequently instead of cramming everything in once and overloading the machine. A washer filled to about 3/4 capacity is more effective than one fully packed washer.

It may be tempting to overload the washer and may feel like an efficient thing to do, but washing your clothes in an overloaded washer will not result in clean clothes. Each of the pieces of clothing in the center of an overloaded washer drum do not get a chance to move through the water and get cleaned. They might still come out of the washer wet, but they won't be clean. You'll find that smaller loads will actually take the same amount of time to wash, but they will result in cleaner clothes than an overloaded washer will produce.

14. Check Every Pocket Before Loading

This habit has been around longer than washing machines and for good reason. If a tissue is left in the pocket, it ruins the entire load. A pen can ruin several items and possibly the drum. Chapstick causes permanent grease stains. Coins can damage the drum. Checking pockets takes 30 seconds per load, but saves you from having a laundry category that requires a 2nd wash cycle, a special stain treatment, or having to throw items away if you can no longer wear them.

Because of the pocket tissue incident, we now have a family rule for doing laundry. Tissue shreds are annoying and removing them from all the clothes is an even bigger hassle. Pockets. Every single time. Before anything goes in, check your pockets.

15. Dry Heavy Items Inside Out

If you want to keep your dark sweatshirts and heavy denim items looking new, try drying them inside out. This helps prevent fading caused by the heat of the dryer. And, just like when you wash dark items, drying them inside out is a great idea. This way the wear happens on the inside and not on the outside where everyone can see. This is an extra step that can extend the life and keep the look of your heavier items for a lot longer.

When jeans are consistently washed and dried inside out, they will appear new for a longer time than jeans that are washed and dried right-side out. The fading on jeans is real. The good news is that fading is gradual and preventable. This process takes seconds, and the payoff is worth the time spent. Jeans will look normal, as opposed to worn out, for years.

16. Shake Out Clothes Before the Dryer

Shaking laundry items reduces wrinkles and prevents clothes from clumping together. It also causes clothes to dry faster. Our vintage collection includes laundry items designed to reduce the time needed to dry clothes and to decrease the amount of clothes that need to be ironed afterwards. Shaking your laundry as vintage homemakers used to do will also reduce the amount of time your items need to be in the dryer.

Clothes can take longer to dry due to being twisted and bunched in the dryer. This prevents proper air circulation and leaves the clothes wrinkled. Almost each item can be separated in 3 seconds. This is one of those habits that doesn’t seem important until you see the impact.

17. Add a Dry Towel to Speed Up Drying

Put a dry towel in the dryer with your load of wet laundry. The towel absorbs moisture from your wet items and relaly reduces dry time — about 15 to 20 minutes It is also an example of dryer balls, so you are using something you already have. If you want to keep your towel dry, you can remove it before the time is up.

This is the trick that allows a full load of laundry to dry in one cycle instead of having to run the dryer multiple times because things were still damp in the middle. Shorter drying times are also easier on the fabric and use less energy. The dry towel is already in the house, and the method requires no more supplies.

18. Never Put a Stained Item in the Dryer

Heat permanently sets stains. This is the most broken laundry rule, and the most important. Do not dry the item. If you wash an item and the stain is still there, you need to air dry it, and treat the stain before you wash it again. Once the item goes through the dryer, the heat bonds the stain to the fabric, and makes stain removal much more difficult, or even impossible.

Always always check your items before putting them in the dryer! This only takes about thirty seconds for a full load, and this step will eliminate the problem of taking a dryer item out with a stain permanently "baked" in! This is definitely the easiest way to catch the problem the first time and it's skipped the most in the complicated laundry process.

19. Use Lemon Juice on Whites

Lemon juice was previously used to brighten whites before optical brighteners were used in laundry detergents. You can add about half a cup of lemon juice during the wash cycle if your whites are in a separate load. For lemon juice on just one or two spots, apply the juice directly to the yellowing area and then set the item in the sun to dry. Lemon juice will help remove yellowing caused by sweat stains and brighten the fabric without the harsh chemicals that weaken the fabric over time.

Over time, white fabrics become yellow from washing, wearing, and storing them. Lemon juice, unlike bleach, can reverse a good amount of yellowing. This works well on discolored white t-shirts and yellowed pillowcases. The sun does the most work, just like how it has always been.

20. Wash Towels and Bedding Separately

Most everyday clothes don't need a full wash cycle and hot water, but towels and bedding do in order to get thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Washing them separately lets them get the direct wash and full agitation they need while protecting more delicate items from damaging conditions. They also won't pick up towel lint on dark clothes.

If you want to avoid getting towel fuzz on your dark clothes, you can wash them separately! Don't wash in hot water, because this can shrink your clothes or destroy the elastic in your clothes if they have some. When you do laundry, this is a good example of the type of washing right that separates towels and bedding from the rest of the laundry.

21. Store Seasonal Clothing in Breathable Bags

Vintage homemakers would have stashed their off-season garments in breathable cotton or muslin bags, not plastic bins. Plastic traps moisture and can cause mildew and musty odors on clothes stored for months at a time. Breathable storage means no moisture accumulation. All items should be washed before being put away for the season. Storing dirty clothes attracts moths and ruins clothes by setting stains.

Clothes stored away for the season that smell musty have been packed away in ways that don’t allow air circulation. Breathable bags, along with fresh, clean items used for packing, solve both of these issues. You can take them out in the spring and they will be ready to wear, rather than having to wash everything again before use.

22. Use Cedar Instead of Mothballs

Cedar blocks and cedar balls or cedar lined storage repels moths naturally and without the chemical smells of moth balls that get on everything stored near them. As the natural oils in cedar dissipate, they become less effective and therefore need to be resurfaced by being sanded lightly each season. Cedar blocks also need to be replaced every few years. Lavender sachets are pleasant smelling chemical-free moth deterrents as well.

Everything stored near mothballs smells like mothballs, and that smell lingers far longer than expected. Cedar does the same job as mothballs without leaving a smell that requires airing everything out before you can wear it. This old-fashioned option is better than the modern alternative in every way that matters.

23. Fold Laundry Immediately When Dry

The time it takes to move your laundry from the dryer to the basket creates the opportunity for your clothes to need ironing instead of just folding. Vintage homemakers knew that to avoid this from happening they needed to fold the laundry while it was still warm. This is because warm fabric is smooth and cool fabric is wrinkled. If you leave laundry in the dryer, or the basket for even just a few minutes, it is going to create hours worth of work just to fix those wrinkles.

I know the warm laundry folds easily and goes away quickly but the cold laundry is a project. I am used to the laundry that is run through the dyer to unwrinkle the clothes, and sadly, I guess that's how I started doing my clothes when I was little. I realize when I do the laundry and put it away and fold it right away, it seems like it takes less time, but I forget that I end up taking more steps just doing it the other way.

24. Wash Delicates in a Mesh Bag

You should place lingerie, thin fabrics, embellishments, and items with straps and lace in a laundry mesh bag before putting them in the washer. The mesh bag allows water and detergent to circulate freely, but protects your items from the drum’s mechanical action. This helps to avoid snagging, stretching, and tangling that occurs when lighter items wash with heavier items.

While it’s unlikely a mesh bag will stop your straps from twisting or getting stretched in the wash, it is a very easy, very cheap way to keep your items separate, and it’s reusable for all the washing days to come. This is one of those very minimal effort habits that stops your items from getting destroyed, and gone are the days of needing to do individual hand washes for each delicate item.

25. Clean the Washing Machine Monthly

To clean and remove odors from the interior of your washing machine, run an empty hot water cycle once a month and pour 2 cups of white vinegar directly into the drum. If you have a front-loading machine, wipe the rubber door gasket with a cloth soaked in vinegar, as this is where mildew first develops and can transfer odors to your laundry. A washing machine that smells like mildew will make your clean laundry smell like mildew.

If you have never cleaned your washing machine, it is bound to develop a smell, which then is transferred to your freshly washed laundry and it will cause you to wonder why all your clothes smell bad after you wash them. The answer is your washing machine. To prevent this, do a vinegar cycle every month and if you have a front loader wipe the gasket.

26. Use the Extra Rinse Cycle for Towels

Over time, towels can build up detergent residue in the fabric fibers which can be removed by running them through an extra rinse cycle. Detergent residue causes towels to smell, lose their absorbency and feel rough to the touch. An extra rinse cycle takes a few minutes more, but it keeps towels performing like they should.

Towels can smell musty even after they have been washed. This is due to not enough rinsing and detergent buildup. To fix towels, try using less detergent, add a cup of white vinegar in the fabric softener compartment (do not use fabric softener) and try the extra rinse option on the washing machine. This may be an easy to overlook problem with a simple solution!

27. Hang Sweaters Flat to Dry

Knit sweaters and other stretchy items must be dried flat, not hung or put in the dryer. When a wet sweater is hung, the moisture weight pulls the fabric and stretches it out of shape. The dryer will shrink your clothes and damage the knit structure over time. Instead, Lay the sweater flat on a clean towel and reshape it to its original dimensions while damp before allowing it to completely air dry.

Over a season, a sweater dried multiple times in the dryer will become a shorter, wider version of itself. Sweaters will last one season versus years based on how often they are laid flat to dry. This is one of those things where the good habit is just as easy as the bad habit.

28. Dry Wool and Natural Fibers on Low or Not at All

Your standard dryer heat cycle causes damage to garments made from wool, cashmere, and linen, as well as blends containing natural fibers. Wool will felt with repeated high-heat drying — the fibers bind together permanently — while linen will become stiff and brittle. When you can, air dry natural fibers. If you must use the dryer, use the lowest setting for the shortest time possible. High heat is only appropriate for cotton towels and synthetic workout clothes, and never for garments made from natural fibers.

When a wool sweater gets dried on the wrong setting, it comes out fitting a much smaller person. Natural fibers require less aggressive treatment than the default settings on most dryers. Though reading care labels can be boring, it can be the difference between a garment lasting multiple years, or a garment just surviving one winter.

29. Make Peace With Doing Smaller Loads More Often

Doing laundry once a week might seem efficient, but it’s really not. Clothes don't get clean, the machine has to work harder, and the folding and putting away is a huge project. Your vintage homemaker would have done smaller laundry loads more frequently to avoid it becoming a weekend-consuming task. Completing one or two loads every couple of days helps to keep laundry from becoming an event.

One day a week is a long interval between washing clothes; it's consistent with how everyone's schedule is set up, but it's not the most efficient rationalization of the time spent doing it. By doing the more time-consuming, and liquid- washing stage, time and energy will be used more efficiently- as this liquid stage will be over quicker, as the solids stage of the washing process is now present, and the mountain of clothes that is built from the solids stage will never be built. It is likely that more cages will be used as greater intervals will be needed between washing solids again.

To do your laundry, you need the same supplies as always: water, a good detergent, white vinegar, baking soda, and sun (when available). The difference in using these products comes with knowing how to properly use them. Your clothes will last longer, come out cleaner, and you will work less compared to the modern default way of washing your clothes.

We kicked off this series with the post, 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts. It covers all the tips, but we will expand on the cleaner recipes and old-fashioned methods as we go. For more detail on stain tips, check out the post, 27 Old-School Stain Removal Tricks That Actually Work. Looking for info on what vinegar and baking soda can each handle on their own? Those are at 33 Things You Can Clean With Vinegar and 31 Things You Can Clean With Baking Soda, respectively.

White vinegar has cleaned better than most over priced cleaning products and I'm happy my grandma's kitchen didn't smell like chemicals. White vinegar cleaning solutions are now taking over my sink's cleaning supply cabinet as well as allowing more room for Gigi's stash of emergency chew toys for the dog and expired coupons that I have a hard time parting with (just in case it’ll still be honored – Ha!).

1. Greasy Stovetops

Unlike some products, vinegar won't leave a sticky residue on surfaces. It cleans tough grease and grime from stovetops. Just spray a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and warm water then let it sit for two or three minutes. To finish, wipe it down with a damp cloth. This recipe works wonders on everyday cooking messes. It burns through grease and surfaces that look clean after a little care.

If you've ever fried bacon, you know why this tip is needed. You simply need to look at the stovetop in the sunlight. Grease literally flies everywhere, to places you'd never expect. Vinegar deals with it and does not require the fumes.

2. Microwave Interior

Put a microwave-safe bowl with an equal amount of water and white vinegar inside and set the timer for five minutes. The steam will loosen the old food splatters and get rid of odors. The bowl will be easy to wipe clean without much scrubbing. This is one of the best cleaning hacks. In about five minutes, the microwave will look brand new.

Whatever exploded in there last Tuesday doesn’t stand a chance. I used to hate cleaning the microwave, but now it’s actually quick. The teens are still not doing it, but at least I don’t hate doing it myself.

3. Coffee Maker

To descale your coffee maker and remove mineral buildup that can change the taste of the coffee, run a cycle of half white vinegar and half water. Run one or two cycles of plain water afterwards to rinse it out. Do this every one to two months, depending on your water hardness.

If your coffee has been tasting a bit strange and you don't know why, this could be the reason. The hard water deposits build up over time and no one says anything until the coffee machine starts to make strange noises.

4. Dishwasher

Put a cup of white vinegar into a dishwasher-safe bowl and place it on the top rack. Run a hot cycle with no dishes. The vinegar dissolves grease, soap scum, and mineral deposits on the interior walls and spray arms. Your dishes will be cleaner and the dishwasher will stop smelling like old food.

Everybody knows a clean dishwasher cleans better, but many people do not consider cleaning the appliance that is cleaning their dishes. Cleaning the dishwasher once a month makes a huge difference.

5. Windows and Mirrors

Glass can be cleaned with a solution of one part white vinegar and one part water in a spray bottle. This does not include the blue dye and artificial fragrances that come with commercial cleaners. For best results wipe with a cloth that is free of lint or use a piece of newspaper that has been crumpled. It can be used on mirrors, windows, and even on sliding glass doors.

The newspaper method feels like a trip back to 1962, but it really does work better than paper towels. Just don’t use glossy insert ads unless you want ink all over your hands.

6. Showerhead Buildup

To clean your shower head, grab an undiluted white vinegar and a plastic bag. Fill the bag with the vinegar and tightly secure it around the shower head with a rubber band. Be sure to submerge the head completely. Let it sit overnight, or for at least an hour, to allow the vinegar to break down the built up minerals. Those minerals are likely causing the water pressure to spray unevenly. Once you take the bag off, run the water for a minute and you'll see the water flow restore to normal.

It's one of those tricks that sound like it'll never work, but one day you'll try it and bam, your shower head has water pressure again! It is a sneaky build-up of hard water. It'll take you no more than 30 seconds to try this fix.

7. Faucets and Fixtures

Take some white vinegar and soak a cloth or paper towel in it. Wrap it around the faucet that has hard water buildup. Leave it on for 30-60 minutes, then gently scrub it with an old toothbrush. The mineral buildup will come off and not leave scratches on the surface. Rinse and dry it to prevent water spots from forming again.

The white crust around tap bases is calcium and lime build-up from the water, and not a sign that cleaning has been poorly done. Vinegar dissolves it. A specialty lime remover does the same thing for four times the price.

8. Shower Doors and Glass Enclosures

If your glass shower doors are covered in soap scum, try spraying undiluted white vinegar on the soap scum, and wait some time before removing the vinegar. For tough soap scum, After spraying glass shower doors with vinegar, add some baking soda over the soap scum. The baking soda will give the scum a slight scrubbing action. Be sure to rinse it thoroughly after. Among all the cleaning jobs in the house, this job can be called one of the most difficult, and vinegar is a worthy opponent to the shops.

Soap scum has no respect for how recently you cleaned. If it’s back, it’s like it has never left. At least vinegar makes removal faster than most products and you don’t have to hold your breath while you spray it.

9. Toilet Bowl

To clean your toilet, add one to two cups of white vinegar to the toilet bowl. Let the vinegar sit for about thirty minutes. Next, scrub the toilet using the toilet brush. For a deeper clean, add baking soda after the vinegar. The fizzing action of the baking soda will help with the scrubbing. The combination of vinegar and baking soda will deodorize the toilet and remove mild stains. The best part is there are no harsh chemical fumes.

This solution works well for routine maintenance and cleaning your toilets on a regular basis, but for more serious buildups or hard water stains you might need to check something stronger. When done cleaning, your bathroom won’t smell like a pool, either.

10. Grout Lines

If you want to clean your tile grout, take full-strength white vinegar and spray it on the grout lines. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then scrub with a stiff brush or an old toothbrush. This will loosen surface mildew and grime without the chemical bleach fumes. If you have dark or deeply stained grout, make a paste by mixing vinegar and baking soda. Apply the paste directly to the grout lines before scrubbing.

It's easy to let grout cleaning slide until the grout gets so bad that it seems like it would require a ton of work to clean it. Some people swear that spraying it with vinegar occasionally will keep it looking clean, but I can't say that worked for my grout.

11. Cutting Boards

After washing, wipe your wooden and plastic cutting boards with undiluted white vinegar to kill surface bacteria and neutralize smells. Let it sit for a few moments, then rinse. For boards that take on a stronger smell from onions or garlic, vinegar is more effective at neutralizing odors than dish soap alone.

Vinegar is a great cleaning solution. Cutting boards soak up everything and need to be cleaned after every use so they do not affect the flavor of your food. The method is super quick and inexpensive so you do not have to worry about last night’s garlic chicken affecting the flavor of your food. Cleaning your cutting boards is something that you will for sure start doing after you try out this technique.

12. Refrigerator Interior

Using a solution of equal parts water and white vinegar, wipe down the walls, shelves, and drawers of the refrigerator. This solution does not leave chemical residues and will get rid of those strange odors that develop in a refrigerator, even when nothing has spoiled. It is safe for the plastic shelving and glass inserts.

Refrigerators can build up odors over time, and often the smells can become so familiar to the owner that they stop noticing the smell. However, guests that open the refrigerator can instantly smell the odors, and they may have a negative reaction. To avoid this problem, simply cleaning the refrigerator with vinegar before going grocery shopping is an easy and quick fix that should take no more than ten minutes.

13. Garbage Disposal

To clean your garbage disposal, pour half a cup of white vinegar down it, let it sit for a few minutes, then turn on the cold water and flush it down. If you'd like to do a more thorough clean, freeze some white vinegar in an ice cube tray and run the cubes through the disposal. While the ice cubes scrub the blades, the vinegar does its job and deodorizes the disposal. These tips, along with regular use of the disposal, will keep it smelling fresh between cleanings.

An ignored garbage disposal will smell pungent. The method of ice cubes and vinegar is oddly satisfying. The sound of the grinding is fierce and you feel something is being cleaned, because it is.

14. Trash Cans

Spray white vinegar on the inside of trash cans and let it sit for a several minutes. After the time has passed, wash and air dry. The vinegar will neutralize the bad smells and remove any surface bacteria. For trash cans that have a bad leak, clean it with a solution of vinegar and dish soap. After you are done scrubbing, rinse it off.

Cleaning trash cans is a chore that almost nobody wants to do. The odor buildup is a result of the trash bag, drips, and general trash can conditions. Vinegar will take care of the problem and the can will smell clean instead of just less bad.

15. Washing Machine

To clean and deodorize the machine, run an empty hot water cycle with two cups of white vinegar poured directly into the drum. For front loaders, mildew tends to grow on the rubber door gasket, so wipe it down with a cloth soaked in vinegar. Do this once a month to keep the musty smell from transferring to clean laundry.

A washing machine that smells like mildew causes your clothes to smell like mildew. It may sound dramatic but it happens to towels. Monthly vinegar cycles avoid this.

16. Dryer Drum

While cleaning the dryer, take a cloth and dip it in white vinegar and wipe the inside of the dryer drum. This method removes the residue build up from the dryer sheets and fabric softeners. After wiping the insides of the dryer drum, run the dryer empty for a few minutes to dry the drum completely. This process gets rid of ink and dye transfers from a previous load as well.

Dryer sheets actually leave residue on the insides of your dryer that can lead to the dryer performing poorly. Luckily, this is a simple fix that many don't think of. Just wipe it down and run a cycle without any clothes and you're good to go.

17. Laundry Fabric Softener Replacement

Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener section of your washing machine. Added vinegar softens fabric and reduces static cling. Also, it removes soap residue from clothing and does not coat fibers with the silicone that fabric softeners do. When washed without chemical fabric softeners, towels come out more absorbent.

Your laundry won't smell like vinegar. The scent goes away completely, so I don't know what people are talking about. I didn't believe it so I tried it on my towels and it made them feel better. My husband couldn't figure out why they felt different, which I appreciate.

18. Hardwood and Laminate Floors

For gentle cleaning solutions that can be used on sealed hardwood and laminate floors, mix 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1 gallon of warm water. To protect the wood floors, damp mop the floor instead of soaking it. Because of the acid in vinegar, do not use it on unsealed or waxed hardwood floors, as it can strip the finish over time.

This solution is great depending on what floors it's safe to use on. Gigi is very opinionated about being in the room while I mop no matter what I use, so the lower-fume option is a real QoL improvement for both of us.

19. Tile Floors

Mixing a half cup of white vinegar in a gallon of warm water works as a great mopping solution for ceramic and porcelain tile. It cuts through dirt and leaves the tiles clean with no sticky residue. Avoid using vinegar on natural stone tiles as the acid in vinegar etches marble, travertine, and other similar surfaces over time.

Gigi tracks in all sorts of stuff and kitchen and bathroom tile floor get cleaned as often as possible. They really get a workout from foot traffic. After using the vinegar mop solution, the floors are actually clean instead of just slipping customers around. Plus, cleaning with vinegar is definitely cost efficient.

20. Fresh Carpet Stains

First, blot the stain to soak up as much liquid as possible. Then, spray the area with a mixture of 50% water and 50% white vinegar. Wait a couple of minutes and blot the area again. Repeat this as many times as needed. For stains that are set-in, after applying the vinegar solution, add some baking soda on top and blot. This method works best on new spills, and water-soluble stains.

The key word is blot. Rubbing will spread the stain and push it deeper into the fabric which means you have made the stain larger and more set in. Vinegar solution, blot, and patience. This is much better than panicking and pouring things on it, which I have also done.

21. Upholstery Odors

To neutralize odor on fabric furniture, lightly mist a combination of water and white vinegar (1:1) and let it air dry completely. Since vinegar neutralizes odors, it won't cover the smell with odors unlike other fabric sprays. For the sake of caution, test a hidden area first.

Couches made of fabric really do absorb everything. The smell of pets, food odors, and general accumulated odor from all the people that have been sitting on it! The vinegar mist neutralizes it without having the couch smell like a salad. Once fully dried the smell is gone instead of just covered.

22. Pet Stains and Odors

Once you have blotted up as much of a pet accident as you can, pour plain (undiluted) white vinegar directly onto the spot. Allow the vinegar to soak for a few minutes before blotting it up. If you still smell something, follow this up with baking soda. The reason vinegar works is because it neutralizes the ammonia in pet urine. It is the ammonia that causes the awful smell and will not go away unless the urine is treated appropriately.

Gigi has never had an accident in the house, but she looks directly at me while I’m talking about this one, and that is a little suspicious. Unattended pet odors reappear whenever the carpet is damp or the weather changes. Vinegar takes care of the chemistry of it.

23. Produce Wash

Get a big bowl and fill it with water. Then mix in a little white vinegar (1 part vinegar to 3 parts water). Soak your fruits and vegetables in this solution for a few minutes before rinsing. This will remove pesticides, bacteria, and wax coatings better than just rinsing with water. Works on berries, apples, grapes, leafys, and most produce.

This is an old habit that actually has reasoning behind it. After soaking, rinse the produce in water to remove any residual taste. This is especially true for berries, as they last noticeably longer in the fridge afterward.

24. Electric Kettle Descaling

To get rid of the mineral scale that builds up and affects the taste of the water, fill the kettle with a mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar, and then boil it. Once the kettle has boiled, let it sit for 15-30 minutes. After that, empty and rinse it several times with fresh water. Finally, run one or two cycles with just water before using the kettle for tea or coffee again.

Old kettles that need descaling will have a visible white build up inside and water will start to taste faintly of nothing good. This is a simple issue to fix that requires almost no effort. It will make everything brewed in it taste notably better.

25. Iron Steam Vents

To clean your iron, fill the reservoir with equal parts white vinegar and water. Then set the iron to the medium heat setting. Once heated, hold the iron face down over an old cloth or the sink and press the steam button . This method removes minerals from the steam holes that can cause the iron to spit brown water at the worst moments.

This is the solution if you've had an iron leave brown water stains on shirts before. Before ironing anything important, run a few plain water cycles to clean the vinegar. The brown sputtering situation is completely fixable, and this is how to fix it.

26. Blinds

To make your own cleaner, combine white vinegar and water in equal parts in a bowl. Put an old cotton sock over your hand and dip it in the cleaner. Then, clean both sides of the horizontal blinds by running your fingers along the individual blind slats. This method is faster than using a cloth and wiping each slat individually.

These types of window coverings look okay until you notice the imperfections. I find using socks to be the quickest method. Plus, it gives you something to do with all of those single socks which is a real problem in a house with teens.

27. Sticker and Label Residue

Use undiluted white vinegar to get rid of sticky label residue and get it to soak for a few minutes before wiping it off. Vinegar won't scratch most surfaces and it will loosen the adhesive. Vinegar works on finished surfaces, glass jars, plastic containers, and metals. If there is stubborn residue, reapply and let it sit longer before gentle scrubbing.

It’s satisfying to know that the sticker situation is fixable. The jars are worth keeping, and it’s only mildly irritating that vinegar has to handle it with patience. Price tag residue on glass jars is one of those things that should be easy to remove, but for some reason, it’s not.

28. Light Rust Spots

For surface rust on tools, small metal items, or around sink drains, soak the item in white vinegar without any dilution from a few hours to overnight. The acids in the vinegar dissolve rust, making it easy to scrub off with a brush or steel wool. After removal, rinse the item and dry completely. Otherwise, new rust may form quickly.

This is effective on light surface rust instead of deep structural corrosion. Tools, cabinet fixtures, and the like respond well to it. It won’t repair something that has been rusting for ten years, but for the beginning stage rust, it is a quick first step before totally giving up on something.

29. Chrome Fixtures

Take a cloth dampened in white vinegar and clean chrome faucets, towel bars, and other fixtures. The vinegar will remove water marks, fingerprints, and dullness. It will also remove the minerals that cause chrome to look cloudy, and it won't leave a scratch or cloudy residue. Use a clean cloth to dry and shine your fixtures.

If you like how chrome looks, it can look great or terrible based on water spot reflectivity and how easy it is to see water spots. If you clean it with vinegar and then buff it dry, it will clear up and look like you cleaned the whole bathroom thoroughly, when really you didn't. It is a good trick for days when you're too busy to clean more.

30. Crayon Marks on Walls

Using a cloth, apply undiluted white vinegar to the crayon marks, and rub gently. The acidity helps lift the wax without removing paint. Since different paint finishes react differently, do a test, but for most latex paints, this method is effective and safe, and it won’t require a full repaint project.

This is good information to have if you have young kids or had young kids who left mementos of their time in your home. Crayon marks on the wall behind the couch that no one saw for two years aren't permanent, so thank vinegar for that.

31. Paintbrush Revival

If paint on your paintbrushes has dried and turned stiff, try soaking them in some boiling white vinegar for a few minutes. As the paint softens, gently work the bristles with your fingers and then rinse them under some warm water. This works best for brushes that have dried paint from water-based latex paint so it can even revive brushes that look completely ruined. If your dried paint is oil-based, you might need a commercial solvent instead.

I would be ready to give up on a hard paintbrush. But, buying new brushes gets to be pricey. Try boiling some vinegar. It won't work all the time, but it work enough where it is a viable option. It's almost always the first option before you give up.

32. Drain Deodorizer

To remove odors and build up down the drain, slowly pour half a cup of baking soda down your drain and then pour in one cup of white vinegar. The fizzing action will create a reaction that neutralizes the odor coming from your drains and also loosens any buildup in the drain. After the reaction dies down, give the drain 15 minutes and then pour in some hot water. While it does not fix clogs, it does keep drains smelling fresh between deep cleans.

Over time, kitchen and bathroom sinks start to smell because soap, food, and hair get stuck in the pipes. Smell problems, however, can be solved in thirty seconds by performing a simple mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Once this is done a few times, it will be habitual, and you will notice that it helps a lot.

33. Natural Air Freshener

If you are trying to get rid of strong food odors, put a small pot of water, a little white vinegar, and a few slices of lemon on the burner and let it simmer. The vinegar actually absorbs odor molecules instead of masking the smell, and the lemon gives off a clean, not artificial, scent. This is great after fried food, fish, or other cooking that leaves a lingering smell for a long time.

While commercial air fresheners add more smells to the existing one to hide the odors, that's not a real solution to the problem. Using the vinegar and lemon trick gets rid of the problem completely. It means my house doesn't smell like fry oil for the rest of the day, which everyone, even Gigi, appreciates. Gigi gets really upset about strong kitchen smells and lets us know how she feels by making a lot of noise and sniffing.

White vinegar is one of the cheapest cleaning products there are, and it can replace almost everything under your kitchen sink. Plus, white vinegar Won't make your home smell like a chemical plant, and it won't harm your kids or pets like traditional cleaners can. You probably are spending three to eight dollars to replace the cleaning product bottles you are using, and vinegar does the same job.

As a beginner, try one product swap at a time. A good starting point is replacing the window cleaner, followed by the all purpose spray, and so on. Once you realize how effective these products are, you’ll find that half-empty bottles tend to vanish quickly. If you’re looking to bring back some old-school cleaning methods, I recommend visiting 33 Vintage Cleaning Tips That Beat Modern Shortcuts — that’s where I started this whole rabbit hole.

I can’t say I’ve had a good experience with cutting boards. I remember the bamboo one that warped in 6 months. Or the cheap plastic one that slid off the counter every single time I tried to chop something. Or the gorgeous wooden one that I still wash by hand like it’s a family heirloom. I guess it might just become one.

After years in the kitchen doing everything from Sunday meal prep that takes up the entire kitchen to weeknight casserole construction, I have experience and developed strong opinions on what actually works. The nine cutting boards I have listed on Amazon have thousands of reviews and are perfect for daily use, meat boards, cheese boards, and for making your protein color coding dreams come true!

What Actually Matters in a Cutting Board

A short explanation about the materials before the list, as the materials affect the performance of the board in all other areas.

Plastic vs. Wood: The Real Answer

The FDA recommends plastic cutting boards for cutting raw meat and poultry because they are non-porous and can be washed in the dishwasher. While plastic boards can go in the dishwasher, wood boards cannot because they need oiling that hinders cracking. The high grain density of wooden cutting boards makes them naturally antibacterial. A well maintained wooden board compared to a poorly maintained plastic one will be an antibacterial board compared to the plastic one. A poorly maintained wooden board will be more antibacterial than a deeply scored and poorly maintained plastic board.

The smartest kitchens use both plastic for raw protein and wood for veggies, bread, and cheese.

Bamboo vs. Acacia Wood

Bamboo is grass, not wood. Because bamboo cutting boards are tougher than most wooden boards, they show less knife scarring. The downside is that bamboo boards are harder on your knife blades. Acacia wood is in the middle: denser than pine or maple, but softer than bamboo. This means that acacia wood cutting boards are easier on knife edges while still standing up to everyday use.

The Features Worth Paying For

• Juice grooves — Juice grooves prevent liquid from running off the board onto the counter. They matter most when cutting meat, citrus, or tomatoes.
• Non-slip feet or edges — A cutting board that slides is a safety issue. Look for rubber feet, a non-slip border, or a damp towel underneath.
• Reversible design — Both sides usable means twice the surface life before a board needs replacing.
• Dishwasher safe — Only applies to plastic boards. Wood and bamboo should always be hand-washed.

No. 01

Best Everyday Workhorse

Gorilla Grip BPA-Free Cutting Board Set of 3

51,900 reviews don’t lie — this is the one that actually stays on the counter.

Check out Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
The non-slip border is what separates this from every other plastic board — it grips the counter without a mat underneath, which matters when you’re pressing down hard on a butternut squash or breaking down a whole chicken. BPA-free and dishwasher safe, the set of three gives you one for raw meat, one for produce, and a spare. The black colorway doesn’t show knife marks the way white boards do, which is a genuinely useful thing nobody mentions. At 51,900+ reviews with a 4.6 rating, this is one of the most-validated kitchen purchases on Amazon.

No. 02

Best for Meal Prep

FARBERWARE Extra-Large 15×20 Inch Cutting Board

When you’re prepping a week’s worth of vegetables, you need a surface that doesn’t feel like a postage stamp.

Check Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
At 15×20 inches, this is genuinely large — enough to cut, sort, and stage an entire recipe’s worth of ingredients without running out of room. The juice groove runs around the full perimeter, not just one end, which catches runoff from every direction. Dishwasher safe plastic, non-slip surface, and Farberware’s name behind it. This is the board I’d put in front of anyone who does serious meal prep on Sundays — it handles volume without complaint.

No. 03

Best Budget Pick

FARBERWARE Large Cutting Board with Handle

Under $8, 19,000 reviews, dishwasher safe. The case for not overcomplicating this.

View Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
Sometimes the right answer is just a sturdy, no-frills plastic board that you don’t have to think about. This one has a handle for easy maneuvering, dishwasher-safe plastic, and 19,000 reviews backing it up. It gets bought 6,000 times a month — that’s not a fluke. The handle is genuinely useful for sliding cut food directly into a pan without the transfer step. If you want one board that does the job and costs less than a latte, this is it.

No. 04

Best Bamboo Option

Royal Craft Wood Bamboo Cutting Board Set

53,800 reviews, deep juice grooves, and a look that actually works for serving too.

See Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
Bamboo is harder than most wood, which makes it more resistant to knife scarring and easier to keep looking clean. The tradeoff is that bamboo is also harder on knife edges over time — so this is a better choice for vegetables, bread, and cheese than for daily meat prep. The deep juice grooves here are well-designed and actually catch liquid rather than pooling at a shallow angle. At 53,800+ reviews this is one of the most-reviewed cutting board sets on Amazon. Hand wash only and occasional oiling keeps it going for years.

No. 05

Best Non-Toxic Wood

Ziruma Acacia Wood Cutting Board

FSC certified, conditioned with beeswax and flaxseed oil — no mineral oil anywhere near it.

View pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
Most cutting board manufacturers condition their wood with food-grade mineral oil, which is petroleum-derived and food-safe — but plenty of people prefer to avoid it. Ziruma uses beeswax, flaxseed oil, and lemon oil instead. The FSC certification means the acacia is sustainably sourced. At 16×11 inches and nearly an inch thick, this is a serious board — heavy enough to stay put without rubber feet. Bought 1,000 times last month despite costing nearly $40, which says something about the people who prioritize what’s on their board over what the board is made with.

No. 06

Best Premium Wood

Sonder Los Angeles Acacia Cutting Board Set

10,600 reviews, 4.7 stars, comes gift-boxed. The one that looks like it belongs on a cooking show.

Check the price on Amazon →

What to Know
Edge-grain acacia construction means the wood runs parallel to the cutting surface — this is the standard for most wood boards and is a good balance of knife-friendliness and durability. End-grain boards (wood running perpendicular, like a traditional butcher block) are gentler on knives but harder to find and more expensive. Sonder’s set comes in 14×10 and 12×8 sizes, arrives in a gift box, and has the kind of rich grain pattern that makes it genuinely pretty to look at on a counter. This doubles as a charcuterie board — put it out at a party and people ask where you got it.

No. 07

Best for Food Safety

Cooler Kitchen Color-Coded Flexible Mats (Set of 6)

One color for each food group. Cross-contamination prevention you can actually stick to.

Check Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
Cross-contamination between raw meat and produce is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness at home. Color-coded cutting boards are the most practical solution — each color corresponds to a food type (red for meat, green for produce, yellow for poultry, etc.) and the food icons printed on each mat eliminate any guessing. Flexible mats fold into a funnel shape for transferring cut ingredients directly to a pan. BPA-free, dishwasher safe, 16,200 reviews. At under $12 for six boards, this is the most cost-effective food safety upgrade in the kitchen.

No. 08

Best Set Value

Empune Extra Large Cutting Board Set of 3

Three sizes, juice grooves, easy-grip handles, dark grey. The upgrade from the basic plastic set.

View Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
This set steps up from a basic plastic board by adding actual grip handles, deeper juice grooves, and a size range that covers everything from quick fruit prep to a full roast. The dark grey color reads as intentional rather than clinical — these don’t look like cafeteria equipment. Dishwasher safe, BPA-free, and at 4,700 reviews the quality is consistent. The handles are genuinely useful for people who like to slide cut food into a skillet without a second utensil.

No. 09

Best for Gift-Giving

SMIRLY Acacia Wood Cutting Board Set of 3 with Holder

15,000 reviews, comes with a stand. The one that looks like it costs twice what it does.

View Pricing on Amazon →

What to Know
The holder is the differentiator here — three boards displayed upright on a stand look organized and intentional, not just stacked in a drawer. Acacia wood with juice grooves on each board, three sizes for different tasks. At 15,000 reviews and 4.5 stars this is a genuinely well-rated set, not a viral gimmick. The grain patterns vary board to board, which is characteristic of solid acacia and actually adds to the aesthetic. Oil occasionally with food-grade mineral oil or beeswax and these will last years.

How to Choose the Right Cutting Board for Your Kitchen

What size cutting board do you actually need?

The most useful size for daily cooking is 12 x 10 inches. If smaller boards are used, then it becomes frustrating to keep everything contained on the board, as ingredients are pushed off the sides repeatedly. For meal prep or cooking larger pieces of meat, the ideal size is within the range of 15 x 12 up to 15 x 20 inches. A good rule of thumb is that your cutting board should be at least as wide as your longest kitchen knife.

Is wood or plastic better for cutting boards?

The FDA recommends plastic boards since they are non-absorbent, and dishwasher safe. The FDA also suggests using plastic for raw meat, poultry, and seafood. For veggies, cheese, and bread, boards made of wood are preferable as they are more blade-friendly, and wood (especially acacia and maple) has natural antibacterial properties. Best case scenario, you have one plastic board for proteins, and one wooden board for everything else.

Are bamboo cutting boards good for knives?

Because bamboo is so strong, the cutting boards made from it are durable and resistant to scoring. Bamboo is hard on the edges of your knives, though. Bamboo cutting boards, when compared to others, are probably better for cutting vegetables, fruits, and bread, rather than for daily prep work involving meats and very sharp knives.

How do you clean and care for a wood cutting board?

Wooden cutting boards need to be washed by hand. Use hot water with soap, and dry the board immediately. Do not soak them, and do not wash them in the dishwasher, as the wood may crack and warp due to the water. For sanitizing, rub down the cutting board with lemon halves and some coarsely ground salt, and rinse. The boards need to be oiled once a month or when the wood appears dry. For this, you can use food safe mineral oil. It is better if you do not use olive oil or vegetable oil, as they can become rancid.

How do you prevent cross-contamination with cutting boards?

The best practice is to use color codes. Different color mats can be selected for different types of boards. For instance, red can be used for raw meat, yellow for raw poultry, green for vegetables, and blue or white for cooked food. These mats can help you cut down on some of the cognitive load, as they have pictures of food on each mat. After each use, boards should be washed using soap and hot water. Any score-marked boards that can’t be cleaned should be disposed of.

How long do cutting boards last?

Plastic cutting boards need to be replaced when the first deep knife marks go all the way down to the surface. These cuts trap bacteria and can’t be cleaned away, even with soap and hot water. Wood and acacia boards, with the right care, can last up to 10 years or more. Flexible cutting board mats last 1–3 years with typical use.

The Bottom Line

Having a great cutting board can make almost any recipe easier to follow, and picking the right one ultimately depends on what food you’re cutting. Still, it isn’t the end of the world if you just have one. The Gorilla Grip Board Set is a good starter option for every cook. You receive three boards with a slip-resistant border along with 51,900 other satisfied customers who have left positive feedback, so you know it works. For a wood alternative, the Sonder Los Angeles Acacia Board Set is a nice option that is regularly highly rated. Lastly, if you need to handle a food safety issue (and to be honest, we all do), the most practical choice you can make from this list are the color-coded flexible cutting mats.

All nine boards can be found on Amazon with Prime delivery. Prices change — see each link above for current prices.

The crockpot won’t judge you like your friends will. You can just toss stuff in and before you pick the kids up from school then by dinner time your house will smell like you actually made an effort. My husband walks into the kitchen at around 5 and says “what did you make?” like I have been busting my behind in there. I haven’t. I’ve been at my desk. Gigi’s been napping. This is the dream.

Here are 29 real family favorites for crockpot dinners, ranging from beef and chicken to soups and even some sides that can be prepared in the crockpot at the same time. These are tried-and-true recipes that my kids will eat without complaints (and if you have teenagers, you know that’s the highest compliment).

Slow Cooker Beef Dinners

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

To be able to call myself an adult I made my first pot roast. It was the easiest recipe to follow. I just had to buy a chuck roast, potatoes, carrots, and some beef broth. Once I threw everything in the pot I was ready to wait eight hours. That’s all it took to have meat so tender that it would fall apart at the mere glance of a fork. The veggies would absorb the meat’s flavor. My husband asks for this to be made almost every fall.

Taking peeks while it’s cooking is the hardest part. But you gotta trust the process. Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Pot Roast.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

Beef strips wrapped in creamy mushroom sauce and served on egg noodles. The comfort food seems very complicated, but in reality the crockpot does all the work (except for the noodles). My kids have been eating this since they were really young and we have never had anyone say no to it. Get the recipe for Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff.

Simple Crock Pot Beef and Noodles Recipe

This brings real comfort food to my mind. Just beef, egg noodles, broth, and no frills. And in the deepest, best way, it brings satisfaction like a bowl of soft noodles and tender beef bring on a Tuesday night in Iowa.

My kids have always called this “noodle soup” even though it isn’t really soup and I haven’t bothered to correct them for years. Get the recipe for Crock Pot Beef and Noodles.

Crockpot Lasagna

Lasagna can be made in a crockpot and you don’t need to boil the noodles before you put them in the crockpot. This recipe changed my life a little. My family loves this recipe and goes after it immediately. There are layers of meat, sauce, ricotta, noodles, and mozzarella that are put together and cooked in the crockpot. I was surprised when I saw that the lasagna held up really well when I scooped it.

Pair it with garlic bread and a salad you made in three minutes. Get the recipe for crockpot lasagna.

Crockpot Baked Spaghetti

All the tastes of baked spaghetti – meaty red sauce, cheese bubbling on top, noodles that have absorbed all the sauce – without having to turn on the oven! This is one of the most simple crockpot dinners on the list and it makes a lot of food without having to put much thought into it. Get the recipe for Crockpot Baked Spaghetti.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

I love making pork shoulder. I rub it in seasoning and cook it low and slow to the point that it literally falls off the bone. I then shred it and mix it with BBQ sauce. From there we get to decide what to do with it. It can be piled on buns, eaten over rice, and even stuffed into quesadillas the next day. The options are endless. This is a regular dish for us during the summer.

Reheating leftovers is a breeze… assuming you have any! Grab the recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.

Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

Cooked until tender, thin-sliced beef, onions, and peppers are put in a slow cooker and then combined with provolone cheese and melted on a hoagie roll. I have seen my 18-year-old eat three hoagies in a single sitting, and I’m not kidding when I say that. The heavy lifting is done by the slow cooker while your job is just to put the finished product together. Make sure you get the Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot recipe.

Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

This dish is worth it for the au jus alone. Juicy roast beef, crusty rolls, and a little cup of beefy broth for dipping. Tasty enough to feel fancy for company but is actually super easy to make. Just cook the beef all day, slice it up, or shred it, and you’re done.

My husband thinks I put in so much effort. I really didn’t. Enjoy the recipe for the French Dip Sandwiches in the crockpot.

Crock Pot Maid Rites (Iowa Loose Meat Sandwiches)

The type of food that makes most sense in Iowa is called a Maid Rite. What is a Maid Rite, you ask? A loose meat sandwich. Think, seasoned ground beef, placed on a soft bun along with some mustard and pickles. If you want to make Maid Rites for a large group, the best way to do it to make your life a lot easier is to make the ground beef in a crockpot. This way, you do not have to stand over the stove for a long time. It is a classic comfort food for state of Iowa. Get the Crock Pot Maid Rites recipe.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas: Crock Pot Dinner

Prepare for these Shredded Beef Enchiladas by slow cooking a beef roast. Once cooked, shred the beef and mix it with cheese and enchilada sauce, then roll the mixture into tortillas and place them in a baking dish. After doing this, bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes. The beef will be super tender and delicious from spending hours in the slow cooker, and this recipe is far better than one made with ground beef. To get the full enchilada recipe, just click on the highlighted text.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce

This enchilada night is on another level! Not only do we have slow-cooked pulled pork to roll into tortillas and give a generous smothering to, but we have an incredible Poblano Cream Sauce recipe. It’s got just the right amount of heat, and a richness that will elevate your experience to “dinner at a fancy restaurant” complexion.

Ideal for impressing guests while circumventing doing the work yourself using a crockpot. Get the Pulled Pork Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce recipe.

Slow Cooker Pork Roast

Make a simple pork roast that cooks for several hours in the slow cooker. Once ready, it will be so tender that you can cut it with a fork! For seasoning, all you need is some garlic, rosemary, and salt. The best part is that the slow cooker will create natural juices that you can use as a sauce on your other sides, and of course, for the pork. Get the Slow Cooker Pork Roast recipe.

Slow Cooker Chicken Dinners

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

It’s that easy. All you do is combine salsa, taco seasoning, and chicken breasts, and let it cook on low for a few hours. Once it’s done, the chicken can be shredded using two forks. After that, you just have to pile the chicken into the tortillas. Your people can add whatever other toppings they like, but in this house that’s always cheese and sour cream. This one is done by my 15 year old on the days I have calls back to back.

It’s also good on rice bowls if the tortilla people are outvoted. Get the Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe.

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

When it comes to sweet and savory chicken, it’s all about the sauce! A delicious combination of sweet pineapple, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Plus, chicken that cooks until it’s fall-apart tender. You won’t be able to stop eating the sauce! Serve it over white rice and it will feel like a nice little break from a regular Tuesday!

The pineapple pieces become soft and caramelized and my kids fight over them. You have to get the recipe for the Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken.

Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches (Crack Chicken)

Shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon, and then topped on buns. The name ‘crack’ is spot on, as people go back for seconds and even thirds, and look a bit guilty about it. This is a crowd favorite and it features ingredients I usually have in my pantry. Get the recipe for Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta

All your favorite ingredients in crack chicken — cream cheese, ranch, bacon — are combined with pasta for a creamy, one-pot meal. This is the type of dinner that my kids walk into the kitchen and ask “oh, what’s that?” in a good way, not in the try-and-sneak-something-new way.

Prepare the pasta in a different pot and stir it in at the end. It merits using every single pot. Get the recipe for Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Chicken breasts are cooked with seasoning, onions, and peppers. Then, you shred the chicken and serve it with warm tortillas, cheese, and toppings your family fights over. The chicken absorbs the flavor, and the peppers become sweet. Simple preparation, rich taste, easy cleanup — Get the recipe for Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas.

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches

If your house enjoys warmth even a tiny bit, these will be a regular. Chicken cooked in buffalo sauce until it’s so tender it falls apart and then gets shredded and piled onto buns with a drizzle of blue cheese or ranch. My oldest one puts it on everything — sandwiches, nachos, rice bowls. Once it’s cooked, it’s super versatile.

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches recipe. Adjust the hot sauce to your liking. We go medium.

Crescent Roll Crack Chicken Recipe

Crescent rolls are filled with crack chicken filling and baked until golden brown. This is one of those recipes that seems like a snack, but is definitely a complete dinner. The creamy ranch chicken filling and buttery flaky crescents pair so well that these disappear from the pan faster than anything else I make. Get the recipe for Crack Chicken Crescent Rolls.

Crack Chicken Instant Pot Recipe

You can enjoy the same Crack Chicken flavors of cream cheese, ranch, and bacon, just prepared in the Instant Pot so you don’t have to wait all day! It’s ready in less than 30 minutes total, fully shredded, and can be used for sandwiches, wraps, or even eaten straight from the pot if you’re really feeling it. No judgement here. Get the recipe for Crack Chicken in the Instant Pot.

Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken

Huli Huli is a type of Hawaiian chicken dish made with sweet, tangy, and ginger-infused pineapple glaze. Ingredients for this dish translate well into a pressure cooker. The sauce contains a variety of complex flavors and the chicken shreds easily which is best paired with rice. The whole family will enjoy this—and its a good chance you will be asked to make this meal again. Get the Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken recipe.

White Chicken Chili

White chicken chili might sound fancy, but it is really just chicken, white beans, green chiles, and broth that is cooked together until thick and creamy. Add some sour cream and shredded pepper jack and it will become the meal your family will request an every chilly fall day!

Get the White Chicken Chili recipe now. Want to be a hero? Serve it with cornbread.

Slow Cooker Soups and Chilis

Crockpot Enchilada Soup

This is the soup I make when someone in the house is getting sick, when it’s gray and rainy for the fourth day in a row, and I just need something that feels like a hug. Chicken, black beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and broth cooked together until it’s thick and hearty and finished off with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Done.

Not only does it reheat easily the next day, it somehhow tastes even better. Check out the recipe for the Crockpot Enchilada Soup.

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup

Stick-to-your-ribs soup with beef, barley, carrots, and celery in a rich broth. This is the kind of thing you want to simmer on a cold Iowa day when everyone is inside doing homework. As the barley cooks and thickens the soup, each bowl feels like an actual meal and not just broth. Get the Crockpot Beef Barley Soup recipe.

White Bean Turkey Chili

Turkey, white beans, green chiles, and spices come together for a leaner take on traditional beef chili, while still being so hearty no one is eating a second dinner to fill up. This is a great one to rotate in when you want something with more protein, but a little less weight. My family was super skeptical the first time I made it, and now they request it!

Try the White Bean Turkey Chili recipe! It’s fantastic, especially when you squeeze some lime on it and crush a few tortilla chips on top.

Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup Dinner Recipe

I have been making this soup for years, way before my kids turned ten. The ingredients include chicken broth, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken, cumin and chili powder. It is a must to have crispy tortilla strips for toppings. Shredded cheese is a must as well. Sour cream is optional, but I highly recommend it. You can find the Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup recipe online.

Slow Cooker Sides

Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

Frozen diced potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and a shocking amount of shredded cheddar cheese? This is the potluck side dish that will vanish before everything else on the table. Pair with any of the above beef recipes, and you will make everyone happy.

My husband thinks of this as its own food group. Check out the recipe for Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes.

How to Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

Yes, you can use a crockpot to make perfect backed potatoes. Just wrap in foil, place in slow cooker, and then hours later you will have fluffy backed potatoes with a bit of crisp to the skin. No need to worry about babysitting the oven or timing. Just choose a protein from the list, and complete the meal. You can get the recipe for the crockpot backed potatoes here.

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

Place the frozen ravioli, jarred marinara sauce, ground beef, and mozzarella cheese in the crockpot and layer them. Cook until the ravioli is soft and everything is hot and cheesy. You spend about 10 minutes of work and it tastes like real Italian food! My kids request this dish, so that says a lot.

Make sure to get the Crockpot Ravioli Casserole recipe. It’s a must to have garlic bread with this.

These 29 easy crockpot meals have saved dinner at my house more times than I can count. You should bookmark this page or pin the meals that look good to you. Remember that throwing a bunch of stuff into the crockpot at 9am is a good strategy for dinner. Your future self at 5pm will thank you.

I have been preparing simple chicken dinners for ages, and these are the recipes that the entire family enjoys eating, not just me. Some of them are “everyone fights over the last piece” type dinners, other are “Gigi is camped under the table hoping someone drops something.” Regardless, all of these are realistic for a weeknight dinner. Let’s get started!

Baked and Casserole Chicken Dinners

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

This casserole is always requested for good reason! It contains chicken, bacon, ranch seasoning, and cheese that is perfectly baked. It is super cheesy and hits every flavor that kids want. It is the type of dinner there will be no leftovers and no one complains.

I made this on a Friday night when I had zero energy left after a long week, yet it still seemed like I made an effort. That sets the bar I’m competing with, and this one clears it every time. Get the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe.

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini is a dish that may sound fancy, but is actually just pasta, chicken, a cream based sauce, and cheese, all baked together. It is an excellent option for busy weeknight dinner since it reheats well. You can even serve it for lunch the next day to save even more time during the week!

If you picked up a rotisserie chicken on your way home, dip into another great use for it! That trick makes this take just half the time to prep. Grab the Easy Chicken Tetrazzini recipe.

Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole

Fettuccine alfredo is already a huge hit. When you add chicken and bacon, and bake it casserole style, you’ve got something that disappears from the pan before it even cools down. This one works for a regular weeknight, or when you have people coming over, and want to feed a crowd without standing at the stove.

My teens would eat this every week without question. I can’t do that; I need variety or I start to lose it, but this is solidly in the dinner rotation. Get the Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole recipe.

Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing

My chicken is layered with stuffing, baked to a perfect golden-brown top, and is crispy, cozy, and dinner munchingly delicious. The taste brings Thanksgiving to random Wednesdays and deserves to be savored.

I, for one, will never apologize for using boxed stuffing mix. We are definitely not making homemade stuffing on a school night. Grab the Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing recipe.

Easy Italian Pasta & Chicken Dish

Using olive oil, pasta, chicken, and Italian seasoning, this dish is super easy to make and is ready in no time at all. You didn’t have to plan a big dinner. Just throw this together and it’ll look like you planned it.

With a serving suggestion of garlic bread and a salad, you can have the full dinner on the table in under thirty minutes. My husband has no clue how quick this meal is and I plan to keep it that way. Get the Easy Italian Pasta & Chicken Dish recipe.

Crack Chicken Instant Pot Recipe

Do you have an Instant Pot? Then today is the day to make crack chicken! The pressure cooker will have the cream cheese, bacon, ranch seasoning, and chicken ready to shred in just 15 minutes, and it’s super tasty! It’s perfect over rice or on a bun or in a wrap, really anywhere you want!

I feel like I end up cheating when I make this because of how good it is and how little effort goes into it. Get the Crack Chicken Instant Pot recipe.

Crescent Roll Crack Chicken Recipe

We all love crack chicken – the combination of cream cheese, ranch, and bacon, so now it is in a new form! Taking the center of crescent roll dough, wrap it with crack chicken and bake until golden. Now you have a handheld dinner that even your teenagers would eat without having to be told to eat it! These are great to bring to game nights or just for a quick and easy meal.

Every time I make these, Gigi has positioned herself right under the cooling rack for the crescent rolls. She’s pretty obvious about it. Get the Crescent Roll Crack Chicken recipe.

Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken

Huli Huli chicken is a Hawaiian-style dish featuring a delicious ginger soy glaze. This recipe will fill your kitchen with the most amazing smells! The pressure cooker always ensures it comes out tender. It goes perfectly with white rice and a side of pineapple.

For the past two weeks, we had the same meals over and over again, and this meal really saved us! Especially because this was on a Wednesday, it’s great to have something different! Check out the Huli Huli Pressure Cooker Chicken recipe.

The Best Marinade for Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks are one of the cheapest cuts of meat you can buy. With the right marinade, they can go from basic to really delicious, and this one is the perfect mix of savory and slightly sweet. It works great for grilling outdoors or even for cooking the drumsticks in the oven when the Iowa weather doesn’t cooperate.

I find it flattering and a bit chaotic to see my teenagers fight over the last drumstick. Check out the Best Marinade for Chicken Drumsticks recipe.

Chili’s Chicken Crispers Copycat Recipe

Chili’s Chicken Crispers is popular among many families. Making a copycat version gets really close to the real thing. You can make this battered chicken strips recipe for a lot cheaper than buying it from the restaurant. You can even serve a dipping sauce, fries, and a salad as sides for a full restaurant at home meal.

My 18-year-old said these are better than the ones from the restaurant. I am choosing to believe that and not think about it too hard. Get the Chili’s Chicken Crispers Copycat recipe.

Crockpot and Slow Cooker Chicken

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

With this Hawaiian chicken, you can put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and by the time it’s dinner, it’ll smell like a paradise in your house. The base with pineapple juice and soy sauce makes a perfectly sweet and tangy sauce to cover the chicken and when you serve it over rice, you have a meal with close to zero active effort.

When I know I’m going to be completely wiped out by 5pm, this is my number one recipe. I toss it in before the school drop-off and dinner is basically sorted. Check out the Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Our family loves taco night. It’s so easy with the chicken in the crockpot. Just season the chicken, throw in some salsa, let it do its thing and then shred it. Set up a taco bar and let everyone build their own. No complaints about what goes on their taco!

I really love the taco bar idea to feed 2 teens who have completely different topping opinions. Also recommend the “you do it yourself” dinner system. Grab the Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos recipe.

Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches (Crack Chicken)

Crack chicken has been made into an easy, slow cooked meal. With cream cheese and ranch, cheddar and bacon all mixed into shredded chicken and piled onto your bun. Great for an easy weeknight dinner or even a crowded weekend event.

If you want to stretch the batch further, these work great as sliders too! I have hosted get-togethers and served them these and they always ask for the recipe! Get the Crockpot Crack Chicken Sandwiches recipe.

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta

Adding ranch, cream cheese, and bacon that everyone enjoys with crack chicken, we’ve got a slow cooker recipe that’s super simple and only takes a few minutes to prep. This recipe is rich, creamy, and extremely filling. It’s a real winner on a weeknight, as you won’t have to stand over the stove to finish it off.

One of my kids, who’s 15, asked if we could have this “every Thursday.” I said maybe not every Thursday, but I didn’t completely rule it out. Get the Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches

Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, and slow-cooked pulled chicken stacked on hoagie rolls. This is a low-fuss dinner and practically screams game day food. Easy to adjust heat level depending on who you are feeding, so perfect for the mild and the heat seekers in your family.

As my husband enjoys everything buffalo flavored, this one gets extra points for not having to do any work. Check out the Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches recipe.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

You can get all the flavor and none of the stress with these chicken fajitas! Just toss some chicken, bell peppers, and onions into the slow cooker with your favorite spices. Let it cook for a few hours, and everything will be super tender and ready to scoop into tortillas. Put out some toppings like sour cream, cheese, guacamole, and salsa, and let everyone dig in!

This is one of those meals that make the whole house smell like a Mexican restaurant. I love it after a long day. Here’s the Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe.

Chicken Soups and Chilis

White Chicken Chili

Every year, I can tell fall has begun and the weather has turned cooler when I make White Chicken Chili for the first time. Made with great northern beans, shredded chicken, and green chilis, the best part is the creamy broth and it is done in under an hour. Just add some sour cream, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips and you have a full dinner.

I appreciate that it reheats well for lunch the next day. Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.

Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but this copycat recipe of Panera’s wild rice soup is spot on and I can no longer justify spending $12 for a soup bowl. The thick, creamy broth with chicken, wild rice, and vegetables is basically a full meal and the smell while it’s cooking is amazing.

Every Sunday I make a big batch, and it covers most of my lunch for the week. That is a win I will take every single time. Get the Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Everyone should have a good homemade chicken noodle soup recipe. This one takes about 45 minutes and uses easy, everyday ingredients like chicken, carrots, celery, onions, egg noodles, and broth. It tastes like the real thing, not like the canned stuff.

Anytime someone at home isn’t feeling well, or if it’s grey and rainy outside, I need some Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s warm and comforting and takes little thought to make. Get the Chicken Noodle Soup recipe.

Chicken Salads and Sandwiches

Best Ever Chicken Salad

Nailing a good chicken salad is tougher than it may sound, but this one gets it right. It’s got the right balance of creaminess and not too heavy mayo, plus the flavor is distinct enough to not taste like every other chicken salad out there. Serve it on croissants, on crackers, or even just dig into the bowl! It works any way you want!

When I need a lunch that looks nice without a ton of kitchen clean up, this is my go to. It travels well too, which is a plus. Get the Best Ever Chicken Salad recipe.

Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas

In my opinion, making individual quesadillas using a skillet and having to wait for everyone is not a fun dinner experience. With the sheet pan oven method, there’s a better alternative. You load the pan up with uncooked quesadillas, bake until crispy, cut, and serve. Everyone gets their quesadilla at the same time — perfectly melted, evenly cooked, and crispy.

No more tedious quesadilla nights where I have to stand there and flip quesadillas while people ask if theirs is done every few seconds. This method has completely changed quesadilla nights in our house. Check out the Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas recipe.

There are 21 effortless recipes for chicken dinners that have all earned a place in my go-to’s — I’ll admit that more than I can count on a hand, I’ve served a few of them this year. From crockpots before school runs to casseroles that you can whip up in 30 minutes, you’ll find something in this list for the kind of week you are actually having.

Save this for the next time you’re looking at a package of chicken and wondering what to do with it. We all have those moments, now you have ideas.

Let me be honest here – our parties aren't exactly extravagant. If someone texts me at noon saying there’s a party at 4, I’m now standing in my kitchen hoping I didn’t forget to buy the cream cheese. If its got bacon and cheese, my teenagers will devour it. Gigi the goldendoodle will try to eat all of the other food. These are the recipes that make it to the table.

Hot Dips

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Every time I bring this dip to a potluck, it gets eaten first. Now, people even text me to see if I am bringing it. It has shredded rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, ranch dressing, and Frank’s hot sauce. I recommend serving it warm with tortilla chips or celery if you want to be healthy. Get the recipe for Buffalo Chicken Dip.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

With this dip you get all the taste of jalapeño poppers without the hassle of stuffing them and deep frying them. It will take about 10 minutes of your time to prepare.

I always keep a brick of cream cheese in the fridge for this recipe. My 15-year-old requests it for every game night. Get the recipe for Jalapeño Popper Dip.

Pepperoni Pizza Dip Recipe

It’s pizza in dip format! Served warm with delicious breadsticks or toasted-baguette slices for dipping. With layers of cream cheese, pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni, every scoop gets a bit of everything. My family would eat this for dinner if I would ever let them, and honestly, I think I actually have eaten this for dinner before (Ha!). Get the recipe for the Pepperoni Pizza Dip.

Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Set it and forget it — this version goes in the slow cooker so you can keep your oven free for other things.

It will stay warm the whole party without you hovering over it, which is the whole point of crockpot dips. Serve with pita chips or sliced baguette. Get the recipe for the Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

Neiman Marcus Million Dollar Dip

Even though it has an upscale title, you likely have everything to make this – cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, bacon, and sliced almonds for a little crunch. Plus, since it is served cold, it is a perfect make-ahead option. I have seen this at every church potluck in Iowa at least once, and it continues to show up for a reason. Get the Neiman Marcus Million Dollar Dip recipe.

Baked Crab Rangoon Dip

If you enjoy crab rangoons at Chinese restaurants, this dip may be a problem for you. It is warm, creamy, and cheesy. The best part is you bake it instead of stuffing and frying individual wontons. To complete the dish, you can use wonton chips on the side, or even just a bag of crackers. Get the Baked Crab Rangoon Dip recipe.

Easy Queso Crockpot Dip Recipe

Crockpot. Rotel. Velveeta. That’s all you need! I know some folks have their doubts about Velveeta but this dip is always a hit at parties and nobody can resist it. Even if people have opinions they don’t stop devouring it. Get the Easy Queso Crockpot Dip recipe.

Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso

This one has more of a restaurant queso vibe than Velveeta since it has real seasoning (and a little spice) along with a smoother consistency more like you’d get in the chip basket at Chili’s. Plus, it all comes together on the stovetop in under 20 minutes.

Last year, my husband made this request for Super Bowl and he finished most of it before halftime. Get the Copycat Chili’s Skillet Queso recipe.

Real Cheese Queso Dip

Made with real shredded cheese — not a processed loaf. It takes a little more stirring than the dump-and-heat version, but the reward is a queso that puts any gas station warmer to shame. It is absolutely worth the extra five minutes! Get the recipe for the Real Cheese Queso Dip.

Cold Dips and Spreads

Crab Dip with Cream Cheese

Served with crackers, cold crab dip is an appetizer that seems fancy but is effortless to prepare. This recipe uses imitation crab meat, which keeps costs low and still provides the flavor people love. Bonus tip: make it the night before; it’s even better after sitting overnight in the fridge. Get the Crab Dip with Cream Cheese recipe.

Seven Layer Dip

The classic. A clear dish lets everyone see the layers of refried beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, tomato, olives, and green onion.

When I’m feeding a crowd, I make this in a 9×13 pan. It goes quickly, and you can prep it hours in advance – just cover it and refrigerate until you’re ready. Get the recipe for Seven Layer Dip.

Layered Taco Dip

Think of this as a cousin to seven layer dip. Same idea, but the flavors are more geared towards taco seasoning rather than straight Mexican layering. It’s a crowd dip, full stop. I’ve never brought it home with leftovers. Get the Layered Taco Dip recipe.

Easy Baked Bean Dip

This dip is warm, filling, and a serious step up from your average chip dip. Since baked beans with cheese on top are used, it can work as an appetizer, but it can also serve as a snack for hungry teenagers. In my house, that means this disappears really quickly. Get the Easy Baked Bean Dip recipe.

Party Party Dip Recipe

This is a classic cold dip that goes with chips, veggies, or crackers. It is quick to make, easy to bring, and perfect for potlucks. Get the Party Party Dip recipe.

Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip Recipe

Yes, I mean pickles in a dip. Trust me, it works. The briny pickles pull out some of the richness from the cream cheese and bacon, and are genuinely addictive. This one is for the pickle people – and there are more than you think at every party.

Pair with ruffled chips that can support a thick dip. Get the Bacon Wrapped Pickle Dip recipe.

Salsas

Canned Tomato Salsa (Restaurant Style)

This is made from ingredients that all come from the pantry: canned tomatoes, jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, and lime. You can quickly blend this together in about five minutes. For a recipe to be classified as a ‘Restaurant-style Salsa’, it needs to be smooth, not chunky. This canned tomato salsa is my go-to option when I need to whip up a batch of salsa and don’t have any fresh ingredients. Get the recipe for Canned Tomato Salsa.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This dish is so good you could eat it with a spoon. With ingredients like canned corn and black beans, you can make this recipe no matter what season it is. The corn and black bean salsa recipe is bright and fresh due to the spritz of lime juice and fresh cilantro. Get the Corn and Black Bean Salsa recipe.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa with Avocado

This is the same corn and black bean salsa, just with avocado added. This will make it richer and give it more body. Avocados will brown, so try to make this closer to serving time. If you’re making this ahead, squeeze some extra lime juice on top and press plastic wrap directly on the surface. Get the Corn and Black Bean Salsa with Avocado recipe.

Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa Recipe

Cranberries, jalapeño, and lime sound like they shouldn’t work together, but surprise. I make these every Thanksgiving and someone always asks for the recipe. Jalapeños and cranberries make for a perfect sweet & spicy combination!

For a quick holiday appetizer, serve it over a block of cream cheese with crackers. The whole thing takes about 10 minutes. Get the recipe for Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa.

Watermelon Mango Salsa

Fresh, juicy, and bright — this is peak summer party food. It’s fresh watermelon and mango with lime and jalapeño, and it pairs well with grilled chicken or fish tacos as well as chips. The best part is it can be made the same day you’re serving it! Get the Watermelon Mango Salsa recipe.

Finger Foods and Snacks

Grape Jelly Meatball Recipe

Two ingredients, one crockpot, zero complaints. Grape jelly and chili sauce sounds completely wrong until you taste it. Then it makes total sense. These are the meatballs people hover around at every party. Keep toothpicks nearby because the dish will be empty before you expect it. Get the Grape Jelly Meatball recipe.

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies Appetizer Recipe

Little smokies are wrapped in bacon and sprinkled with brown sugar for that sticky-sweet goodness. They go on the sheet pan, and when they come out, they look like something you’d pay an arm and a leg for at a fancy restaurant. I make a double batch each time because one batch just doesn’t cut it. Get the recipe for Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

These soft, warm and salty pretzel bites are the perfect snacks for your guests. They will make your guests want to stop what they are doing to grab more. Having cheese sauce or mustard easily makes these pretzel bites even more enjoyable. While these pretzel bites do take more work than some of the other snacks, they are completely worth it. Get the Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites recipe.

Spicy Ranch Pretzels (Dot’s Homestyle Copycat)

If you’ve tried Dot’s pretzels, you know what the craze is about. This copycat version allows you to make a huge batch at home for much cheaper. The pretzels have a ranch seasoning, some heat, and they’re baked until crispy, making them just as addicting. The best part is that you can make these in advance and store them in an airtight container, and they’ll last for days. Get the Spicy Ranch Pretzels recipe.

Easy Bruschetta Recipe

If you want an appetizer that looks like you tried harder than you did, bruschetta is it. Chopped tomatoes, basil, and garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and heaped onto slices of toasted baguette. Just make the tomato topping a few hours in advance so the flavors can meld and then pile it on the bread right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy. Get the Easy Bruschetta recipe.

Baked Wonton Wrapper Chips

After being coated in oil and baked, wonton wrappers come out crispy, thin, and light, making them perfect for scooping dips. They pair especially well with crab rangoon dip, but with almost anything on this list, they work. They cost almost nothing to make and take only about 10 minutes in the oven. Get the recipe for Baked Wonton Wrapper Chips.

To avoid scrambling for it the day of the event, save this list ahead of time. You can pin it, bookmark it, or text it to yourself. Every recipe has been tested in my kitchen, and if I didn’t consider it good enough to take to a party, it doesn’t make the list.

Check out CouponCravings for tons of easy recipes, from weeknight dinners to holiday desserts – everything real families actually eat. Browse to find your next crowd-pleasing recipe.

These easy Friday night dinner recipes are the ones I actually rotate through at my house — the ones where the crock pot does most of the work, or dinner comes together in under thirty minutes while my husband circles the kitchen asking if he can help but somehow also cannot see the cutting board six inches from his elbow. You know the type.

1. Crock Pot Maid Rites (Iowa Loose Meat Sandwiches)

This is one of those Friday night dinners that basically makes itself. You throw the meat in the crock pot in the morning, and by the time everyone is home and hungry it is ready to scoop onto buns with mustard, pickles, and cheese. A Midwest staple for a reason — simple, satisfying, and no one ever complains. Get the Crock Pot Maid Rites recipe.

We are from Iowa, so this one has genuine sentimental weight at our table. My teenagers still request it by name. That alone earns it a permanent Friday rotation spot.

2. Crockpot Lasagna

Everything you love about lasagna with none of the multiple-pot situation. This slow cooker version layers noodles, meat sauce, and ricotta right in the crock pot and comes out bubbling and perfect by dinnertime. It tastes exactly like the real thing and the cleanup is so much easier it almost feels like a trick. Get the Crockpot Lasagna recipe.

I made this for the first time on a Friday when I genuinely did not want to cook and it has been in regular rotation ever since. My daughter said it tasted like restaurant lasagna and I did not correct her because I was very proud of the crock pot.

3. Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is the ultimate set-it-and-forget-it Friday night dinner. Beef, potatoes, and carrots cooked low and slow until everything is tender and falling apart in a rich savory broth. You start it before lunch and dinner is completely handled. It is the kind of meal that makes the whole house smell incredible and makes everyone at the table say something. Get the Slow Cooker Pot Roast recipe.

Nothing says “I have my life together” like a pot roast, even when you absolutely do not. The crock pot deserves significantly more credit than it gets as a confidence-building household appliance.

4. Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

All the flavor of a cheesesteak without slicing beef or watching a pan. This slow cooker version lets the meat get tender while you do literally anything else, then you pile it onto hoagie rolls with melted provolone. It feels like a treat but costs less than takeout and requires about five minutes of actual effort from you. Get the Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot recipe.

The smell of this cooking all afternoon is genuinely unfair. Gigi parks herself next to the crock pot by two o’clock and I have to explain to a dog, again, that cheesesteak is not for dogs. She remains unconvinced.

5. Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches

Roast beef slow cooked in a savory broth until it falls apart, piled onto hoagies, served with a cup of broth for dipping. This is one of those quick Friday night dinner recipes that looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did. The crock pot does all the work and you show up looking like a hero at six. Get the Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches recipe.

The au jus is the underrated part. Do not skip dipping. It completely changes the sandwich and my husband now ranks this in his top five dinners I make, which honestly was not hard to earn.

6. Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken

Sweet and savory chicken with pineapple in a tangy sauce served over rice — this is the Friday night dinner that tastes like you ordered from somewhere. The flavors are bright and a little different from the usual rotation, which makes it feel like an occasion even though the crock pot did everything. Get the Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken recipe.

This one gets requested specifically by my kids on weeks when I ask what they want Friday. “The pineapple chicken.” It has a name at our house now. That is the highest level of recipe success you can achieve as a parent.

7. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Tender shredded pork in a smoky barbecue sauce that you pile onto buns, serve over baked potatoes, or put on nachos — this recipe gives you options to feed different palates at the same table without making multiple things. Start it in the morning and Friday night dinner is completely handled. Get the Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.

The “serve it three different ways” aspect of pulled pork is what makes it so useful. One kid wants a sandwich. One wants it over rice. My husband wants to eat it straight from the crock pot with a fork. Everyone wins. This is very rare on a Friday.

8. Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot

Tender beef in a creamy savory mushroom sauce served over egg noodles — this is comfort food at its best and the crock pot version makes it completely hands-off. Everything cooks together while you decompress from the week, and dinner is rich and filling and exactly what a Friday night should feel like. Get the Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot recipe.

This is the dinner I make when I want everyone to think I made an effort on a Friday. The sauce is genuinely that good. The fact that the crock pot did it is information I choose not to volunteer.

9. Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches

Shredded buffalo chicken piled onto buns with ranch or blue cheese — this is the kind of Friday night dinner that is fast to pull together and hits every flavor note you want at the end of the week. Spicy, saucy, easy, and it takes about five minutes of active work. Great for nights when you want something with a little kick. Get the Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches recipe.

Top with coleslaw if you have it. I know that sounds optional but it is not optional. The crunch and the cool against the spicy chicken is the whole thing. My son discovered this and now considers it non-negotiable.

10. Crack Chicken (Instant Pot)

Creamy, cheesy chicken with cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and bacon that you can serve over rice, on buns, in wraps, or just in a bowl with a fork — this recipe has earned its name because everyone who tries it asks for it again immediately. The Instant Pot version is fast and the result is ridiculously good for how simple it is. Get the Crack Chicken Instant Pot recipe.

I introduced this to my mom over a holiday and she texted me three times asking me to confirm I had sent her the right recipe. Yes, that is all it is. Yes, it really tastes like that. Some recipes are just like this.

11. Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

This one is for Fridays when it is already dinnertime and nothing is in the crock pot. It comes together in one skillet, fast, and hits all the same notes as a traditional cheesesteak — peppers, onions, beef, cheese — scooped onto soft buns. Messy in the best possible way and nobody at the table will be quiet about how good it is. Get the Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes recipe.

My son’s standard review of this one is “can we have it again tomorrow,” which is about as high as praise gets from a teenager who communicates primarily in shrugs and single-syllable sounds.

12. Walking Tacos

Individual bags of Fritos filled with seasoned taco meat, cheese, sour cream, and whatever toppings everyone wants — this is the most fun Friday night dinner format there is. No plates required, everyone makes their own, and cleanup is throwing away the bags. Perfect for movie nights, game nights, or any Friday where you want dinner to feel like less of a production. Get the Walking Tacos recipe.

Walking tacos also travel, which is how they became the official Friday night football game dinner in our house for several years running. Fritos bag in one hand, content expression on face. Peak Friday energy.

13. Taco Crescent Bake

Seasoned taco meat and cheese baked under a layer of crescent roll dough until golden and bubbly — this comes together in about twenty minutes and tastes like you planned something. Slice it like a pizza and serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole. Crowd pleaser every single time, including with people who claim not to be excited about crescent roll dough. Get the Taco Crescent Bake recipe.

Crescent roll dough is doing a lot of heavy lifting in the easy dinner category and I have full appreciation for it. This is one of those recipes that makes people say “wait, you made that?” in a way that is extremely satisfying given how little effort was actually involved.

14. Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas

All the quesadillas, all at once, without standing over a pan flipping them one at a time. You layer everything on a sheet pan and bake it, then slice into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream. A fast Friday night dinner that scales up easily and does not require you to monitor anything. Get the Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas recipe.

The sheet pan quesadilla method changed my life slightly. I used to stand at the stove making four individual quesadillas in a row while everyone ate theirs immediately and mine got cold. This solves that problem entirely and I am grateful every single Friday.

15. Steak Fajitas (Restaurant Style)

Sizzling steak with peppers and onions, all the toppings, warm tortillas — this is a Friday night dinner that feels like going out without going out. The recipe walks through how to get the steak sliced right and get that good sear. Serve with guacamole and everyone is very happy to be at your house on a Friday. Get the Steak Fajitas recipe.

This is my “we deserve a nice Friday” dinner. Steak fajitas feel like a treat. They take a little more effort than the crock pot options but the sizzle alone is worth it. My husband considers this his love language and I have never been able to prove him wrong.

16. Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

The no-effort version of Friday fajita night. Chicken, peppers, and onions in the slow cooker all day, then set out the toppings and let everyone build their own. Tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese — this dinner works for every person at the table regardless of their individual topping opinions. Get the Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas recipe.

The “build your own” format is genuinely one of the best parenting strategies I have ever discovered. No one argues about what is in their fajita when they made the fajita themselves. This is a hill I will absolutely die on.

17. Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Chicken, crispy bacon, and ranch flavor baked in a cheesy casserole that everyone goes back for seconds on. This is an easy Friday night dinner that feels hearty and satisfying without a lot of prep. Make it ahead on a busy week and it is ready to go the moment you need it. Get the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe.

Ranch plus bacon plus chicken is a flavor combination that should never be underestimated. My kids would eat this at every meal if I let them. I do not let them, which means it stays a Friday special and stays exciting. This is strategic restraint and it is working.

18. Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

Frozen ravioli, marinara, and cheese layered in the slow cooker until melty and bubbly and smelling like a restaurant. You do not even boil the pasta — it cooks right in the sauce. A Friday night pasta dinner that takes about ten minutes of actual effort. Get the Crockpot Ravioli Casserole recipe.

This is genuinely the easiest dinner I make. When both teenagers are at practice and I forgot to plan anything, this is what happens. It has never once disappointed anyone, which I find remarkable given how little planning it requires.

19. Crockpot Baked Spaghetti

Spaghetti, meat sauce, and cheese in the slow cooker all day. The pasta absorbs the sauce as it cooks, giving you a rich baked texture that is different from stovetop spaghetti in a really good way. Friday night pasta night, completely hands-off. Get the Crockpot Baked Spaghetti recipe.

I will be honest — I was skeptical about baking spaghetti in a crock pot because I have opinions about pasta texture. I was wrong. The texture is good. This recipe earned its place in the rotation and I will admit that publicly.

20. Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Friday pasta night works best with alfredo from scratch, which sounds like more effort than it actually is. Butter, cream, and parmesan on the stove for fifteen minutes and you have a sauce that tastes so much better than the jarred version it is a little embarrassing for jarred alfredo. Toss with fettuccine, add grilled chicken if you want, dinner is done. Get the Homemade Alfredo Sauce recipe.

Once you make alfredo from scratch the first time you will read the ingredient list on a jar of store-bought and have a small moment of reckoning. Butter, cream, and parmesan. That is genuinely it. It just goes faster than you think.

21. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta

Creamy crack chicken combined with pasta — everything cooks together in the slow cooker and comes out rich, cheesy, and completely satisfying. Ranch, cream cheese, bacon, cheese, pasta. It is a lot of good things together and no one has ever complained. Get the Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta recipe.

If you have never made crack chicken pasta before, this is your Friday. It sounds like it might be too rich and then you eat it and understand why people have strong feelings about it. My kids ask for this one by name and that is the whole review.

22. White Bean Turkey Chili

White beans and ground turkey in a warmly spiced broth — hearty but not heavy, which is exactly right for a Friday night when you still want to be functional afterward. Top it with sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips and you have a really solid bowl that also reheats beautifully the next day. Get the White Bean Turkey Chili recipe.

Turkey chili is underrated and I am out here defending it. Everyone defaults to beef chili but when I make this one they are always impressed. It is lighter and the flavors are brighter. This is the chili I make in May and September.

23. Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Thick, creamy, loaded with chicken and wild rice — this is the soup that makes cold Friday nights feel like a whole event. Making it at home means a giant pot of it for a fraction of the Panera price. Serve with crusty bread or a grilled cheese and you have a cozy dinner that nobody will argue with. Get the Copycat Panera Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe.

The bread situation matters here. You can technically eat this soup without bread. You just should not. This is a good use for the sourdough loaf sitting on your counter since Tuesday that you keep saying you will finish.

24. Beef Stew

Tender chunks of beef with carrots, potatoes, and a thick savory broth — one of those Friday night dinners that makes the whole house smell incredible all afternoon. Warm, filling, and exactly the kind of dinner that earns a sincere compliment from someone who usually just eats in silence. Slow cooker recipe, so it runs while you run your Friday. Get the Beef Stew recipe.

A pot of beef stew makes everything feel more intentional than it actually was. You did nothing except put some ingredients in a pot in the morning. But the result at dinnertime is the kind of meal that makes people ask if you were doing something special. You were not. That is the magic of it.

25. Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

Breakfast for dinner is a real and valid Friday night choice, and biscuits and gravy casserole is the best version of it. Sausage gravy under fluffy biscuits, all baked together in one dish until golden and bubbling. It is one of those fun Friday night dinner recipes that feels like a special occasion even though it takes almost no effort to pull together. Get the Biscuits and Gravy Casserole recipe.

My teenagers genuinely believe that breakfast for dinner is the best parenting decision I have ever made. I am not going to argue with that because they are not wrong and I appreciate any moment of uncontested approval I can get at this stage of life.

The goal of Friday night dinner is not to make something impressive. It is to feed everyone without anyone being unhappy about it, including you. Most of these are slow cooker recipes you can start before the afternoon ends, which means Friday itself just involves serving something that already smells great and calling it a win.

Save this list for the weeks when Friday sneaks up on you — which is every week. If you try one of these, leave a comment and tell me which one your family asked for again.

I’ve been gathering these over the years — some from my own mom, some from the Internet at 11 PM, and a few I found when I was trying to save a dinner disaster. My teenagers think half these are silly. My husband thinks salt belongs in a shaker, not a pot, and we disagree. Here are the 24 that I use, or wish I used more.

1. Salt Your Pasta Water Until It Tastes Like the Sea

There is no exaggeration that water for pasta should be saltier than the ocean before the noodles are added. The salt does not only season the pasta from the outside, it also works into the pasta's texture as it cooks. Most people have dinner bland because of under-salted pasta.

For 15 years, my husband has seen me do this and still seems worried every time I add the salt. “Is that too much?” Sir, we’ve been married 17 years. Trust the pasta water.

2. Save a Cup of Pasta Water Before You Drain

That cloudy, starchy liquid is liquid gold. Adding a splash to your sauce at the end will make it silky and help it stick to the noodles instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl. It's an emulsifier, and Italian grandmothers have always known this.

I put a coffee mug next to the stove to help me remember. I forgot to get one for a decade. Every pasta dish I made for a decade was a little worse than it had to be. Don't be like me.

3. Rest Your Meat Before You Cut It

When the meat is taken off the heat, the juices are still moving around inside. If you cut it right away, the juices will run out and go straight onto the cutting board. If you rest it for five to ten minutes, the moving juices will go back inside the meat. The result will always be juicer, and you don’t have to do anything extra.

My teenagers keep complaining and will hover over a resting chicken like very hungry golden retrievers and wait for the "kill". Gigi the actual golden retriever is usually there too. We wait. It's worth it.

4. Put a Wooden Spoon Across the Boiling Pot

Be sure to place a wooden spoon across the top of a pot that is boiling over and collapse the bubbles on contact with the spoon handle. It's folklore; dry wood disrupts the surface tension of the bubbles, allowing you enough time to turn down the heat.

I learned this from my mom and it always seems to amaze everyone. My children seemed really impressed. And these are the same kids who are not impressed by anything, so that speaks to the quality of this trick.

5. Use Cold Butter for Flaky Pie Crust

When blended with warm butter, the dough becomes too smooth, and results in a mealy crust. Instead, use butter that is fridge-cold and cubed. This will create tiny gaps within the dough, which will later create layers when the pockets steam during baking. Some bakers will even freeze the butter and use a grater. That said, it's not a new technique as just pulling the butter from the fridge would do the same thing.

To be honest, I'm not a big pie crust fan. I've only made them about four times. But tip about the cold butter is what made the difference between a crust that I was proud of and one that I was embarrassed about.

6. Add a Pinch of Baking Soda to Tomato Sauce

A small amount of baking soda, about 1/8 of a teaspoon, can reduce acidity in tomato sauce and make it taste smoother and more rounded without adding sweetness. This is particularly helpful for cans of tomatoes that are sharper.

This completely changed my Sunday sauce routine. You add it in after the sauce has been simmering, and it bubbles up for a split second which looks a little scary but then it settles down and the whole pot smells incredible. My husband had two helpings and said nothing, which is high praise!

7. Toast Your Spices in a Dry Pan First

When you heat your dry skillet over medium heat, and then place some Cumin, Coriander, or Chili Powder in there for thirty seconds, you wake up these spices. While they may seem dormant and lose their ‘spice’ touch over time, they really have volatile oils that have been waiting to be released and have likely been waiting since at least 2022. Enjoy your renewed spices and just think, with the same spices as before, your dish will taste even more seasoned!

You can also use this as an opportunity to determine what spices in your cabinet have gone completely dead and need to be replaced. Anything that has no smell when it hits the pan is done for. There’s no coming back from that. Throw it out and head to Aldi.

8. Crack Eggs on a Flat Surface, Not the Bowl Edge

When you crack an egg on the side of a bowl, you cause jagged breaks in the egg shell, making small pieces of shells fall in. If you crack the egg on a flat surface, the shell pieces are less likely to get into the egg. Old school home cooks know this, as do professional cooks. It takes about a week to retrain yourself to do this, but it's worth it.

I changed a few years ago and have only gotten maybe three shell pieces out of eggs since then, compared to the previous roughly one hundred per year. My teenagers still crack on the bowl edge. This is their only real flaw. I am choosing my battles.

9. Sharpen Your Knife With the Bottom of a Ceramic Mug

Most ceramic mugs have an unglazed ring at the bottom which is a little abrasive. It is rough enough to serve as an improvised knife sharpener when the need arises. Simply hold the mug steady, and draw the knife across the ceramic ring at a shallow angle a few times on each side, and your knife will have a better edge. Of course, it doesn’t replace a real knife sharpener, but it most definitely works for a quick touch up.

I remember my mom showing me this and I thought she was joking until I actually tried it. Now, I do this about every single time I make dinner and get annoyed by the knife. Which is often. We have a lot of knives, but not a lot of good ones.

10. Keep Butter on the Counter in a Butter Crock

A butter crock keeps butter fresh at room temperature for up to 30 days. A small amount of water creates an airtight seal inside the crock. The water needs to be changed every few days to maintain the air seal. Clean spreadable butter can be enjoyed without waiting for the butter to soften or microwaving it. This method of butter storage is how people preserved butter for generations before the invention of the refrigerator.

My butter crock is one of my favorite kitchen items, and I've had it for three years. Cold butter on toast is a crime. Toast deserves butter that is spreadable and hasn't been in the microwave. I dare you to change my mind.

11. Freeze Leftover Tomato Paste in Tablespoon Portions

If you're like most people, you waste half a can of tomato paste because most recipes only call for one or two tablespoons of it. Here's a way to keep that from happening. Grab a sheet pan, lay down a piece of parchment paper, and drop tablespoon-sized portions of tomato paste onto it. Once they are all frozen solid, you can transfer them into a freezer bag. Whenever you need a tablespoon of tomato paste for a recipe, just pull one out.

It seems this is something an organized individual would do. I am not an organized person by nature, but I do this one because I have wasted about forty cans of tomato paste before I finally came to terms with the situation and created a system. Now I feel very smug about it.

12. Put Onions in the Freezer for 15 Minutes Before Cutting

When you cut an onion, the cells break, and they release gasses that cause you to tear up. It is true that a cold onion will release gasses more slowly. If you place the onion in the freezer for about 15 minutes, you will cry much less because the gasses released will have little effect on you. The flavor and texture of the onion will not be affected by this freezing method. Still an old-school tip.

I learned this in my late 30s, and I was honestly really annoyed that I was learning it so late. It was decades of crying into my soup for no reason! If you wear contact lenses and you cut onions, this is truly life changing (and not an exaggeration).

13. Add a Bread Heel to Your Brown Sugar to Keep It Soft

Brown sugar hardens because it loses moisture. Putting a slice of bread in the container — even just the heel you were going to throw away — adds back the moisture and keeps the sugar scoopable indefinitely. Just replace the bread every few days when it gets stale. The sugar will stay soft the whole time.

This is a tiny win in the kitchen that I love to do. I no longer have to chisel out sugar out of a block while trying to make cookies at 7 in the morning. My husband says this is pointless and thinks we can just put it in the microwave. I mean, he's not wrong. But this is better and I win!

14. Use a Rubber Band for Slippery Jar Lids

If the lid on a jar is stuck, try adding a thick rubber band around the lid. This will add some extra friction to the lid, which will help with grip and traction as you turn the lid. This method out performs many other methods such as jar openers, hot water, and towels. Plus, all the materials are in a junk drawer somewhere already and require no additional effort.

My husband likes to think he is the household jar opener. However, he’s not always around when a jar needs to be opened. The rubber band has silently solved this jar-opening problem without a ceremony. He doesn't need to know.

15. Deglaze the Pan — Those Brown Bits Are the Best Part

The dark bits that collect at the bottom of the pan after you sear meat or sauté veggies are the fond, and they are packed with flavor. Get some wine, broth or even water, add it to the hot pan, and scrape the bottom. This mixture becomes the base for your sauce or can be drizzled over the finished dish.

It only takes me ninety seconds to complete, and every time I do it, I feel like I have my life together! I feel great skipping it though, because I absolutely hate having to do it. Now, this might sound like a negative thing, but it really is not. I do love myself after all, don't I?

16. Store Fresh Herbs Like Flowers

Take some stems, place them in a glass with an inch of water, and put a plastic bag over the top. Place it in the fridge. This method keeps parsley and cilantro fresh for two to three weeks. On the other hand, basil likes to be kept at room temperature and does best on the counter. This is how old-school cooks used to keep their herbs before the plastic clam-shell era.

I buy herbs at the farmers market, and I have shed actual tears over wilted cilantro that I paid $3 for, used a single tablespoon of, and threw away. The jar method changed the game. I still lose basil at an embarrassing rate because I forget about it, but I have complete control over the cilantro situation.

17. Use the Wooden Skewer Test for Cakes

When checking if a cake has fully cooked, stick a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center. If the pick comes out clean or has only a couple of moist crumbs, it is done. If the pick has wet batter on it, it needs more time. Conversely, if the pick comes out completely dry, it may already be overdone. This is a simple, yet effective, alternative to a probe thermometer.

I always keep a small box of wooden skewers in the baking drawer because my daughter uses them for craft projects, my son uses them for cheese at parties, and I use them to test cakes. They are probably the most useful thing I have bought for $2.

18. Season in Layers, Not Just at the End

Salt added at different points in the cooking process, such as the onions, the proteins, and the sauce, creates layers of flavor. Salt added at the very end tastes harsh and sits on top of food rather than integrating. Traditional chefs were taught to season their food at every step of the cooking process without even thinking about it.

This is what makes the difference between “it tastes like something’s missing” and “I don’t know why this tastes so good.” In most cases, the answer is that you seasoned at every step and let the flavors develop. Or you added butter at the end. Usually, it’s both.

19. Put a Damp Paper Towel Over Leftover Dishes Before Reheating

Using a slightly damp paper towel when microwaving food helps trap steam and keep food from drying out during the reheating. It helps a lot with pasta, rice, and saucy meals since those foods tend to get gluey when reheated. This is an old grandma trick that is older than microwave safe covers.

Whenever my kids reheat food, they never cover the bowl, and every time we end up with a big dried-out ring around the bowl. I’ve taught them the trick. They’ve made their choice. I cover my food. My reheated pasta is better. The circle of life goes on.

20. Squeeze Lemon Over Cut Fruit to Prevent Browning

The lemon juice's acid slows the enzymatic browning on cut apples, avocados, and bananas. Even a slight squeeze of lemon juice buys you a few more hours of good-looking fruit. Old school cooks used this trick on fruit salads, party platters, and any other dishes that they made ahead. It doesn’t take much lemon juice to mask the flavor.

I feel super prepared when I do this every time I make a fruit tray. My teens think it’s funny when I do it in my own kitchen for a Tuesday snack. I do it anyway. I enjoy how the apple slices look. I don’t regret it.

21. Use a Potato to Fix Over-Salted Soup

If you take a peeled, raw potato and drop it into a pot of over-salted soup and let it simmer for about fifteen minutes, it will absorb some of the excess salt. Just remove the potato before you serve the soup. It won't be a miracle, but it will take some of the salt out and make it more palatable.

I’ve lost count how many times this trick has saved me. I tend to oversalt things when I’m cooking quickly and not paying attention (which is often). The potato trick has saved at least three pots of chicken soup from disaster. It has a permanent spot in my rotation.

22. Let Garlic Rest After Mincing

When garlic cloves are crushed or chopped, a chemical reaction occurs. This is due to an enzyme known as alliinase, which creates a compound called allicin. This compound, allicin, gives garlic its strong flavor and odor. This chemical reaction happens over a course of 10 minutes. Therefore, allowing chopped garlic to sit for a period of time, will result in a more intense garlic flavor.

I often start cooking by mincing the garlic so it has a chance to sit while I prep the rest of the meal. My husband eats garlic bread like a normal person and can't tell the difference, but to me it really does make an impact.

23. Keep a Parmesan Rind in the Freezer

While a wedge of parmesan won't melt, its rind can provide plenty of cheesy and delicious flavor to soups, stews and even tomato sauces. Those old-school Italian chefs would never throw them out! Simply store them in a bag in the freezer and toss one in any dish that could use an extra level of flavor!

I feel like I've really taken my cooking skills to the next level. I feel like I'm starting to grasp a deeper understanding of cooking. This soup is different; I can taste the change. It's almost impossible to put into words the chemistry, but I can undeniably taste the product, and for me, that's sufficient.

24. Add Butter at the Very End

If you want to create a silky, glossy texture for your dish, you can finish a pan sauce, risotto, or even a could of vegetables by stirring in a small knob of cold butter off the heat. It will round out the flavor of your dish as well. Some American home cooks call this technique “adding a little butter at the end” while French cooking calls it “monter au beurre.”

Around here, dinner is always okay, but when it's really good, chances are we added some extra butter at some point. My teenagers think this is how restaurants get food to taste better. And they aren't wrong. I'm not running a restaurant, but I have no problem stealing the trick.

Not every trick your grandma used is worth reviving. Some of the things she did were just what people did before better options came along. But this list? These are the ones that actually work. These are the ones that professional chefs still use, and these are the ones that do not require anything you do not already have in your kitchen. Outdated doesn't mean old school. Sometimes it just means it was right the first time.

Just adding two or three of these tips to your weeknight dinner routine will make your cooking better. And when people ask what’s different, just say you’ve been cooking more, no further explanation required! You can keep the secrets of pasta water, rubber bands, and surprise parmesan rinds to yourself.

It is funny how some of these methods still work better than the new ones. My grandma would store her onions in pantyhose for 6 months and would never have bugs in her flour. I, on the other hand, throw out celery every Sunday and still act surprised. Regardless, these 31 old-fashioned food storage techniques are worth knowing, even if you only use a few of them.

1. Bury Carrots in Damp Sand

Remove the green tops from fresh carrots and place the carrots in a bucket of slightly damp play sand. Make sure the roots are not touching. The bucket will need to be stored somewhere cold, such as a garage or basement, around 35 to 40 degrees. They will stay crispy for 4-6 months without losing texture.

I remember doing something similar with a massive Costco bag of carrots while my fridge was literally a disaster zone. Very 1942 of me. I took one out three months later and it was still crunchier than anything you can buy at the store.

2. Store Eggs in Waterglass (Pickling Lime)

You can keep unwashed fresh eggs at room temperature for up to two years by mixing one ounce of pickling lime with one quart of cool water and adding the eggs to the solution. This method works because pickling lime seals the porous shell and prevents air and bacteria from entering the eggs. unwashed and intact eggs from the coop have to meet three safety standards: the shells must be intact, you must cook them thoroughly, and you have to be directly from the coop. Store bought eggs, as an example, will not work because the eggs have already been washed and lost their natural protective coating.

My grandma would have called this a normal Tuesday, I'd call it mildly unhinged in the best way possible. Two-year-old eggs in a crock sitting under the counter? The girls will think there's a science experiment in our pantry.

3. Hang Onions in Old Pantyhose

Take clean pantyhose and drop in an onion. Tie a knot and drop in another onion. Tie another knot and keep going. Hang the rope up in a cool dry spot. Each onion gets air circulation, none of them touch, and they last six months easy.

I’ve learned this from my mom, who learned it from her mom. It’s not glamorous, but neither is throwing out half a bag of mush in February. This is the move.

4. Wrap Apples in Newspaper

One bad apple truly does spoil the bunch due to gases they give off. To prevent this, wrap each apple in newspaper and box them up. Store in a cool place and check every week to remove any with soft spots.

This might seem like a lot of work. But once you do it once with a bushel from the orchard, you realize you have apples until March. Last year I tried to skip the newspaper step, and I lost the whole box by Christmas. Lesson learned. Very expensive.

5. Braid Garlic for the Pantry

Once the necks of the garlic are dry, cure fresh garlic for two weeks and then braid the stalks together like pigtails. The garlic will be good for six to nine months without being refrigerated if you hang the braid in a dark pantry. Just snip a head off whenever a recipe calls for it.

Even if you really don't have it all together, just having garlic in a braid hanging in your pantry can give that illusion. Mine has a braid next to my stack of mail that I haven't sorted through and an unturned October permission slip. It's all about balance.

6. Dry Herbs Upside Down in Bunches

Once the dew has dried, cut the herbs and bundle them with twine. Then hang them upside down in a dark, dry area. In two to three weeks, the leaves will dry and crumble easily. Strip them into jars so you can season your dishes year-round.

I started doing this every time I get home from the farmers market and have to deal with giant bunches of basil and parsley I can’t use before they go bad. Now I can’t bring myself to buy a $4 bottle of dried herbs. The girls walk by the bundles of herbs hanging in the laundry room like that’s a normal thing. Which, in my house, it now is.

7. Store Potatoes in the Dark (and Cure Them First)

Potatoes dislike light, warmth, and onions. After harvesting, cure them for two weeks in a cool, dark place to toughen the skins. Store cured potatoes in a paper bag, burlap sack, or cardboard box. No need for a root cellar, a basement, garage, or unheated pantry is fine. As for where to store them, keep potatoes away from the onions. Light will turn potatoes green and bitter, and warmth awakens them and they start sprouting little potato antennas.

If done properly, a 10 lb. bag should last three months instead of two weeks of guilty composting. If done improperly, there could be an old, hairy potato lurking behind the toaster come April. Just saying!

8. Make Sauerkraut in a Crock

Chop a head of cabbage and combine it with 1.5 tablespoons of salt, then pound the mix until the liquid covers the cabbage. Place a plate on top to weigh it down, then cover the pot with a cloth. Allow it to sit on your counter for 2 to 4 weeks while the good bacteria do their magic!

I will be honest, this isn't something I have made. But, I have had real fermented sauerkraut and can say that it tastes completely different from the stuff you find in jars. It is on my list, sandwiched between getting more organized and learning to sew. Someday!

9. Salt-Cure Bacon at Home

For homemade bacon, cover pork belly with kosher and brown sugar, and pink curing salt. Refrigerate for a week, flipping each day. Rinse and cold smoke (or roast at a low temperature). It’s nearly offensive how much better this bacon is than anything you’ll buy at the store!

It's a commitment, but one weekend project can last you for months. After making it, the nine dollar pack at the store seems like a personal insult. I still buy the pack sometimes because I am a normal person, but I think about the homemade version each time.

10. Wax-Dip Cheese for Aging

To coat some cheeses like cheddar or gouda in food-grade cheese wax, and age for several months to years, you will need to do several things. First, keep the moisture in and the mold out. Then, using a double boiler to melt the wax, brush a thin layer over the cheese and stash it in a cool basement.

Imagine what it's like making something that seems completely ridiculous. Then imagine how much more satisfying that will be when you get to taste the one-year-aged cheddar cheese you made yourself. You can also get the satisfaction of being smug at your next dinner party when someone asks you where you got the cheese.

11. Confit Meat in Its Own Fat

Slow cook meat in some fat. Then pack it into a jar and pour some fat over the top so it is all covered and refrigerate it. The fat keeps air out so the meat is preserved in the jar for several months. You can use duck legs, pork shoulders, or chicken thighs.

Take out your food Wednesday so you don't have to plan dinner, and then you can look like someone who has their act together. Most of the effort was done a month ago. Past me was more helpful to present me than ever.

12. Store Brown Sugar with a Slice of Apple

When brown sugar dries out, it hardens and forms a brick. To fix this, put a wedge of apple or a slice of bread in with the brown sugar, close the container, and the sugar will absorb the moisture from the apple/bread, keeping it soft for weeks. Just replace the apple every few weeks.

This is free and works every single time but for 35 years I banged away on a brick of brown sugar with a butter knife like a caveman. Some Grandma tricks are just ones that people haven't gotten around to writing down.

13. Wrap Celery in Foil

The reason your celery goes limp in less than a week is because the plastic bag traps moisture while also restricting ethylene gas from escaping. For a crispier celery that can also last for a longer period of time, try wrapping your bunch in foil and put in the fridge. This will keep it fresh for around 3-4 weeks.

I tried this out on a head of celery that I forgot about for two weeks, and it was still in great condition! The celery in the plastic bag next to it, however, had reached a level of sadness that I didn't even think was possible for vegetables.

14. Freeze Nuts to Stop Rancidity

If you want to prevent your nuts from going rancid, store them in the freezer. Nuts with oils that can go rancid quickly at room temperature, so you can store them in the fridge to help, but putting them in the freezer will help keep their flavor longer. Put almonds, walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts in a freezer bag and take out what you need.

Until I baked cookies with pecans that had been sitting on a shelf for a year, I never thought this was true. They tasted like sad cardboard. Pecans that I froze six months ago still taste as fresh as the day I bought them. That's my hill to die on.

15. Store Flour with a Bay Leaf

Flour weevils can be a problem, but there are ways to keep them out of your containers. You can try dropping 2-3 bay leaves in the containers with your flour, sugar, and dried beans. The oil in bay leaves are said to keep bugs away.

Since I've started this, I've never seen a single weevil in my pantry, and I don't have to get rid of flour bags that are half full. Bay leaves are more useful in my pantry than more than half of my appliances.

16. Hang Cured Hams in a Cool Cellar

With enough time, the flavors of a ham continue to mature as it becomes more salty. As a result of these characteristics, a ham can be stored in a cool, dry cellar for more than a year. This technique used by Southerners when making country ham is akin to how Italians create prosciutto. For optimal results, Good air flow and cold winters are necessary.

Not a starter project. I have a ton of boxes in my basement, including a bunch of teenage hand-me-downs. So there won’t be any cured hams this year. It is on the someday list though.

17. Pickle Eggs in Vinegar Brine

To make pink pickled eggs, first hard boil the desired amount of eggs, then peel them and place them into a brine made from vinegar, water, salt, sugar, and any other seasonings you wish to experiment with. This will give the eggs their pink color. Pickled eggs have been a prevalent snack for many generations and are very easy to make. Pickled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 months.

As a kid, I was both horrified and fascinated by the giant jars of pink eggs at the local dive bars. Now I make my own. Life comes at you fast.

18. Lard-Seal Cooked Meat (Potted Meat)

Cook a piece of meat, shred it, then pack it into a container and pour melted lard over the meat to create an air-seal. Store it in the fridge or a cool cellar. The combination of the lard and meat will create an anaerobic environment which allows the meat to last for a number of weeks.

Here’s how people managed to keep Sunday roast going up until Thursday, back before the invention of fridges. It still functions the same way today. The term potted meat sounds a bit dodgy, until you eat it on toast and then you get it.

19. Bury Cabbage Heads in the Garden

If a hard freeze is on the way, pull the cabbage heads up by the roots and place them upside down in a trench. Cover the trench with straw and a tarp. They keep two to three months right where they grew as the ground is warmer than air and stays that way.

Burying food in your yard sounds like the start of a true crime podcast, but it works. My grandma would do this every fall and her cabbages outlasted everyone in the neighborhood. The neighbors thought she had a secret garden gnome. The gnome was a trench.

20. Smoke Meat for the Long Haul

Cold smoking adds flavor and preservative compounds so meat can hang for weeks or even months, depending on how dry it gets. Jerky, summer sausage, smoked sausages, hams, etc. Salt first, smoke second, and store cool and dry.

Over 5000 years, the basics have not changed and I can't help but feel like a wizard every time it works. My husband takes this to heart and every fall turns smoking into an all weekend affair. Every hour is worth it.

21. Store Squash in a Single Layer

Winter squash such as butternut and acorn should be stored in a cool and dry place in which they will not touch one another. You can lay them on a shelf in your basement or pantry, making sure to place space between each squash. If one starts to rot, and they are touching, the rot will spread quickly. If cured properly, winter squash can last 4 to 6 months.

This is what every farmhouse pantry had wooden shelves on the walls for. Squash needs space. I lay mine out on the basement workbench like very lumpy guests at a dinner party.

22. Make Pemmican

It's a brick of dried meat that has been pulverized, mixed with both fats and sometimes dried berries, and can last for years without refrigeration. Fur traders and native peoples pretty much survived on this.

I find it super interesting, and I think it's the original protein bar. Will I do it on a random Tuesday? No. Do I commend those who have? For sure. The girls wouldn't eat it on principle and I can't say I would blame them.

23. Keep a Springhouse

A springhouse is a small building placed over a continuous cold spring. It is designed to keep crocks of milk, butter, and cheese cool, as the constant flow of 50-degree water acts as a year-round fridge.

Mostly a relic of the past, but a few homesteads still use them and they work as good as they did 150 years ago. If I ever live somewhere with a spring on the property, the first thing I am building is one of these. Husband is already warned.

24. Store Cookies with a Slice of Bread

Cookies go stale because they dry out. To keep cookies soft, place a slice of fresh bread in the cookie tin. The cookies will pull moisture from the bread instead of the air. The bread will become hard and the cookies will remain soft. You can change the bread every few days.

Grandmas' kitchen hacks are often passed down but not recorded. I hardly need it because my teens go through cookies fast, but when I do need it, it always works.

25. Layer Beets in Sawdust

Similar to the idea of sand packing for carrots, you can also pack the beets in slightly damp sawdust or wood shavings in a wooden crate and also store them in a root cellar or in a cold basement. They will keep for 4 to 6 months and remain firm.

One of the most neglected root vegetables is beets. They are easy to store for the long term and most people just throw them away before they go bad and end up buying new beets again. Classic American behavior.

26. Can with a Boiling Water Bath

Anything that is high in acid, such as pickles, jams, salsas, and fruit, can be preserved by sealing the jars in a boiling water bath. When the lids seal, you will hear a ‘ping’ and jars can be stored on a shelf for a year or longer.

There was a wall of multi colored mason jars in my Grandmother's pantry and I thought it was the most stunning thing I had ever seen, and I still do to this day. My pantry is coming along the same way, jar by jar.

27. Pressure Can Low-Acid Foods

Meats, beans, soups, and plain vegetables cannot be safely preserved in a water bath canner. These foods require higher temperatures to destroy botulism spores. Pressure canners reach 240 degrees. Foods canned this way are shelf-stable for years.

The process requires a lot of work, and I even had to buy a specialty piece of equipment (the canner). But eating my home-canned chili in February is going to feel like magic, and is absolutely worth the canner sitting in my basement with some leftover Amazon boxes.

28. Keep Apples Away From Potatoes (the Sprouting Killer)

You've likely heard that an apple prevents potatoes from sprouting. It's actually the opposite. Apples release ethylene gas and potatoes are extremely sensitive to ethylene. When stored together apples increase the rate at which potatoes sprout, and potatoes cause apples to become mealy. Keep them on opposite shelves!

There is always a reason for putting things at opposite ends. In my book, my garage is a root cellar and I do the same thing. The potatoes are by the back door and the apples are by the freezer. They're keeping their distance like divorced couples at a wedding.

29. Dehydrate Fruit on Screens

You can slice and dry apples, pears, peaches, and plums. Simply lay the slices on screens or racks and place them in the sun or a low-temperature oven. The dried fruit can be stored in jars for a year. This is much cheaper than buying dried fruit at the store, and you decide what goes in them.

In two days, the girls will finish off a jar of dehydrated apples. But that's fine because it means no added sugar, no preservatives, and no mystery oil to worry about. Just apples and patience. I wish I could say that for half the snacks in the pantry.

30. Store Butter in Salt Water (Butter Crock)

A butter crock keeps butter spreadable indefinitely by sealing it under a thin layer of cold salted water. As long as water remains above the butter, the water creates an air barrier while the salt inhibits bacteria.

No more ripping holes in your toast because of fridge butter! My crock sits on the kitchen counter all year long and I can’t believe I lived without it for so long. Honestly, one of the best twenty dollars I’ve spent in my kitchen.

31. Lacto-Ferment Pickles in a Crock

Cucumbers, brine, dill, garlic, and set aside for a few weeks. No vinegar. No canning. Just salt water and time. The good bacteria do their work and you get sour pickles. The pickles are alive, healthy for your gut, and can be stored in the fridge for months.

To be honest, I haven't done this yet. I always find fermentation to be really interesting, and yet I never seem to actually follow through. I have tried real lacto-fermented pickles and experienced the difference between those and the ones that sit on store shelves. They taste brighter and more complex since they are actually alive. I'll get there one day.

The same logic applies to these methods: If you manage the air, temperature, and humidity, food lasts longer than most people think. For two weeks, the fridge does it automatically. For six months without spending anything, an onion pantyhose, a butter container, and a few bay leaves in the flour container do the same.

Places to hide food in plain sight include the bay leaves, the celery wrapped in tin foil, the apple slice in brown sugar, and the butter crock sitting on the counter. Meanwhile, the more involved projects—canning, smoking, and crock pot fermenting—are worth knowing about even if they only come out for a special weekend. Food storage has always been a lost skill, but very little has really disappeared; it just got tucked away into a drawer somewhere, waiting to come out again.

These 25 old-fashioned recipes are a collection of spice blends that some people I know make by memory. Some don’t even use packets from the store, whether they don’t want mystery ingredients; just good old-fashioned pantry spices, measured, mixed, and blended. They generally cost just a few cents per batch, and keep for months in a jar. Prepare a few on a Sunday afternoon, and you will simplify your weeknight cooking immensely!

1. All-Purpose House Seasoning

2. Old-Fashioned Poultry Seasoning

3. Homemade Chili Powder

4. DIY Taco Seasoning

5. Old Bay–Style Seasoning

6. Homemade Italian Seasoning

7. Old-Fashioned Onion Soup Mix

8. Homemade Ranch Seasoning

9. Classic Dry BBQ Rub

10. Homemade Cajun Seasoning

11. Apple Pie Spice

12. Pumpkin Pie Spice

13. Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning

14. Old-Fashioned Pickling Spice

15. Homemade Fajita Seasoning

16. Classic Steak Seasoning

17. Old-Fashioned Curry Powder

18. Homemade Sloppy Joe Seasoning

19. Old-Fashioned Celery Salt

20. Homemade Gingerbread Spice

21. Homemade Southwest Seasoning

22. Old-Fashioned Popcorn Seasoning

23. Homemade Meatloaf Seasoning

24. Homemade Mulling Spice

25. Homemade All-Purpose Meat Rub

You can make all 25 mixtures in less than ten minutes, and they can be kept in sealed jars for months. To begin, make one "house seasoning" and select one or two cuisine-specific blends that correspond to your actual cooking style. The difference between an inexpensive and dull meal and one that is enjoyable is almost always seasonings, and now you have the recipes to back that up.

Pin this post to find it easily when it's time to refill the spice cabinet.

1. Walking Home Instead of Getting Picked Up

This day felt truly like the start of summer vacation. It was the feeling of carrying your backpack on one shoulder, one arm holding a cleanout of your walk, and knowing you wouldn’t have to be anywhere for three months. There were no apps to track and no line to wait in to be picked up. When the bell rang you walked, and when you got to your street the whole neighborhood seemed to sigh at the same time.

2. Signing Each Other’s T-Shirts With a Sharpie

Yearbooks cost a lot of money, so they often wasn't an option for kids. Sometimes instead, kids would wear a white t-shirt and get classmates and teachers to sign it. You could have a kid that you never talked to sign it. You would wear the shirt to bed during the summer and read the messages again and again. Today, this isn't a common thing, and with how digital goodbyes are, this is WAY better.

3. The Teacher Letting You Watch a Movie the Last Week

While it may not have been the last day of school, there was definitely something different about the last week of school. There was almost always a movie being played, usually a teacher wheeled a TV into the classroom. Homeward Bound, Beethoven, or The Sandlot. The lights would go down, worksheets would go away, and the whole class would watch a movie together on a school day. It was simple, but it was amazing.

4. Cleaning Out Your Locker and Carrying It All Home

You didn't have rolling backpacks or a parent who would drop off a bin. You put everything in your normal backpack (and your arms), and you walked home like you were moving. You probably had half-used notebooks, a sweatshirt that you forgot about since October, and the bottom of your locker probably had an odor. No one thought anything about the last day of school and everyone walked around looking like pack mules.

5. Trading Phone Numbers on Notebook Paper

When people didn’t have phones, they had to write their friends' home phone numbers and use them to contact their friends over the summer. You had to get the number before the bell ended class, urgency was important. When you got the number you would fold the paper and put it in your pocket, then you could call from the landline in the kitchen over the summer while someone’s mom was asking who called in the background.

6. Ice Cream Right After School

No plans, no reservations. Just walking to grab a cone from the nearest ice cream shop now that school was out. Would it be Dairy Queen? An ice cream truck that appeared on cue? Would we get popsicles from the freezer at home? It didn’t matter what the ice cream was, it was special simply because from sitting in a classroom all day, now we were free.

7. Running Out the Front Doors When the Bell Rang

The last bell rang and chaos erupted all around. Slowed walking was not on the agenda, it was full speed ahead. The noise of slamming lockers, a cacophony of voices calling out to friends in the lot, an undeniable feeling that something big had just finished and an equally big something was about to begin. Schools definitely still have last bells, but that feeling of unbridled sprinting energy is specific to a time before things were more orderly.

8. Staying Outside Until It Got Dark That First Night

There was something special about the first night of summer. Unlike the rest of the summer nights, parents didn’t mind the extended curfew. Nobody called you in at the usual time because everyone knew that this was the first night. Kids were out riding bikes, hanging on front porches, and playing games in the streets. You just stayed out until the streetlights flickered on, and then a little while longer, and nobody seemed to care.

9. A Classroom Party With Homemade Food

Some parents volunteered to bring things. One mom made Rice Krispies, someone else brought chips and a two-liter of soda. There were no dietary forms, no nut-free packets, and no three page requirements. There was just food on a table and kids that ate it. The teacher turned on music and the kids got loud, and for forty-five minutes the classroom felt like a party instead of a classroom.

10. Promising to Write Letters Over the Summer

Remember the last day of school when you were about to go away for the summer and one of your friends were going to their grandparents house for the summer too? You probably thought it was a good idea to exchange addresses and promise to write letters to each other. Maybe you wrote a letter or two, but most people probably didn’t write anything. They did it to show that they actually valued the friendship and thought they wouldn’t see each other for the next three months, but it wouldn’t actually last the whole summer. Some people were dedicated enough to keep writing letters to each other for the whole summer and even for several years.

11. The Neighborhood Bike Ride That First Afternoon

After school on the last day, one person got on a bike, then another person followed, and eventually there were six bikes in a loose formation heading nowhere in particular. No destination, no plan. Just the fact that you could ride as long as you wanted, and nobody needed to be back for anything. That first afternoon had a specific type of freedom that was hard to replicate even if you tried.

12. Making Summer Plans With Friends Face to Face

There weren’t any group chats where you could later figure things out. If you were going to make some plans, that had to be done the last day. You would have to say things like, “Let’s meet at the pool on Tuesday,” or “Come over Thursday morning.” You could even plan, “We’re doing fireworks at my grandparents' house.” You had to make all the decisions in person, and then you had to remember them. This created a more thoughtful type of summer planning that texting has erased.

13. Staying Up Late Because It Was Finally Summer

It was the first night of summer and your parents let you stay up late. Everyone was given an extra hour of freedom as the rules loosened themselves. You could watch TV, read a book, or listen to the neighborhood. You could do nothing or do something, but the most special part was knowing you didn't have to wake up early for anything the next day.

14. The Summer Reading List From the Library

In the past, the library used to have a list and you could choose to read the books or not. Now, reading in the summer is an enforced school requirement, and they have all sorts of metrics to track progress, along with school-sponsored incentives to win prizes. Some kids went to the library every week to get books and check off the titles, but there were plenty of kids who didn't go at all. The library is an air-conditioned, free summer destination and they have lots of books to choose from, plus there are no school assignments that are related to the books. Many kids from our childhood have summer list books as their favorite stories.

15. Telling Your Teacher You’d Miss Them — And Meaning It

You would pass by the teacher's desk on the way out one last time and say something. Maybe just “have a nice summer,” but sometimes kids who had a tougher year seemed to take their time a little more. Teachers didn’t have surveys or comment cards — they just had to remember whatever the last thing a kid said to them. That felt more real than an end-of-the-year email.

16. Riding Your Bike to School on the Last Day

Your last day of school bike day would be great if the weather was good. Once you got to school you locked up your bike and rode home this time with all your stuff from the locker in your backpack. While you would take this route home any other day on this day it just felt different. A few of the kids raced home, but that was completely allowed on the last day.

17. Watching the Clock During the Last Period

On the last day of school, everyone looked at the clock. Teachers usually gave up trying to keep the class focused by noon. If the teacher was looking, you'd count down the last ten minutes out loud. Everyone was tense until the second hand hit twelve. Then, the excitement burst. No countdown app. No huge banner. Just 40 kids fixated on the same clock.

18. Getting Your Report Card and Immediately Losing It

The report cards were given last day of school, and by the time I got home, half the kids had already lost theirs from school to the front door. I had to show it to a parent, but the last day of school wasn't about the grades. It was about the number at the bottom of the report card that said how many days we attended. It was about making it through another year. The report card felt like a distraction from the real point.

19. Scrambling to Return Library Books Before the Deadline

Each year, someone suddenly remembers on the last day that they still have a library book (or two, or even four) buried somewhere at home. The last day always had at least one kid racing to the library to return a book that was due back in February. The librarian usually let it slide on the last day. It was a day of unofficial amnesty. You handed it over, they scanned it, and that was the end of it.

20. The Teacher Reading Aloud One Last Time

Some teachers had a book they read to the class all year — a chapter every Friday, or every day after lunch. On the last day, they would finish it. Or, they would read something short just for the occasion, something like a favorite they wanted to share before summer broke everything apart. That last read-aloud felt different, special somehow. The room was always quieter than usual.

21. Emptying Your Desk Into a Paper Grocery Bag

In elementary school, locker cleanouts were held at the DUMP DESK. One of my teachers would walk in with grocery bags and we'd dump out everything from our desks. This included crayon stubs, old tests, glue sticks, and random unthrowable erasers. You would carry the bag home, and mom would go through it at the kitchen table and throw most of it away while you pretended not to watch.

22. Stopping at the Corner Store on the Walk Home

Walking home from school would not be complete without a spontaneous stop at a gas station or corner store to buy a snack. Everyone would stop at the last day of school and spend their loose change, maybe a dollar or two, and pick up a drink, bag of chips, or candy bar. It's not a big deal no one took a picture or recorded the event. Stopping the school to buy snacks just made the walk home feel much more celebratory.

23. The Teacher Giving Out Candy at the End

Many teachers kept a stash for the last day. It wasn’t a special order or a themed treat — just a bag of something from the grocery store. Jolly Ranchers, Starbursts, maybe Dum Dums were in a bowl by the door on the way out. You took one as you walked out, and that small thing — candy at the door — felt like a proper send-off. Simple gestures meant a lot more at the end of a school year.

24. Skipping the After-School Routine Entirely

The last day of school was different because our school day schedule didn't exist. Everyone knew that homework wouldn't be assigned, and there would be no practices, no tutoring, and no obligations. Parents understood that this was different. Everyone came home to an afternoon that felt different than normal. It was so nice not having to hear another "go do your homework" since there was none.

25. Signing Yearbooks in the Hallway Between Classes

Signing my classmates' yearbooks wasn't just a lunchtime exercise. It took over the whole last day of school. People were signing yearbooks in the hallways between classes, and passing them at free time. People were running to find someone to sign their book. It wasn't uncommon to have to stop a teacher in the hall just to get them to sign. Everyone wanted to get as many signatures as possible before the end of the school day. Having blank pages in your yearbook felt like a missed opportunity while having a lot of signatures showed you were popular enough to have a lot of people to sign.

26. Field Day the Week Before as the Real Kickoff

Although field day was technically separate from the last day of school, it always fostered unofficial summer excitement. There were relay races on the grass, a parachute, and if the school was feeling generous, there were water balloons. You came home sunburnt, tired and happy, and it had nothing to do with learning anything. Even if field day itself was done, the last week of school still had field day energy.

27. Making a Popsicle Run With the Neighborhood Kids

One of the mothers would bring out a popsicle box, or some kids would pool their money to send another to the store. They would gather on the porch or the driveway, eat the popsicles too quickly and get sticky drips all over themselves. There was no activity and no agenda. The first day of summer vacation was always populated by eaten popsicles dripped on sticky fingers. The kids didn't have to discuss this, they just did it every year, a tradition that needed no name.

28. The Last Day Walk Around the Building With Your Friends

It's common to have a last slow walk through the hallways. Maybe a slow walk past the lockers, a slow walk through the cafeteria to the exit. Every last slow walk feels different, especially before summer break moves everyone around schools. Nobody says these walks are last walks, but they are. Different grades have different last walks. For the eighth graders, they won't be back to the middle school next year. For sitting seniors, they are done with the high school. The last walk feels different depending on where you are too.

29. Calling Your Best Friend the Second You Got Home

You either walked home together, rode the same bus, or just said goodbye at the corner. The second you got home, you called them on the landline. No real reason. Just to keep the conversation going. Summer started, and it felt like there was nothing to talk about, but you called them anyway because what else were you supposed to do? The call could go on for ten minutes or even two hours, depending on how quickly someone’s mom kicked you off the phone. Either way, you called.

30. Falling Asleep That Night Thinking About the Whole Summer Ahead

The last night of school came with a unique feeling. Summer was laid out in front — no classes. No sleep schedules. No homework to be found anywhere in the house. You'd lie there and think about everything you wanted to do before it became September again. Some of it would get ticked off the list. Most of it would not. None of it mattered. It was about the possibility. At summer's start, nothing had gone wrong. Everything was still in front of you.

Not every last day of school needs a sign and a photo shoot. The ones that stick are the ones where you just let the day happen. Ice cream, bikes, staying up too late, and that specific joy of a summer that's not scheduled yet. The best traditions to bring back cost nothing and don't need any supplies. Just show up and let it be the last day of school.

An emergency food pantry is the kind of thing people never think they need until the need hits like a ton of bricks. Whether it's a winter storm, loss of a job, a tight money week, a scenario where you can't leave the house, or any other unforeseen circumstance, being able to look into your food pantry is the thing that makes you feel grown up and rational instead of about to eat expired peanut butter for dinner. Rest assured, this list of food supplies for your pantry is not to aid you in building a bunker, rather a testament to your cleverness as a homemaker and readiness before life takes unexpected and challenging twists.

I created this list the same way I do everything — practically, a little bit frugal, and with the very real understanding that my family actually has to eat this food. No freeze-dried military rations. No 50-gallon buckets of wheat berries. Just real foods from the grocery store, categorized into a shelf-stable foods list that will sustain your family through anything.

1. White Rice

White rice is an essential item in any emergency food pantry. It's inexpensive, has a long shelf life of about 25 years when stored properly, is versatile, and goes with almost any meal. It can be used in soups, stir-fries, casseroles, salads, and much more. Plus, a 20-pound bag of white rice is a great option for feeding your family in almost any emergency situation. Simply store it in a food-grade bucket and then forget about it until you need it.

2. Dried Pasta

Pasta makes for an excellent food to have on hand for emergencies. It's long lasting, kids eat it without complaints, and it is quite affordable. Having different shapes and varieties such as spaghetti, penne, and rotini allows you to mix things up and not eat the same meal repeatedly. Be sure to keep several pounds of pasta in your rotatable pantry so that nothing goes to waste.

3. Rolled Oats

In a food emergency, rolled oats last up to 2 years on your shelf, making them extremely versatile. You can make oatmeal, bake with them, mix them into granola, or use them as a meat extender. Big canisters are a better value than individual packets, and they create less packaging waste.

4. All-Purpose Flour

Having flour means you can make bread, pancakes, and biscuits. You can thicken soups and gravies, and can coat meat with it before frying. Having flour in your emergency food pantry means that you can create something from almost nothing and that’s the point. To keep moisture and bugs out, store your flour in an airtight container or a sealed bag inside the original bag.

5. Cornmeal

Most people ignore cornmeal until there’s nothing else at home to eat. Of course, there’s nothing like cornbread to stave off complete dinnertime despair. Not only does cornmeal keep for about a year in a sealed container, but it’s also good for making cornbread, polenta, frying batter, and thickening soups. Last February my husband didn’t know what polenta was, but he happily ate two bowls of it.

6. Instant Mashed Potatoes

I get it, mashed potatoes you make yourself are way better, but that’s not really the point here. The reason instant mashed potatoes are good for an emergency food supply is that they can be mixed with just hot water and still be edible after a few years. Also, they can act as a soup/stew thickener and could be made to taste a bit better by mixing in some canned butter or powdered milk.

7. Crackers

Crackers are a pantry essential MVP. They can be used as a bread replacement, with peanut butter or canned fish, as a snack, or just some comfort food when everything else feels bad. You should stock a few varieties like buttery round crackers, whole grain crackers, and some saltines, but check expiration dates, because crackers do eventually go stale.

8. Canned Tuna

Canned tuna is a great stocking item for emergencies. It is full of protein, and is ready to eat with no cooking needed. Last but not least, it lasts from 2 to 5 years without any special storage conditions. Canned tuna can be eaten straight out of the can, on crackers, mixed with some quick salad, or even as a pasta topping. My teens have no issue eating canned tuna, and that says a lot because they often complain about just about everything.

9. Canned Chicken

I will always stand by the fact that canned chicken is a very underrated food. It can be used in soups, casseroles, pasta recipes, and even on top of crackers with hot sauce. The best part? It can last for several years! The only problem is that the texture may be a bit off-putting at first, but if you're in need of protein, and need it quick, it will absolutely do the trick. I recommend keeping at least four to six cans in your emergency food pantry at all times.

10. Canned Salmon

Canned salmon costs a little more than canned tuna, but it’s worth getting some to add to your emergency food checklist. You can store it for just as long as you can canned tuna. Plus, it’s better for you, containing more omega-3s and more calcium. You can also get a lot of variety out of it. It makes for a great salmon salad, salmon pasta, or salmon patties. Or you can eat it with crackers.

11. Canned Beans

Beans are essential to any emergency food supply list. They are inexpensive, contain a lot of protein, and their fiber content makes them filling. You should stock your supply with many types, such as black beans, navy beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans. With no planning or soaking required, canned beans can easily be added to salads, tacos, rice dishes, and soups.

12. Dried Lentils

You don't need to soak lentils like dried beans. Just rinse them and cook them for around 20 minutes. They are super cheap, have a shelf life of 1 year in a sealed container, and are one of the most protein rich foods on the shelf stable foods list. You can make lentil tacos, lentil soup, and even lentil pasta sauce, all for about two dollars a bag.

13. Peanut Butter

If you have an emergency food supply, peanut butter should be on the list. It has a long shelf life, lasting up to two years. It also has no refrigeration requirements until after you've opened it. It is packed with protein and healthy fats, and if you have to, you can eat it straight from the jar with a spoon. Make sure to grab the large jars, and as a general rule, try and keep at least two to three at all times.

14. Canned Tomatoes

A can of diced or crushed tomatoes can be used for many recipes, such as a base for pasta sauce, soup, or chili. You can also use it for Shakshuka or as a braising liquid for any protein you have available. Canned tomatoes are a staple for any emergency food pantry due to their versatility, low price, and long shelf life of 2 to 5 years. Canned tomatoes also add flavor and nutrition to almost any meal. Personally, I keep at least a dozen canned tomatoes in my pantry, and I consider it an emergency pantry as well!

15. Canned Tomato Paste

For only a couple of tablespoons, you can make a pot of plain rice or pasta so much better using tomato paste. It helps with providing flavor and is a must for levels of emergency tomato paste stocking. It is a small tin and can be stocked out of sight and will even last for many years.

16. Canned Corn

Kids love corn and will eat it without arguing! Corn in the can is incredibly useful. It is a side dish, it can go in a soup, tacos, chili, or rice. Just warm and add butter! It can last a while in your emergency food storage and best of all, you will eat it in your normal cooking! It can be used in a ton of meals, and is easy to switch out as it is something you will actually cook with.

17. Canned Green Beans

Including vegetables in your emergency food pantry is important for nutrition and morale because it is depressing when you eat nothing but starches and protein for days; canned green beans are real vegetables. They have a shelf life of years and are cheap; plus, they serve as an easy side to almost any meal.

18. Canned Fruit

Your kids are probably like mine and think that those canned peaches are a real treat. Teens have pretty low expectations of food in tough times, so getting a 'real treat' food is a game changer. Canned fruit has a place in emergency food supplies; it is packed with vitamins, sugar and a boost when you need it. Canned pears, peaches, mandarin oranges, and pineapple provide sugar, vitamin C, and a great pick me up when morale is low.

19. Canned Coconut Milk

You can keep canned coconut milk for 18 months to 2 years, and it provides a creamy and flavorful addition to soups, curries, rice meals, and even oatmeal. It is also a great dairy-free substitute for cream. If you want to elevate some basic meals made from pantry ingredients, then coconut milk is great for that. You should keep some cans in your emergency food pantry as they are very valuable.

20. Canned Soup

Yes, standard canned soups are emergency food checklist worthy. Chicken noodle, tomato, and minestrone can be enjoyed as is during times you need something easy and warm. They can also be transformed into full meals by adding pasta or rice. Having a few in stock is important as they cycle through regular life quickly, always keeping them fresh.

21. Chicken or Vegetable Bouillon Cubes

Bouillon cubes activate flavor in plain water, providing a base for liquid that can be used in rice, pasta, soups, gravies, and sauces. They are lightweight and stored in a small container with a shelf life of two years. Every emergency food pantry should have at least one container each of chicken and vegetable bouillon.

22. Soy Sauce

Soy sauce lasts a long time and works well with a lot of recipes to create depth and umami flavors. Soy sauce can be enjoyed with rice, noodles, stir fries, and even used in your marinade. An unopened bottle of soy sauce can last several years, and after being opened, can last months at room temperature. It makes a bowl of plain rice feel like a real meal, and not just emergency rations.

23. Hot Sauce

When eating from your emergency pantry, hot sauce is appreciated! Hot sauces make meals more interesting and fun when eating the same thing over and over. Hot sauces can last 3–5 years unopened, and several months after opened. Ice boxes are not needed. Hot sauce brands like Tabasco, Frank's, and Cholula are great to have for the fam. Don't forget about hot sauce! It can really help the mood and stress that can come with eating the same thing repeatedly!

24. Salt

Salt is so basic that some people don't even think to put it on their emergency food pantry lists. Soon, they're cooking boring food and wondering what food tastes so bad. Keep a minimum of two large containers of iodized salt stored in your pantry. It lasts forever, is super cheap, and is a must have. You can't cook without salt.

25. Sugar

Sugar has many uses when stored in an airtight container and can last an indefinite amount of time. Sugar can be used for baking, sweetening coffee and oatmeal, making simple syrups, and can be used for preserving. Sugar is also an item that boosts morale; when times are tough being able to make cookies or a mug cake means more to people than they let on. 5 pounds of sugar is a minimum to keep in your emergency food pantry.

26. Honey

Honey is one of the only food items that never spoils. For example, archaeologists discovered honey that is over 3,000 years old in Egyptian tombs and the honey was still edible. Honey can also be used to sweeten drinks, soothe sore throats, treat wounds, and can be used as a substitute for sugar in baking. Having a large jar of honey in your pantry will allow you to use honey frequently and time will naturally rotate the honey jar in your pantry.

27. Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil

You can’t cook without some sort of fat, and for your emergency food supply, vegetable or canola oil is the most useful — it has a shelf life of 1-2 years, it can be used for sautéing, frying, baking, and making salad dressings, and it is very cheap. Always keep at least 1 big container in your pantry, and replace it as soon as you open it. Cooking oil is a must.

28. Olive Oil

Olive oil may not last as long as vegetable oil, its shelf life being about 18 months to 2 years, but is definitely worth having in your pantry because it brings flavor to the table that other oils can't offer. You should keep it in your pantry for those moments when your food can't just be survival rations. You can use it to finish dishes, along with simple vinaigrettes, for drizzling over pasta, or for roasting vegetables.

29. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can last almost forever and can be used in many ways. It can be used as a flavor enhancer in your soups and sauces, as a hair rinse, and a digestive aid. It can also be used as a cleaner and as a base for your salad dressings. It can be found at most grocery stores for only a few dollars and will last you a long time. It's definitely worth having in your pantry.

30. Baking Powder and Baking Soda

You can make pancakes if you have flour, sugar, oil, and baking powder. You can make a cake if you have flour, sugar, oil, **baking soda**, and vinegar. These two leavening agents are the thing that keeps us saying “we have food” vs. “we have meals,” and they’re cheap enough that you can keep multiple of each in your pantry. Baking soda can also be used as a cleaner, deodorizer, and mild abrasive, so it has earned its cabinet space.

31. Powdered Milk

Depending on how it is stored, powdered milk lasts 2-10 years. It might not be the best option when considering taste, but when you really need it, it does the job. It can be used for baking, coffee, and oatmeal, as well as for mac and cheese and cream soups. It may seem like an unnecessary purchase until you need it on a snow day and your kids are wanting cereal.

32. Evaporated Milk

Canned evaporated milk lasts about a year and is more versatile than powdered milk for cooking. You can use it as a substitute for cream in soups, sauces, mashed potatoes, baked goods, or anything else calling for heavy cream or regular milk. Consider putting a six-pack in your emergency food pantry so you can rotate it by using it in your regular cooking.

33. Coffee and Tea

I would love to meet whoever judges people for buying coffee when creating an emergency food pantry list. If there was a fire and I could only save one type of food, it would be coffee. I may be able to handle weeks of isolation and fear but I will go insane doing it without coffee. I understand a hot beverage to calm stress and make me feel at peace and give me a sense of normal. Its the same with tea, which can last for YEARS while coffee can last for MONTHS. That is why we obviously have to go through the house and grab expiry date tea and grab a packet of coffee that might as well be months expired. I can drink coffee and stay sane without being grounded to the place near the fireplace. My husband really wouldn't be able to do that.

34. Multivitamins

When using an emergency food pantry, it is understandable that your diet may not include every nutrient; that is okay. Multivitamins can help. Consider keeping a bottle in the pantry and replacing it every year. The goal of an emergency food supply is not perfect nutrition. It is to keep your family fed, functional, and as healthy as possible until things return to normal.

35. Comfort Food — Whatever That Means for Your Family

Every emergency food pantry should have at least one item that is not about nutrition but is about morale. For my family, this would be a box of brownie mix, a jar of Nutella, and a bag of microwave popcorn. Yours may be a jar of Nutella again, but this time, it may be a bag of hard candy, or it may be a box of your kids' favorite cereal. When things are tough, being able to give your kids something that is nice, comforting, and familiar is worth more than the pennies it cost to buy it. Do not skip this one.

You don't need to build an emergency food pantry all at once. On your next trip to the store, consider buying 5 or 10 items from the list and continue to do this until your shelves are stocked and ready to go. The objective is not to hoard or buy things from the list out of panic. We want to be a household that is able to be self-sufficient when situations require it. The next time a job is disrupted, there is an ice storm or something goes wrong and chaos ensues, you will be able to open your food pantry and truly be ready for it instead of being embarrassed because you have a jar of expired peanut butter. Trust me, it's better to be prepared.

Modern kitchens can seem like a whole lot of nonsense. With grocery prices, busy schedules, husbands wandering into the kitchen asking “What’s for dinner” while standing right next to the refrigerator, teenagers eating like professional athletes. I find myself appreciating old-school kitchen wisdom more every year.

These habits from “grandma's kitchen” as I like to say are still practical today and make life easier.

1. Clean As You Cook

Grandmas often left the kitchen looking like a tornado went through it until after dinner. They washed bowls while things were cooking, wiped the counters while the water was boiling, put ingredients away while they were still using them, etc. This strategy kept the messes under control and made cleaning up after dinner way easier.

I keep doing this because I know future me deserves this too. Even rinsing a couple measuring cups while the pasta is cooking helps a ton. Otherwise, the kitchen looks like a baking show contestant had a mental breakdown during taco night.

2. Keep a Pot of Soup Going

Previous generations had a talent for making soup out of almost any ingredients they had on hand. Boiled veggies, broth, potatoes, rice, beans, bits of chicken, and other scraps could be combined to make a hearty meal. Soup making was also practical, and forgiving to the chef.

This habit works great for me even now, especially with how groceries seem to be getting more expensive all the time. Soup solves the age old “what’s for lunch” dilemma without needing a trip to the store. Plus, soup makes people believe you put in more effort than you actually did.

3. Save Bacon Grease

Grandmas never wasted tasty cooking fats, and especially loved using bacon grease. A small jar kept in the fridge could be used to add flavor to all sorts of things from vegetables to potatoes, cornbread, and even fried eggs. And all it took was a small amount!

You don't need a lot, but having some on hand can improve the taste of basic meals. Plus, recipes that begin with bacon grease feel extra comforting.

I have even seen jars of bacon grease selling at grocery stores, so once again, grandma was right, and way before it was ever really "a thing."

4. Always Have Pantry Staples

Grandmas knew the importance of saving time while making dinner, so they always kept the basics stocked. Essential ingredients included flour, rice, beans, pasta, canned tomatoes, broth, potatoes, eggs, and oats.

This habit removes stress and saves you money because you can quickly put meals together. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of being able to put together a meal and avoid a grocery store trip that almost definitely would have resulted in impulse buys.

5. Use Leftovers Creatively

Grandmas didn't think leftovers should just sit in sad plastic containers. Leftover chicken turned into casserole or soup, mashed potatoes turned into potato cakes, and stale bread became croutons or bread pudding.

This habit organizes groceries well and reduces food waste significantly. In my home, any food we don’t eat right away is either packed as leftover lunch or it just seems to disappear at around midnight.

6. Keep the Counters Clear

Kitchens were more functional in the past as they were designed to fit grandma's typical organization style. Space becomes easier to traverse and cook in, and a clean countertop workspace not only improves function of the kitchen but also calms the whole area.

I am not saying my counters always look magazine-ready, because that is definitely not the case. Even just five minutes spent clearing away mail, snack wrappers, and random cups makes the kitchen feel a lot less chaotic.

7. Bake Simple Things From Scratch

Most Grandma's baked sweets at home instead of buying pre-packaged versions. Kitchen staples were used to make the basics like biscuits, muffins, pancakes, and cookies. It was usually more affordable than store bought, and typically tasted better.

You don't have to go all in on baking to make it an economical option. One homemade batch of muffins is money saved on snacks and an amazing smell in the house.

8. Dry Dishes While You Cook

Since previous generations did the washing by hand, drying and putting away dishes became part of their kitchen routine. This habit avoided having huge piles of dirty dishes taking over the counters.

Even now, unloading the dishwasher or drying some dishes as you wait for dinner is super helpful. If you don't do something, dirty dishes in the kitchen will multiply overnight like a science experiment.

9. Use What You Have First

Before they went shopping, grandma would check the fridge and pantry because she did not like wasting food. Instead of buying new items each week, meals would be planned around what ingredients they had.

Before buying groceries, check your freezer to avoid unnecessary spending. An effective grocery shopping strategy is using what you already have at home. In fact, dinner might be waiting in your freezer.

10. Keep a Kitchen Towel Nearby

Grandmas always had kitchen towels available to dry hands, wipe spills, and handle hot dishes. It may seem simple, but it makes cooking so much easier and quicker.

Kitchen towels deserve better appreciation honestly. I keep several around because my family somehow uses paper towels like they are going out of style.

11. Prep Ingredients Before Cooking

Veteran home cooks would often do the chopping, measuring, and prepping, and then start the actual cooking. It keeps the meals moving and prevents the last minute craziness trying to follow a recipe.

It can cut down on stress, particularly on busy evenings. There is no better way to raise your blood pressure than finding out that the onions still need to be chopped while something is aggressively sizzling in the pan.

12. Save Glass Jars

Jars were great for reusing for Grandma's leftovers, dry goods, grease, homemade dressings, and pantry storage. Jars handled everything nicely before other fancy storage containers were made.

I reuse jars because they are practical, and I like seeing organized leftovers in the fridge rather than the mystery containers. Also, jars last a long time and are durable.

13. Make Big Batches

For older generations, cooking meant thinking ahead. Leftovers simplified meals down the line, so it was common to prepare large quantities. Dishes like chili, soup, and casseroles provided multiple days' worth of meals, while spaghetti sauce could be used for several meals, including as a base for the aforementioned chili or soup.

You could say this practice is as good as winning the lottery. It saves both time and money. After all, what could be better than cooking once and eating twice?

14. Keep Fruit Visible

It is common for grandma's house to have a bowl of fruit on the counter. Easy access to fruit and other healthy snacks increases the chance for people to grab those snacks.

This surprisingly works well with kids and adults! Somehow my teens can still miss spotting a banana while detecting hidden chips from three rooms away.

15. Start Dinner Early

Grandmas know that preparing everything before everyone gets cranky makes dinner a lot easier. They do things like prepping food and starting to cook earlier in the day which helps them so they don't get stressed in the evening.

Thawing meat or chopping veggies beforehand is an example of the small details that will help you in advance. Future you will feel less overwhelmed at around 5:30 p.m.

16. Keep Meals Simple

Cooking in the past was often more practical than it is today. Meals like meat with veggies, potatoes, soup, bread, casseroles, or pasta were all easy to make. Not every dinner has to have twelve ingredients and an inedible garnish.

Honestly, this habit is liberating. Some nights, dinner just needs to nourish the family without creating a sink full of emotional trauma.

17. Label Leftovers

Grandmas paid attention to leftovers in the fridge so she always knew what was in there. Leftovers are often used up quickly. Also, date labeling containers helps to remember what needs to be eaten sooner.

When leftovers are neglected, they turn into science experiments that nobody wants to deal with. An old fridge should not feel like a puzzle.

18. Sweep the Kitchen Every Night

Previous generations would conclude their evenings by sweeping away crumbs, tidying up the kitchen floor, and keeping pests at bay. Mornings would feel less chaotic and entering a calm kitchen first thing would definitely set a positive tone for the day.

When there are kids and pets around, this habit of cleaning the kitchen is even more important. Gigi alone sheds and drops enough crumbs to qualify her as a full time kitchen staff.

19. Freeze Extra Food Before It Goes Bad

Grandmothers tended not to waste food and would freeze bread, soup, meat, fruit, and other leftovers until they were ready to eat them again. The freezer was not a mysterious icy cave where food disappears forever. They were seen as functional devices.

This habit continually saves you money. The most important thing is to label everything so that unidentifiable frozen blobs can be avoided when it's time to eat dinner.

20. Keep a Few “Emergency Meals” Ready

Older homemakers would often keep simple backup meals on hand to prevent unnecessary takeout spending on days that might get busy or really exhausting. Meals like pantry pasta, casseroles, canned soup ingredients, eggs, or supplies for grilled cheese sandwiches.

This habit is a lifesaver during busy weeks. Some weeks just getting dinner on the table for the whole family without having a meltdown in the grocery store parking lot is a win.

21. Taste Food While Cooking

Grandmas could be seen as the pioneers of cooking by taste. Oftentimes, if you adjust the salt, seasoning or texture while you’re cooking, chances are the end result will be better than if you waited until the very end of the cooking process.

This practice is especially helpful with soups, sauces, and casseroles. In addition, little “taste tests” are one of cooking’s oldest and well-deserved perks.

22. Keep the Sink Empty When Possible

A clean sink can make the whole kitchen feel clean. Grandmas would stay on top of the dishes and not let them pile up into a mountain.

I wouldn't say my sink is always clean, cause you know, life happens, but even just clearing it out before bed makes it feel a lot less rude in the morning.

23. Use Real Plates for Everyday Meals

Instead of using disposables, older generations would use regular dishes. This not only created less waste, but made meals feel more intentional and more comforting.

People seem to slow down when they sit down with real cutlery and plates. Also, throwaway items can accumulate quickly.

24. Keep Homemade Food Ready for Snacking

Snacks were easy to grab since Grandmas had muffins, boiled eggs, chopped veggies, soup, or simple baked goods available. Having homemade food ready to eat stopped constant purchases of convenience snacks.

Preparing meals or snacks in advance makes days when you are busy a little easier. People end up wandering the kitchen and emotionally declare that there is "nothing to eat" even with food all around them.

25. Sit Down and Eat Together

An important habit that many of our grandmothers had is not recipe-related at all. Older generations made an effort to prioritize family meals. It didn’t even matter what the meal was. They believed the kitchen was not just for cooking; the kitchen was the heart of family life.

Perefect dinners with no interruptions are not a requirement. When possible, sharing a meal allows some family members to slow down, it might even be the most valuable thing to do in your kitchen in a busy and distracted home with multiple schedules, phones, crumbs, pets and dirty dishes.

Cleaning tips from the past are more effective than modern-day cleaning hacks. These tips are more affordable, easier to do, and are less likely to cause your home to smell like Mountain Thunderstorm Breeze Explosion. I particularly appreciate budget-friendly cleaning tips because my husband can’t seem to see the crumbs that are in front of him, I have two teenagers, and Gigi the Goldendoodle always leaves fluff tumbleweed trails.

1. Use Vinegar to Cut Grease

What you’ll need: A spray bottle, warm water, and white vinegar.

Last time I checked, the great-grandmothers of today’s homemakers didn’t spend their money on expensive degreasers. They used white vinegar instead. White vinegar is great for cutting through any residue stickier than grease. It leaves you with a clean surface instead of a sticky surface. It’s great for kitchen messes where grease is constantly floating through the air.

Vinegar is a very good cleaner but never use it on natural stones such as granite or marble, since the acid can eat away at those surfaces. To use vinegar to clean, combine it with warm water in a spray bottle. As for quick cleanings, use the vinegar solution.

2. Sprinkle Baking Soda on Carpets Before Vacuuming

Here’s what you need: a vacuum cleaner and baking soda.

Before carpet powders were invented, the original carpet deodorizer was baking soda. Sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for a while. Then vacuum your carpet. Your carpet will smell clean after the baking soda does its work. This trick works great for homes with pets, children, or for those odd odors that come from teenager’s bedrooms.

Before vacuuming, let the baking soda sit for about 15 minutes. It’s easy, affordable, and it doesn’t leave a strong, perfumey odor. I prefer my home to smell fresh, not like a candle store exploded all over my furniture.

3. Clean Windows With Newspaper

Supplies needed: Some crumpled-up black and white newspaper pages and either white vinegar or a glass cleaner.

Long before the days when paper towels dominated the cleaning aisle in stores, window cleaning used to be done using crumpled newspaper along with a glass cleaning solution or a vinegar and water solution. Newspapers leave less streaks and lint behind compared to paper towels. And yes, it does seem odd, but you feel like a fabulous 1950s woman when doing it.

Newspapers have changed, but maybe the old trick could still work if you try it. Use a black and white newspaper and avoid glossy inserts. Unless you wear white sleeves, you might end up with a couple of ink stains.

4. Salt Removes Fresh Stains

Here is what you need: table salt, a clean cloth.

Salt is a classic, old-school cleaning trick for fabric stains, including red wine. Sprinkling salt on a fresh spill helps absorb some of the moisture that would cause the stain to settle deeper into the fabric’s fibers. This trick gives you a bit more time to do a full wash.

This works amazing on fresh spills, but anything that’s an ancient stain from last soccer season isn’t getting fixed. Also, put the salt away during dinner or the holidays. It always seems like someone spills something right when everyone sits down.

5. Air Out the House Daily

What you need: Open windows — no supplies required.

In the past, homemakers would often open windows to their homes, even when it was cold outside. New, fresh air helps to remove odors from the home, including odors caused from cooking, as well as helps to relieve stuffiness in the home. Today’s homes are sealed up more to save energy costs, but this can lead to trapped odors building up in the air.

It’s easy to make the house feel cleaner; just open the windows for ten minutes! Gigi loves it when the windows are open. She thinks the outside world turns into her own little nature documentary! It’s great dog entertainment!

6. Use Lemon to Freshen Garbage Disposals

Ingredients: lemon peel, cold water, ice cubes (optional)

For years, people have thought of using lemon peels to combat odors in garbage disposals. The citrus oils instead of covering odor problems, actually neutralize the smells, freshening the environment. Quite a bit nicer than whatever unpleasant mystery science experiment was down there before.

As you grind up small lemon peels, keep the cold water running on your disposal. Some even go as far as to toss in a few ice cubes to help the disposal dislodge potential build-up. It is oddly satisfying and helps alleviate the smell of rotting food in your kitchen.

7. Boil Water and Lemon to Freshen the Kitchen

You will need: slices of lemon or the peels of an orange, some water, and a small pot or saucepan.

People used to warm lemons, cloves, or orange peels on the stovetop as natural air fresheners and to create a cozy feeling in the house. It’s a homey trick and feels genuine.

Although I can think of a similar situation, I imagine this could be useful for the aftermath of frying food, cooking fish, or even slight overcooking of dinner while multitasking with seventeen other things.

8. Use Toothpaste to Polish Small Scratches

Materials required: A soft cloth and plain white toothpaste without color, gel, or crystals.

White, non-gel toothpaste can work for scratch removal on items such as shoes, silver, watches, and even some types of glass. The mild abrasives in plain white toothpaste can help remove light scratches without resorting to any chemicals that would be harsh. As you might expect, you need to avoid toothpaste that is colored or has “cool mint crystals” or anything of the sort.

Before you try anything, do a test on a small area first as some finishes can be sensitive. Speaking of small scuffs and dull areas, this old school trick blows my mind every time. Toothpaste really said, “I clean teeth and now I apparently clean everything else too.”

9. Clean Cast Iron With Salt

You will need: coarse salt, paper or cloth towels, and cooking oil.

A traditional way to clean cast iron pans without soap is using coarse salt. A gentle abrasive, salt scrubs food off without ruining the seasoning. Many cast iron fans still recommend this method.

Using a warm cast iron pan, take a paper towel or cloth and sprinkle some salt onto the towel/cloth, then rub the bottom of the pan with the towel/cloth. After that, rinse it off lightly, dry it completely, then apply some oil to it. Caring for a cast iron pan may sound intimidating, but the truth is, it’s just like taking care of a very needy house plant.

10. Dry Laundry Outside When Possible

What you need: clothesline or drying rack, clothespins

The reason clothes that are line dried smell better is because of the outdoor air which helps to eliminate odors. The sunlight also makes whites brighter and helps lessen odors. Vintage homemakers used clotheslines because dryers were not practical, or available.

While it’s a little risky to grab sheets fresh from the line during pollen season, and even though they may have a little bit of the outside world clinging to them, there is almost nothing more satisfying than wrapping yourself in the comfort of towels and sheets dried outside.

11. Use Baking Soda to Scrub Sinks

What you require: Baking soda, a wet sponge or cloth

Most surfaces can handle baking soda since it is a mild abrasive. It used to be a favorite of old-fashioned homemakers for use on porcelain and stainless steel to remove dirt, stains, and dull buildup. It did a great job cleaning without strong, unpleasant chemical fumes.

Make sure the sink is damp, then sprinkle some baking soda. Grab a sponge or a cloth and scrub away. After cleaning, rinse the sink. Seeing the sink shine will make you feel like your life is sorted.

12. Polish Wood Furniture With Simple Ingredients

Materials required: A cloth, white vinegar, and either mineral or olive oil.

Even before the market sold specialized polishing sprays, homemakers would simply mix oil and vinegar to polish their furniture. The oil would add a nice shine to the wood and the vinegar would clean off fingerprints and grime. It was cheap and simple.

Different wood finishes can respond in various ways. It’s good practice to test out homemade remedies first. A little polishing can work wonders on tired looking furniture to make it look like new again. You can even pretend to be in an old film and do dramatic dusting to your heart’s desire.

13. Keep Cleaning Rags Instead of Wasting Paper Towels

Materials needed: old shirts, worn towels, and/or cloth scraps cut into squares.

Instead of buying single-use cleaning products, vintage households repurposed old shirts, towels, and cloth scraps as cleaning rags. Cleaning rags won’t have to be repurchased, leading to less cleaning product waste, and are sturdier and more absorbent than disposables.

I like to keep things organized, so I use different rags for kitchen messes, dusting, and for bathrooms. I will admit, my ‘organized cleaning basket’ can become a pile of random mystery rags, but I really do try.

14. Use Hot Water for Greasy Dishes

What you require: Very hot water and dish soap

It may sound simple, but older homemakers understood the benefits of really hot water. Hot water breaks down grease much more quickly than water that is lukewarm. That makes dish cleaning with soap much easier. Sometimes the old tricks seem old because they make sense.

Most people ignore this simple trick for soaking greasy pans. Pans are easier to clean after soaking in hot soapy water.

15. Dust From Top to Bottom

What you need: Duster or microfiber cloth, vacuum

Reasoning was put into the cleaning practices of older homemakers. For instance, cleaning elevated surfaces first would mean that dust and dirt would not need to be picked up twice when cleaning the floors. This way, redundancy is minimized.

It seems obvious, but when you vacuum first, you notice dust from the ceiling fans as if they’re betraying you. When working on a lot, cleaning smarter is key.

16. Use Ice Cubes to Lift Carpet Dents

What you need: ice cubes, stiff bristle brush, or a spoon.

For many years, dents on carpets caused by furniture have annoyed people. An old school method is to use ice on the dents. The carpet fibers absorb the moisture and, if brushed lightly, the fibers will fluff back up.

Because the situation may change, works or not, it’s oddly and magically fun to have a solution to a problem that isn’t fun.

17. Clean as You Cook

Things you will need: Some dish soap, a sponge, and a damp cloth.

Cleaning dishes, counters, and utensils while cooking helped traditional homemakers avoid big kitchen disasters. It also made the kitchen feel less cluttered.

On some days the dinner madness gets to me, but it is still worth doing. Washing bowls and wiping the counters while the pasta is boiling is really helpful.

18. Use Vinegar to Remove Hard Water Spots

What you need: white vinegar, washcloth or paper towel

If you’ve dealt with hard water, you’ve seen the buildup around faucets and shower heads. A mixture of water and vinegar can cut through that buildup and shine those fixtures. No scrubbing is necessary. Instead, you can just spray this mixture and wipe it to get all that hard water gone. This tip is used by old-time housewives long before they had to use expensive specialty sprays.

Soak a washcloth or paper towel in vinegar. Wrap the towel around the parts and wait a bit, then scrub the area gently. I can’t even begin to describe how rewarding it is to watch hard water stains vanish.

19. Sweep the Kitchen Every Night

What you need: Broom, dustpan

At the end of the day, vintage homemakers would usually end the day with a quick sweep of the kitchen. Leaving jobs in the middle of the kitchen invites pests, and it is nice to wake up to a clean kitchen. It’s these simple habits that give the whole house a more tidy appearance.

Kids, pets, and snacks seem to create a mess every single day, so sweeping is not just a chore, but an absolute necessity. Gigi is responsible for about 17 lbs of fluff and pet debris every week. You can imagine how close my broom and I have become.

20. Wash Walls Occasionally

What you need: warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft sponge or cloth.

In the past, older generations washed down their walls and cleaned off smoke and cooking residues and fingerprints, and general dust from the wall. Nowadays, some people forget that their walls exist, that is until the sunlight pours through the window and they see how bad the walls are. Gentle cleaning of the walls will brighten up a room and will probably make you feel more comfortable.

A damp cloth and some mild soap will work for most painted surfaces, but because of the different paint finishes, it is recommended to first test an inconspicuous area. It is a humbling experience to scrub a wall and discover that the paint is not washable.

21. Use Cornstarch for Greasy Spots

Required materials: A soft brush or vacuum and cornstarch

Cornstarch is a great option to absorb grease stains from fabrics and upholstery. Simply sprinkle cornstarch over the stain and let it sit for a while. Once that is done, either brush it off or, if you can, vacuum it. After that, wash the fabric like you always do. This will help pull the oil out so it doesn’t worsen the stain by settling deeper into the fabric.

This strategy gets fresh grease stains out the fastest. Older homemakers knew the importance of acting quickly when it came to stains. Me? I sometimes spend 20 minutes pretending I didn’t see the stain.

22. Keep Shoes Off Inside

What you’ll need: Shoe rack or mat by the door

Many vintage households regarded outdoor shoes as dirt-delivery systems. And rightly so. If a household wishes to cut back on the sweeping and mopping, removing shoes at the door will do the trick.

This behavior can help keep the floors cleaner for longer. To be fair, even when shoes are off, teens have a knack for creating trails around the house. So, the chances are a little better, at least.

23. Shine Stainless Steel With a Tiny Bit of Oil

You’ll need: a soft cloth and a few drops of cooking oil or mineral oil.

Just a small amount of oil wiped across stainless steel appliances with a soft cloth will leave a nice shine, and will also help reduce the appearance of fingerprints. Staff in restaurants, as well as old fashioned homemakers, have always used oil on stainless steel as a way to avoid having to buy specialty products. Less is definitely more in this example.

Only use oil in small amounts, and be careful when using it. If too much is used, it might get your refrigerator all oiled up and turn it into a slippery museum of fingerprints. Trust me on that.

24. Use Club Soda on Some Fresh Fabric Stains

What you need: club soda and a clean cloth for blotting.

Many people suggest using club soda for stain removal because the carbonation can help break down some stains. Although it is not a miracle solution, it can provide you with extra time to treat the stain more thoroughly.

Trying to be more careful than aggressive with the rubbing is a good approach as aggressive rubbing may just spread the mess. Staying calm is the hardest part of stain removal, and you just look for clean towels.

25. Rotate Mattresses Regularly

Required: assistance from another person — no materials needed

In the past, homemakers used to rotate their mattresses because they would get worn down over time. This will help extend the comfort and the life of your mattress. It even gives you the chance to vacuum under your mattress and maybe find some things you haven’t seen since 2022.

For some mattress types, regular rotation can help maintain support for a longer period. However, some modern mattresses should not be flipped, so check the manufacturer’s recommendations.

26. Use Curtains to Control Dust and Heat

What you need: current curtains or shades

Intelligent homemakers utilized curtains and window coverings in order to keep homes more comfortable and cleaner by minimizing dust, sunlight damage, heat, and drafts.

Shutting curtains during peak sun hours is a valid tactic to maintain lower temperatures in a room and is also one of those tips that is pretty boring, that is until the energy bill arrives.

27. Keep Cleaning Supplies Simple

What you need: white vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and diluted bleach — that’s it.

In the past, cleaning products were less specialized and vintage homemakers used to use the same products over and over again. Household problems could be solved with soap, vinegar, baking soda, and bleach all mixed with hot water and some elbow grease. Routines were much easier back then than they are now.

I think many cleaning products overwhelm us because we think we need to have every spray available. However, grandma could clean an entire house with three products and a determined look.

28. Clean the Fridge Before Grocery Day

What you will need: a cloth, a mild cleaner or water mixed with vinegar.

Before grocery shopping, old-school homemakers organized their refrigerators. They did this to figure out what items they already had and to make space for new groceries. This practice helped reduce waste and stopped forgotten leftovers from becoming science fair projects.

Wiping down your fridge before going grocery shopping can make it look a lot cleaner! You won’t have to put grocery bags on top of old barbecue sauce bottles you can’t even remember buying.

29. Use Pillowcases to Clean Ceiling Fans

What you need: Old pillowcase

This easy trick works so well, it’s been used for years! To use this trick, take an old pillowcase and slide it over the blade of a ceiling fan, and then slowly pull the pillowcase off so that all the dust gets trapped in the case and won’t spread all over the place.

Trying to dust these is an exercise in futility, and you won’t wind up with your own indoor weather system. Ceiling fans, despite being one of the most high-up features of our homes, have the oddest tendency to accumulate dust.

30. Let Cleaning Products Sit Before Scrubbing

What you need: your usual cleaner (vinegar, baking soda paste, or spray), some patience

Vintage housewives understood that certain cleaning products required some time to work. For instance, soap, vinegar, and various cleaners loosen dirt and grime better if they’re given time to sit before you begin scrubbing. You don’t have to start scrubbing firmly straight away.

This trick saves you energy and saves you a headache, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens. Sometimes it feels like you’re cleaning just to let the cleaning agent take a break while you wander off and daydream.

31. Use Sunshine to Help Freshen Fabrics

What you need: A sunny day and outdoor space

The sun is refreshing and helps remove old odors that may be trapped in your fabrics. Previous generations often aired out their rugs, linens, and pillows when outdoor conditions were favorable. They got some of the work done by the sun and fresh air.

I love the feel of bringing in warm sheets from the sun. If only I could ignore the fact that there are dishes in the bedroom.

32. Tackle Small Messes Immediately

What you’ll need: Paper towels or a cloth, and a cleaner that suits the mess.

It’s a good idea to take care of minor messes before they become a major problem. Clean up little spills, rinse the dishes, and do the laundry before Mt. Laundrymore starts to grow. These actions make cleaning easier.

Your home doesn’t have to be spotless all the time. Smaller messes are way less stressful. You don’t have to do large clean-up marathons fueled by rage and chilled coffee.

33. Stick to a Simple Cleaning Routine

What you need: Basic weekly schedule — daily clean, weekly deep clean, seasonal projects

Before things get out of control, vintage homemakers put certain basic systems in place. Small daily tasks, one deeper clean weekly, and some bigger seasonal projects helped keep overwhelm at bay and homes more manageable.

A good habit is better than perfection. Making your bed, wiping the counters and sweeping, plus picking up the clutter will bring a sense of calm to the home. When it is a house of teenagers, pets, snacks, and that one person who misses the laundry basket every time, a calm home is the goal.

The interesting part is that some of the most effective tricks are not actually new. They are the same old school tricks that smart homemakers have been using for years and years because they made sense, stretched food and kept the food running in the kitchen without wasting half of the grocery budget.

1. Shop Your Kitchen Before You Shop the Store

Old-school homemakers would walk to each location prior to creating a grocery list to do an inventory check. They would check the pantry, fridge, freezer, and even the weird shelf where old, forgotten cans live. They want to avoid buying a third bottle of mustard. Instead, they want to remember if they need to get coffee and eggs. This strategy also aids in meal preparation with ingredients the homemaker has already paid for.

I like to call this fancy way of thinking about “using what you have” as the “use what you own” method. It mostly means grabbing some slippers and standing in front of the freezer. It could be a half bag of peas, a sad, solitary pound of ground beef, or even bread you can turn into garlic toast. That’s dinner money you don’t have to double up on.

2. Plan Meals Around What Needs Using First

Instead of thinking up new recipes and planning entire meals from scratch every week, begin meal prep with the food that is closest to going bad. Old school homemakers were very good at this because wasting food was not treated like a casual little oops. Soft peppers became fajitas, wilting spinach went into eggs and leftover chicken became soup.

This trick works because it transforms possible waste into real food. I like to think of my refrigerator like it’s offering me some hints. Some hints are helpful, but others are just a cucumber that’s judging me from the back of the drawer.

3. Keep a Running Grocery List

Having a running grocery list saves money because it prevents you from making guesses at the store. When items are written down as they run out, there is a reduced chance to forget the essentials and also a reduced chance to grab random extras “just in case.” Just-in-case groceries can get expensive quickly.

Many old-fashioned homemakers usually kept a notepad close to the kitchen, and honestly, that still works beautifully. So does a phone list, but there is something very satisfying about rewriting “flour” on paper like you are operating a miniature general store. The goal is simple: don’t depend on your memory while your household is eating like a football team.

4. Never Shop Hungry

This one has been around for forever as it is painfully true. When shopping while hungry everything looks necessary. This includes baked goods, artisanal cheeses, and you chips that you now just 'have to' get as they are part of your balanced lifestyle. Your grocery cart is making emotional choices.

Even if it's just some toast or a banana, you should eat something small before you go. A calm shopper is a fed shopper. An unfed shopper is one sale sign away from grabbing three cereals that no one needs.

5. Check the Unit Price

Old-school grocery shoppers understood that having the bigger package was not always the better deal. Instead of having to stare at two boxes and waiting for some math feelings to kick in, unit pricing shows you how much each ounce, pound, or item costs. Even sometimes the bulk size, the smaller pack that is on sale may actually cost less.

This is particularly useful for cereal, pasta, rice, paper products, and cleaning supplies. I understand it's not exciting, but finding out you paid more because a box was brighter is. The unit price is the little honesty teller on the shelf.

6. Buy Store Brands When They Make Sense

Homemakers are smart enough to know when to pay extra for brand-name items and when it is a total waste of money. For your pantry essentials, store brands work just as well. Things like flour, sugar, oats, and canned goods like tomatoes or frozen veggies are just as good store brand. Switching just a few items can save money on every grocery bill.

I've learned to withhold my personal feelings on some aspects of cooking. There are no obvious differences in taste for most common items once mixed together in a casserole, soup, or lunchbox. If they can identify substitutions, they are more than welcome to take over the cooking next time, which almost always ends the discussion.

7. Stretch Meat Instead of Making It the Whole Meal

Previous generations knew how to make meat last. They avoided serving huge portions of meat and instead complemented the meat with a large serving of beans, rice, pasta, potatoes, veggies, or broth. A pound of ground beef can be used to make tacos, chili, soup, and even stuffed peppers or pasta sauce. All that is needed is a little backup!

If you're looking for ways to save money on groceries while feeding the whole family, this is one of the best tricks to learn. It's pretty much a requirement in my house to stretch meat because teenagers consume it like they're getting ready for winter hibernation. It becomes survival with some seasoning.

8. Use Leftovers on Purpose

Old-school homemakers thought ahead when it came to leftovers. They didn't see them as sad little containers of defeat. They transformed roast chicken into sandwiches, soup, or pot pies. Leftover rice became fried rice or another quick side dish.

The way to make using leftovers easy is to store them easy to access. Use visible storage, make labels, and try to think about tomorrow’s lunch before they vanish into the cave that is your fridge. In my house, leftovers seem to either become lunch or vanish mysteriously at midnight, typically somewhere near a teenage bedroom.

9. Cook Once, Eat Twice

It isn't just hoping there are leftovers. Cooking once and eating twice means making extra rice, beans, chicken, roasted veggies, or soup so another meal is already started. It saves time, dishes, and money.

Where did old-school homemakers learn this? Likely from seeing the efficiency in their kitchens. If the oven is on, roast some extra potatoes. If you’re browning ground beef, make sure to do more and freeze half of it. Your future self will feel like someone left her a gift, and for once it wasn’t dirty socks on the stairs.

10. Keep a Price Memory

Smart grocery store shoppers keep in mind the price points of different items. Even though it's a bit crazy, don't worry about making an extensive spreadsheet, unless that really brings you joy. In that case, enjoy your hyper-organized life. Keeping an average price for things helps in distinguishing real sales from fake ones.

You may want to keep an eye on sales for your regular staples like eggs, butter, coffee, chicken, pasta, and produce. Stocking up at good prices is reasonable. The phrase ‘within reason’ comes to mind, as no one needs 19 jars of pickles unless they have a very odd picnic emergency.

11. Stock Up Slowly

Old-fashioned pantries were constructed little by little, not all at once during a single rush shopping trip. When a pantry item is on sale, and if your budget allows, buy an extra one or two. This strategy over time creates a cushion during busy weeks, tight months, or those nights when a meal needs to be prepared quickly.

This works best with foods your family will actually eat. Items like pasta, rice, canned beans, broth, tuna, oats, flour, and frozen veggies can be useful if they fit into your family meals. A pantry stocked with random cheap items is not savings, it’s a scavenger hunt with expiration dates.

12. Shop the Sales, But Do Not Let Sales Boss You Around

Sales do not mean much if they do not fit into your life. Sales flyers were used by old-school homemakers to organize their meals, but they didn’t let a sign dictate what they purchased. If someone won’t eat something, a discount on it is still a waste of money.

Let the sales inspire you, not dictate. If chicken thighs are on sale, plan some meals to include those. If you see fancy crackers on sale but you need to stick to your budget to buy milk and laundry detergent, keep walking and don't buy the crackers. You got this, grocery warrior.

13. Learn the Markdowns

Most grocery stores discount meats, baked goods, dairy products, and produce at specific times. Veteran shoppers could tell when to look for these markdowns because they were observant. Markdowns can be a great savings opportunity, especially if you'll use the item soon or freeze it.

Meat markdowns are easy to utilize if you have space in your freezer. You can freeze bread, you can make muffins from ripe bananas, and discounted vegetables can be dumped into soup. It may not be glamorous, but it also is not paying full price for something you could have bought for less yesterday.

14. Freeze Food Before It Turns

The freezer can be a great tool for saving money when it comes to groceries. Old-school homemakers used to freeze things like bread, berries, meat, broth, butter, cookie dough, casseroles, and even cooked beans! Not letting groceries go to waste or spoil saves you money.

The best way to handle freezing food is to do it while it is still fresh, not when you are uncertain about it and are trying to reason with yourself. Meat should be portioned, and bread should be sliced. Also, be sure to label your containers. Not knowing what's in your freezer is not meal planning, it's a game of kitchen roulette.

15. Save Vegetable Scraps for Broth

You can save and use clean carrot peels, celery ends, onion bits, parsley stems, and other mild vegetable scraps for homemade broth by placing them in a freezer bag. This old-school habit turns trash into flavor. When the bag is full, just simmer the contents with water and some seasonings—stock made easy!

Sure, it is a small detail, but it avoids having to buy boxed broth every time and instead allows you to make soups, rice, sauces, and casseroles taste better. Just steer clear of using bitter or overly strong scraps, too much cabbage for instance, or anything that is spoiled. Gigi would gladly sift through all the scraps for me, but her standards are a bit questionable.

16. Buy Whole Ingredients Instead of Too Many Convenience Foods

Pre-packaged food may be convenient, especially during hectic times, but you cannot beat old-fashioned grocery shopping. Quality ingredients like potatoes, rice, beans, oats, flour, eggs, vegetables, and different cuts of meat can be turned into endless meals. Not to mention, ingredients like these often cost less per serving than pre-packaged meals.

No need to prepare every meal from scratch cooking with background music every time. Frozen pizza with salad is totally acceptable. With whole ingredients, you won't lose your grocery budget to prepackaged items and you will have more meal options.

17. Make a Few Meatless Meals

Many old-fashioned homemakers quietly prepared meatless meals. Meals of beans and cornbread, baked potatoes, vegetable soup, macaroni and tomatoes, eggs and toast, grilled cheese sandwiches and soup, etc. can be quite filling. Preparing meatless meals is one of the simplest ways to help reduce the family's weekly grocery bill.

The key is to keep them satisfying, not light. Add enough protein, fat, and flavor to each wrap so that nobody feels like dinner was punishment. My teens can sense “too light” from across the room like trained snack police.

18. Keep a Pantry Meal List

A pantry meal list is a simple list of dinners you can prepare with items that you have on hand in your pantry or freezer. Old-school homemakers always had meals that could be made without going to the grocery store. This saves money as every additional trip to the grocery store opens the possibility of impulse purchases.

Examples of meals you can make from pantry items are baked potatoes with toppings, fried rice, pancakes, tuna melts, bean soup, chili, and pasta with canned tomatoes. Make sure to keep the list visible for those nights when you don't want to make a lot of decisions. Decision fatigue always comes up when someone asks what you are having for dinner.

19. Use Cash or a Firm Budget

There was a time before the use of cards and apps made spending money feel invisible. In those days many homemakers did their grocery shopping using a cash system which is still effective. It creates visible boundaries for the shopper and when the money is gone, the cart has to behave.

You do not have to carry cash if you prefer not to do that, but it may help to set a firm number for the grocery budget. Keep a mental total as you shop, or round the prices up in your head. It may not be the most fun thing to do to pretend that groceries cost nothing, but the stores don't seem to like it.

20. Avoid Too Many Last-Minute Store Runs

One of the sneakiest leaks in your grocery budget are those quick trips you do for just one item. You think you’ll just go in for some milk, but you end up walking out with chips, candles, shampoo, seasonal mugs, and grapes! It’s hard to resist an emotional purchase. Old-school homemakers would plan ahead and use what they had, helping them avoid those sneaky extra trips.

Just losing money, and not having backup supplies for yourself is a bad idea. Additionally, if you have powdered milk, shelf-stable broth, frozen veggies, and extra bread to store, can all save a trip to the store. Remember that every store run you avoid is a win for your budget, and a win for your sanity.

21. Use Every Bit of the Chicken

One great way to save money is by buying a whole chicken or bone-in pieces. This kind of meat can be turned into dinner, sandwiches, soup, casseroles, salad, and the bones can be used to make broth. Tricks that save money are old-school for a reason!

The same idea applies if you buy a rotisserie chicken. Take off the meat, save the bones for stock, and before you toss anything, use every bit that is usable. It is efficient. It is frugal. For at least seven minutes, it makes you feel like you have your life together.

22. Store Food Properly As Soon As You Get Home

Old-school homemakers knew groceries weren't really "put away" until they were organized to last. Good storage means washing and drying some produce to keep them last. Moving dry groceries into sealed containers is essential. Freezing what needs to be frozen is also essential. Storage is also about keeping older items toward the front to be used first. Good storage also prevents waste.

This little bit of effort after shopping can save actually a lot of money. If you take good care of your lettuce, sealing your flour will keep it fresh for a long time, and if you portion your meat before freezing it, it will be easier to use. I don't always feel like doing it, but I also don't like the feeling of throwing away rotting greens while quietly saying sorry.

23. Keep a Soup Night

Soup night is a classic grocery store miracle. It uses up leftovers, stretches small portions of meat, takes in tired veggies, and can feed a family without any drama. When you add bread, crackers, rice, or even potatoes, it feels like a real meal.

Soup is forgiving, which is perfect for me during the week. With little effort, dinner is ready and can just include some chicken, broth, carrots, noodles, and seasoning. It is wizardry to be able to make something from nothing in the kitchen.

24. Bake Simple Treats Instead of Buying Them All

Baking goods such as cookies, muffins, quick breads, and simple cakes are some of the old-school habits we used to have as a family that kept us close. Not only does baking cost less than buying packaged treats from the store, it even makes your house smell great!

You definitely do not have to bake every day and you certainly do not have to become a bakery. Just one batch of muffins or one batch of cookies can cover snacks for a few days. Of course with teenagers, “a few days” could mean one afternoon and a trail of crumbs.

25. Repurpose Stale Bread

Just because bread has gone stale doesn’t mean it has to be thrown out. Stale bread can be used to make breadcrumbs, croutons, or bread pudding. Stale bread can also be used in French toast, stuffing, or as a casserole topping. This is a simple way to use waste that otherwise looks useless.

You can use a freezer bag to store bread heels and miscellaneous pieces of bread. When you have enough, turn them into crumbs using a food processor or make croutons by cutting them into cubes. Remember, bread is drama, and it goes stale just by looking at it, so having a plan helps.

26. Know Which Foods Are Worth Buying in Bulk

Because bulk buying saves money, your household needs to use the items regularly. If you have the space, these items can be worth buying in larger amounts before they lose quality: rice, oats, flour, sugar, pasta, beans, toilet paper, and some frozen foods. Storage limits are understood by old-school homemakers. No one wanted a pantry full of regret.

Don't buy bulk items just because a huge package looks like a deal. If your family won't eat lentils, a huge bag of lentils isn't saving your money, it's a long-term relationship you didn't sign up for. Bulk buying works best when it complements meals you already prepare.

27. Make Do Before You Buy More

This is probably one of the oldest tricks. Instead of running to the store, smart homemakers thought of alternatives. Instead of sour cream, plain yogurt can be used, instead of buttermilk use milk + a bit of acid, and instead of fresh herbs use dried ones. Even breadcrumbs can be replaced with crushed crackers.

Making do isn't about being cheap in an unhappy manner. It's about calm resourcefulness that doesn't involve spending money every time a recipe gets bossy. From leftovers, substitutions, and a stay-at-home parent who refuses to put on actual shoes to get a missing ingredient, some of the greatest family dinners are created.

These grocery hacks are old school for a reason. They may not be the most exciting tricks, but they save food from going to waste, help you save money, and keep your kitchen under control. With grocery prices being what they are, I will take any tricks that make sense.

I know “getting older” has a bad rep. Wrinkles, gray hairs, and joints that crack when you stand up certainly sound like a whole thing. But what people don't talk about nearly enough is how much *lighter* life can sometimes feel. Less stress. Fewer expectations. A whole lot more of “I’m just going to do what works for me.”

I've compiled a list of 31 reasons why I think getting older is not as bad as people say. I wish I knew this information sooner so I could relieve myself from worry about getting older, but I’m glad I compiled this list, because one day our daughter can read it and realize why I seemed to “be so bossy”.

(Ha!)

1. You Stop Caring What Everyone Thinks

I would have paid just to have my name in the credits. I used to mentally replay conversations like I was scouting NFL game film. Now? If it weren't such a huge social faux pa, I'd take a move on like a game of hot potato. Most folks are too caught up in their own heads to think about anything else.

2. You Finally Know Yourself

Let's be honest it's time consuming to truly figure out what you like but more importantly what you don’t like just because society expects you to. Personally I don't have to act as if I enjoy detailed recipes or busy restaurants. I enjoy more relaxed environments where I don't have to stress over food or be in a noisy restaurant. Understanding that it's ok to be different from others is also a form of growth.

3. Saying No Becomes Easy

Saying “I can’t” or “I don’t want to” doesn’t come with a long explanation or feelings of guilt. Once you try it, you will see how freeing it is. I personally recommend you try it once a week.

4. You Value Your Time More

You realize your time is limited, so you stop wasting it on things that are a drain like people, obligations, and yes do’s even folding fitted sheets properly.

5. You Care Less About Trends

If it’s too much effort, overpriced, or uncomfortable, I’m gone. I’ve hit a point where classic and comfy always win. No one can change my mind.

6. Your Confidence Grows Naturally

It’s not boastful or flashy—it’s reliable. You’ve been through enough to believe in yourself, and that sort of assurance doesn’t require approval.

7. You Appreciate the Little Things

A clean kitchen, a good cup of coffee and a quiet house, start to feel like luxury. And honestly, they kind of are!

8. You Let Go of Perfection

Perfection is not the goal. Life is complicated, and that is perfectly fine. Relieving yourself of that pressure makes things feel much more simple.

9. Your Circle Gets Smaller (and Better)

You stop dealing with drama and begin to pay attention to the people that actually support you. Less relationships, but stronger ones.

10. You Stop Comparing Yourself

Hopefully, you can look past comparison and instead recognize that everyone is on their own journey. Even if social media looks convincing, it isn't real life.

11. You Embrace Comfort

I will not spend time on anything that isn't comfortable. I will not spend time on shoes, clothes, furniture, or anything. Life is too short for jeans that are uncomfortable.

12. You Trust Your Instincts

What about that tiny voice in your head? It’s often correct. And after years of self-doubt, you begin to trust it.

13. You Don’t Need Approval

You know what works for you. Stop looking for validation.

14. You Laugh More

What used to stress you out, you now just laugh at. Sometimes it’s funny, and sometimes you just laugh because there’s nothing else to do.

15. You’re More Financially Aware

You begin to make more intentional choices with your money. Not perfect. But good.

16. You Let Things Go Faster

Keeping a grudge takes effort and I really don’t want to spend that time. It is far more simple to just let it go.

17. You Enjoy Your Own Company

This one is huge. I like that we can unwind without constant plans to be made and more noise. A quiet evening spent at home sounds great.

18. You Focus on What Matters

The little things become less important. You focus on what really counts: family, health, and mental well-being.

19. You Accept Your Body

Though it may not look the same as it did twenty years ago, it has been with you through a lot and that deserves some appreciation.

20. You Stop Over-Explaining

You don’t owe it to anyone to explain your decisions. “Because I said so” now applies to you.

21. You Sleep Better (When You Actually Get Sleep)

However, when you finally get some sleep, you appreciate it a lot more.

22. You Care Less About “Stuff”

As time goes by, material things become less appealing. What you remember, reflect upon, and experience become far more important.

23. You’re More Selective with Energy

You have the choice of how and where you spend your energy and you possess the ability to protect that energy. Don't waste it by giving it away.

24. You Stop Trying to Fix Everything

It is very freeing to know not all problems need to be solved by you.

25. You Appreciate Real Conversations

You get tired of pointless conversation. More important relationships start to take priority.

26. You Let Yourself Rest

You do not need to earn rest, it is something that you need and deserve.

27. You Accept Change More Easily

Life is always changing, and posi-tive things can come from those changes. It is better to just learn how to adapt rather than fighting the change.

28. You Find Joy in Simplicity

Moments become a lot more meaningful when there is less chaos in the world around you, and more calm.

29. You Speak Your Mind

I appreciate your honesty. You don't seem to hold back as much, and that's nice.

30. You Realize You’re Stronger Than You Thought

Remembering what you’ve dealt with gives you the strength to face what’s next.

31. You Finally Feel… Free

No expectations. No pressure. No need to prove anything. You’ve earned this phase in your life and it’s actually pretty awesome.

People often talk about how aging comes with a number of disadvantages. However, the aging process comes with a type of freedom that often goes unspoken about. This is the type of freedom that you will experience and never trade for anything, including having skin that is free of wrinkles.

I made a list that I wish I could have received years ago. I would have loved to received it laminated with a glass of wine and a warning about low-rise jeans. These are all the things women over 55 say, “If I had only known…” Honestly, same.

1. Your Time Is Actually Valuable

For a long time, I’ve given away my time like it was on clearance and free to take. School volunteering? Sure! Want to run errands for someone? I’ll do it. I’ve said yes to things I really didn’t want to do. But now, I protect my time like it is the last chocolate in the house. I do not have a time machine to get it back, and when you realize how much you’ve given away, time is priceless.

2. Saying “No” Is Not Rude

This one took way too long. I used to say yes, and sit there folding laundry thinking about all the ways I should've said no. Turns out, a simple I can't is perfectly acceptable. No long explanation. No guilt. Just no. It's honestly freeing and a little addictive.

3. Friendships Change—and That’s Okay

Some friendships last for a long time and others fade similarly to that one houseplant that you thought you were going to keep alive. These things are normal. People change, priorities shift, and life moves. It doesn't mean someone failed. It just means the season ended. New friendships arrive at just the right time.

4. You Don’t Need Everyone to Like You

I can’t help but wonder how much more stress I could have avoided in my 20’s and 30’s. Not everyone will like you, and you probably don’t like everyone either. Once you come to that realization, everything becomes so much easier. You stop doing a performance and just start to exist. It becomes very ‘take it or leave it’, and I mean that in the best possible way.

5. Your Body Is Not the Enemy

For years, I nitpicked my reflection like I was trying to get cast in some sort of production. What was the point? Your body supports you through all of life's highs and lows like raising kids, stressful days, and joyful moments. It should be appreciated, not constantly criticized. And let me tell you, I will never be sold on the idea that comfy pants are not a blessing.

6. Sunscreen Is Non-Negotiable

If I could turn back time I'd slather myself in sunblock. Not in a strange way of course, you catch my drift. Taking care of your skin isn't about making it look pretty, it's about protecting it. Those tiny little imperfections that you dismissed in your 30s, yeah, well guess what? They become super obvious later on down the road. Consider this a lesson learned.

7. Money Matters More Than You Think

I have always been frugal, but I wish I'd been more deliberate about it earlier. Save money, invest, understand finances. It may seem boring, but it's empowering. When unexpected events occur in life, it feels good to know you have a financial cushion.

8. Comparison Is a Waste of Time

There's always going to be someone posting about a bigger house, cleaner kitchen, or a seemingly perfect life. But when it comes to your life, comparison is going to steal your joy faster than my dog Gigi steals food off the counter. So focus on your life, because that is what really matters.

9. Your Kids Don’t Need Perfection

I stressed over every detail. I made sure to plan scheduled meals and made memories. However, my kids remember things like movie nights and inside jokes. I guess they didn't need everything to be perfect. They just wanted me to be there. Probably with snacks.

10. Marriage Takes Effort (and Humor)

Here is the thing: If you can appreciate each other's sense of humor, you are on the right track! My husband, for instance, still has no clue where half the kitchen items belong, and at this point, I think he never will figure it out. But, you learn to choose your battles—and sometimes, just put a label on the drawers.

11. Rest Is Not Lazy

All this time, I felt somewhat guilty about sitting down. Like if I wasn't being productive, I was failing. Now I understand that resting is not only okay, it is necessary. You recharge, reset, and honestly you become a way nicer person to be around.

12. Trends Come and Go

You shouldn't go with every trend. In five years a lot of those looks will be outdated. Go with what looks good to you. You'll always win with a classic look, and you won't be freezing because a jacket "ruins the outfit."

13. Your Health Is Everything

You don’t know how critical your health is until something feels wrong. Caring for yourself is not selfish; it is necessary. Doctor visits, exercise, proper nutrition, etc. – all of it is important. And even if it’s boring, drinking water really does make a difference.

14. You Can Always Start Over

New career? New hobby? New mindset? It's never too late! Many of us set arbitrary boundaries that hold us back from pursuing our goals, but there are no real deadlines in life. 40 and 50 are just ages; life actually gets more exciting because you start to discover who you are.

15. Not Everything Needs a Reaction

This one is so good. Sometimes silence says more than words. There is no need to respond to every disagreement or defend every opinion; peace really is priceless.

16. A Clean Kitchen Really Does Matter

I really hate saying this, but it's true. Waking up to an empty kitchen does set the vibe for the day. It's like the tiniest victory before getting any coffee, and I will take any victories I can get.

17. You’ll Care Less About “Stuff”

At some point, we have to come to the conclusion that all of the tings we buy are just, well, things. The shopping sprees, the piles of randomness, the impulse buys, eventually, some numbing set of experiences takes over. Now memories and experiences become what we truly value. I love that but it makes losing the excuse of the new throw pillow all more difficult!

18. Confidence Comes Later

I am really disappointed in myself for thinking that having confidence in your 20s comes easy and not being fully aware that confidence comes over time. Each mistake is a building block. Each lesson is another piece in the puzzle mixed up until one day you wake up and think, "I actually like who I am."

19. You Don’t Have to Explain Yourself

This is about boundaries. You can live your life and make decisions without explanations. That feeling is liberating, even if it may be surprising at first.

20. Little Joys Matter Most

We treasure greater milestones, but it's the little things: the quiet mornings, a good coffee, and a nice walk outside.ċċ

21. Your Circle Gets Smaller—and Better

You begin to appreciate real relationships and stop putting up with drama. You may have a smaller circle, but you have better connections. Choosing quality relationships over quantity is a big change.

22. You’ll Wish You Took More Photos

Not the posed, perfect photos—but real, authentic moments. The messy kitchen, the kids laughing, the day-to-day life. Those are the memories you’ll cherish.

23. It’s Okay to Outgrow Things

You're allowed to move on from your job, habits or even your mindsets. Growth means change and while that can be uncomfortable, it is necessary.

24. You Know More Than You Think

Instincts are built from experience. Trust what you feel. You know what works and what doesn’t because you've learned enough of the ropes.

25. Laughter Is Essential

Life's unpredictability is a good reason to laugh. ***Things go wrong sometimes, and all you can do is laugh and move on.*** It keeps you ***mentally healthy.***

26. Your Opinion Matters

I used to doubt myself for so long. Now? I now make my voice heard. Everyone's voice matters and it is worth making heard.

27. Happiness Looks Different for Everyone

A version of happiness can work differently for everyone. What brings happiness to one person may not be the case for you and that is okay.

28. You’re Stronger Than You Realize

Even with the trials life throws your way, you find a way to make it through. You adjust, you strengthen yourself, and you continue to persevere. That sort of strength is built over time without you even realizing it.

29. It All Goes Faster Than You Think

These moments will be the most memorable. The years fly by. Kids grow quickly. Life is constantly changing. So take a moment to enjoy the chaos and messiness of each moment. In time you will look back and see that these, truly, were the best of times.

And if nothing else, you’re doing better than you think. It's okay if your kitchen's a mess, your to-do list still has things to check off, and you still haven't taught your husband where the spatula is.

I have been paying attention, and skills like juggling teenagers, settling internal debates about laundry cycles (I did not switch it), and negotiating with my husband about how to load the dishwasher (it’s really not that difficult), will have to wait because they are enjoying a calm, confident, slightly smug-in-a-good-way stage of life that honestly looks… amazing.

I'm not mad if this is what waiting on the other side of 50, and I decided that I’d write up the mixture of everything I have been told, witnessed, and gradually come to believe.

1. You Care Way Less About What People Think

They both said it one hundred percent sure and it sounded like they had been practicing it for a long time. At some point, all of the irrelevant and arbitrary opinions of others just fade into the background. Those annoying conversations that keep you up all night because you said something weird are a thing of the past.

From what I can tell, it's not that they don't care, but that they care about the right things now. Instead of wasting their time on random people’s opinions, they focus on more important things, and that kind of freedom is great.

2. Your Circle Gets Smaller (and Way Better)

Both of them laughed when we discussed this one. The large social circles? Disappeared. The need to keep up with everyone? Also disappeared. What remains are friendships that are genuine, simple, and fun.

I see it too. The friends they have are not because they have to, it’s because they want to. There’s no drama or competition, and no one feels weird about it, they just have a great time. I like you and I am happy you are here is the vibe. I, too, am already starting to edit my own circle and it feels good.

3. You Stop Apologizing for Existing

What is it with all the apologies we give? Excuse me for asking, excuse me for existing, excuse me for literally breathing. I guess that goes away with time.

Both of them have told me that they just… stopped. In a calm, assertive way, and not in a rude way. And I’ve seen it take place—it’s just, so powerful, if you know what I mean. It’s less about shrinking away and much more about standing tall. I'm observing.

4. You Actually Know What You Like

Stop dit voorgee. As jy dit nie hou nie, dan hou jy nie daarvan nie. Dit is almal daaroor.

"I like this mindset. One of my friends told me that she stopped ordering things at restaurants that sounded fancy. She now orders what she really wants. Feels like growth that I want to have."

5. Quiet Becomes a Luxury

Not awkward. Not boring. Luxury. The kind of peace and quiet where you can truly hear your own thoughts.

My husband loves to talk, so as a parent of two children a dog, and a husband who thinks the louder he gets the more effective he is, this is a dream come true. They’ve both said they crave quiet now—and protect it like it’s gold.

6. You Spend Money Differently

This appealed to my frugal-but-still-wants-nice-things heart. They aren't spending less, they're spending more wisely.

Experience beats stuff. Go for quality not quantity. Less buy impulse buys that end up in a drawer judging you later.

7. Time Feels More Valuable

This one resonated a little more with me. Both of them said time starts feeling… different. More valuable. More limited.

They select how they spend it with greater consideration. They spend less time on things that drain them and more on things that re-energize them. To be frank, that change in perspective on its own appears to be transformative.

8. Boundaries Get Stronger

A "no" is a full sentence. You don't owe anyone an explanation. Don't overthink it, and certainly don't guilt spiral afterward.

Calmly setting boundaries has been inspiring to me when most of the time all I can think of doing is just over-explaining. This is most certainly not a case of being too harsh because it has a nice, peaceful vibe.

9. You Let Go of Grudges Faster

I don’t want to waste any more energy being angry. I choose peace.

They both said they still feel things but they don't hold onto them the same way. And that emotional lightness? You can see it.

10. Simple Things Actually Feel Special

Sipping coffee in the tranquility of the morning with the kitchen clean (okay, that one feels special at any age).

They pay more attention to these instances and truly value them. It's not about the grand and ostentatious. It's the little moments that bring happiness.

11. You’re More Comfortable in Your Own Skin

This one is big. Less pressure to look a certain way, more acceptance of who you are.

It’s not flashy. It’s not ostentatious. It’s just self-assured, and that is beautiful.

12. Comparison Starts to Fade

Stop comparing your life to other people's highlight reels.

They both expressed their indifference. It's clear that they've shifted their priorities to themselves and their own happiness.

13. Health Becomes a Priority (In a Real Way)

This isn't about crash diets or extreme fitness routines; it's about self-care and feeling good!

In truth, they could have their own podcast just for conversations about supplements.

14. Mornings Feel Calmer

Less rushing and more intention mean I actually enjoy my coffee instead of reheating it three times (hi, it’s me).

Coming to look forward to mornings sounds like a personal transformation I would welcome.

15. Trends Stop Mattering

They don't care about trends. They are not chasing trends. They are simply living their lives.

To be frank, I call that freedom.

16. You Listen More, React Less

Wisdom allows people to appreciate the subtleties of a situation. They have the ability to think things through and avoid response emotionally.

It makes the conversation feel calmer, more profound, and more significant.

17. You Know When to Rest

Rest is not something you earn- it is something that is necessary. And that's how they treat it.

It feels like a big deal since I'm still working on convincing myself I've earned the right to sit down.

18. You Laugh More (and Louder)

Their laughter sounds different. It's fuller, lighter, less restrained.

Honestly, I must admit it's infectious, and I mean that in the best possible way.

19. You Stop Trying to Fix Everyone

I am gonna have to learn this one. You understand that other people’s issues are not your responsibility to deal with.

Just that one realization seems to free up a lot of mental space.

20. You Trust Yourself

There is less second-guessing. Decisions feel clearer.

I love that for the both of them.

21. Home Becomes Your Favorite Place

Going out can be fun, but I think staying in can be even more fun.

To be honest, this isn't just another stage for me; this is a moment I've been preparing for my whole life.

22. Perfection Isn’t the Goal Anymore

Peace is the goal. That change impacts everything.

More space, less stress.

23. You Appreciate How Far You’ve Come

You focus on what you have created instead of what you lack.

They are proud, and rightly so.

24. You’re Less Reactive

Things that used to ruin your day? Now, they're just small inconveniences.

That emotional stability sounds great.

25. Experiences Matter More Than Stuff

Memories with loved ones are the best, and moments spent with them is what matter most, and they win every time.

And less clutter? Yes, please.

26. People Come to You for Advice

People listen to them because they have lived it.

Without a doubt, I have been one of those people multiple times.

27. You Accept What You Can’t Control

Letting go of control can surprisingly bring peace.

Still working on it, but I understand.

28. Your Home Feels More Intentional

Minimize the mess and maximize the comfort. Each item has a reason to be there.

And it shows – it feels calm the moment you step inside .

29. Conversations Get Deeper

Vähem väikelennu juttu; olgem tõelised.

Those conversations stay with you.

30. Patience Comes Easier

Not ideal patience—but improved patience.

To be honest, I'll take any progress I can get.

31. Gratitude Becomes Second Nature

They notice and appreciate things more.

It changes how they live daily.

32. The Small Stuff Stays Small

They keep their focus on the big picture.

Which genuinely sounds like it could be a superpower.

33. You Build a Life That Fits You

Don't just follow expectations—it's more effective to do what actually works.

And every action reflects that authenticity.

34. Rest Feels Deserved (Because It Is)

Just relax. There is no need to feel guilty or overthink it.

Imagine that kind of peace.

35. Relationships Feel More Meaningful

People that are significant to you are of exceptional value.

And the effort is directed properly.

36. Contentment Replaces Constant Wanting

Bigger, better, and new isn't always needed.

Being content is equal to being powerful.

37. You Finally Feel Like Yourself Again

After doing everything there is to do, from raising kids, building a life, and even learning to navigate chaos, you come back to yourself.

My friends said in their own ways that this is the best version of me.

And truthfully? If what lies ahead is more calm, more confidence, more clarity, I'm not in a hurry to get there… but I am excited for it. If life really does feel more valuable after 50 then it seems we all have something great to look forward to.

So here are 29 classic kitchen tips that deserve a place in your everyday routine. Some will save money, some will save sanity and some might make you feel put together, even if your dog Gigi is licking crumbs off the floor behind you.

1. Keep a Jar of Bacon Grease

That little jar of bacon grease in the fridge? Gold. That is perfect for sautéing veggies, frying eggs, or giving some smokiness to potatoes. It is basically free flavor, and with how expensive groceries are, I'm definitely not letting that go to waste.

My grandma did this, my mom did this, and now I do this, even if it horrifies my teens. At least they eat everything I cook with it. Jokes on them.

2. Add a Pinch of Salt to Sweet Dishes

Although this may sound fancy, it really comes from old-school thinking. A small pinch of salt helps the sweetness in baked goods and desserts. It makes for a better and more “finished” overall flavor experience.

I've been doing this for years, and now it feels like I can't stop. Even the chocolate chip cookies seem like they came from a bakery, not my messy kitchen.

3. Soak Pots and Pans Right Away

You don't have to let food get as hard as stone! Just fill the pan with warm water right away! It gets everything un-stuck and saves you from having to scrub so hard that you'd think you'd signed up for a fitness contest!

Do I always remember to do so? No. Do I regret it every single time I don't? Absolutely.

4. Use Vinegar for Cleaning

Long before you had 47 options of spray cleaners, there was vinegar. It cuts through grease, removes smells, and leaves your kitchen shining clean without a chemical odor.

I always keep a spray bottle under the sink. It is inexpensive, works well, and gives me the illusion that I am organized, even if that isn't quite the case.

5. Store Herbs in Water Like Flowers

Herbs can stay fresh for a longer period when stored like a bouquet. To do this, cut the stems, place them in a cup of water, and cover them loosely with a plastic bag.

I don’t like to admit how many sad, wilted bunches of cilantro have almost ended up in the trash.

6. Always Preheat Your Oven

While it may seem basic, it is very important. Baking and even roasting relies on even heat throughout the cooking process. If you skip this step it can negatively impact the finishing texture, and cooking time.

I used to rush this step. Then I started to realize that my cookies were playing a game of 'will they or won't they.' Lesson learned.

7. Use Ice Water for Crisp Veggies

If your carrots or lettuce are looking a bit sad, try soaking them in ice water. It's like a little spa day for them!

I swear it’s kitchen magic. Your salad looks like it was purchased just five minutes ago.

8. Peel Garlic by Crushing It

Smashing the garlic cloves with the side of a chef's knife will loosen the skin. No fuss, no muss.

I can be in pajamas and still feel like a master chef when I make this one.

9. Keep a Running Grocery List

Outdated maybe, but definitely still useful. Keep a list on the fridge and jot stuff down as you run out.

That avoids the classic “I thought YOU bought milk” situation, where someone ends up eating dry cereal and then looks at me to blame me.

10. Save Vegetable Scraps for Broth

Put chopped onion ends, peeled carrots, and tops of celery in a freezer bag and use them to make broth later.

It feels very resourceful, and it’s practically free soup starter.

11. Use Lemon to Brighten Flavors

Almost any dish can benefit from a squeeze of lemon. Soups, vegetables and chicken, whatever it is.

I didn't appreciate this trick until I got older, and now I use it so much I feel like I'm on some kind of cooking show.

12. Dry Meat Before Cooking

Drying off the meat beforehand promotes better browning. To achieve that golden, crispy crust, moisture must be eliminated.

It may be a small step but it shows that you know what you are doing.

13. Keep Butter Soft in a Dish

A butter dish on the counter makes butter stay spreadable and easy to grab.

Stop ripping the bread into pieces just because the butter is like a brick.

14. Use Wooden Spoons to Prevent Boil-Overs

To avoid boiling water from spilling over, put a wooden spoon across the pot.

It’s straightforward, somewhat odd, and almost sounds like something a wise aunt would advise you to do.

15. Clean as You Go

Washing dishes as you cook makes the task easier—and is the habit I struggle with the most!

You will thank yourself in the future. You will complain about this the whole time.

16. Taste as You Cook

Seasoning is a process, not a final step. Adjust as you taste.

Here's how to not serve something that will taste like pure regret.

17. Use Baking Soda for Odors

Baking soda absorbs odors from your fridge, trash can, and even cutting boards.

It’s better than acting like you don’t smell something strange, and it’s cheap and easy!

18. Let Meat Rest Before Cutting

After cooking, let meat rest for a few minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute back into the meat rather than run all over your cutting board.

I used to skip this step, but now I know better, and it makes my steaks a lot better.

19. Freeze Leftover Bread

To avoid bread going stale, freeze it and just take out slices to toast as needed.

Additionally it saves your money and keeps you from feeling guilty every time you have to throw out half a loaf.

20. Use Salt to Clean Cast Iron

You can skip soap and scrubbing, cast iron can be cleaned using salt and a little oil.

It keeps the pan working like new and smelling great–just like it should.

21. Keep Knives Sharp

With a sharp knife you can be safer and more effective than if you were using a dull knife.

Additionally, chopping becomes oddly satisfying instead of feeling somewhat dangerous.

22. Store Onions in a Cool, Dry Place

Onions will have a longer shelf life if they are stored away from moisture and sunlight.

Not in a plastic bag and shoved into a random corner… I am speaking from experience.

23. Use Leftovers Creatively

Make different meals with leftovers like soups, casseroles or sandwiches!

Here are ways you can expand your grocery budget while not getting bored with your meals.

24. Add Pasta Water to Sauce

The water rich in starch assists the sauce in adhering to the pasta more effectively.

It's a small step that makes a big difference – and feels a bit fancy.

25. Keep a Well-Stocked Pantry

Having basic staples allows you to piece together a meal whenever you want.

I can't count how many times this has saved dinner at my home.

26. Use a Damp Cloth Under Cutting Boards

Reduces the risk of slipping while chopping

It’s a no fuss solution and one that is very effective. It gives the impression that you are organized.

27. Don’t Overcrowd the Pan

Give food room to cook properly. Overcrowding results in steaming instead of browning.

I have trouble doing this because of my impatience; however, this is important.

28. Label and Date Food

Understand what you posses and the time you created it.

This solves the problem of "what is this?" mystery container situations.

29. Cook with Love (Yes, Really)

It might sound cliche but it shows in the final dish when you take your time and care about what you are making.

Even if your kitchen is crazy, noisy, and a little disorganized (hey, it’s me), it still produces great meals.

Ultimately, saving time and money by using these vintage tips isn’t the most important thing. Finding ways to simplify life is most important, and ancient kitchen advice can do that. Getting dinner on the table without losing my mind (or having to order takeout again) is also a win in my book.

1. Freeze Herbs in Olive Oil

Buying fresh herbs is quite the experience, isn’t it? It’s like you purchase them in hopes that you’ll transform into a professional chef, but then three days later they look like they’ve been abused in your fridge. Now I chop them and freeze them in olive oil, and all of a sudden I’m ready. I just throw a cube into the pan, and it’s like, who am I? Plus, no more wasting herbs, which is a relief for my budget. It feels so nice to be organized and to actually be capable and ahead of the game. It's like, "I planned this."

2. Use a Damp Paper Towel Under Your Cutting Board

Is your cutting board sliding around? Place a dampp paper towel under it and it will remain in place. Chopping food will feel safer and less chaotic. We all have enough chaos in our lives. It’s the small things that make you irrationally happy.

3. Microwave Citrus Before Juicing

There is nothing worse than squeezing a lemon and getting practically nothing out of it. Come on lemon, you had one job! If you put it in the microwave for a few seconds, it will be more generous. I do this all the time, and because I hate wasting food (in this case, citrus) it has become a principle of mine. I also enjoy the feeling of being efficient, and this makes me more efficient.

4. Peel Garlic with a Jar Shake

For quick removal of garlic skin, put the garlic in a jar and shake it like you’re on a cooking show. It really works, and even helps relieve stress. I sometimes give the jar to the kids to see how dedicated they are to the task. Anything that helps dinner prep and entertains me is a win!

5. Store Brown Sugar with a Marshmallow

It's rude that brown sugar turns into a rock, but putting a marshmallow in the container keeps it soft longer? I don't question it, I just accept it. Especially when baking season rolls around and the patience is low and the expectations are high. I respect it.

6. Use a Spoon to Peel Ginger

I used to think peeling ginger was extremely aggressive. I tried using a spoon to peel ginger, and it's honestly way easier and less irritating. There is less waste and I am not annoyed with the process as much. I feel like I've grown as a person.

7. Keep Salad Greens Fresh with Paper Towels

No one likes to open a container of greens to find a soggy mess. Simply place some paper towels at the bottom of the container to keep them fresher for longer. It's that easy to save money and food! Feels like responsible adulting.

8. Grate Cold Butter for Baking

Grating butter has changed the game! I’m so sick of yelling at myself for forgetting to take the butter out to soften and waiting for my butter to soften. I can grate the butter and boom, it’s ready to go. Instant time saver and back on track. I feel like it is some life hack that is a bit much, but it’s actually really useful! I have used it so much more than I expected.

9. Crack Eggs on a Flat Surface

Perfectly clean eggshell breaks that are so easy, just not in the bowl. That’s why you crack your eggs in a flat surface, outside of the bowl! Easy eggs, clean eggs, and frustration gone! That’s total clear and 100% clean eggs, frustration gone. I’m clearly 100% about it.

10. Use Kitchen Shears for Everything

Our kitchen scissors are lifesavers. There are so many things we can chop up with them, like herbs, meats, pizzas, etc. It’s a little bit more work than a knife, but way easier and faster. Definitely less cleanup as well. It’s gotten to the point where my husband uses them too, and that’s saying something. If he can’t screw it up, anyone can use them.

11. Freeze Leftover Wine for Cooking

The idea of leftover wine may be daring, but if you go ahead with it, try freezing it in cubes. It will be great for later use in sauces. It`s a fancy and efficient option, your open a whole bottle to use just a splash and it feels responsible.

12. Keep a “Scrap Bag” for Veggies

I really like keeping a bag in the freezer that I fill with veggie scraps. I save them to make broth later. It feels like I am capturing free flavor. It makes me feel really put together. Like yes, I planned this, even if the rest of my kitchen says otherwise.

13. Use Ice Water for Crisp Veggies

When your veggies look sad, give them a bath in ice water. They perk right up, looking like they just had a day at the spa! I do this more than I want to admit. It is quick, simple, and satisfying to watch.

14. Toast Spices Before Using

This only takes a minute but it makes everything taste better. Toast them in a dry pan and you’re unlocking flavor. It feels like a chef level move without much difficulty and that is exactly my speed.

15. Use a Muffin Tin for Portioning

I love how I can use these to prepare my ingredients, or even for serving taco toppers (maybe doing both at once?). Taco toppers stay organized, which is something I can tell you is less common in my house. I appreciate it. I think it makes dinner look less chaotic and more intentional.

16. Store Onions in Pantyhose

I get it, this probably sounds really silly. But it does help to keep onions in pantyhose. I was a little self-conscious trying it, too, but I don't care how it looks, I just want it to work.

17. Use Dental Floss to Cut Soft Foods

Unflavored dental floss works great for slicing cakes and soft cheeses; it cuts through them with no mess or squishing. It's actually very satisfying and effective to use. Unless you want an unexpected flavor experience, make sure the dental floss you use isn't mint flavored.

18. Keep a Garbage Bowl While Cooking

While cooking, it is important to keep the workstation organized. Things get chaotic when food scrap oulling from the bowl. With just one small change in practices, cooking becomes faster, less messy, and cleaning is easy. It sort of gives an illusion of being super efficient.

19. Freeze Coffee for Iced Drinks

Making coffee into ice cubes is a mini extravagance that eliminates the dilemma of watered down iced coffee. It's a great treat in the morning when sleep didn't go as we planned. And that is most mornings.

20. Use a Potato to Fix Salty Soup

If you've added too much salt to a recipe, throw in a peeled potato. It helps absorb salt. It's not a miracle worker but it can help salvage a dish. I certainly appreciate the help.

21. Roll Citrus to Get More Juice

Rolling the lemons on the counter makes them easier to juice. Pair that with the microwave trick, and you’re unstoppable! It’s a simple step that makes a huge difference.

22. Use Binder Clips to Seal Bags

I use binder clips for all kinds of things. They get the job done. I won't be spending money on something else when I can use binder clips.

23. Label Leftovers with Dates

This is to avoid the classic ‘how long has this been in here?’ situation. A bit of tape and a marker can do wonders. Not fun, but it has to be done, and future you will thank you for it.

24. Use a Slow Cooker Liner

Almost dreamlike is the lack of cleanup required. I was hesitant to embrace these at first, but I’ve come around. Anything that translates to fewer dishes is a yes, especially given that I appear to be the only one who notices.

25. Freeze Dough for Later

Saving some prep time for your future self too? Love that. We all know some nights we just wanna take the dub and not put in the effort, and this achieves exactly that.

26. Use a Fork to Juice Citrus

All you have to do is stick the fork in the fruit, twist, and squeeze. It gets out more juice and takes less effort! There are no gadgets needed, just a simple and easy solution.

27. Clean as You Go

I understand that this is not the most exciting thing, but I promise it changes everything. It can feel less overwhelming to cook when it doesn't leave a big mess at the end. And while it would be nice if I could say that my family helps with the cleanup after the meal… I have perfected the art of giving the winning look that says, "someone else lives here too."

At the end of the day, cooking should not feel like a full on show. Here are some little tricks that make cooking easier, quicker and somewhat more fun to do. If they can work in my house with all the chaos going on, they will work in yours.

It's April thirtieth. In three days, my son will graduate. We have four collage boards but not one picture is glued down. I have around 63,789 pictures of Drew on my phone and the reason for not picking a single one is not about picking a photo. It's about the fact that I will be driving him two hours away to college in fourteen weeks.

No one warns you about this part. The summer before your kid leaves is not a real summer. It feels like a slow-motion countdown disguised as a normal calendar. Every grocery run is possibly a Last Grocery Run. Every Tuesday breakfast can be a Last Tuesday Breakfast. You will end up doing math in your head about how many Sundays are left before the big day and you will spiral out of control. I have spiraled. I am still spiraling. If you are reading this, you are me. I am so glad we found each other.

I made this list for a couple reasons. First, I had my own personal need for it. There is a very real unfocused fear of “we need to get EVERYTHING done before August,” and having some structure is a big help. Secondly, I thought if I needed it, some other mom is probably in her dining room by her half done collage boards needing it too.

Here are forty ideas. Some are big, and some are small. Some you’ll do this weekend and others you’ll put off until July. Some you may not do because your kid may not fit them, and that’s ok. The goal is not to do all forty. The goal is to stop rolling Pinterest at 11 and actually do ONE.

Time for a coffee. Or for a wine. Hold my hand. Let's go.

The Conversations You Won’t Regret Having

1. Tell him your favorite memory of him as a kid.

Choose one. The exact one. The time he was four and attempted to give the dog his cereal. The time he came back from kinder and had a story about a boy called Henry. The evening he dozed off on you while watching a movie and you didn't budge for 2hrs. Say it to him. He will roll his eyes. But he will keep this in mind for ever

2. Ask him what he’s nervous about. Then don’t fix it.

This is definitely the most challenging one. For 18 years, your job has been about fixing things. The wounded knee, the math homework, the friendship disputes. When he asks about his college worries, don’t do anything. Don’t fix it. Don’t reassure. Just say, “yeah, that makes sense.” Then watch. He will say more.

3. Tell him the one thing about being an adult you wish someone had told you.

What I believe is that no one really knows what they're doing. Perhaps yours is different. It may be about how to get out of debt. Or how to get over a bad day. Or what to do when you mess up. Just grab one big adult insight that no one gave you and toss it to him. He'll pretend he didn't listen to you. But he listened.

4. Apologize for something specific you’ve never apologized for.

This isn’t an “I’m sorry for any time I let you down,” apology. Those are worthless. Find a specific example. An offhand comment you made when you were too tired, a time you made a mistake. Take ownership of it. “I’m sorry I yelled at you about the dishwasher in 9th grade. That wasn’t your fault.” He will always remember the details. Always.

5. Tell him what you’re proud of about WHO he is, not what he’s done.

It's not about the grades, the awards, the team he made, or anything like that. It's the way he interacts with young kids. The way he makes his friends laugh. The polite act of holding doors for people without being asked. Tell him you notice these things. Most kids only hear what they accomplished. Tell him who he IS.

6. Have the “if something happens” conversation.

It's not morbid, it's practical. What if he runs out of cash? What if he gets sick? Is the family doctor’s number saved? What if the roommate situation goes sideways? Walk through it like a fire drill. Boring, but necessary. In October he’ll thank you.

Adventures, Big And Small

7. Take a road trip. Even just an hour away.

Make sure to pack some snacks and pick a playlist. Drive to a destination that neither of you have been to before. The main thing here is the car. There are conversations that are only possible at 65 mph while looking out the front window. He will talk to you in the car in a way that he wouldn't if you were sitting across a kitchen table from each other. I don’t create the rules.

8. Walk his college campus together one more time before move-in.

Go again, even if you already toured it. Even if you already did admitted students day, walk the dorm building, find the dining hall, drive past the library, eat lunch in the town. The point isn’t the logistics, the point is both of you seeing the place that’s about to hold him next, together, while it still feels like a “we” thing.

9. Take him to your favorite restaurant from when he was little.

Whatever memories are held in the diner you used to go to after T-ball, the pizza place by the old house, and any other location that holds 50 tiny memories, take him there. Order what you used to order. It will feel oddly emotional in a way you didn't expect. Bring tissues.

10. Go to a concert. HIS music, not yours.

No matter what artist he's been obsessed with in the car for two years straight. Buy two tickets. Don't complain about how much they cost. Don't complain about how loud it is. Stand beside him in a sea of teen moshers and watch him be 18 and living his best life. You'll remember that night at least a decade from now.

11. Spend a whole day outdoors with no agenda.

State park, pool, beach, lake. As long as it's outside, it doesn't matter what it is. The point is you, your fam, and your friends spending hours outside and unstructured. No phones, no plans, maybe some books, and no responsibilities. Just chill. When was the last time you did that? Let's do it again.

12. Have a “yes day.” He picks. You go.

Within reason. (No, you are not buying him a motorcycle.) But for one day, let him plan the whole thing. Breakfast, lunch, what you do, where you eat dinner. Watch him be in charge. It's a sneak preview of who he's about to become. Heartbreaking. Also kind of cool.

13. The grocery store run plus a quick lunch.

This may seem like nothing, but it’s definitely not nothing. The mundane errand and lunch combo is the most underrated mother-son activity. Casual, low-pressure, and lots of space for him to bring something up while you’re at the grocery store. Some of my favorite memories with my mom are next to a pile of grapefruits.

Keepsakes And Things To Hold Onto

14. Write him a letter to open in his dorm room.

When you sit down with him and talk to him, remember to write everything down. Nothing is off limits: your most cherished memories, your hopes, your fears, the things you would say if you had courage. Seal it up, and the day of his drop off put it in his suitcase. He will read it by himself on a twin bed in a room that is still unknown to him. Just believe me.

15. Make a “Mom’s Recipes” notebook.

Your meatballs. Your chili. The chicken thing he asks for on his birthday. Write them out by hand with notes in the margins. ("Don't burn the garlic." "I always add extra cheese.") By sophomore year, it'll quietly become his most prized possession.

16. Take a photo on the front porch in the same spot you’ve taken them in for years.

We all know it’s coming every year. The kindergarten photo; the very first school photo; the class photo from first through fifth grade; and even from junior high and high school. The graduation picture, the moving away for college photo. Your child will roll their eyes and groan every time. But they will do it anyway. Picture it next to the kindergarten photo and commute to work and cry every Wednesday for the rest of your life. It’s worth it.

17. Record a video of his voice answering a few questions.

It doesn't have to be a big interview. You can literally give him a phone and ask him some questions like: What do you remember most fondly from your childhood? What do you think you would advise your younger self if you could talk to him? What is something that is absolutely true about you that no one knows? Keep this video. One day it may be valuable, especially when his voice has changed.

18. Frame something of his old work for his dorm.

An artwork made in second grade, a school assignment that he was featured on, a middle school picture he didn't know you kept. Frame it. Wrap it. Put it in his moving pile. He'll pretend to be embarrassed, but you know he's going to put it up on his dorm wall.

19. Make a memory jar from family and friends.

Send a message to everyone that knows him: aunts, grandparents, his coach, his best friend's mom, etc. Ask for a favorite memory. Print them out, fold them, and drop them in a mason jar. You can add a ribbon. You can give it to him at his graduation party or on move-in day. He will read all of them. So will you.

20. Print actual physical photos for an album he can take to college.

Not on his phone. Photos. On photo paper. Walgreens does it for under thirty cents a print. Pull 30, spread across his life, and put them in a small album. Slip it into his suitcase. Watch his roommates be jealous of the boy whose mom did this for him. Pure mom flex.

Life Skills To Send Him Off With

21. Teach him laundry. For real this time.

Unfortunately, "I showed him when he was 12" is not applicable. Walk through it again. Whites and darks. The thing about the new red shirt. The mysteries of the dryer settings. How much detergent is too much. Have him do a load while you watch. He'll roll his eyes. He'll also ring you in October about a stain, and you will be smug.

22. Teach him five actual meals.

Eggs can be cooked in so many different ways and different styles (on a sandwich, or scrambled). nPasta (real sauce, not just butter) nBasic stir fry nGrilled cheese and tomato soup nSheet pan chicken and veggies, nnThat's 5 meals. Enough to keep him alive. Enough to impress someone in 2 years. And while you're cooking together, it's a great way to have some side conversations. Bonus!

23. Walk him through a real budget.

How much is currently available in his account? Which jobs are coming in? Is he getting any allowance or financial aid? What money goes out for food, gas, or other random things? How do you keep track of it? What are some strategies to avoid spending four hundred dollars at restaurants in a single weekend? Open up an actual Google Sheet and we can do this together. He'll act like this is uninteresting, but he will appreciate it in November when his roommate runs out of money and he still isn’t.

24. Show him how to make a doctor’s appointment and refill a prescription.

Believe it or not, most 18 year olds have never made a health appointment for themselves. Show him what to do. Show him where the health clinic is. Show him how to make a phone call. Explain insurance (or pretend to). Explain how to refill a prescription, if he has one. It may be boring, but future you will appreciate it.

25. Teach him to write a professional email.

To an advisor, a boss, a professor. A subject line that says something, a greeting with their name, a brief body, a clear ask, a polite close, his full name. The man has spent 4 years texting in lower case. This is a different language. Teach it before September.

26. Basic car stuff.

Even if he doesn’t drive himself, he needs to know about gas, oil changes, tire pressure, car warning lights, how to jump start a car, how to change a flat, etc. He will need at least two of these in the first 6 months. I promise you.

27. How to mend a button and use iron-on hem tape.

Five minutes. One needle. One spool of thread. One roll of hem tape. He'll never sew anything else in his life. But one day when he loses a button on a nice shirt before an important event, he will think, "wait mom showed me this once", and his world won't crumble. That's the goal.

Last Week Rituals

28. One final family dinner with all his favorites.

Make your favorite family dinner with dad. Not your favorites. Not your easy meals. Make the actual things he loves, even if it’s three different proteins and a weird side. Nice table setting. Candle? Go for it. Eat slow. Take a pic. It’s the last one before everything is different. Make it count.

29. Take a “before I leave” photo on the porch.

Unlike the graduation picture, the excitement is palpable. It’s move-in week. A backpack is on his shoulder. The car is full and parked in the driveway. Snap the picture! It deserves a place right next to the kindergarten first day photo. Put it on a shelf where you can see them both. Watch them age side by side for the rest of his life.

30. Give him a small token for his wallet.

He has a laminated picture of you two, a penny from his year of birth, and a note that is one sentence. Picture it: small, portable, and not telling you about it. He has it. When October hits and he is overwhelmed, he'll touch his wallet and know he has a place to come home to.

31. Help him pack. Slowly. Not the night before.

Start a week before. Make a list. Lay everything out on the bed. Consider what is actually needed. Pack the most important items first. The framed artwork, the photo album, the letters, the recipe book. Then the practical items. The slow packing creates time for things to come up. They will come up.

32. The drive to drop him off. Let it be quiet sometimes.

Don't fill every silence with talk. Don't interrogate him about what he packed. Don't give him a binder of life advice in the passenger seat. It should be loud, rowdy, and full of driving music and snacks, but a lot of it should be quiet. Both of you look out the window, you both know what is happening, and don't need to say it.

33. Don’t rush the goodbye in the parking lot.

This is the one. This will hurt, so don't rush. Don't make it easy on him by pretending you're 'fine.' Hold him for a long time. Love him. Be proud of him. If you need to cry, do it. Get in the car, and leave. After driving away, pull over in the middle of the road, and lose it. That's the assignment. That's everything.

The Ordinary Moments That Are Actually The Whole Thing

34. Sit on the couch and watch his show with him.

It might be bad. You may not get who's who. Don't critique. Don't ask 47 questions about the plot. Just sit and be quiet. Laugh when he laughs. The TV isn't the point. Sitting on the same couch is the point. Five years from now you will not remember the show. You'll remember the couch.

35. Make him breakfast on a random Tuesday.

He wakes up early. Breakfast? Eggs? Maybe pancakes? Oooo french toast? 9 year old him would love anything. Set it on the table. Eat together. Don't post. The focus is on making it special. Mornings like this are the ones you will remember.

36. Drive him somewhere he’s perfectly capable of driving himself.

He may think it’s strange but do it anyway. Twelve minutes in the car is the most underrated mom hack on the planet. In those 12 minutes, he will talk more than he would during 3 days at home. Take the longer route. And don’t tell him you’re taking the longer route.

37. Let him sleep until noon and don’t wake him.

Ignore the voice telling you that he should be "doing something with his summer." He is. He is sleeping in the room that he won't be in three months from now. That is something. Let him be. Enjoy your coffee. The day will start when it starts.

38. Cook dinner together. No phones at the table.

Make dinner and have a real conversation. Maybe it's making pasta, tacos, or a grilled cheese. Pick something that will take some time and requires the two of you to be in the kitchen for about 30 minutes. Phones off. Music on. Talk. It can be awkward. It can be really good. It will definitely be something you will wish you can do more of when school starts in September.

39. Take a walk after dinner. No agenda.

Just walk. Around the block or around the neighborhood. It doesn't matter. Don't wear headphones. Don't even think of it as exercise, and don't make it an exercise thing. Walk and talk, or walk and talk and don't. Just walk. The pace of the conversation changes when it is at walking pace. He wouldn't bring it up if it wasn't for that moment. At about 8 minutes in, trust me.

40. Sit in his room sometimes. Just because.

Not when he's there. But after he goes to a friend’s house, or goes to work, or goes out for the night. She sits at the edge of his unmade bed. She looks at the posters. The trophies. The clothes on the floor. She takes it all in. This room won't stay a room. She'll have to memorize it while it’s still his.

OK So About Those Collage Boards.

It's only April 30th. The collage boards are still standing against my dining room wall. The party is still in 3 days. I have still not chosen the photos.

I will, and so will you. Here's what I figured out, probably around idea number 23 of writing this list. The collage boards aren’t really about the photos. They never were, and I have to confess, out loud, in glue and cardstock, in front of family, friends, and a punch bowl, that this part is done. My son is grown. The next chapter starts in 14 weeks.

And that's the purpose for all the ideas in each list. None of the 40 ideas are specifically about doing the activity listed. They are all about saying yes to one more car ride, one more breakfast, one more concert, one more long hug in the parking lot, etc. They are about making sure that the summer doesn't slip away in a blur of 'we'll do that next weekend' when we only have a limited number of weekends left.

Just pick one. One thing. Today. Don't create an elaborate plan. Don't put it on the family calendar. Don't overthink. Just text him. And say, "hey, let's grab lunch this week, just us." That's all. That's everything.

You can come again tomorrow to select another one.

I got us both a spot in the parking lot.

I have an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old, so I'm supposed to be well past the 'bored' years. But here I am, on a Tuesday afternoon, drafting a list of 'things to do when overly bored.' I mean, at this point it feels like some sort of conditioned response. You can't just shrug off a time in your life where a toddler obsessed with the word 'bored' would yell, 'Mom, I'm BORED' eight-seven times before lunch. That's an experience that stays with you.

On a Tuesday at about 2:47 PM, my kids would start to tell me one by one, then all at once, that they were BORED. Not like, sort of bored, or a little bit bored. They are bored in the most soul-sucking, world-ending way. “Mom, my LIFE is over” kind of bored. They had at one point at least 4,000 toys, an entire backyard, an iPad, and I’m pretty sure I even bought them a real trampoline. None of that mattered. The only one who could rescue them was me, apparently. Dad was on a “work call” and I’m 78% convinced that it was a podcast.

Picture me. A mother. At 2:48 PM on a Tuesday, I am searching "what to do when bored" as if I'm a reality show contestant whose only reward is peace and quiet.

I made this list because I have BEEN there. I survived 47 consecutive snow day. I lived through what felt like a biblical week long stomach bug. I distracted a four year old in a doctors office with a hair tie and pure will. I'm qualified to make this list. I am over qualified. My kids are now 15 and 18 and the complaints about boredom have officially stopped. They've been replaced by a very quiet house, which I would have, frankly, paid cash money for in 2015.

Here are 55 real, actual things you can try when you’re bored. Some are for the kids. Some are for you (because your boredom was real too, I see you). Some are for the dog (yes, the dog was bored too, I could SEE it in his eyes). All of them are tried and tested. All of them got us through and will get you out of the doom-scroll spiral that we both know is the actual reason you’re on this article.

Get your coffee. Or your wine. Or perhaps a coffee with a little bit of wine. I'm not your boss. Let's go.

55 Things To Do When You’re Bored At Home

1. Take a walk around the block.

The answer to my fears, embarrassingly enough, was simple – shoes, outside, and walking. The clarity, gossip from the neighbors, and the moment of peace from being unreachable. Healing. Kids are optional.

2. Bake cookies from scratch.

Not the Slice-and-Bake. I love the Slice-and-Bake. But on bored days we did the real thing. Flour everywhere. Kids "helping." A vague feeling that someone put in the salt twice. The cookies turned out ugly, yet somehow amazing, and I was a Pinterest mom for about 11 minutes.

3. Build a blanket fort that takes up your entire living room.

Every single blanket, pillow, and dining room chair went into construction. When we were done, it wasn't just a living room, it was a construction project. Monument. Kids loved it. I loved it. I wasn't taking it down for 48 hours and my husband said nothing, because he KNEW.

4. Have a kitchen dance party.

Pick a Spotify playlist like '2007 BANGERS' and blast it up so loud your neighbors text you Dance like no one's watching, especially because no one REALLY is Watching. Your kids are too embarrassed to see this. This is therapy. This is exercise. This is a whole vibe.

5. Do an actual sheet mask.

Not a speedy five-minute one. The entire 20-minute, strange-looking, “mommy why” scenario. Go into the bathro, close the door, and drink something cold. When you come out with that cool, dewy main character look, you will be a different PERSON.

6. Try a recipe you’ve been pinning for two years.

You know the type. The 'premium' soup. The 'simple' sourdough. The lemon ricotta pasta from that influencer you hate, but for some reason, you trust. Today's the day. Look it up. Make it. Take a terrible picture. Just tell yourself it's self-care.

7. Watch a movie you loved as a kid.

13 Going On 30, The Princess Diaries, and Now and Then are great options if you want to feel EMOTIONAL. Something rewatches as a kid in the 90s on a snow day is super healing. It probably fixes something deep in my soul, even if I can't explain it scientifically.

8. Reorganize your spice cabinet.

I know how this sounds. But there is an unhinged joy in throwing out that jar of cumin from 2019 and getting all of your spices in matching jars. You will feel like a Real Adult. You'll feel like Khloé Kardashian. You'll send a pic to your sister.

9. Read an actual book.

Not your phone. Not a blog. A book. With actual pages. I know, who has the time? But we all have time to scroll for 47 minutes about a celebrity divorce. Direct that energy to chapter one of something good and your brain will weep with gratitude.

10. Do a puzzle on the kitchen table.

Set out a 500-piece puzzle. Do three pieces every time you go by. By Saturday, you've finished the puzzle, and the kids think they're geniuses too. Glue it together and hang it in the garage like a trophy. Win.

11. Plant something. Anything.

A container of basil. A strange type of succulent. A little tomato plant from Lowe's that looks sad. The act of placing a living creature into dirt and making a commitment to it does something to a woman's nerves. In addition, if the plant survives, you have basil. Free basil, ladies.

12. Call a friend you haven’t talked to in months.

Yes, like how an animal would do it in the 1990s. Smash the phone, catch up on everything, spill the tea on everyone, laugh until you snort, and immediately plan a wine night. You will feel SEEN, and that is the most underrated mom feeling in the world.

13. Do gentle yoga in your living room.

Find a 20-minute YouTube video that says “for stress” or “for moms” or “for women who slept three hours.” Do it on the floor with your toddler sitting on your back. Any way you did it, you stretched, and that counts. You are basically Gisele.

14. Declutter ONE single drawer.

Don't clean the entire house. You will spiral. Just clean one drawer. The junk drawer. The makeup drawer. The drawer full of Tupperware. Empty it. Sort it. Throw the junk out. Then close the drawer and relax. Tomorrow you can do another drawer.

15. Make a vision board.

Gather some magazines, scissors, a glue stick, and a poster board. Cut out pictures of what you want. Whether it’s vacations, kitchens, abs, or peace. Glue it down and hang it up. Not saying this works, but my friend did it and now she’s in Tulum.

16. Make a real photo album.

Not a digital one! Order prints from your camera roll. It costs about eleven dollars. Put the photos in a physical book. Your kids will FREAK. They will look at the book for hours. You'll look like Mother of the Year. It's EASY!

17. Journal.

Just give it a try. Write three sentences. Write about what you ate. Write about something that annoys you. Write about something you are thankful for. That's all you have to do. Do this for a week and you'll be just like Carrie Bradshaw, if Carrie had three kids and a Costco membership.

18. Take a bath. With a candle. With a book. With a snack.

Your time is precious. Please, for the love of all that is holy, lock your door, and tell your family that you've gone missing. They'll manage. They survived without you for far longer, and they can for another 35 minutes. When you're done, you'll be revitalized. Wipe the sweat from your brow, as the water was hot, the lights were dim, and the snacks were calling. You will come out changed.

19. Learn a TikTok dance with your kids.

You will look silly. Your back will hurt. Your tweens will say "Mom, no," then they will love it. Choose a slow one. Practice for 20 minutes. Record it. Don't post it. Or do, I'm not your boss.

20. Try a new hairstyle.

A messy bun is not a hair style, it’s literally a coping mechanism. Do something different. Try a French braid, a claw clip with bangs out, or a scarf headband like your a 1960’s housewife. Your husband will NOTICE for once. Your friends will text you. Reinvention is free.

21. Picnic in the backyard.

You can even call your 12-square-foot patio a backyard. Throw out a blanket, pack a sandwich, and get eaten outside. Your kids will feel like they're living in a fairy tale, while you can experience a hallmark movie. Plus, the dog will love it as well, so it's a win for everyone.

22. Make homemade pizza for dinner.

You can buy the dough at Trader Joe's and set up a toppings bar for people to create whatever they want. It's a little bit wild but it's a fun way to spend an evening. There's a lot of cleanup, but the happiness a child gets from making their own pizza is priceless.

23. Color in an adult coloring book.

Grab some colored pencils from Target for about four bucks. Go to your kitchen table, grab a coffee, and color a mandala. Your blood pressure will hit rock bottom. You will finally comprehend why your grandma was always so calm. It’s been coloring all along.

24. Karaoke night.

Play YouTube karaoke and let the family loose. Sing "Total Eclipse of the Heart." Watch your seven-year-old slaughter "Let It Go." It might be the best evening you have had all month. There will be pictures. There will be tears. There will be ice cream after.

25. Indoor scavenger hunt.

Here are some items your kids can search for in the house:
1. A spoon
2. A shoe
3. A toothbrush
4. A cup
5. A book
6. A sock
7. A toy
8. A dog
9. A towel
10. A remote
11. A board game
12. An umbrella
13. A potted plant
14. A hat
15. A phone

26. Make playdough from scratch.

Salt, flour, cream of tartar and water playdough recipe takes ten minutes to make and kids think you're a wizard. The mess is contained and it lasts for a week. The dopamine hit is real. Five stars

27. Throw a tea party.

Real cookies. Real cups. And maybe even a hat. The snacks will even get your kid to join. Use the special mugs no one ever uses because they’re “special.” Today is special. Today is a Tuesday and we are SURVIVING.

28. Write actual thank-you notes.

Take out the stationery you purchased three Christmases ago. Write to people who deserve your thanks. A friend. A teacher. Your mom. Like an old-timey lady. See how it boomerangs joy back to you in 48 hours. It’s a real thing.

29. Give yourself a real manicure.

Move back your cuticles and file the nails. After that, there are two more coats and a top coat. Then you get to wait twenty minutes with your hands out and do nothing at all while the paint dries. Like a royal. Choose a color you normally wouldn't. It goes away in four days anyway.

30. Make a no-bake dessert.

Rice Krispie treats, no-bake cookies, and those chocolate-peanut butter cookies on the back of the oatmeal box. Quick, easy, and border-line unhealthy. You'll be a hero by 4 p.m! The kids can even help make them, and they'll be so proud!

31. Pajama day. Officially.

Announce it as an official holiday: pajama day. It’s a day where no one in the house gets a change of clothing, including you! There will be movies, snacks, and blankets. Meals will be replaced with all day snacking. It’s the most revitalizing activity a family can do, PLUS, it’s completely free! Who doesn’t love free?

32. Make a digital photo book on Shutterfly.

Make a book from your last 12 months of photos! They offer huge discounts on these books, about 50% off every couple of weeks. You will cry, your kids will cry, your mom will cry when you gift one for her birthday. It's all teary!

33. Visit the library.

The library is a fantastic resource that offers incredible free services. Your library card gives you access to unlimited entertainment and allows you to check out books to take home. You can also attend story time and craft hour for free at most libraries. Some even give out free passes to museums. If you don't already have a library card, you should get one today.

34. Board game tournament.

Get every game from your closet. Duel style. Single elimination. Winner chooses dinner. The competitive edge will entertain everyone for hours, and you'll be laughing harder than you have all week. Monopoly is forbidden. We're not here to end our marriage.

35. Toilet paper roll crafts.

Place empty rolls in a container. Add some markers, glue, googly eyes, paper scraps, and walk away. Kids go insane. They will make entire civilizations and bug-eyed creatures. Pinterest moms know, and so do you.

36. Sundae bar.

For eight dollars, you can buy ice cream with three toppings, whipped cream, and cherries, and set it up as a buffet. The children will think they've stepped into an amusement park. Film the event; they'll remember it for the next fifteen years.

37. Try a new workout video on YouTube.

Pick whichever 20-minute workout by Caroline Girvan or Heather Robertson you need to do. You’re going to hate every second of it, but you’re going to love yourself for it after the workout. You’ll be able to text your sister, ‘I worked out’ and you’ll feel insufferable, but in the best way possible.

38. Make slime.

I know it sounds horrible, and it feels like a war crime against your carpet, but maybe do it on the kitchen counter instead. It will involve glue, baking soda, contact lens solution, and food coloring. The kids will go insane. You will too, but silently in your little corner with with an ice cold glass of something.

39. Lego challenge.

Set your timer for 30 minutes. The winner is whoever builds the most creative structure. Prize? Picking the next show for family movie night. Motivation will be UNHINGED. Kids will be focused and silent. You will be able to enjoy your own thoughts. Pure bliss.

40. Make a time capsule.

Get a shoebox, decorate it, and write letters to your future selves. You could put a picture of your school, a tiny toy, a little note about what you did on that day, and a drawing. Tape the box shut and plan to open it in five years. You will DIE LAUGHING. This is the kind of stuff kids remember forever. Mom of the year.

41. Speed-clean one room.

Get a bag ready to declutter (to donate or trash before you start), put on a song you love, set your timer for 15 minutes, and positively GO! You won't stop, and you won't think. Just put stuff from your floor to your bag. You will feel amazing after your time is up. You'll feel like Beyonce in a Mom Uniform! Best of all, your room will be between 70 and 80% better.

42. Watch a documentary.

If you have anxiety, don't pick a true crime one. Go for something interesting instead, like chefs, queens, or octopuses (or is it octopi?). You'll learn a lot! And you'll feel really smart. You'll spend the whole night telling your husband random facts, and he'll act interested. As he should!

43. Plan your dream vacation.

And if you really aren't going, get out some paper and a pencil and some fun little stickers to create a vision board. Set it up on your wall as a fun little place to inspire you to actually take this trip. Now you have a place to put your flight and hotel info as well as fun restaurants you've found along the way and as they say, Manifest, baby!

44. Smoothie bar morning.

Frozen fruits, yogurt, juice, and a few add-ins. For this one, let the kids build their own. They'll put in whatever they want, including things that shouldn't go together, and drink it with pride. You can sneak spinach into yours and feel healthy. Everyone is winning!

45. Tie-dye old white t-shirts.

Imagine some $5 packs of white tees from Target with a tie-dye kit. Set it out on the patio and let the chaos begin. The shirts will be ugly and everyone will be proud. You’ll have summer pajamas for the whole family and a memory the kids will reference for years to come.

46. Make friendship bracelets.

Embroidery floss and a YouTube tutorial. For two hours you can enjoy blissful silence while you braid the strings. The finished product is cute, the experience is meditative. You’ll feel like a true artist when you gift them to family. Live the dream.

47. Write a letter to your future self.

Get some paper. Address an envelope to yourself and write to your future self. Write about what your life is like now and what you would like it to be like in a year. Seal it and write \"Open April 2027\" on the front. Next April, open the envelope and have an emotional moment. It will be worth it.

48. Try a 10-minute meditation.

Take advantage of Calm's free version, or check out the YouTube video titled "For Moms Who Can't Even." Sit, breathe, and do your best not to think about the laundry. If you fail, that's okay. Just keep trying. The act of trying itself is a victory.

49. Reorganize your closet.

Pull everything out. Try everything on. Donate what you haven't fit into since 2019. Color code what’s left. Step back. It’s a BOUTIQUE. It’s a CAPSULE WARDROBE. You’re practically a fashion influencer now.

50. Listen to a podcast while you fold laundry.

A true crime podcast, an episode of Smartless, or something equally juicy? Folding clothes? Entertaining your brain? The two-birds-one-stone of it all is true galaxy brain motherhood.

51. Make a bucket list.

From big things and small things, to silly things. Things you want to do this year, this decade, or in this lifetime. Write them down. Stick them on the fridge. Half the magic is in writing them, the other half is in crossing them off.

52. Bake bread.

Yes, real bread. Just like in the olden days. You will be one with the colonial women because this is going to be great. Watch it rise, watch it bake, and take in the smell of the house. There is no smell on this earth that is better than the smell of fresh baked bread on a Tuesday afternoon.

53. Sit and watch the sunset.

You can do this from your porch, driveway, or even a parking lot. Just sit and watch the clouds and sky. Leave your phone inside, and do not make any plans. Just spend five minutes. It is free therapy. Would recommend.

54. Themed movie night.

Choose a film. Pair the food. Movie about Italy? Pair with pasta and Italian soda. Movie at the beach? Goldfish and lemonade. The little ones will be shocked. You'll have the feel of an event organizer. The TikTok girls will be mad that you came up with the idea first.

55. Take a nap.

Absolutely! If you can, try to take a break. You could spend 20 minutes, 90 minutes, napping on your couch, on your bed, or even with a kid on top of you. Taking a nap is a productive use of your time and will help recharge your battery. I can guarantee that the world will not fall apart in a mere 20 minutes.

The Real Truth About Boredom

Here's what I figured out somewhere along the way. Boredom was never the enemy. It's just your brain saying, "hey lady, we have not done a single new thing in three weeks and we are SHRIVELING." It's a signal. A nudge. A little fairy on your shoulder whispering, bake the cookies, take the bath, take the nap.

Next time you, your kids or friends, your dogs, or yourself feel bored, don't panic. you can just choose a numbered activity. Pick number fourteen cause that drawer has been mocking you for ages. Pick number eighteen cause you've EARNED IT. Pick number fifty five cause YES naps count. Naps are a love language, and always will be.

You can bookmark this list. You can send this to a friend. You can tell another mom you saw this on Pinterest and fake write it yourself. I won't tell.

And one more thing, because I have to say it. My kids are 15 and 18 now. The bored years went by fast. Faster than anyone told me they would. The toddler asking for a tea party is gone. The kid who needed 47 toilet paper rolls and a glue stick is gone. Use the list. Use it now. While they're still asking.

Let your mind rest. You can do it.

How to Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

Crock pot baked potatoes are one of those things that I wish I would have started doing years ago. You still get the same fluffy inside and slightly crispy oiled skin. The best part is you can set them in the morning and forget about them until dinner.

The slow cooker won’t heat up the kitchen the way an oven does, and it frees up the oven for something else. Only three ingredients. Zero babysitting. They come out perfect every time.

Why I Started Making Them This Way

I started making baked potatoes in the slow cooker one summer because I didn't want to turn on the oven. I thought the worst that could happen was that they would turn out weird. But they didn't. They turned out perfect.

That month, I made them three more times and haven't returned to the oven method very much. I may still use the oven if it's free, but when it's a hot day, or if I need the oven for something else, I put the potatoes in the slow cooker.

Why the Slow Cooker Gets the Skin Right

The biggest advantage of slow cooker baked potatoes is that they are truly hands-off. They're done on low in 6-8 hours and you can literally put them in before work and they'll be done by the time you get home for dinner. If you need them for lunch or dinner on the weekend, set them to high for 3-4 hours and they'll be ready without you having to do anything in the meantime.

No water, no foil needed. Some slow cooker potato recipes require you to add water to the bottom or wrap each potato in foil. I’ve done them both ways and I prefer plain and dry. The potatoes steam in their own natural moisture.

The oil and salt on the skin do serve a purpose. They create a slightly crisp and flavorful skin instead of just steaming the potato soft under a foil wrap.

Ideal for feeding large groups, a 6-quart slow cooker holds up to 4 pounds of potatoes, which is roughly 6 to 8 medium russets. That's a ton of baked potatoes and no need to monitor anything in the oven. For larger crowds, just run two slow cookers.

Gives you extra space in your oven. You can make baked potatoes on the grill while the oven is busy with holiday dinners, big family meals, roasts or casseroles. No juggling required!

Three Ingredients — and Why Russets Are the Only Choice

Russet Potatoes (4 lbs, about 6–8 medium)

For baked potatoes, russets are the best choice. Yukon golds are less ideal since they are waxier and give a denser, creamier texture that is good, but not for a baked potato. Red potatoes are smaller, waxy, and not great for baking so russets are the best choice.

As a general tip, try to pick potatoes that are the same size, or very similar in size. If you have a mix of small potatoes and large potatoes, the smaller potatoes are going to end up overcooked while the larger potatoes take their time to cook.

Olive Oil (2 tablespoons)

The oil does two things: it helps get the skin crispy instead of limp and steamed, and it helps the salt penetrate the skin for flavor. Rub each potato down thoroughly all over — don't just brush a little on one side and call it done.

While you can use melted butter or vegetable oil, olive oil will work best here.

Salt (to taste)

Some people put in effort on the potatoes but forget to season the outside. If you're using kosher salt, don't hold back. The skin is one of the best parts of a good baked potato, and salt is what makes it taste like something instead of just cooked starch.

How to Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

Step 1: Prep the Potatoes

Thoroughly wash each potato under running water to remove dirt; the skin will change from dull to shiny. Then, dry each potato off with a clean towel.

Use a fork or a sharp knife and poke the potato several times in different places. This is to create holes for steam to escape while cooking and to prevent the potato from getting too hot and building up pressure. Poking the potatoes in only 2 or 3 areas is not enough; make sure to do it all the way around the potato.

Step 2: Oil and Season

Coat each potato with olive oil and then sprinkle with kosher salt across all surfaces including the top, bottom, and sides.

Salt adheres to the oil, which forms a seasoned skin that is flavorful. People tend to hurry through this step, and it shows when the skin is pale and unseasoned.

Step 3: Into the Slow Cooker

The potatoes will go straight into the slow cooker as is. No foiling, no water, no liner, nothing. If possible, avoid stacking them. Make sure to either keep them in one layer or only a little overlapping so that the heat can move freely.

Step 4: Cook and Check for Doneness

Select a cooking time of either high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–8 hours. It is very easy to test for doneness: slide a fork into the thickest part of the potato. If the fork goes in easily then the potato is done.

Give them 30 more minutes and take another look. It is perfectly natural for them to look shriveled compared to potatoes cooked in the oven, and the insides should be perfectly fluffy.

Add your preferred toppings before serving. Oil and salt give the skin a nice texture—one of the best parts, in fact.

Five Non-Negotiables for These to Come Out Right

• Match potato sizes. Even if you’re only off by a little, smaller potatoes will be overdone by the time bigger ones finish. Try to grab potatoes that are close in size at the store.
• Don’t add water. You don’t need it — the potatoes produce enough moisture on their own. Adding water creates steam that softens the skin instead of crisping it.
• Don’t wrap in foil. Same reason — you lose the oiled skin texture that makes these worth doing. Skip the foil and let the oil and salt do their job.
• Pierce them well. Multiple holes all over, not just a couple pokes. This lets steam escape evenly and helps the potato cook through from the inside out.
• Don’t panic if they look wrinkled. Slow cooker potatoes sometimes look a little more shriveled than oven potatoes. That’s fine — the inside will be perfectly fluffy.

What to Load on Top

Baked potatoes are one of those meals where the toppings make up half the meal. Here’s how we do them in my house and some other combinations you could try:

Classic Loaded Baked Potato

• Butter
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Crumbled bacon
• Sliced green onions or chives

Chili Baked Potato

Chili and cheese are a great top for baked potatoes. Just ladle your homemade or canned chili onto the potato. Then add some shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Just like that, you have a full dinner. And it took almost no extra effort.

Broccoli and Cheese

Steam broccoli and pour on cheddar cheese sauce, or sprinkle shredded cheese that melts over the top. Great for kids and very filling.

Simple and Good

It's just butter, and salt. Simple is often better, and in this case the taste of the skin is perfectly seasoned from the olive oil rub.

What to Serve Alongside

You can have crock pot baked potatoes with almost any type of meal. They pair nicely with grilled or pan-seared steak, rotisserie or baked chicken, and even with pork chops or ribs.

You can even make it the main attraction and skip the side dish part altogether! A baked potato bar is an easy dinner option for a crowd. Just set out some butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, bacon bits, chili and steamed broccoli, and let everyone create their own masterpiece!

How to Store Them and What to Do With Leftovers

Refrigerator: After baked potatoes cool completely, store in an airtight container or wrapped in foil in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Microwave reheating: pierce skin a few times and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway, until heated all the way through.

Oven reheating: Wrap in foil and bake at 350° for 15–20 minutes. If you have the time, you’ll get a better result than the microwave.

If you have leftover baked potatoes, don't forget you can scoop them out and use them to make twice-baked potatoes, blend them for a chunky potato soup, or chop them and toss them into a breakfast scramble with eggs and cheese.

Can You Make These Ahead?

Yes, this may be one of the best make-ahead side dishes because the slow cooker does the timing work for you! Put them on low in the morning and they'll be done in 6-8 hours. The "warm" setting also lets them stay warm for up to an hour after they're done without getting overdone.

They can also be cooked a day in advance. After you make them, refrigerate them and then reheat them for your meal. They also reheat quite well in the oven wrapped in foil.

Four Easy Changes Worth Knowing

Yukon Gold potatoes have a creamier, denser interior which makes them a good choice for this. Sweet potatoes are also a great option and use the same cooking method and time. Red potatoes, however, are too small and too waxy for this.

Other options are avocado oil, vegetable oil, and melted butter. Butter can give a richer flavor, but it can burn if you're doing long (6-8) hour cooks on low. So, using avocado or olive oil would be a better option.

Seasoned skin: Incorporate garlic powder, onion powder, or smoked paprika into the oil before rubbing it on. The skin absorbs those flavors and enhances the taste of the potato even before you add any toppings.

Smaller potatoes: If using smaller russets or baby potatoes, reduce the cook time — check around 2–3 hours on high or 4–5 hours on low.

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes FAQ

Do I need to add water to the slow cooker?

Absolutely not. Water creates steam which softens and whitens the skin, the complete opposite effect you want. The potatoes will release enough of their own moisture. Leave the bottom dry.

Do I need to wrap the potatoes in foil?

No. Skip the foil. In every instance of me testing both versions, the no-foil wins every single time. Foil traps moisture, whereas the oil and salt need exposed moisture to work. Cooking without foil in the slow cooker gives you way better skin.

How do I know when they’re done?

Poke the thickest section using a fork; it should go in easily with no resistance, like room-temperature butter. If it meets any resistance at all, add another 30 minutes.

An undercooked center is the one thing that ruins this otherwise simple dish, so don't take chances here.

Can I cook sweet potatoes the same way?

Yes, same method, same timing. Sweet potatoes might be even better this way — the skin caramelizes and gets a slightly sweet and salty crust that's hard to stop eating.

Can I cook more than 4 pounds at once?

It depends on the size of your slow cooker. A 6-quart slow cooker fits around 4 pounds. If you over crowd it the potatoes will cook uneven, some may be undercooked and some may be fine. If you want to do a bigger batch, use 2 slow cookers or do it in shifts.

Can I leave them on warm after they’re done?

Yes, but only up to an hour. After that period, the texture and quality can start to deteriorate. The warm setting is certainly nice for flexibility, but I’d advise against going over an hour. If dinner is going to be much later than expected, it is best to take them out and reheat them rather than leaving them to sit.

Other Slow Cooker Dinners Worth Making

Pork Chop and Hash Brown Casserole — layers of creamy, cheesy hashbrowns and pork chop and then baked! One dish, oven dinner, done!

Crock Pot Beef and Noodles is an easy recipe made with slow-cooked chuck roast that gets shredded and mixed into a delicious beef broth with thick egg noodles. This dish is also tasty over mashed potatoes.

Cheesy Potato Bake — If you enjoy these baked potatoes, you'll want to add this to your rotation as well. Creamy hashbrowns, cheddar, and cream of chicken soup, all baked to perfection.

If you try making these crock pot baked potatoes, comment below and tell me how it went!

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

Hands-off slow cooker baked potatoes with fluffy centers and seasoned skins, no oven needed.

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 200 kcal

Equipment

• Slow cooker (6-quart recommended)
• Vegetable scrubber or washcloth
• Fork or knife

Ingredients

  

• 4 pounds russet potatoes about 6 to 8 medium
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Scrub potatoes clean and dry well.
• Pierce each potato several times with a fork or knife.
• Rub potatoes all over with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt.
• Place potatoes directly in the slow cooker with no foil and no water.
• Cook on High for 3 to 4 hours or Low for 6 to 8 hours, until a fork slides in easily.
• Serve hot with butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon, chives, or your favorite toppings.

Notes

Choose potatoes that are close in size so they finish at the same time. Do not add water and do not wrap the potatoes in foil; the dry slow cooker method gives better skin texture. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat in the microwave or oven.

Keyword crock pot baked potatoes, slow cooker baked potatoes

Thanks to the #watertok TikTok trend, I’m totally inspired to revamp the flavor packets stash in my cupboard! Ready to find out how to keep your hydration game fun and flavorful? Here are my top picks for water mixes and their combos to keep you refreshed and hydrated all summer long!

BONUS Money-Saving Hack: Get a reusable water bottle that you’re obsessed with so that you will want to take it everywhere you go!

Get Drink Mix Packets HERE on Walmart.com

Get Free Shipping at Walmart.com with a Free Walmart+ Trial Membership

Are Drink Mixes for Water Healthy?

When it comes to water flavor packets, the scoop is pretty straightforward—many are a fantastic choice for jazzing up your daily H2O without piling on the calories or sugar. Look for mixes that are low in sugar or sugar-free, and those that ditch the artificial sweeteners and colors. These options can be a fantastic way to keep you hydrated and happy, especially if plain water doesn’t excite your taste buds.

However, like with anything, moderation is key. Some mixes might have additives or sugars that you’d want to keep an eye on, especially if you’re sipping multiple packets a day. Checking the ingredients list is your best bet to ensure you’re choosing the healthiest options for your lifestyle.

So, yes, water mixes can be part of a healthy hydration strategy—just opt for the cleaner options and enjoy the flavor boost they bring to your water bottle!

Water Mix Flavor Names Included in our Free Printable HERE:

Is Drinking Water with Sugar-Free Flavor Packets Good For You?

Drinking water with sugar-free flavor packets can definitely be a good choice, especially if it helps you drink more water throughout the day! These packets usually use sweeteners that don’t add calories, making them a great alternative for those looking to manage their calorie intake or cut down on sugar.

However, it’s also wise to consider what’s in those packets beyond just the lack of sugar. Some sugar-free options might contain artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or other additives that some people prefer to avoid. While these ingredients are generally recognized as safe in moderate amounts, everyone’s body reacts differently, so it’s important to pay attention to how these mixes make you feel.

If they help you stay hydrated, and you enjoy them without any adverse effects, they can certainly be a part of a healthy hydration routine. Just make sure to keep an eye on the ingredients list, and maybe rotate them with plenty of plain water to keep things balanced!

What Does Flavored Water Do to Your Body? (Lemons for Example)

Flavored water, whether it’s infused with real lemons or lemon flavoring, can be a fantastic way to boost your hydration game while offering some extra perks for your body.

Lemon-infused water, in particular, is a powerhouse. Adding fresh lemon slices to your water not only jazzes up the taste but also infuses it with natural vitamins and antioxidants. Lemons are famously high in vitamin C, which boosts your immune system and skin health. They also have a natural diuretic effect, which helps your body flush out toxins more efficiently.

If you want your water to taste like the lemonade you know, consider adding a true citrus product like True Lemon. I find mine at my Walmart stores.

As for lemon-flavored water packets, they often mimic the taste of lemons without the actual fruit. These can be beneficial if they encourage you to drink more water throughout the day, especially for those who might not always have fresh fruit handy. However, it’s good to check the ingredients for any artificial additives or sweeteners, which might not offer the same health benefits as real lemons.

In both cases, adding a lemony twist to your water can elevate your hydration and make your daily water intake a lot more enjoyable. Just remember, the more natural the source, the better the benefits!

If I am not adding flavor packets, how do I make fruit-infused water?

Making real fruit-infused water is a refreshing and simple way to spice up your hydration routine without any artificial ingredients or sweeteners.

Here’s how to create your own delicious fruit-infused water with simple ingredients:

• 1. Choose Your Fruit: Almost any fruit will work, but the most popular choices include lemons, limes, oranges, berries, and cucumbers. You can also experiment with herbs like mint or basil for an extra zing.
• 2. Prepare the Fruit: Wash your fruit thoroughly. Slice it thin enough so that the flavors can easily infuse into the water. Berries can be left whole or halved, while citrus fruits are best sliced or cut into wedges.
• 3. Combine and Infuse: Fill a pitcher or a large jar with cold water. Add the sliced fruits and herbs into the water. Use a spoon or a muddler to gently crush the fruit and herbs a bit to release their flavors.
• 4. Let It Sit: Let the mixture sit for a few hours in the refrigerator to infuse. The longer it sits, the more flavorful the water will become. For best results, let it infuse for about 3 to 4 hours or even overnight.
• 5. Serve and Enjoy: Once the water has reached your desired level of flavor, it’s ready to drink. You can strain out the fruits and herbs or leave them in to enjoy along with the water.
• 6. Refill: Don’t throw away the fruit after one use— you can often refill the container with water a few times before the flavors begin to diminish.

Creating fruit-infused water is a fun and healthy way to stay hydrated, and it allows you to play around with different flavor combinations based on your preferences and seasonal fruits. It’s a natural, sweet treat that feels indulgent without any of the guilt!

That was years ago. These days I plan ahead, I keep a rotation of dinners we all actually like, and I lean hard on recipes that are simple enough to pull off on a Tuesday after a long day. Over the years I’ve built up a pretty solid collection of go-to weeknight dinners — and I’ve rounded up 50 of my favorites right here so you’ve always got somewhere to start when that “what’s for dinner?” panic hits at 5pm.

These are real recipes that have been made in my actual kitchen and eaten by my actual family. Some take 20 minutes, some cook all day in the crockpot, some are sheet pan situations where you just throw everything in the oven and walk away. That’s my bar for putting them on this list — if my people ate it and asked for it again, it’s in.

Wendy’s Copycat Chili Recipe

If you’ve ever sat in a Wendy’s parking lot with a paper cup of chili and thought “I could probably make this at home,” you were right. This copycat recipe nails the flavor so well it’s almost uncanny — the combination of ground beef, kidney beans, tomato sauce, and a very specific blend of spices makes something that tastes exactly like what you’d get through the drive-through, except you made a whole pot of it for a fraction of the cost.

What I love about this recipe is how far it stretches. Chili is one of those magical meals you can serve for dinner, pack for lunch the next day, pour over baked potatoes or hot dogs, or pile on top of Fritos for a quick Frito pie. You could realistically feed your family twice off one pot and still have leftovers.

My husband is legitimately obsessed with Wendy’s chili. He was skeptical when I told him I was making a copycat version at home, but after the first bowl he admitted it was better than the original. That is the highest praise he gives for anything I cook and I will absolutely be bragging about it forever.

Get the full recipe here.

Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

Beef and cheese enchiladas are one of those dinners I can make completely on autopilot at this point, which makes them absolutely perfect for weeknights. Ground beef, refried beans, enchilada sauce, and lots of cheese — rolled up in flour tortillas and baked until bubbly and golden on top. Simple ingredients, huge payoff.

The refried beans are actually the secret to making these really satisfying. They give the filling a creaminess that holds everything together and makes each enchilada feel genuinely substantial. I’ve made these without the beans and they’re fine, but with the beans they go from good to great.

This is a dinner that requires zero drama and produces zero leftovers at my house. I usually make a big pan and there’s never anything left. If you want to make it even easier on yourself, prep the filling earlier in the day and just assemble and bake when you’re ready for dinner.

Get the full recipe here.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas: Crock Pot Dinner

These shredded beef enchiladas are the more impressive older sibling of the ground beef version. A chuck roast spends the day in the crockpot until it’s fall-apart tender, then you shred it and use it as the filling for enchiladas smothered in red sauce and melted cheese. The crockpot does the heavy lifting — you just do the fun part at the end.

The slow-cooked shredded beef has a depth of flavor that you simply can’t get from ground beef. It’s richer, more tender, and feels like a restaurant-quality filling. This is the recipe I make when I want weeknight dinner to feel like more of an event without actually spending more time in the kitchen.

Yes, there’s more assembly involved than a standard dump-and-go crockpot meal, but once the beef is shredded the rolling goes pretty fast. I usually do this on days I work from home when I have a little more flexibility. The results are absolutely worth the extra step and the table always gets quiet in the best way.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy, Inexpensive Mongolian Beef

Mongolian beef is one of those takeout staples that seems like it would be complicated to make at home, but it’s actually incredibly straightforward. Flank steak sliced thin, coated in cornstarch, and cooked in a sweet soy-ginger sauce until it’s sticky and glossy and completely irresistible over white rice.

This version is inexpensive and comes together in about 20 minutes once your prep is done. The sauce is the star — soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and a little hoisin come together into something that tastes like you absolutely paid someone to make it. My family thinks we ordered takeout every time I put this on the table.

I’ve started playing along and telling them it came from a restaurant, which makes them appreciate it even more. The reality is it cost me about a third of what takeout would and I made it in my pajamas, so honestly everyone wins. This one is in the permanent weeknight rotation and has been for years.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Pulled Beef Sandwich Recipe

A chuck roast braised low and slow in a mixture of beef broth and Coca-Cola until it practically shreds itself — this pulled beef is one of the most versatile things I make in my crockpot. Pile it on hoagie rolls, stuff it in quesadillas, serve it over mashed potatoes. Whatever you do with it, it’s going to be delicious.

The Coca-Cola isn’t something you can taste in the final product, but it tenderizes the meat beautifully and adds a subtle sweetness to the braising liquid that makes the beef incredibly flavorful. It’s one of those technique things that sounds a little unusual until you taste the result and then you completely understand.

One roast feeds my family dinner and usually gives us enough for at least two more meals throughout the week. I’ll do beef sandwiches the first night, then use the leftovers for tacos or loaded baked potatoes later. It’s one of the best uses of a crockpot I know and the cost per serving is genuinely impressive.

Get the full recipe here.

Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot

Beef stroganoff is the kind of dinner that feels fancy enough to be special but is actually completely effortless when you let the crockpot do the work. Tender strips of beef in a creamy mushroom sauce served over egg noodles — this is real comfort food at its very best, and it asks almost nothing of you.

The key to getting that rich, velvety sauce is adding the sour cream at the very end, off the heat, so it doesn’t curdle. Everything else goes in the crockpot in the morning and cooks all day. By the time you walk in the door, your whole house smells incredible and dinner is essentially done.

I’ve made this recipe enough times that my family starts requesting it in October and doesn’t stop until the crockpot gets put away in the spring. It’s cold-weather comfort food at its finest, and the egg noodles are the perfect vehicle for all that creamy, savory sauce. One of my all-time favorites.

Get the full recipe here.

Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

Everything you love about a Philly cheesesteak — the tender beef, the sweet peppers and onions, the melted provolone — without having to stand at the stove. A beef round steak with Italian seasoning, peppers, and onions slow cooks all day until it’s incredibly tender and deeply flavorful. Then you pile it onto hoagie rolls and broil with cheese for one minute.

When it’s done, you have a legitimate cheesesteak experience that you made in your own kitchen for a fraction of restaurant prices. The beef shreds beautifully and the peppers and onions get soft and sweet and caramelized from the long cook time. It’s one of those recipes where the slow cooker does something the stovetop simply cannot replicate.

My husband puts this in his top five dinners I make, which is high praise considering how many dinners I’ve made over the years. He grew up eating real Philly cheesesteaks and he still insists this one holds up. That kind of endorsement is what keeps a recipe in the permanent rotation at our house.

Get the full recipe here.

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

What happens when you combine a sloppy joe with a Philly cheesesteak? Something that sounds a little chaotic but is actually one of the most crowd-pleasing sandwiches I’ve ever made. Ground beef cooked with peppers, onions, and Worcestershire sauce in a savory, slightly saucy mixture, piled onto toasted buns and topped with melted provolone.

This whole dinner comes together in about 30 minutes and uses ingredients you most likely already have on hand. The Worcestershire sauce and beef broth give the filling a real depth of flavor that makes it taste like something you’d order at a restaurant rather than something you threw together on a Tuesday night after a long day.

My kids fight over the last one every single time I make this. I’ve started making extra because the math never works out in my favor if I don’t. It’s messy, it’s cheesy, and it’s exactly the kind of dinner a busy weeknight calls for. On the table in 30 minutes and everyone is happy.

Get the full recipe here.

Philly Cheese Steak Sliders

These sliders take everything great about a Philly cheesesteak and pack it into a Hawaiian roll, then bake the whole pan together until the cheese is perfectly melted and the tops are golden and buttery. They work for weeknight dinner, game day, or feeding a crowd — honestly any occasion where people are hungry and you want something that disappears fast.

Shaved steak, caramelized peppers and onions, and melted provolone all tucked into those soft, slightly sweet rolls is a combination that is almost impossible to stop eating. I’ve made two pans for a group of eight people and there wasn’t a single slider left. They go that fast.

The butter-herb topping that gets brushed over the rolls before baking is what takes these from good to outstanding. It soaks into the tops as they bake and makes them so rich and fragrant and flavorful. If you’re feeding a crowd, double the recipe — you will absolutely be glad you did.

Get the full recipe here.

Beef Burrito Casserole Dinner Recipe

All the flavors of a beef burrito in one easy casserole — ground beef, refried beans, flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese layered together and baked until bubbly. This is the dinner I reach for when I want something that feels put-together but takes about 20 minutes of actual effort.

The layering is what makes this feel special. The tortillas soften as they absorb the flavors around them, and when you scoop it out, you get a little of everything in every bite — creamy beans, seasoned beef, melted cheese. It’s like a deconstructed burrito that’s somehow even more satisfying than the original.

This casserole reheats beautifully, which makes it one of my favorite make-ahead dinners. I’ll put it together earlier in the day and just bake it when we’re ready to eat, or make a full pan on Sunday and heat up portions throughout the week. It keeps well and tastes just as good the next day.

Get the full recipe here.

Beef and Noodle Casserole Recipe

Ground beef, egg noodles, cream cheese, and a tomato-based sauce baked together into a bubbling, cheesy casserole that is the definition of weeknight comfort food. This recipe takes familiar pantry ingredients and turns them into something that tastes like way more effort than it actually is.

The cream cheese is what sets this apart from a basic beef noodle bake. It adds a richness and subtle creaminess to the sauce that makes every bite feel really satisfying. Combined with shredded cheddar on top that gets golden in the oven, this casserole hits all the right notes — creamy, cheesy, hearty, comforting.

My family cleans the pan every time. I serve it with a simple green salad and garlic bread and it feels like a complete, real dinner on the table without a lot of fuss. This is one I come back to again and again especially in the fall and winter when I want something warm and filling that practically makes itself.

Get the full recipe here.

Beef Stew Recipe

There are a handful of recipes in my life that I consider close to perfect, and this beef stew is one of them. Chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and celery slow cooked in a rich, savory broth all day in the crockpot — the kind of dinner that makes your whole house smell so incredible that your family starts asking what’s for dinner around 2pm.

The key to great beef stew is browning the beef first before it goes in the crockpot. It takes an extra five minutes but adds a depth of flavor to the broth that you simply can’t get by skipping the step. The Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste in the broth add richness that makes the stew taste like it’s been simmering for hours — because it has.

This is a non-negotiable in my fall and winter rotation. I make it on Sundays when the temperature drops and it sets the tone for the whole week. Serve it with crusty bread for dipping and you have one of the most satisfying meals imaginable. One of the truly great ones in my recipe collection.

Get the full recipe here.

Instant Pot Mongolian Beef with Fried Rice

The Instant Pot makes Mongolian beef with fried rice possible on even the most chaotic weeknights. The beef cooks tender in the pressure cooker in that sticky, sweet soy-ginger sauce, and the fried rice comes together right alongside it for a complete meal that feels like takeout but costs a fraction of what delivery would.

What makes this recipe so useful is that you’re getting the main dish and the side dish in one coordinated process — less cleanup, less time spent juggling multiple pots, and the whole meal is done in under 30 minutes. It tastes like something you ordered from a really good restaurant and I mean that genuinely.

This is one of my most-used Instant Pot recipes without question. Every time I make it I’m reminded of how much that kitchen gadget has changed weeknight cooking at our house. If you’re looking for a good reason to use your Instant Pot more, this is it.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Chicken Casserole with Stuffing

This casserole has been in my regular dinner rotation for so many years it feels like an old friend. Chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and Stovetop stuffing baked together into something cozy and completely satisfying that comes together with almost no effort at all. Humble ingredients that add up to something genuinely wonderful.

The stuffing on top bakes into a beautiful golden crust while the chicken and creamy sauce underneath stay soft and moist. Every scoop has that perfect combination of textures — tender chicken, rich cream sauce, and a slightly crisp stuffing topping — that makes it so incredibly craveable.

I’ve brought this to potlucks, made it for sick friends, served it for church dinners, and made it on random Tuesdays when I just need an easy win. It works in every situation and it always gets eaten enthusiastically. If you’re looking for a go-to casserole that is genuinely simple and genuinely good, this is the one.

Get the full recipe here.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili Recipe

White chicken chili made with great northern beans and a creamy broth is one of my all-time favorite dinners. Chicken breasts go in the crockpot with chicken broth, white beans, green chiles, onion, and a simple spice blend, and by dinnertime you have a bowl of something really, genuinely wonderful that tastes far more complex than the effort involved.

Unlike red chili, white chicken chili is mild enough for the whole family but still deeply flavorful and satisfying. A spoonful of cream cheese stirred in at the end makes the broth creamy and rich without being heavy. I serve it topped with shredded Monterey Jack, a dollop of sour cream, and jalapeño slices for the adults.

This is probably my most-requested fall dinner. My kids eat it without complaint, my husband adds hot sauce to his, and I’m happy because it took me about eight minutes of active work to put together. Cornbread on the side and dinner is completely, happily handled.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Italian Pasta & Chicken Dish Recipe

Rotini pasta, cubed chicken, jarred Alfredo sauce, and mozzarella cheese baked together into a creamy, cheesy pasta dish that is legitimately one of the easiest dinners in my arsenal. This is the recipe I make when I’m tired and hungry and need something that feels like a real dinner but requires almost zero thought.

Italian seasoning and garlic powder give this a big flavor punch that makes it taste more complex than the ingredient list suggests. You can use rotisserie chicken here if you want to cut down on prep time even further — it works beautifully and makes dinner even faster on those nights when you’re truly running on empty.

I’ve made this for potlucks, for new mothers who need a meal dropped off, and for my own family on nights when I just need something reliable. It always gets eaten, always gets complimented, and takes me about 15 minutes of actual work. That’s my definition of a perfect recipe.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

Ranch-seasoned chicken with cream cheese and bacon, slow cooked all day and then shredded and piled onto buns — crack chicken sandwiches are in my permanent top five most-made dinners. The name is accurate. Once you make these, you completely understand why people are so obsessed with this combination.

Three main ingredients go in the crockpot in the morning — chicken, cream cheese, and a packet of ranch seasoning — and you come home to something that’s already pulled and perfectly seasoned and ready to go. Stir in some cooked, crumbled bacon at the end and pile it onto soft buns.

My family eats these without a single complaint, which in a house with picky kids and strong opinions about everything is genuinely impressive. I serve them with a simple coleslaw on the side or just some chips and call it dinner. Easy, cheap, and absolutely delicious every single time without fail.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Chicken breasts, a packet of taco seasoning, and a can of Rotel — into the crockpot they go. By dinnertime you have tender, perfectly seasoned shredded chicken that can become tacos, quesadillas, nachos, burrito bowls, or whatever your family is in the mood for. This is my Tuesday morning lifesaver, made at least twice a month.

The beauty of this recipe is its total flexibility. The chicken is well-seasoned on its own, but it works as a base for just about anything. Set out taco shells and toppings for a traditional taco night, put out tortillas and let everyone build quesadillas, or serve it simply over rice with avocado. Every version is great.

I’ve made this probably a hundred times and it has never once failed me. The chicken shreds incredibly easily after cooking in the crockpot all day, and the Rotel adds just the right amount of tomato flavor and mild heat. This is one of those dump-and-go recipes that delivers far more than what you put into it.

Get the full recipe here.

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches

Three ingredients — chicken, cream cheese, and Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce — go into the crockpot in the morning and come out as the most incredible spicy, creamy shredded chicken you can imagine. Pile it on buns or serve it on top of baked potatoes. Either way, it’s spicy, creamy, and gone before you can blink.

The cream cheese mellows the heat from the buffalo sauce and makes the filling rich and creamy without being overpowering. If your family likes things on the milder side, use less buffalo sauce; if they love heat, add more. It’s an easy ratio to adjust and the result is always outstanding.

I’ve served this at parties, tailgates, and regular Tuesday dinners, and it always gets compliments and recipe requests. Something about buffalo chicken just gets people excited. This version is so easy and so good that once you make it, it earns a permanent spot in the rotation without any debate.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

Sweet, sticky pineapple-soy chicken that slow cooks all day and is served over rice with sesame seeds and green onions — this Hawaiian chicken is one of those recipes that makes dinner feel a little special on an ordinary weeknight. The sauce is a perfect balance of sweet and savory and the chicken gets so tender it practically melts.

Pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and garlic are the base of the sauce, and as it cooks all day it reduces slightly and coats the chicken beautifully. If you want a thicker sauce, stir in a cornstarch slurry at the end and cook on high for about fifteen minutes. It’s a simple step that makes a noticeable difference.

This is one that earns real compliments. When I serve it over a mound of white rice with sesame seeds on top, it genuinely looks like restaurant food. My kids love the sweetness of the pineapple sauce, my husband loves how easy it is for me to make on a weeknight, and I love that everyone is happy. Everyone wins.

Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta

The name crack chicken gets used a lot, but this pasta version is the most addictive thing I’ve made with it. Chicken, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, cheddar, and bacon all combined with pasta in the slow cooker into a cheesy, creamy, completely irresistible dinner that my kids have requested more times than any other meal I cook.

The pasta gets added toward the end of the cooking time and absorbs all that creamy, ranch-flavored sauce as it finishes. By the time it’s done, everything is coated in this rich, cheesy mixture that is genuinely hard to stop eating. I always make a full pot and I always run out. Every single time.

I’ve made this for family dinners, potlucks, and church events, and it gets the same reaction every time — immediate quiet because everyone is too busy eating to talk. If you haven’t tried crack chicken pasta yet, this recipe is the place to start. Just make sure you have enough for seconds.

Get the full recipe here.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Chicken, bacon, ranch seasoning, Velveeta, and spaghetti baked together in a casserole that sounds a little unusual until you taste it. Then you completely understand why this one earns a permanent spot in the rotation. It’s cheesy, savory, a little smoky from the bacon, and completely satisfying in every bite.

Velveeta gets a bad reputation sometimes, but in casseroles like this it is genuinely the right tool for the job. It melts completely into the sauce and gives you that smooth, creamy, stick-to-the-noodles consistency that makes every bite rich and satisfying. Combined with real cheddar on top, you get the best of both worlds.

I was skeptical the first time I made this. The ingredient list is a little unconventional. But the first bite converted me completely and I’ve been making it ever since. This recipe has been a reader favorite for years and it continues to be one I reach for whenever I need something that I know will be eaten without any drama.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

Tetrazzini sounds like something you’d order at a fancy Italian restaurant, but it’s actually one of the most approachable baked pasta dishes you can make at home. Shredded chicken, thin spaghetti, a creamy Parmesan sauce, and a buttery breadcrumb topping — all baked together until golden and bubbling and completely irresistible.

This is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, which makes it even faster to put together on a weeknight. The sauce comes together in about ten minutes on the stovetop, then you combine everything, top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan, and bake. The result is pure comfort food that feels elevated without being the least bit difficult.

My family loves this dinner and it feeds a crowd easily. I’ve made it for regular Tuesday dinners, church potlucks, and for friends who needed meals dropped off. It travels well, reheats well, and gets eaten enthusiastically every single time. That’s a recipe that has absolutely earned its place in the permanent rotation.

Get the full recipe here.

Crack Chicken Instant Pot Recipe

For the days when you forgot to start the crockpot, the Instant Pot is here to save dinner. This crack chicken recipe gives you the same creamy, ranch-seasoned, cheesy shredded chicken in a fraction of the time — we’re talking ready in under 30 minutes from start to plate. It is a genuine dinner emergency rescue.

Chicken breasts, cream cheese, and ranch seasoning go into the Instant Pot, pressure cook for 15 minutes, shred, stir in cheddar and bacon, and you’re done. Pile it on buns, serve it over rice, stuff it into baked potatoes — it works beautifully every way you serve it.

This recipe has saved my dinner plans on more occasions than I can count. When the afternoon gets away from me and I realize I never started anything, the Instant Pot crack chicken is what I turn to. Fast, easy, and reliably delicious — exactly what a weeknight rescue recipe needs to be.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole

This casserole takes chicken fettuccine Alfredo — already a crowd-pleaser — and makes it even better by adding bacon and baking everything together in the oven. The result is a creamy, rich pasta dish with a slightly golden top and a flavor combination that makes everyone at the table genuinely happy.

You can make this with homemade Alfredo sauce or jarred — either works well. The bacon brings a smoky saltiness that plays beautifully against the creamy sauce, and the baking step gives you those slightly chewy edges and golden top that you just can’t get from pasta cooked on the stovetop alone. It’s worth the extra step.

My sister asked me for this recipe the first time I made it for her, which is one of my all-time best recipe endorsements. I’ve been making it ever since and it never disappoints. If your family likes Alfredo anything, they are absolutely going to love this casserole.

Get the full recipe here.

Cheesy Tortellini Casserole Recipe

Cheese tortellini layered with Alfredo sauce and marinara, topped with mozzarella and baked until hot and bubbly with a golden, melted cheese top — this is one of those six-ingredient dinners that delivers way above its weight class. It tastes like something you spent real time on, and you absolutely did not.

The combination of creamy Alfredo and tangy marinara in the same dish creates a sauce that is more interesting than either one would be on its own. Every bite of the tortellini is coated in this slightly creamy, slightly tomatoey blend that is genuinely craveable. The cheese pull when you scoop it out is deeply satisfying.

This casserole goes together in about ten minutes of prep and bakes in under 30. I make it when I want a dinner that feels like more than just pasta but don’t have the time or energy for something elaborate. It’s become a regular in my rotation and one of the recipes I recommend most when people ask for easy weeknight ideas.

Get the full recipe here.

Four Cheese Baked Mostaccioli Recipe

This is the pasta dish I make when I want to really impress people. Mostaccioli pasta baked with Italian sausage, ground beef, and four kinds of cheese in a rich, deeply seasoned tomato sauce — it’s a complete meal in one pan that tastes like Sunday dinner even if you’re making it on a Wednesday night.

The four-cheese combination is what makes this special. Ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano all contribute something different to the final dish. Together they create a richness and complexity that makes this feel more sophisticated than a regular baked pasta, even though the process itself is really very straightforward.

This is my go-to when I’m feeding a crowd, hosting family, or just want a dinner that generates real enthusiasm at the table. It feeds a lot of people, holds well in the oven if timing gets tricky, and reheats beautifully the next day. One of my personal all-time favorites in this entire collection.

Get the full recipe here.

Spaghetti Casserole Dinner Recipe

This spaghetti casserole has a secret ingredient that raises some eyebrows the first time people hear it — cream cheese and cottage cheese mixed right into the pasta before baking. It sounds unusual, I know. But the texture and flavor that combination creates is genuinely special, and this recipe converts skeptics every single time.

The cream cheese and cottage cheese layer creates an almost lasagna-like interior that makes the casserole far more satisfying than regular baked spaghetti. Combined with seasoned ground beef and tomato sauce on top and melted cheddar across the whole thing, every bite is rich, layered, and really, really good.

Just make this. I know the ingredient list might give you a moment’s pause, but trust the process. I’ve served it at potlucks where people have asked what restaurant I got it from. When I tell them it’s a simple casserole I threw together, they always ask for the recipe. It’s one of the hidden gems in my collection.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Baked Spaghetti

Baked spaghetti in the crockpot sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does. Layers of spaghetti, meat sauce, cream cheese, and mozzarella all slow cook together into a rich, cheesy pasta situation that my kids consider one of the best dinners I make. If your family likes spaghetti, this version takes it to a completely different level.

The layering is what makes this special. The cream cheese softens and blends into the pasta and sauce as it cooks, creating a creaminess throughout that regular baked spaghetti simply doesn’t have. The mozzarella on top melts into a gooey, stretchy layer that makes every scoop feel indulgent and satisfying.

This is a great recipe for busy families because you can set it up in the morning and let it do its thing all day. By dinnertime you have a complete meal that’s been slowly perfecting itself for hours. Serve it with garlic bread and a salad and dinner is completely handled without any last-minute scrambling.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Lasagna Easy Dinner Recipe

I was skeptical about crockpot lasagna for an embarrassingly long time. Then I made it and realized I had been missing out. No boiling noodles, no layering in a hot pan, no timing gymnastics — just layers of lasagna in the crockpot that come out tender, cheesy, and completely delicious.

The noodles cook right in the crockpot, softening as they absorb the sauce and moisture from the meat and cheese layers. They don’t come out with crispy edges like oven lasagna does, but in exchange you get perfectly cooked noodles every time with essentially zero effort on a weeknight morning.

My family thinks I spent hours on this. I will never tell them the truth. This is my secret weapon dinner for nights when I want something that feels impressive but isn’t going to cost me more than ten minutes of actual work. Set-it-and-forget-it lasagna is real and it is genuinely wonderful.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole Recipe

Frozen ravioli, Italian sausage, jarred pasta sauce, and mozzarella — layered in the crockpot and cooked until everything is bubbling and hot and the cheese is perfectly melted. This might be the easiest four-ingredient dinner I make on a regular basis, and it tastes like something that took real effort.

The ravioli cooks right in the crockpot without any pre-boiling, which is one of my favorite things about this recipe. By the time it’s done, the pasta has absorbed some of the sauce and each ravioli is tender and full of flavor. The Italian sausage adds a savory richness that makes this feel like a hearty, complete meal.

On nights when I have absolutely no mental energy left for cooking, this is what I make. Layer it, turn it on, walk away. Dinner is handled. I am a genuine advocate for recipes that require minimal brainpower and still deliver a result that your family is happy about, and this one does exactly that.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe

Tuna noodle casserole has been feeding families for generations, and there’s a reason it never goes away — it’s cheap, fast, filling, and kid-friendly in a way that very few meals are. This version uses macaroni and cheese as the base, which makes it even easier and even more popular with the under-ten crowd.

Cream of celery soup, tuna, and peas mixed into mac and cheese, topped with crushed potato chips and baked until crispy and golden on top. The potato chip topping sounds like a gimmick but it absolutely isn’t — it adds crunch and salt and something fun that makes this casserole feel special rather than just practical.

This is a budget meal that doesn’t feel like one. I make it on weeks when I’m trying to keep grocery costs in check and it never feels like deprivation — it just feels like a cozy, familiar dinner that everyone eats happily. If you grew up on tuna casserole, this version will take you right back.

Get the full recipe here.

Walking Tacos

Walking tacos are exactly what they sound like — a bag of Doritos split open down the side and loaded with seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. You eat it with a fork right from the bag, and yes, it is every bit as fun as it sounds.

Kids absolutely lose their minds for walking tacos. There’s something about the eating experience — customizing your own bag, the Dorito-taco flavor combination, the novelty of eating out of a chip bag — that makes this dinner feel like an event. I make it on Friday nights when everyone’s in a good mood and nobody wants to do dishes.

Walking tacos are also endlessly customizable. Use Cool Ranch Doritos instead of Nacho Cheese for a different flavor spin, swap in refried beans for a vegetarian option, or set out a whole topping bar and let everyone go. It’s the most fun dinner in my regular rotation, no question.

Get the full recipe here.

Weeknight Deep-Dish Taco Squares Casserole Recipe

This taco squares casserole is a recipe I’ve been making for years and it has a certain nostalgic, old-school quality that I genuinely love. Bisquick crust, seasoned ground beef, a creamy sour cream layer, and plenty of cheese baked into squares that deliver everything taco night could be in easy casserole form.

The Bisquick crust bakes into something slightly bready and soft, like a deep-dish pizza crust but lighter and a little fluffier. The layers above it are all the familiar taco flavors — beef, cheese, tomato, sour cream — and the whole thing is sliced into squares and served topped with fresh lettuce and salsa.

This is a recipe that wins over picky eaters without much effort. The familiar taco flavors in a casserole format feel approachable and fun, and it’s one of those dinners that disappears fast. I’ve been making this since my oldest was little and it’s one of those family favorites that has genuinely stood the test of time.

Get the full recipe here.

Pork Shoulder Slow Cooker Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce

This is the recipe I make when I want dinner to feel genuinely special. Slow-cooked pork shoulder shredded and rolled into enchiladas, then smothered in a smoky, creamy poblano cream sauce that is unlike any enchilada sauce you’ve ever had from a jar. It tastes like something you’d order at a really exceptional Mexican restaurant.

The poblano cream sauce is what makes this dish memorable and completely worth making. Roasted poblano peppers blended with cream, garlic, and chicken broth into something luxuriously silky and full of subtle, smoky heat. Once you make this sauce you will find other things to put it on — it’s that good on its own.

Yes, this takes more effort than most of my weeknight recipes, but so much of it is hands-off slow cooker time. The active work is maybe 20-25 minutes total. If you have a weekend day to make the pork ahead of time, you can assemble the enchiladas on a weeknight and it becomes very manageable. Absolutely, completely worth it.

Get the full recipe here.

Taco Crescent Bake

Crescent roll dough pressed into the bottom of a baking dish, topped with seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, and Rotel, then baked until golden and bubbly — and then piled with crushed Doritos, lettuce, sour cream, and all your favorite taco toppings. Taco night reimagined in the best possible way.

The crescent roll base is buttery and soft and creates the perfect foundation for all those taco toppings. My kids are obsessed with this dinner because it hits all the same notes as taco night but somehow feels even more fun. The Doritos on top add crunch that makes every bite genuinely exciting.

This comes together in about 25 minutes from start to finish and tastes like you planned something really fun. I put it in the oven, set out the toppings in little bowls, and by the time it comes out everyone is gathered and ready and dinner is completely done. A weeknight winner, every time.

Get the full recipe here.

Steak Fajitas Restaurant Style

These steak fajitas taste exactly like what you’d get at your favorite Mexican restaurant, and they’re surprisingly achievable on a weeknight. Flat iron steak marinated in a bold combination of lime juice, garlic, cumin, and chili powder, then cooked hot and fast with colorful peppers and sweet onions until everything is perfectly caramelized and fragrant.

The marinade does most of the work here, and even an hour of marinating time makes a significant difference in the flavor and tenderness of the steak. If you have more time, marinate overnight — the result will be even better. The key to getting that restaurant-quality sear is a very hot pan and not overcrowding, so the meat sears rather than steams.

Set out warm tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, and let everyone build their own. There’s something about fajita night where the whole table feels lively and engaged and happy. This is one of those dinners that’s more than just food — it’s cheaper and honestly more fun than going out.

Get the full recipe here.

Mexican Shrimp Fajitas Recipe

Shrimp fajitas are one of those dinners that feels special and a little indulgent but comes together in about 15 minutes. Shrimp seasoned with cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and lime, cooked with colorful bell peppers and onions until everything is perfectly caramelized and fragrant. Gorgeous to look at and absolutely delicious to eat.

Shrimp cooks so fast that the active cooking time here is maybe eight to ten minutes once everything is prepped and your pan is hot. The trick is not to overcook the shrimp — they go from perfect to rubbery very quickly, so pull them the moment they’re pink and opaque. A hot pan and quick attention are all you need.

Serve these in warm flour tortillas with avocado, cotija cheese, a squeeze of fresh lime, and a little sour cream. This dinner looks stunning — the bright colors of the peppers and the pink shrimp make it genuinely beautiful on the plate. It’s the kind of meal that feels like a treat even on a regular Tuesday night.

Get the full recipe here.

Crockpot Enchilada Soup

All the flavors of enchiladas in a warm, filling soup that practically makes itself in the crockpot. Chicken, beans, corn, enchilada sauce, and chicken broth come together into something that smells so incredible cooking all day that you start getting genuinely hungry around 2pm and find yourself setting the table by 4.

This soup is deeply satisfying in a way that’s surprising for something this simple to put together. The enchilada sauce gives the broth a rich, slightly smoky flavor that makes the whole thing taste like real, made-from-scratch Mexican food. The beans add body and protein that make it filling enough to be a complete meal on its own.

I top mine with shredded Monterey Jack, a spoonful of sour cream, a handful of tortilla chips, and a few sliced jalapeños. Serve it with warm cornbread on the side and you have a dinner that is cozy, satisfying, and genuinely excellent. This one goes on the fall and winter rotation every year without question.

Get the full recipe here.

Sheet Pan Oven Quesadillas

Making quesadillas one at a time in a skillet while the rest of your family waits is a thing of the past once you discover oven quesadillas on a sheet pan. Line them up, bake, and have a whole batch ready at the same time. This method has completely transformed quesadilla night at our house and I will never go back.

The oven gives you a perfectly crisp, golden exterior on both sides without any flipping or babysitting. You can fit four to six quesadillas on a sheet pan at once and they’re all done at the same time, which means you actually get to eat with your family instead of standing at the stove for twenty minutes.

Use whatever fillings your family loves — cheese and chicken, black beans and corn, peppers and steak. The sheet pan method works for all of them. Set out sour cream, guacamole, and salsa and call it dinner. Fast, fun, and my kids request this one at least once a week.

Get the full recipe here.

Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole Dinner Recipe

Pork chops baked right on top of a creamy, cheesy hashbrown casserole — this is one-pan dinner at its most satisfying. Everything goes in the same baking dish, goes in the oven, and comes out an hour later as a complete meal. This is the kind of old-school casserole recipe that exists for a very good reason.

The hashbrown base is creamy and rich from cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and cheddar cheese, and as the pork chops bake on top, their juices drip down into the hashbrowns and add even more flavor. The pork comes out tender and the hashbrowns underneath are soft and creamy and completely indulgent.

This is a budget-friendly dinner that absolutely does not taste like one. Pork chops are affordable, frozen hashbrowns are affordable, and the whole thing makes a meal that feels hearty and substantial without any fuss. I’ve been making this for years and it remains one of my family’s most-requested dinners.

Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

If there’s one recipe that defines slow cooker cooking for me, it’s pot roast. A chuck roast with carrots, potatoes, and onions cooked low and slow all day in a savory broth until everything is fork-tender and the house smells like the best thing you’ve ever walked into — this is the recipe.

The key to perfect slow cooker pot roast is searing the beef first. It takes an extra five minutes but creates a crust that keeps the juices locked in and adds a depth of flavor to the braising liquid that you simply cannot get by skipping it. The resulting broth makes the most incredible natural gravy with no extra work required.

This is my Sunday dinner recipe, my cold-weather recipe, my “it’s been a rough week and we all need something warm and nourishing” recipe. It goes together in ten minutes in the morning and by dinnertime you have something genuinely beautiful on the table. One of the very best things I make, period.

Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Pulled pork from the slow cooker is one of the best bang-for-your-buck meals I know. A pork shoulder rubbed with a smoky, savory spice blend and slow cooked for eight to ten hours until it’s fall-apart tender and shreds with just two forks. Make it once and eat off it for days in a completely different way each time.

The first night it’s pulled pork sandwiches with coleslaw. The second night it’s BBQ nachos or loaded baked potatoes. The third time it appears it’s in quesadillas or tacos or fried rice. One slow cooker of pork can fuel an entire week of lunches and dinners, which makes it one of the most practical things I cook.

You need very little active time for this recipe — the rub takes five minutes, then the crockpot does all the work while you live your life. The meat is incredibly flavorful and moist, and it keeps beautifully in the refrigerator all week. This is the kind of recipe that makes you feel like you really have your act together.

Get the full recipe here.

Maid Rite Recipe in the Crock Pot

If you’re from Iowa, you already know exactly what a Maid Rite is and you’re already excited. If you’re not from here, let me introduce you: a loose meat sandwich where seasoned ground beef is spooned onto a hamburger bun and eaten like a sloppy joe but without any sauce. Simple, unpretentious, and completely delicious.

This crockpot version makes it even more hands-off. The ground beef simmers all day in a simple mixture of beef broth and seasonings, developing a deep, savory flavor you just can’t get from quickly browning it on the stove. The texture is perfectly crumbly and loose, exactly the way a Maid Rite should be.

My kids have loved these since they were little. We pile them on soft hamburger buns with mustard, pickles, and onions — very Iowa style — and the table gets quiet in the best way. If you’ve never had a loose meat sandwich, this is your gateway. You’ll understand immediately why it’s a Midwest classic.

Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker Pork Roast Dinner Recipe

This slow cooker pork roast in a balsamic-honey glaze is what I make when I want a dinner that feels elevated and impressive but requires almost no effort at all. The combination of balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, and thyme creates a glaze that is tangy, sweet, and deeply savory all at once — and it smells incredible.

A pork loin or pork shoulder goes in the crockpot with the glaze and slow cooks until it’s incredibly tender and infused with all those flavors. By the time it’s done, the glaze has reduced around it into something that’s almost like a concentrated sauce — rich and complex and really special on a plate.

This is the recipe I reach for when we have people over or when I want a dinner that feels like real effort on a night when I didn’t put in real effort. Serve it with mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables and the whole meal looks like something from a cooking show. The crockpot did most of the work; I just accepted the compliments.

Get the full recipe here.

Hot Ham and Cheese Rolls

These hot ham and cheese rolls are one of the easiest, most crowd-pleasing dinners in my whole collection. Hawaiian rolls stuffed with deli ham and sliced cheese, brushed with a simple butter mixture and baked until warm and golden and perfectly melty. Ten minutes of prep, twenty minutes in the oven, and everyone is extremely happy.

The butter mixture is what elevates these from just ham and cheese rolls to something really special — Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, and onion powder all mixed with melted butter and brushed generously over the tops before baking. As they cook, that butter soaks into the rolls and makes them rich and fragrant and impossible to resist.

My kids go absolutely crazy for these every single time. I’ve made them for regular Tuesday dinners, birthday parties, Super Bowl spreads, and potlucks, and they disappear instantly every time. If you have picky eaters in your house, make these. They will become instant fans.

Get the full recipe here.

Foil Packet Dinner: Shrimp Boil Packets

Everything you love about a shrimp boil — plump shrimp, andouille sausage, sweet corn, and red potatoes — packaged into individual foil packets and baked in the oven or on the grill. No big pot, no straining, no mess. Each person gets their own packet and the whole thing feels fun and festive even on a completely regular Tuesday.

The seasoning is everything here. Old Bay, garlic, butter, and a squeeze of lemon coat everything in the packet as it steams together. The corn absorbs the butter and seasoning, the shrimp stay perfectly tender, the sausage crisps slightly at the edges, and the potatoes cook through until soft. Every single element is exactly right.

This is a summer dinner staple at our house. I make it on the grill when the weather is nice and in the oven when it isn’t, and it’s perfect both ways. The zero cleanup is genuinely one of my favorite things about it — open the packets at the table, eat directly from them, throw away the foil. Nothing else to wash.

Get the full recipe here.

Easy Homemade Pizza Dough

Once you make your own pizza dough, going back to frozen pizza or delivery feels like a real step backward. This recipe is straightforward and reliable, and it produces a dough that bakes up with crispy edges, a chewy center, and a flavor that no frozen crust has ever come close to replicating.

Pizza night at our house has become one of my favorite family traditions, and it all started with this dough recipe. Everyone gets their own mini pizza to top however they want — which solves the “I don’t want that topping” problem permanently and makes dinner genuinely fun. Kids who help make their food eat their food, and this is the best example of that rule I know.

The dough comes together in about ten minutes and needs about an hour to rise, so plan ahead. The actual baking takes twelve to fifteen minutes at high heat, and what comes out is better than most pizza you could order. It’s one of those Friday night traditions that the whole family looks forward to all week long.

Get the full recipe here.

Homemade Baked Potato Soup Recipe

Thick, creamy, loaded baked potato soup topped with shredded cheddar, crispy bacon, sour cream, and green onions — this is the soup I make the second the temperature drops in the fall. It’s everything you want from a baked potato in a warm, comforting bowl, and I don’t stop making it until spring arrives.

The soup gets its creaminess from a combination of mashed potato chunks, heavy cream, and cheddar cheese. Some recipes come out too thin or too thick — this one hits exactly the right consistency. Creamy and velvety but still substantial enough to be a full meal rather than just a starter you eat before the real dinner.

My family requests this constantly from October through March. I serve it with warm rolls or crusty bread for dipping, and that combination is genuinely one of the coziest meals I know. If you love baked potatoes, this soup will become one of your most treasured cold-weather recipes.

Get the full recipe here.

Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup

This tortilla soup has been on my blog practically since the beginning, which tells you everything you need to know about how much I trust it. Chicken, black beans, corn, Rotel tomatoes, ranch dressing mix, and taco seasoning all dumped in the crockpot in the morning. By dinner you have a deeply flavorful, satisfying soup that tastes like way more effort than five minutes of prep.

The ranch dressing mix is what makes this recipe different from other tortilla soups. It’s not something you’d expect to see, but it works perfectly — it adds a subtle herbaceous depth to the broth that makes the whole thing taste complex and carefully seasoned even though you basically just opened some cans.

I top mine with crushed tortilla chips, shredded Monterey Jack, sour cream, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. The toppings are part of what makes this soup great — they add texture and freshness to the warm, hearty broth underneath. Make a big pot and eat it all week. It gets better the next day.

Get the full recipe here.

There you go — 50 dinners to pull from the next time your brain goes completely blank at 4:30pm. Bookmark this page, save your favorites, and come back whenever you need a fresh idea. If you make any of these I’d genuinely love to hear about it in the comments — and if you find a new family favorite in here, even better. That’s exactly why I put this list together. Happy cooking!

40 Unforgettable Crockpot and Slow Cooker Recipes

I didn’t become a crockpot person until I was a few years into motherhood and completely drowning in the 5 o’clock chaos — you know, that window where everyone is hungry, homework needs to happen, and you haven’t even thought about dinner yet.

A friend of mine made a pot roast one winter that had been going all day in her slow cooker and I remember standing in her kitchen thinking: I need this in my life immediately.

That was the start of something beautiful. I’d be lying if I said my crockpot wasn’t the most-used appliance in my kitchen by a mile. It’s done more for my sanity as a working mom than I can even put into words. I dump stuff in before work, and dinner is just… there. Done. Like magic, except it’s not magic, it’s just low and slow heat and a little bit of planning.

I’ve made every single recipe in this roundup. Some of them I’ve been making for years. Some became instant favorites the first time I made them. I’ve pulled together 40 of my very best crockpot and slow cooker recipes including dinners, soups, sides, dips, desserts, and even a drink — so you’ve got everything you need in one spot. Bookmark this page. You’re going to come back to it a lot.

Slow Cooker Beef Recipes

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is the recipe that started it all for me, honestly. Chuck roast, carrots, potatoes, a couple of packets — and eight hours later you have a dinner that tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen. My husband still requests this almost every week from October through March. Get the recipe here.

Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot Dinner Recipe

Creamy, rich, and the kind of meal that makes everyone go quiet at the dinner table because they’re too busy eating to talk. Serve this over egg noodles and just try not to go back for seconds. Spoiler: you won’t be able to. Get the recipe here.

Beef Stroganoff in Crock Pot

This is a slightly different take on my stroganoff using golden mushroom soup and cream cheese for a sauce that is just *chef’s kiss*. When I can’t decide which version to make, I honestly just make both. No regrets. Get the recipe here.

Simple Crock Pot Beef and Noodles Recipe

Growing up in the Midwest, beef and noodles is practically a love language. This version uses chuck roast cooked until it falls apart, then tossed with thick Reames egg noodles. Pure nostalgia in a bowl — and my kids devour it every single time. Get the recipe here.

Shredded Beef Enchiladas: Crock Pot Dinner

The slow cooker does 90% of the work here — all you have to do is roll the beef into tortillas and top with sauce and cheese. We make these on taco nights when I want something a little more special than the usual, and they never disappoint. Get the recipe here.

Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

Shredded beef, peppers, onions, provolone — all the good stuff from your favorite Philly cheesesteak, minus the trip to a restaurant. Load it onto hoagie buns and call it done. This one is a serious crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe here.

Maid Rite Recipe in the Crock Pot

If you’re from Iowa, you already know. If you’re not — a Maid Rite is a loose meat sandwich and it is everything. This crockpot version is so easy and makes a huge batch. Perfect for feeding a crowd or just feeding my family twice this week, no judgment. Get the recipe here.

French Dip Crock Pot Dinner Recipe

The au jus from this recipe alone is worth making it. Tender slow-cooked chuck roast on hoagie rolls with provolone, dipped into that savory broth — my husband says this is one of his top five dinners I make. High praise considering the competition. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Beef Barley Soup Recipe

There’s something about beef barley soup on a cold Iowa day that just hits differently. Stew meat, barley, vegetables, and the most gorgeous rich broth — this one takes all day and is worth every hour of it. Get the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Hawaiian Chicken Recipe

Sweet, sticky, and the whole family fights over the last serving — this pineapple-soy glazed chicken is one of my most-made recipes, full stop. Serve it over white rice and dinner is on the table in about two minutes of actual work. Get the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta

It’s called crack chicken for a reason and I am not going to pretend otherwise. Cheesy, ranch-flavored, creamy chicken pasta that my kids ask for literally every week. I’ve made this more times than I can count and I still look forward to it every single time. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

Ranch seasoning, cream cheese, bacon, and shredded chicken — pile it onto a bun and try to stop at one. This recipe gets made at least twice a month at our house, and for good reason. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and everyone inhales it. Get the recipe here.

Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches Easy Dinner Recipe

Three ingredients. That’s it. Chicken, cream cheese, and Frank’s Buffalo Sauce — and what comes out is the most insanely good shredded chicken for sandwiches, wraps, or honestly just eaten straight from the pot. No shame. Get the recipe here.

Pulled Chicken Recipe for Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

My go-to for taco Tuesday when I remembered at 7am that I hadn’t planned dinner. Chicken, taco seasoning, Rotel — into the crockpot it goes. By dinner you’ve got the most flavorful shredded chicken for tacos, quesadillas, rice bowls, whatever. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili Recipe

White chicken chili with great northern beans and a creamy broth — this is one of those soups that feels lighter than regular chili but is still totally filling and satisfying. I serve it with cornbread and it’s a complete meal that everyone in my family actually likes. That alone makes it a winner. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili Dinner Recipe

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Chicken, peppers, onions, taco seasoning — low and slow all day until everything is tender and fragrant and your whole house smells like a restaurant. Just warm up some tortillas and dinner is done. My kids pile these high with all the toppings. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Pasta & Casseroles

Crockpot Lasagna Easy Dinner Recipe

I was skeptical about crockpot lasagna for an embarrassingly long time. Then I made it. No boiling noodles, no fussing with layers in a hot oven, and the result is bubbling cheesy lasagna that my family thinks I slaved over. I’ll never tell them the truth. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Baked Spaghetti

Layers of pasta, meat sauce, cream cheese, and mozzarella all cooked low and slow together into this gloriously cheesy baked spaghetti situation. If your kids are picky eaters, make this. It works every single time. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole Recipe

Frozen ravioli + Italian sausage + jarred pasta sauce = one of the easiest dinners you will ever put on the table. I am a big fan of recipes that require almost no brainpower, and this is absolutely one of them. Dump it in and walk away. Get the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Soups & Stews

Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup Dinner Recipe

This tortilla soup has been on my blog since basically the beginning and it has never stopped being a staple in my rotation. Chicken, beans, corn, Rotel, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix — dump and go. The toppings are half the fun, so don’t skip the sour cream and chips. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Enchilada Soup

Everything you love about enchiladas in soup form, with way less effort. This is one of those dinners that smells so good cooking all day that you start getting hungry for it around 2pm. Serve it with warm tortilla chips and a lime wedge. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Side Dishes

Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes

Ask me what I bring to every potluck and holiday dinner and the answer is always going to be these cheesy potatoes. Creamy hashbrowns, cheese, sour cream — cooked in the crockpot so I’m not even stressing about oven space. They disappear before anything else on the table. Get the recipe here.

How to Make Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

I know it sounds too simple to even be a recipe, but this changed my life a little bit. Perfect fluffy baked potatoes made in the crockpot — no foil, no oven. Frees up so much space when you’re making a big dinner. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Dips & Appetizers

Easy Queso Crockpot Dip Recipe

Hot, melty queso that stays warm all party long because it’s sitting right there in your crockpot. This is the only way I make queso for a crowd anymore. Set it out with a bag of chips and watch it disappear in about ten minutes. Get the recipe here.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Crock Pot Recipe

My all-time favorite party dip, made even better because the crockpot keeps it perfectly warm and melty the entire time your guests are there. No more cold, congealed dip halfway through the party — just creamy, cheesy perfection from start to finish. Get the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This is one of those recipes that makes you feel like a genius. A pork roast, barbecue sauce, and a handful of seasonings go into the slow cooker and come out as the most tender, flavorful pulled pork that works on sandwiches, nachos, baked potatoes, pizza — literally everything. Get the recipe here.

Slow Cooker Pork Roast Dinner Recipe

A balsamic and honey glaze makes this pork roast anything but ordinary. It’s one of those dinners that looks and tastes impressive but the crockpot did literally all the work. I love recipes that make me look like I tried harder than I did. Get the recipe here.

Pork Shoulder Slow Cooker Enchiladas with Poblano Cream Sauce

This one is a step up from your average weeknight enchilada. The pork cooks all day and practically shreds itself, and that poblano cream sauce? It’s smoky, creamy, and honestly something I could eat with a spoon. A little extra effort on the sauce is absolutely worth it. Get the recipe here.

Pork Shoulder Slow Cooker Recipe

The beauty of a good slow cooker pork shoulder is that you make it once and eat it three different ways. Tacos Monday, rice bowls Tuesday, sandwiches Wednesday. I call this “cooking once, eating like a queen all week.” Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Desserts & Candy

Two Hour Crockpot Lava Cake Dessert Recipe

Warm, gooey chocolate cake in the crockpot — two hours and it’s done. I serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and everyone at the table acts like I did something extraordinary. The secret is that it basically made itself. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe

Fall in a crockpot, basically. Pumpkin, cake mix, butter, and caramel cooked together into the coziest, most delicious warm dessert. Serve it with whipped cream and eat it outside by a fire pit if you can. If not, your couch works too. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Apple Crisp Recipe

Tender cinnamon apples under a buttery, golden crisp topping — this apple crisp in the crockpot is such an easy fall dessert. I make it on Sunday afternoons when the house is starting to feel like autumn and we want something warm to eat while watching football. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Three ingredients, no candy thermometer, no fuss. These chocolate peanut clusters basically make themselves in the crockpot and look gorgeous on a holiday treat tray. I make multiple batches every December and give them as gifts. People think I’m so thoughtful. I just have a crockpot. Get the recipe here.

Chocolate Turtles Crockpot Candy

Chocolate, caramel, pecans — classic turtle candy made in the crockpot. These look like they came from a fancy candy shop and they’re so easy it almost feels like cheating. Make a double batch because they will be gone faster than you think. Get the recipe here.

White Chocolate Crockpot Candy Recipe

White chocolate and peanuts melted together in the slow cooker — simple, inexpensive, and makes a massive batch. This is what I bring to every holiday cookie exchange and people always ask me for the recipe. When I tell them how easy it is, they don’t quite believe me. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Chocolate Almond Clusters

These are a step up from the peanut clusters — raw almonds in a three-chocolate blend that looks genuinely fancy and requires basically zero skill to pull off. A great option if you want to gift something that looks like you bought it at a chocolatier. Get the recipe here.

Crock Pot Chocolate Covered Cashew Clusters

Buttery cashews, rich chocolate, three ingredients total. My sister-in-law requested these specifically for Christmas this year and honestly I was flattered. They’re that good — and they honestly couldn’t be simpler to make. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Candy Dr. Seuss Grinch Cookies

Green crockpot candy clusters topped with a little candy heart — the most fun holiday treat in this whole roundup, hands down. My kids make these with me every December and honestly I enjoy it just as much as they do. They look adorable on a cookie tray. Get the recipe here.

Crockpot Drinks

Crockpot Hot Chocolate

Made with real chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream — this crockpot hot chocolate is the real deal. Not a packet in sight. I make this for holiday parties and it stays warm all night in the crockpot. People have asked me if I bought it from somewhere. That’s always a good sign. Get the recipe here.

Alright, there you have it — 40 crockpot and slow cooker recipes that have all been tested in my actual kitchen, eaten by my actual family, and made over and over again because they’re just that good. Whether you’re a crockpot veteran or you just pulled yours out of the back of the cabinet after a year of ignoring it (no judgment, we’ve all been there) — I hope this list gives you plenty to work with.

If you make any of these, come find me over on Coupon please come back and let me know how it went! And pin your favorites to save for later — you’re going to want to come back to this list on a busy Tuesday when you have zero dinner ideas and a crockpot just sitting there waiting to save the day.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Three ingredients — butter, heavy cream, parmesan — cooked together for 10 minutes and you have a sauce that’s richer and better than anything from a jar. This is the alfredo sauce our family makes on repeat.

It comes together faster than the pasta cooks, and it’s genuinely restaurant quality.

Why This One Works for Real Life

This is one of those recipes that’s been on our family’s meal plan on rotation for years. We’re big fans of fettuccine alfredo — my husband especially — and once I figured out how simple the real sauce is to make at home, jarred alfredo never made it into the cart again.

Three ingredients, 15 minutes, and you have something that tastes like a restaurant made it. We’ve switched to penne over the years because it’s easier for the kids to eat, but fettuccine is still the classic and it’s genuinely hard to go wrong either way.

Ingredient Breakdown

Salted Butter (1/4 cup)

The fat base of the sauce. Use real, salted butter — not unsalted, not margarine.

The salt in salted butter does the seasoning work without any measuring. Melt it on medium-low and stay close.

I’ve browned butter by walking away to check on the pasta and had to start over. It only takes a minute to turn.

Heavy Whipping Cream (1 cup)

Don’t substitute half-and-half or regular milk here — this is the ingredient people swap trying to lighten the recipe and then wonder why the sauce breaks. Heavy cream has the fat content (36%+) to reduce and hold together.

Thinner cream won’t thicken the same way and can curdle on you. This is not the place to cut corners.

Grated Parmesan Cheese (3/4 cup)

Skip the powdered canister parmesan. I know it’s tempting because it’s already in the pantry, but the anti-caking agents prevent it from melting smoothly and you get a grainy, chalky sauce that can’t be fixed.

Freshly grated or refrigerated shredded parmesan is what makes this sauce silky. It’s worth the extra 30 seconds to grate it.

How to Make It

A key tip before you start: This sauce comes together fast. Have your pasta boiling, your chicken cooked, your table set, and everything else ready before you begin.

Once the sauce is done, it needs to go directly on the pasta.

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Don’t walk away — butter goes from melted to brown fast and you’ll smell it before you see it.
2. Add the heavy whipping cream. Whisk and heat until it comes to a gentle rolling boil. It’ll take a couple minutes — you’re looking for small, steady bubbles, not a hard boil.
3. Add the parmesan cheese. Whisk consistently for about 10 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. This is the step people rush and shouldn’t — stop whisking too soon and the sauce stays thin and the parmesan can clump.
4. Remove from heat and let stand for 3-5 minutes. It will look runny right off the stove — that’s normal and it tricks people into overcooking it. Give it a few minutes and it tightens up.
5. Pour over cooked, drained pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions

This sauce works on any pasta shape, but here’s what works best:

• Fettuccine — the classic; the wide noodles hold the sauce well
• Penne — our family’s current favorite; easier to serve and eat, especially for kids
• Grilled chicken on top — slice chicken breast seasoned with McCormick’s Montreal Chicken seasoning and lay it over the plated pasta
• Shrimp — sauteed shrimp with garlic and butter is the other classic pairing

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Store leftover sauce (or pasta already dressed with sauce) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Warm in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of heavy cream or milk, whisking as it heats. Don’t microwave at high heat — the sauce can break and turn greasy.

Low and slow with added liquid keeps it smooth.

Freezing: Not recommended. Cream-based sauces separate when frozen and thawed, leaving a broken, oily texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my alfredo sauce too thin?

Don’t panic yet — let it rest off the heat for 3-5 minutes first. It looks runny right off the stove and thickens significantly as it sits.

That’s normal. If it’s still thin after resting, it didn’t reduce long enough.

Put it back on low heat and whisk for another 2-3 minutes.

Why is my alfredo sauce grainy?

Almost always the parmesan. Powdered canister parmesan doesn’t melt cleanly — the anti-caking agents stay gritty no matter how long you whisk.

The other cause is heat too high when you add the cheese, which makes the proteins seize. Use freshly grated or refrigerated shredded parmesan and keep the heat at medium-low.

Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?

Technically yes, but I’d push back on it. Lower fat content means the sauce is thinner, more prone to breaking, and less rich.

If that’s what you have, it’ll work — just keep the heat lower and expect a looser result. Heavy cream is really the right ingredient for this sauce and the difference is noticeable.

Can I add garlic?

Yes, and I often do. Saute 1-2 minced cloves in the butter before adding the cream.

It’s not traditional alfredo but it’s delicious and the garlic flavor works well with the sauce. Just don’t let it brown before the cream goes in.

How much pasta does this sauce cover?

4-5 cups of cooked pasta (about 4 servings). For a bigger batch, double it — the ratios hold.

One tip: save a cup of pasta water before draining. Add a splash to loosen the sauce if it thickens too fast once it hits the pasta.

Is this the same as Olive Garden’s alfredo?

Very close. Olive Garden uses the same cream-butter-parmesan base.

Their version is richer because of the ratio. This gets you 90% of the way there in 15 minutes with ingredients you probably already have.

My husband thinks it’s better. I’m not going to argue with him.

Related Recipes

• Chicken Bacon Fettuccine Alfredo Casserole — baked pasta with alfredo, bacon, and chicken
• Crockpot Ravioli Casserole — another easy pasta dinner, hands-off in the slow cooker
• Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff — creamy pasta-based dinner in the slow cooker
• Chili’s Chicken Crispers — great protein to slice over this pasta
• Crock Pot Beef and Noodles — another hearty pasta-style dinner on the rotation

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Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Simple homemade Alfredo sauce made with salted butter, heavy whipping cream, and Parmesan cheese.

Course Dinner

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Rest Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Kate Sorensen

Equipment

• Saucepan
• Whisk

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup salted butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• cooked pasta for serving

Instructions

Instructions

• Melt the salted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stay close so it does not brown.
• Add the heavy whipping cream and whisk until it reaches a gentle rolling boil.
• Add the Parmesan cheese and whisk consistently for about 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
• Remove from heat and let the sauce stand for 3 to 5 minutes so it tightens up.
• Pour over cooked, drained pasta and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

Use heavy whipping cream, not milk or half-and-half, so the sauce thickens and stays smooth. Skip powdered Parmesan because it can make the sauce grainy. Have the pasta ready before starting because the sauce comes together quickly. Let the sauce stand for a few minutes off heat before judging the thickness.

Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

You put round steak, peppers, onions, and an Italian seasoning packet into the crock pot in the morning. Your meat will be fork-tender and loaded with flavor in eight hours. Pile the meat into hoagie buns, place two slices of provolone on top, and broil it for two minutes.

Philly cheese steak sandwiches with no hands-on time.

Why This One Works on Busy Days

Deep, robust flavors will surprise anyone who thinks that slow cooker dinners are always the same boring thing. The Italian seasoning packet will feel like cheating, but it will taste like you put in a lot of effort.

I started making this in fall when I bring out the slow cookers for the season, and it has remained in the rotation ever since. Six sandwiches and almost no effort in the afternoon, plus the leftovers are actually good the next day. It’s hard to argue with that.

What We Eat These With

• French fries or potato wedges — the classic cheesesteak side; bake a frozen bag while the sandwiches are under the broiler
• Simple coleslaw — creamy coleslaw adds crunch and cuts the richness of the beef and cheese
• Soup — tomato soup or French onion alongside a half sandwich is a great cold-weather pairing

How It Keeps and What to Do With Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store the cooked meat and vegetable mixture (without the buns or assembled sandwiches) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the buns and cheese stored separately.

Reheating: To warm the mixture, place it in a saucepan and heat it on medium-low, or microwave the mixture for 60 second intervals until warm. Don't reheat the assembled sandwiches; assemble and broil them fresh.

Freezer: The meat mixture can be frozen for 3 months; cool fully and then freeze in a zip-top bag, removing as much air as possible. To serve, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat.

Crock Pot Philly Cheese Steak FAQ

Do I have to brown the meat first?

I would disagree on skipping it. Browning only takes about five minutes and adds so much flavor — color, depth, the toasted edges that survive the long braise — that you won’t get from a raw roast just going straight into the slow cooker.

If you have time constraints, it can still work without the time window, but if you can spare five minutes in the morning, use them here.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Certainly. Chuck roast is a great alternative — it has more fat marbling and shreds even easier after 8 hours. Flank steak does work but cooks faster; check it at 6 hours. Round steak is the original choice because it is cheap, and the long braise handles the toughness.

Chuck roast is my number one choice for tenderness. All of them work with this seasoning.

What if I don’t have Italian dressing mix?

You could try ranch seasoning, it will change the flavor some but could work. Just mix together 1 teaspoon of each garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried basil, plus 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar. It will be close, but not exact.

Can I cook this on high instead of low?

Yes, cook on high for 4-5 hours. For tough, connective tissue in round steak to break down properly, low and slow is preferred. However, high for 4-5 hours does work if you need dinner quicker.

What cheese is most authentic?

In Philadelphia, the classic option is American cheese or Cheez Whiz — not provolone. American melts the smoothest and is the easiest to use under the broiler. Provolone has become the most common home-cook choice and it's what I use. Use whichever you like best; the beef is the star either way.

Can I make this for a crowd?

Certainly! Just double the recipe and use a 6-quart crockpot or larger. You can keep the meat warm on the low setting and let guests make their own sandwiches. This slow cooker option is perfect for game days or casual get-togethers. You do all the work before anyone arrives!

Other Slow Cooker Beef Dinners Worth Making

• Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes — ground beef version of the Philly flavors, faster to make on a weeknight
• Philly Cheese Steak Sliders — same flavors in a smaller format, perfect for parties
• Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches — another slow cooker beef sandwich, with au jus for dipping
• Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff — creamy slow cooker beef over egg noodles
• Slow Cooker Crack Chicken Pasta — cheesy ranch chicken pasta cooked entirely in the slow cooker

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Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot Recipe

Slow cooker sliced beef with peppers, onion, Italian dressing seasoning, provolone, and hoagie buns.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword philly cheese steak crock pot, slow cooker cheesesteak

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6 sandwiches

Author Kate

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 to 3 pounds beef round steak sliced thin
• 2 green peppers sliced thin
• 1 onion sliced thin
• 1 envelope dry Italian dressing mix
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 3 teaspoons garlic salt
• 6 hoagie buns
• 12 slices provolone cheese

Instructions

• Spray the crock pot with cooking spray.
• Cut beef round steak into thin slices and brown briefly in a hot pan for color.
• Add browned beef, green peppers, onion, beef stock, garlic salt, black pepper, and Italian dressing mix to the crock pot. Stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours, until beef is tender.
• Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
• Spoon the beef and vegetable mixture onto sliced hoagie buns.
• Top each sandwich with 2 slices of provolone cheese, overlapping as needed.
• Bake at 350°F or broil on low for a few minutes, just until the cheese melts.
• Serve warm.

Notes

Brown the beef briefly before slow cooking if you have time; it adds more flavor than adding raw beef straight to the crock pot. Use a slotted spoon when filling buns so they do not get soggy. The beef mixture can be made a day ahead and reheated before assembling sandwiches. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

When I need dinner taken care of without standing at the stove, I make this crockpot ravioli casserole. Just four ingredients — layer and walk away. Come back to something that feels like a complete meal.

That’s the whole essence of it. It’s lasagna without the work.

The Dinner That Makes Life Easier

To be honest, I didn't think it was going to be that great the first time I made this. I was throwing something quick together because I had very little prep done and a lot going on.

I prepared a bag of frozen ravioli, a jar of sauce, leftover sausage from the weekend, and the remainder of a bag of mozzarella. I thought it would be alright. It was more than alright. My family went back for seconds, and they asked what I did differently.

Now it's one of those recipes for which I keep the ingredients on purpose. The frozen Ravioli lives in my freezer. Knowing it's there means dinner is always taken care of.

How to Make Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

First, brown the sausage in a skillet. As it cooks, be sure to break it up so that you don't end up with large chunks in any of the layers. Drain the grease well. If you don't, the entire casserole will be greasy.

Before you start layering your ingredients, spray the crockpot insert. Melted cheese can harden and stick, especially around the edges. Clean up is way easier with it greased first.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom to cover it. This keeps the ravioli from sticking and adds moisture to the bottom layer.

Add some of the frozen ravioli so they are spread out evenly. Next, add some of the sausage and a layer of mozzarella. Repeat: sauce, ravioli, sausage, cheese.

Cover and cook on low for 3.5 hours or high for 1 hour 45 minutes. If your crockpot runs hot, start checking toward the short end of that range.

When looking for ravioli, you want it to be tender, with cheese that is fully melted throughout, and layers that look set when you dip in. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes before serving — it firms up and scoops much more easily after a short rest.

What to Serve With It (and Who to Bring It To)

This is a good meal by itself but some garlic bread or some rolls to dip in the sauce makes it perfect. A simple green salad on the side is a good complement to the meal, and can be made without much extra effort.

This is also a wonderful recipe to gift. It travels well, feeds an entire family, and doesn't require any explaining. Pack some bread with it for the complete meal. Perfect for after a new baby, a surgery, or during a rough week.

Five Ways to Change the Recipe

Include spinach. The simplest way to add a vegetable is frozen chopped spinach. Just remember to defrost it and squeeze out all the water. If you don't, it will make the casserole watery.

You can change the protein here. Options include ground beef, ground turkey, or shredded rotisserie chicken. Note that rotisserie chicken is an easy option but will provide less flavor than sausage. Be sure to use a good sauce. If you use ground beef or turkey, make sure to add Italian seasoning and garlic powder to make up the difference.

Make it meatless. You can leave the meat out and add extra cheese, or do spinach-and-cheese ravioli. Still filling and works as a full dinner.

Blend the cheese. A mix of mozzarella and provolone will melt nicely and create an awesome cheese pull on the top.

Make it creamier. Stir a few tablespoons of cream cheese into the sauce before layering. This will make the entire dish richer and more similar to baked pasta.

How It Keeps and How to Reheat It

Cover your leftovers and leave them in the fridge for as long as three days. In fact, the taste may improve after sitting for a day or two.

Use the microwave to reheat single servings. If it looks dry, add about a teaspoon of sauce, or a little bit of water, to it before heating. For larger portions, cover it with foil and keep it in the oven until it’s heated through. The oven should be set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can prepare the sausage and refrigerate it ahead of time, but you should put the layers together just before you cook it. If the frozen ravioli sit in the sauce for too long before being cooked, the pasta will soften too early and it will not have good texture.

Three Ways to Use What’s Left

Lunch is the next day? No problem! Just reheat it with some added water or sauce. It's as good as fresh! My kids have been skeptical so I served it straight from the fridge to them and surprisingly got zero complaints.

Pasta Bake! Dump your leftover pasta into an oven-safe dish. Add some extra sauce and sprinkle some mozza on top. Bake at 375° F for 20 minutes, and it gets a bit crispy on the edges. And it makes your dinner feel different!

Pasta Soup. Grab the leftovers and put them in a pot. Add in chicken or beef broth and warm it up on the stove. You can also toss in some spinach or extra diced tomatoes. The casserole now transforms into a thick and hearty noodle soup. Sometimes my kids even ask for it this way.

One Note on the Slow Cooker and Sauce

A slow cooker that is 6 quarts is the ideal size for this recipe! It is large enough to handle two full layers without needing to squish anything. The 6 quart programmable model from Crock-Pot is great because it will switch to warm when the cook time ends. This is great if you're not home exactly on time.

The brand of the sauce actually does matter more than you might think for a four ingredient recipe. Rao's marinara is one of the thicker and more flavorful options. The thickness is what keeps this casserole from becoming watery. This is the one upgrade you can make that will actually make a difference.

How to Make It Lighter

Instead of Italian sausage, try using lean ground turkey with some Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and a dash of fennel. As for the cheese, use part-skim mozzarella and you'll get the cheesy top and it still melts, but with less fat than whole milk mozzarella.

Adding a layer of frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) between layers increases the amount of vegetables without altering the flavor significantly.

Crockpot Ravioli FAQ

Can I use fresh ravioli instead of frozen?

I would pass on that. Fresh ravioli gets too soft and tends to fall apart before the casserole is done. Frozen ravioli hold up much better throughout the cooking time.

Do I have to brown the sausage first?

Yes; it has to be completely cooked before going in. Otherwise, you end up with unbalanced texture and grease sitting in the casserole.

Can I cook this on high instead of low?

Sure. In high, it's 1 hour and 45 minutes. In low, it's 3.5 hours. I like low when I have enough time because the texture is better. But high is good when you want dinner sooner.

Why is my casserole watery?

Its typically one of two issues. The sauce could be too thin or the ravioli could have thawed before being placed in the dish. Try using a thicker sauce and keep the ravioli frozen until you are ready to layer.

Can I double this recipe?

Provided that your crockpot is big enough. A 6-quart is perfect for this recipe, but don't overfill it, otherwise the middle won't cook properly.

Other Easy Dinners Worth Having in Rotation

• Lazy Crock Pot Lasagna — another slow cooker pasta dinner that’s every bit as easy
• Crock Pot Goulash — hearty, cheesy ground beef pasta ready in a few hours with almost no hands-on time
• Funeral Potatoes — the ultimate cheesy potato side dish for when you need something that makes people happy
• Crock Pot Beef and Noodles — tender beef slow-cooked until it falls apart, tossed with egg noodles
• Crockpot Lasagna — the full lasagna treatment in the slow cooker

Feel free to share your comments about the dish after making this crockpot ravioli casserole. If you made any changes by substituting the protein or adding different veggies, I'm interested in what you did!

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Crockpot Ravioli Casserole

Lazy slow cooker ravioli casserole layered with frozen ravioli, browned Italian sausage, pasta sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Rest Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Kate Sorensen

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Skillet

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 20 ounces frozen ravioli
• 24 ounces pasta sauce
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

Instructions

• Brown the Italian sausage in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles. Drain well.
• Spray the slow cooker insert with cooking spray.
• Spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the slow cooker.
• Layer half the frozen ravioli, half the sausage, sauce, and mozzarella. Repeat layers one more time.
• Cover and cook on low for about 3 1/2 hours or high for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until ravioli is tender and cheese is melted.
• Let sit for about 10 minutes before serving so the layers scoop cleanly.

Notes

Use frozen ravioli, not fresh, so it holds up in the slow cooker. Brown and drain the sausage first so the casserole does not get greasy. Grease the crockpot insert because melted cheese sticks around the edges. Rest briefly before serving for cleaner scoops.

Crock Pot Maid Rites (Iowa Loose Meat Sandwiches)

My whole life has been spent in Iowa, meaning I've always eaten Maid Rites. Not as a special occasion or as a road trip novelty to be explored. I've eaten them for Tuesday lunches, post-football-game stops, and even at my birthday parties.

A Maid Rite is an example of what's called a "loose meat sandwich." Exceptionally seasoned ground beef that is slow cooked to be as tender and juicy as possible, and cooked to a consistency that is almost impossible to achieve. The bottom is topped with beef, and then topped with mustard, ketchup, and pickles. That's all, no tomato, no sauce, no peppers, and no onion soup mix. Just sauce that beef needs no hiding behind.

There really is a Maid Rite restaurant chain that has been an Iowa institution since 1926. The original recipe is a secret and franchisees sign NDAs. Iowans have been attempting to reverse engineer it for decades. This is my attempt at a crockpot recipe, and after years of making this, I believe it is as close as a home cook can get to the original.

Loose Meat vs. Sloppy Joe: Not the Same Thing

If you've never had a Loose Meat Sandwich before, many assume that it's just a sloppy joe without the sauce. But, that is a common mistake. It's not.

Sloppy Joes are sweet and centered around tomatoes — the sauce is the most important part. Loose meat sandwiches focus more on the meat. The texture, the seasoning, and the way it's cooked low and slow so every little crumb is just bursting with flavor.

The other major difference is in texture. Maid Rite style loose meat is genuinely loose. The meat has a fine and almost fluffy texture. No piece of meat is larger than a small pea. This is the result of cooking raw beef slowly in some liquid and constantly breaking the meat up. The meat, in essence, is braised apart.

And without any sauce holding it together, it allows the meat to fall out of the bun. This isn't a flaw, it's the entire point. Iowans eat Maid Rites using a fork or just lean over the wax paper wrapper. It's a beautiful mess.

Why the Timing Works

• The combination of beef and chicken base is the key. Using both gives the meat that layered, savory depth that one-note recipes miss. Don’t substitute regular bouillon cubes — the paste-style base gives you more control over the salt level and dissolves more evenly.
• Brown sugar and vinegar balance the savory. Just a little sweetness and a little acid rounds out the flavor. It’s what keeps this from tasting like basic seasoned ground beef — there’s something going on underneath that you can’t quite name, and it’s these two.
• Cooking with the lid off concentrates everything. After the first hour covered, you remove the lid so the liquid can evaporate. The meat braises in its own juices and gets more flavorful as it goes. This step is non-negotiable.
• It scales up easily. Double everything for a crowd. Keep it in the slow cooker on warm and let people serve themselves. I’ve made quadruple batches for graduation parties and never had leftovers.

What Each Ingredient Does (and Why This List Is This List)

Ground Beef

Use 90/10 or 93/7 lean ground beef. When you use fatty ground beef in the slow cooker for over three hours, it creates a lot of rendered fat that sits with the cooking liquid. That fat doesn't evaporate — it just gives the meat a greasy feeling and not the juicy feeling you want. With lean ground beef, you get moisture from the braising liquid without the fats.

You put the beef in raw and uncooked – no need to do any browning first. Remember that browning creates a crust. Crust is the exact opposite of what you want here. The goal is for the beef to slowly break down in the liquid instead of having a seared exterior.

Beef Base AND Chicken Base

This is the trick that almost all copycat recipes get wrong. When a recipe calls for only beef base, it gives a one-dimensional savory flavor to the dish. Yes, it is rich, but it is also flat. Beef base combined with chicken base has a more complex taste because the chicken base adds a lightness and brightness. Together, they create something that tastes layered and almost restaurant-quality.

Look for Better Than Bouillon beef and chicken bases. If possible, get the low-sodium versions — the regular versions can make the finished meat really salty once the liquid cooks down and concentrates.

Apple Cider Vinegar

A tablespoon and a half may seem like a lot, but after three-plus hours of cooking, it mellows out a lot. It also helps to lighten the richness of the beef and the bases so the whole thing doesn't feel heavy. Nobody's going to take a bite of this and think "vinegar." I think they're going to think, "this is really good, why is this so good?"

Brown Sugar

Combines with the vinegar to create balance. Some sweet, some acid, and a lot of savory is what makes food taste complex instead of one-note. Don't swap with white sugar — the molasses in brown sugar adds a subtle depth white sugar lacks.

Worcestershire and Soy Sauce

Both sauces are umami bombs. Worcestershire is tangy and has a depth that is slightly fermented. Soy sauce is just savory and salty. Along with the beef and chicken base, they layer the savory flavor from multiple angles. None of the flavors can be singled out, but you'd certainly miss one if it weren't there.

Dried Minced Onion

As the cooking liquid absorbs the onions, they tend to merge with the meat and become invisible. You’re left with the flavor — but without any unnaturally large pieces of onion. It's a good thing, because the aim is an evenly distributed texture. If fresh onion is your choice, make sure to chop it really finely.

What to Know Before You Start

Your total planning time should be around 3-4 hours: 1 hour on high, and 2 ½ to 3 hours on low with the lid off. This is an active enough slow cooker recipe that you want to be home to stir and break up any remaining chunks.

Meat is finished cooking when the liquid is reduced and the beef is mashed into a moisture-holding synapse level of crumbling, soupy or otherwise. If you think that after three hours of being uncovered, there is still too much liquid, cook it an additional thirty minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs lean ground beef, uncooked
• 1 cup warm water
• ¾ tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1½ tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• ¾ teaspoon low-sodium beef base (Better Than Bouillon)
• ¾ teaspoon low-sodium chicken base (Better Than Bouillon)
• 1½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ¾ tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, ketchup, mustard, pickles for serving

How to Make Iowa Loose Meat Sandwiches

Configure your slow cooker to high. As you add the beef, break it up into pieces about the size of a golf ball — you want the liquid seasoning to circulate around the meat, but don't worry about fully crumbling it just yet.

MIX SEASONING LIQUID. In a separate cup, mix the warm water, onion seasoning, brown sugar, beef and chicken bases, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Then, pour the mixture over the beef and stir.

Cook covered, for 1 hour on high. The beef would have cooked through and turned grayish-brown throughout. It'll still be in larger pieces — this is fine. This is when you do the first big break-up.

To find the authentic loose meat texture, remove the lid. Then, using a meat chopper or firm spatula, break the meat into fine crumbles. Every piece larger than a small pea should be broken down so work through the entire batch. This step will take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Cook uncovered on low for 2½–3 hours: Turn slow cooker to low, leave lid OFF, and allow liquid to slowly evaporate. Please stir every 30-45 minutes and break up any clumps. By the end, the beef should look like a fine, uniform crumble and have just a glossy sheen of moisture.

Serve by scooping a generous amount onto a warm bun. Add mustard, ketchup, and pickles. I'd consider a cold pickle on the side a part of the deal.

Tips That Actually Make a Difference

• Use lean beef. 90/10 or 93/7 is ideal. Fattier beef releases too much grease into the cooking liquid and makes the meat feel greasy instead of juicy. If you accidentally use 80/20, spoon off some of the fat during the first break-up step.
• Don’t skip the lid-off phase. Keeping the lid on the whole time leaves you with too much liquid and the meat tastes boiled. The uncovered cook-down is what makes the flavor concentrate and gives you that properly loose, slightly sticky (in the best way) texture.
• Stir every 30–45 minutes during the uncovered phase. This helps the liquid evaporate evenly and keeps the meat from sitting in liquid on one side while the other side dries out. It also gives you a chance to break up any clumps that re-form.

Maid Rite FAQ

What is a Maid Rite exactly?

Founded in 1926 and located in Muscatine, Iowa, Maid-Rite is a loose meat sandwich restaurant chain that operates in Iowa and has been around for almost 100 years. The chain's signature recipe is a secret and employees even sign confidentiality agreements. Additionally, the chain's beef is seasoned at a facility that is located off-property. The big differentiating factor that makes their sandwiches not like sloppy joes is the fact that they do not serve any tomato sauce. Their sandwiches are composed of seasoned meat and served on a bun with a side of mustard, ketchup, and pickles.

Why does my Maid Rite still have too much liquid after 3 hours uncovered?

All slow cookers operate differently. If yours still has a lot of liquid at 3 hours keep it going! Check it every 30 minutes. You can also switch it back to high (lid off) for the last 30-60 minutes to increase evaporation. It should be moist but not soupy.

Can I use a different type of meat?

Ground turkey is fine, but it is a little lighter, and the flavor is noticeably different — it is less rich. If you use turkey, add a tiny extra splash of Worcestershire to make up for that flavor loss. Ground pork will make a richer, slightly fattier version that is also good. To make it the best, use lean meat — the excess fat will pool in the liquid rather than getting absorbed into the meat.

Can I make this ahead for a party?

This is one of the best do-ahead recipes for parties I know. You can cook it all and then set the slow cooker to 'warm'. Guests can help themselves for 2 hours. I've made quadruple batches for graduation parties. The meat holds beautifully and doesn't dry out.

Other Slow Cooker Sandwich Dinners Worth Making

• Crockpot Crack Chicken Sandwiches — cream cheese, ranch, and cheddar slow-cooked until the chicken shreds itself into a rich sandwich filling
• Crock Pot French Dip Sandwiches — chuck roast slow-cooked with French onion soup, shredded beef on hoagie rolls with au jus
• Philly Cheese Steak Crock Pot — round steak with peppers, onion, and Italian seasoning, broiled with provolone on hoagie rolls
• Buffalo Chicken Crock Pot Sandwiches — spicy slow cooker chicken piled on buns

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Crock Pot Maid Rites

Iowa-style loose meat sandwiches made in the slow cooker with finely crumbled seasoned ground beef.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword crock pot maid rites, loose meat sandwich, maid rite recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 4 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 sandwiches

Author Kate

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef uncooked
• 1 cup warm water
• 3/4 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon low-sodium beef base
• 3/4 teaspoon low-sodium chicken base
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 8 hamburger buns
• Ketchup mustard, and pickles, for serving

Instructions

• Set slow cooker to High. Add ground beef and break it into smaller chunks.
• In a measuring cup, combine warm water, dried onion, brown sugar, beef base, chicken base, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, and soy sauce. Stir until dissolved.
• Pour seasoning liquid over the beef and stir until the meat is coated.
• Cover and cook on High for 1 hour.
• Remove lid and break the meat into very small crumbles with a meat chopper or firm spatula.
• Turn slow cooker to Low and cook uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally and breaking up any clumps.
• Continue cooking until most liquid has evaporated and the beef is finely crumbled with a glossy sheen.
• Serve a generous spoonful on warm hamburger buns with ketchup, mustard, pickles, or other toppings.

Notes

Use lean ground beef, ideally 90/10 or 93/7, so the meat stays juicy without getting greasy. Do not skip the uncovered cook-down because that step concentrates the flavor and creates the loose meat texture. Leftover meat keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat with a splash of broth or water.

White Bean Turkey Chili

A creamy, light white chili that simmers for two hours and basically takes care of itself. It’s got a kick from cayenne, big flavor from cumin and green chilies, and a rich finish from sour cream stirred in at the end.

This is the chili you make when you want something that feels hearty but doesn’t sit heavy.

The Backstory on This One

I first had this chili at a work retreat in Galena, Illinois — cold November, sometimes snow. The boss’s wife made a giant pot and everyone stood around ladling into bowls while they talked.

I recreated it when I got home and have been making it ever since. It’s become my go-to for using up Thanksgiving turkey.

Ingredient Breakdown

Turkey (1 lb, ground or shredded)

Ground turkey is the easiest weeknight option — brown it in the pot first, then add everything else. But this is also a perfect recipe for leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Just shred and add directly; the long simmer absorbs the flavor either way. One note: ground turkey breast is leaner and can turn dry — regular ground turkey (not breast-only) holds up better through a two-hour simmer.

Great Northern White Beans (2 cans, drained and rinsed)

Mild, creamy texture that suits white chili perfectly. Drain and rinse to remove excess sodium.

They’ll break down slightly during the simmer, which naturally thickens the broth — that’s a feature, not a mistake.

Chicken Broth (4 cups)

The liquid base. Use low-sodium for more control — the green chilies and seasoning already add saltiness.

Four cups gives you a broth-forward chili; reduce to 3 cups for a thicker version.

Green Chilies (7 oz can, chopped)

Mild, slightly smoky heat that’s different from cayenne. Don’t skip them — they’re what makes this taste like chili and not just turkey soup with beans.

I’ve made it without in a pinch, and you can tell the difference.

Spices: Cumin, Oregano, Cayenne, Black Pepper

Cumin (2 tsp) is dominant and gives the chili its warm, earthy flavor. Oregano (1 tsp) adds a herby note.

Cayenne (1/2 tsp) gives a noticeable kick — reduce to 1/4 tsp for heat-sensitive crowds, but don’t cut it entirely or the chili tastes flat. Black pepper (1/4 tsp) rounds it out.

Onion and Garlic

Half an onion chopped and 3 cloves of garlic minced. Don’t rush this step — giving the onion 2-3 minutes to soften before adding the liquid builds the base flavor and you’ll taste the difference.

Sour Cream (1/2 cup)

Added at the very end, just before serving. This is the step people rush and shouldn’t — add it after the pot is off the heat or the crock pot is turned off.

Sour cream will curdle if it boils. You’ll know you’ve done it right when the broth goes from golden to pale and silky.

Serving Suggestions

Set out toppings and let everyone customize: shredded Monterey Jack or pepper jack, Fritos or tortilla chips, sliced jalapenos, extra sour cream, cilantro and lime, cornbread on the side.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days. The chili thickens as it sits — add a splash of chicken broth when reheating.

Don’t bring to a full boil after the sour cream has been added. Freezer: freeze before the sour cream is added, up to 3 months.

Stir in fresh sour cream after reheating from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken instead of turkey?

Yes — this is essentially white chicken chili. Use 1 lb boneless chicken breast or thighs.

Thighs are better here than breasts — they stay more tender through the long simmer. Or use rotisserie chicken added at the end.

Can I make this in the crock pot?

Yes. Combine everything except sour cream and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Stir in sour cream before serving with the heat off. That’s the one rule you can’t break with this recipe — the broth goes grainy in about 30 seconds of boiling after sour cream is added.

Is it spicy?

Mildly, yes — and that kick is essential to it tasting like chili. The 1/2 teaspoon cayenne gives a noticeable warmth.

Reduce to 1/4 tsp for milder, or serve sliced jalapenos on the side so each person controls their own heat level.

Why does my white chili turn out watery?

Usually the beans weren’t drained well enough, or the simmer time was too short. Make sure to drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.

If still too thin after two hours, mash a cup of the beans and stir them back in — it’s the fastest thickener you have and doesn’t change the flavor at all.

Why shouldn’t I boil the chili after adding sour cream?

High heat causes the proteins in sour cream to break down and separate, leaving a grainy, curdled broth. It looks wrong and tastes off.

Add it at the very end with the heat off, stir it in, and serve immediately.

Related Recipes

• Crockpot Ravioli Casserole — another hands-off dinner that practically makes itself
• Crock Pot Beef and Noodles — hearty slow cooker dinner for cold nights
• Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip — great party appetizer in the slow cooker

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White Bean Turkey Chili

White bean turkey chili with onion, garlic, green chiles, cumin, oregano, cayenne, chicken broth, northern beans, and sour cream.

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword turkey chili, white bean turkey chili

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Author Kate

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 pound shredded or cooked turkey or ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 7- ounce can chopped green chiles
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cans Northern white beans drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Jack cheese Fritos, and jalapeños, for serving

Instructions

• Combine onion, garlic, turkey, cumin, oregano, cayenne, pepper, green chiles, chicken broth, and drained beans in a pot or slow cooker.
• Simmer on the stove for 2 hours, or cook in the slow cooker on Low for 4 hours.
• Just before serving, stir in sour cream.
• Do not boil after adding sour cream.
• Serve with Jack cheese, Fritos, and jalapeños on the side.
• Keep warm in the slow cooker or on Low on the stove.

Notes

Do not bring the chili to a full boil after adding sour cream or it can separate. The chili thickens as it sits; add a splash of chicken broth when reheating. Freeze before adding sour cream for the best texture, then stir in fresh sour cream after reheating. Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

This biscuits and gravy casserole is one of the best things I've made in my oven on a weekend morning. I made real, from-scratch sausage gravy- nothing from a packet- and poured it over layers of bubbly baked Pillsbury flaky biscuits.

It’s great for feeding a crowd and only uses one skillet and one baking dish. If you love classic biscuits and gravy, this casserole version is sure to tickle your fancy and become a regular in your rotation.

The Morning This Came Together and Never Left the Rotation

Biscuits and gravy seemed really complicated to me before, it seemed to be one of those diner things that I would need some special know-how to replicate at home. The gravy is actually just flour, milk, and sausage that is cooked together in a skillet.

You likely have these items in your kitchen already, and they only take about 10 minutes to make.

I created the casserole version because I wanted to make it for a group and didn't want to have to stand over the stove making individual portions. Instead, I can just put everything in a pan, bake it, set it in the middle of the table, and let everyone serve themselves.

It’s one of those recipes where the looks and taste make the effort seem greater than it really is. And that’s why it’s always great when you’re cooking for others.

What Makes This Casserole Different From Basic Biscuits and Gravy

Gravy from scratch that tastes like something! Not a gravy packet situation. You're going to be cooking the sausage, sprinkling flour directly over the meat to make a roux, then adding some whole milk and simmering until thick.

The result is a rich, creamy, and deeply savory gravy that no packet could ever replicate.

The two-layer biscuit technique is important. The bottom biscuits are put in the oven for a few minutes before the gravy goes on. This gives them a bit of a head start so they do not stay raw and doughy. The top biscuits are placed after the gravy, and this allows them to finish baking and get golden. Two layers, two textures, one pan.

Cayenne is the secret ingredient! We add a pinch of it to the gravy for warmth without the heat. It's the difference between gravy that tastes fine and gravy that tastes like something you would get at a restaurant.

With this recipe, you don’t have to worry about cleaning everything in your kitchen. For the gravy, you only need to clean one skillet, and for the casserole, all you need to clean is one baking dish. That’s all.

Seven Ingredients — Two That Do All the Heavy Lifting

Breakfast sausage (1 lb.)

This is your protein and gravy base. Grab it from the meat counter if possible — sage breakfast sausage from the butcher counter is the best flavor. Tubes of Jimmy Dean original or hot are also fine.

You can easily switch for spicy breakfast sausage if you want it to be even more hot. I wouldn’t suggest anything called “mild Italian” though — the fennel messes up the flavor here.

All-purpose flour (3 tablespoons)

This ingredient is what gets the gravy to that classic spoon-coating consistency. You want to cook it with the sausage for a minute — this toasts the flour a little and eliminates the raw flavor.

Don't skip this step and don't rush it. The raw flour taste in gravy is bad and definitely not something you want.

Whole milk (2½ cups)

Try not to switch to skim or 2% if you can help it. Whole milk is what gives the gravy the richness and creaminess it needs. The thinner the milk, the thinner the gravy, and it won't coat the biscuits the same way. If you have to use 2%, it will still work — just not as rich.

Cayenne pepper (pinch)

This is the ingredient that people tend to leave out and later question why the gravy tastes so bland. You won’t actually taste the spice; It simply wakes up the flavor of the gravy. So don’t skip this ingredient.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Season this gravy aggressively. Biscuits and gravy needs bold salt and a lot of black pepper — that cracked pepper flavor is part of what makes it taste like biscuits and gravy. Don't be shy. Taste it before you pour it into the dish.

Pillsbury flaky biscuits (1 can, 16 oz.)

Before layering, each biscuit should be cut into quarters or sixths. Flaky layers separate a little bit as they bake, so they work really well for this. Buttermilk biscuits are also a good choice, as are Grands biscuits if you want a thicker and heartier biscuit layer.

I would recommend against using crescent rolls. Once the gravy is poured over the rolls they become too soft and lose their structure.

Melted butter (2 tablespoons)

Brushing the tops of the biscuits with melted butter before baking gives them that golden look. Just a moment of time can really make a difference.

How to Make Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

Step 1: Brown the Sausage

Set your oven to 375°. Also, grab a large baking dish and spray it with some cooking spray. Then, grab a large skillet and, over medium-high heat, place the sausage in the skillet and cook it until it is browned completely. While it is cooking, be sure to break it into smaller pieces.

What you're looking for is actual browning — not just some gray meat. If you're seeing a lot of grease in the bottom of the pan while you're cooking, go ahead and drain some off. You want some fat to help the roux, just not a lot.

Step 2: Make the Gravy

Sausage cooked? Good! Now sprinkle some flour over it and coat it by stirring. Continue for about a minute; it will look clumpy and a bit pasty. Perfect! You are starting on your roux.

Add the cayenne, salt, and a good amount of cracked black pepper. Next, pour the milk in all at once while stirring constantly.

Bring to a boil; then turn down to a simmer and continue to cook for 5 minutes making sure to stir it often. The gravy is done when it coats the back of a spoon. This is the step that people tend to rush and they shouldn’t, five full minutes please.

You will know it is ready when dragging the bottom of the skillet with a spoon leaves a clean trail. Take off the heat.

Step 3: Pre-Bake the Bottom Biscuits, Then Add the Gravy

Chop the biscuits into quarters or sixths. Place half of the biscuit pieces in a single layer on the bottom of your baking dish that you have already prepared.

Place the dish in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes. The edges will puff slightly, and look set. This is what you're looking for. This step is critical; without this step, the underside of the biscuits will be steamed-doughy rather than baked.

Take the dish out and evenly spread the sausage gravy over the biscuits.

Step 4: Top With Biscuits and Bake

Evenly distribute the leftover biscuit pieces on top of the gravy. Generously brush melted butter over the top.

Bake for 17-18 minutes at 375°, the tops will be a deep golden brown, and the gravy will be bubbling at the edges (you'll hear it).

Make sure the bottom biscuits are cooked through. When you hit them with a spoon, they should feel set and not squishy. If they give too much, put foil on them and give them another 5 minutes.

Five Steps Worth Getting Right

• Season your gravy boldly. Underseasoned gravy is the most common mistake with this recipe. Biscuits and gravy needs salt and a lot of black pepper. Taste the gravy before you pour it in and adjust.
• Don’t skip the pre-bake on the bottom biscuits. Even just 3–4 minutes in the oven before you add the gravy makes a big difference. It’s the only way to ensure those bottom pieces cook through instead of staying doughy.
• Use whole milk. The gravy really does come out better with whole milk. It’s thicker, richer, and coats the biscuits properly.
• Don’t skip the butter brush on top. It’s a small step but it makes the top biscuits look golden and gorgeous instead of pale and flat.
• Let it rest 5 minutes before serving. The gravy firms up slightly as it sits and makes cleaner servings.

What the Table Looks Like When This Is in the Middle

This casserole is a great dish for weekend brunch. It is simple to make and looks great which is why it is perfect for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and other holidays. It can feed 6 to 8 people and is super easy to transfer to the dining table from the oven.

If you're going for a full spread, you can add scrambled eggs, a simple fruit salad, or some crispy hashbrowns on the side. If it’s just your family, this is plenty on its own.

How to Prep It the Night Before

Keep covered leftovers in the fridge for 3 days. The biscuits will absorb the gravy and get softer as they sit. Some people actually prefer this.

Reheating: Microwave covered individual portions for 2 to 3 minutes; or reheat whole pan covered with foil at 325° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Make-ahead option: Prepare the sausage gravy the night before, and store it in a container in the refrigerator. In the morning, all you have to do is cut the biscuits and put the casserole together. This should only take about 5 minutes of prep time.

If the cold gravy has thickened up overnight, add a little bit of milk while reheating it on the stovetop to loosen it back up before pouring.

Can You Freeze This Casserole?

I wouldn’t advise freezing the fully assembled and baked casserole as the biscuits don't withstand the freezing and thawing process. When biscuits are thawed, their texture becomes soggy and they crumble apart.

You can freeze the sausage gravy too. Just let it cool completely, then freeze it laying flat in a zip bag or container. To use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then you can complete the casserole fresh in the morning with new biscuits. This method works great for freezer prep.

Six Ways to Make This Your Own

Spicy version: my personal preference is using hot breakfast sausage and adding more cayenne or a few hot sauce dashes into the gravy.

Cheesy biscuits and gravy casserole: For an extra cheesy option, stir in half a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the gravy before assembling the casserole, or you can sprinkle some cheese over the top layer of biscuits before the final bake. Or do both for a really cheesy casserole!

Breakfast casserole version: Scramble 3-4 eggs and layer them in with the gravy in between the biscuit layers. This addition adds protein and makes it even more of a complete one-dish breakfast.

You can make it a little lighter by using turkey sausage, 2% milk, and draining any fat after cooking. You'll lose some of the richness but it ends up being a pretty good breakfast casserole.

For the biscuit swap, any refrigerated biscuit will do — Grands buttermilk, store brand, or even canned crescent roll dough cut into pieces for a different texture.

Add vegetables: Diced jalapeños or green chiles mixed into the gravy add some heat and some nice color to it. Diced, sautéed onion and bell pepper, also contribute to the bulk and flavor.

What That Leftover Gravy Can Do

Leftover casserole biscuits and gravy heat up nicely and possibly taste even better the following day due to the flavors merging. To heat it, cover the dish and place it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. You may also warm individual portions in a skillet set to low heat.

If your leftovers seem dry after sitting in the fridge, just add a small splash of milk to your portion before reheating. This will bring some creaminess back.

Gravy can stand on its own, still making it an excellent topper for:

• Toast
• Biscuits
• Scrambled eggs
• Mashed potatoes

It can be stored in the fridge for 3 days and is a great base for other things.

The Two Kitchen Choices That Actually Change This Dish

A quality cast iron skillet is ideal for gravy. Sausage will brown evenly, fond will build up correctly, and the gravy flavor will be better than from a thinner pan.

A Lodge 12-inch cast iron skillet will do the whole gravy start to finish stovetop to table in one pan.

When it comes to the sausage, don’t cut corners when making gravy, it takes all the flavor from the sausage, so not the place to grab the cheapest tube on the shelf.

For the Jimmy Dean Originals, they are great as always, and for the bulk sage breakfast sausage, if you have access to the butcher counter, you could go with that too. You could also go with hot or spicy options here.

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole FAQ

Can I use homemade biscuits instead of canned?

Yes! If you have a recipe for biscuits that you like to make, you can certainly use that. Just remember to do a short pre-bake on the bottom layer so that they don’t end up being underbaked.

Canned biscuits from Pillsbury are honestly pretty good here, especially since the flaky layers work nicely in the casserole, so don't feel like you need to make biscuits from scratch to get a good outcome.

Can I skip draining the sausage fat?

If your sausage releases a lot of grease, draining most of it gives you a cleaner-tasting gravy that isn't greasy on the tongue, so it is probably best to drain some.

I leave about a tablespoon in the pan for flavor and drain the rest. Get rid of it if you see more than a quarter inch of fat pooled in the pan.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes. If you want to double each ingredient, use a baking dish that is 9×13 or larger. You will also need to add a few minutes to the baking time. Since a larger casserole holds heat in the center, the bottom biscuits may need some extra time to fully cook. Please check the bottom biscuits before you pull the pan out of the oven.

What if my bottom biscuits aren’t cooked through?

This almost always means the pre-bake was too short. A minimum of 3-4 minutes is required – 5 if your oven runs cool.

If you pull the casserole out and the bottom is still soft, then cover the pan tightly with foil and leave it in for another 5 minutes. The foil traps steam to help cook the bottom and top biscuits won't burn.

Can I use a different kind of meat?

For an even leaner option, ground turkey sausage can work — as long as it's seasoned breakfast sausage, not just plain ground turkey, because that won't have enough flavor on its own. If you want a smokier version, crumbled bacon is also fantastic in the gravy.

I wouldn't use ground beef here — it doesn't have the right spice profile for gravy that's meant to taste like breakfast.

Other Breakfast Casseroles Worth Making

Sausage and Egg Breakfast Casserole is the perfect meal option for busy mornings. This casserole consists of sausage, eggs, and cheese baked together. You can prepare this meal the night before and put it in the oven in the morning.

Bacon and Egg Breakfast Casserole is an easy recipe with layers of crispy bacon, cheese, and eggs, It's great for feeding a crowd and is super quick to prepare.

My kids ask for this often; it takes under 30 minutes to make! It is simple breakfast pizza, with scrambled eggs, sausage, and cheese on a pizza crust.

If you try making this biscuits and gravy casserole, please comment on how it turned out.

Print

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

This biscuits and gravy casserole is absolutely fantastic. America’s most indulgent hearty and classic breakfast in breakfast casserole form.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Biscuits and Gravy Casserole

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 500kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb. breakfast sausage*
• 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 c. whole milk
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 16 oz. can Pillsbury flaky biscuits each biscuit cut into quarters or sixths
• 2 tbsp. butter melted
• * I get this from the meat counter (sage breakfast sausage)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375° and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.
• In a large skillet cook sausage until browned all over.
• If there is a lot of grease, drain if desired and sprinkle flour all over the sausage, cooking for just a minute longer.
• Season with cayenne, salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
• Pour milk over mixture, constantly stirring while bringing the mixture to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes until thick.
• Remove from heat.
• Place half your diced biscuits onto the bottom of your baking dish, bake those for a few minutes in the oven, remove from oven and pour gravy mixture on top.
• Top with the remaining biscuits and brush with butter.
• Place in the oven to bake 17-18 minutes, until biscuits are golden and sausage mixture is bubbling making sure that biscuits in the bottom of the casserole dish are baked through as well.
• Enjoy!

Kindle Unlimited Deals

Signing up for a full year of anything feels like a commitment — especially when you’re used to the flexibility of month-to-month.

But if you’re a regular reader, the math on Kindle Unlimited’s 12-month membership is hard to argue with. The question isn’t really whether it’s a good deal. It’s whether it’s the right deal for you.

This post covers exactly that: what you get, what it costs, who should actually buy it, and the current deals available for both new and existing members.

See Current Kindle Unlimited Deals Here

What You Actually Get With Kindle Unlimited 12-Month Membership

Kindle Unlimited gives you unlimited access to over 5 million ebooks, thousands of audiobooks, and popular magazines — all for one flat monthly rate. The 12-month membership locks in a discounted rate compared to paying month-to-month.

Here’s what the pricing looks like right now:

• Monthly plan: $11.99/month — cancel anytime, no commitment
• 6-month gift plan: $65.95 ($10.99/month) — saves about $6 vs monthly over 6 months
• 12-month gift plan: $131.89/year ($10.99/month) — saves about $12 vs paying monthly all year
• 24-month gift plan: $263.78 for 2 years ($10.99/month) — same per-month rate, just paid further in advance

The savings vs monthly aren’t dramatic, but that’s not really the point. When you’ve already paid for the year, you actually use the subscription. You explore more. You try genres you’d never spend $14.99 testing. You get your money’s worth instead of second-guessing it every 30 days.

New member deal right now: If you’ve never tried KU, Amazon is currently offering 2 months for $0.99 total (limited time, eligibility varies). That’s basically free. Check if you qualify here.

The value really shows up when you compare it to buying books outright. Two full-price ebooks a month typically runs $20–$30. If Kindle Unlimited replaces even half of those purchases, the annual plan pays for itself in about four months.

Check If You Qualify for a Free Trial

Who Should Actually Buy the Annual Plan

Not everyone needs to lock in for 12 months — and that’s okay.

The annual membership makes sense if you’re a consistent reader who goes through at least 2–3 books per month. If you’re the type who downloads something, forgets about it for six weeks, and then feels guilty about wasting money, the monthly plan gives you more flexibility to pause when life gets busy.

You’re a great fit for the 12-month plan if:

• You read across multiple genres and love discovering new authors without financial risk
• You’re trying to cut your book budget but refuse to sacrifice your reading habit
• You have kids who tear through chapter books and middle-grade series (KU has tons of family content)
• You listen to audiobooks during commutes, workouts, or while doing housework
• You hate the mental load of deciding which book is “worth” buying

Honest advice: if you’re on the fence, try the monthly plan for two or three months first. Track how many books you actually finish. If you’re consistently reading at least two per month, the annual plan will save you money and decision fatigue.

The Hidden Perks Nobody Talks About

Beyond the obvious unlimited books thing, there are some genuinely useful benefits that don’t get enough attention.

Audiobook access is included. Not every title has audio, but way more than you’d expect. You can switch between reading and listening on the same title, which is a lifesaver on busy days when sitting down to read feels impossible.

You can borrow up to 20 titles at once. This is huge if you’re a mood reader. Keep a mix of genres downloaded so you can switch between a thriller, a romance, and something practical depending on what you feel like that day.

The catalog includes a lot of current content. Yes, you’ll find indie and self-published titles, but you’ll also find backlist titles from major authors, complete series from bestselling writers, and books that were on the New York Times list a year or two ago.

A few other wins worth noting:

• Popular magazines are included — Real Simple, People, National Geographic — without separate subscriptions
• Your account syncs across every device (Kindle, phone, tablet)
• No late fees, no return deadlines — return books when you’re done to make room for new ones
• The guilt-free DNF: if a book isn’t working by page 50, return it and move on without losing a dime

What’s Actually in the Kindle Unlimited Library

Here’s where people get surprised: Kindle Unlimited is not the same as having access to every book on Amazon. The catalog is huge, but it’s curated.

You won’t find every current bestseller or brand-new release from major publishers. Big Five publishers tend to keep their newest titles out of KU. But the catalog is deep enough that most readers never run out of things to read.

What you’ll find plenty of:

1. Romance novels — This genre dominates KU. Contemporary, historical, rom-coms — it’s all here.
2. Thrillers and mysteries — Tons of page-turners from both indie authors and established names.
3. Self-help and business books — Practical guides on productivity, personal finance, parenting, and growth.
4. Kids’ books — Chapter books, early readers, and middle-grade series.
5. Sci-fi and fantasy — Especially series. If you love epic fantasy or space opera, there’s a deep bench here.

What’s harder to find: literary fiction from major publishers, brand-new releases from household-name authors, and niche academic non-fiction. If your list is primarily Pulitzer winners and Oprah Book Club picks, KU will feel limited. The workaround most readers use: KU for genre fiction and fun reads, the library for the literary stuff.

You can browse the full catalog here: Kindle Unlimited library

Monthly vs Annual vs 24-Month: The Real Cost Comparison

Let’s run the actual numbers.

Plan	Total Cost	Per Month	Best For
Monthly	$11.99/mo	$11.99	Testing it out
6-Month Gift	$65.95	$10.99	Short commitment
12-Month Gift	$131.89	$10.99	Regular readers
24-Month Gift	$263.78	$10.99	Set it and forget it

All the gift plans work out to the same $10.99/month — about $12/year less than paying month-to-month. The real advantage of going annual or longer isn’t the per-month savings, it’s removing the monthly “should I keep this?” decision from your life entirely.

Here’s another way to think about it: two traditionally published ebooks per month runs $20–$30. If KU replaces even half of those purchases, the annual plan pays for itself in about four months. Everything after that is pure savings.

Get the Kindle Unlimited 24-Month Plan Here

Current Deals for New Members

If you’ve never tried Kindle Unlimited before, you may qualify for a free 30-day trial. New subscribers can check eligibility here:

Check If You Qualify for a Free Kindle Unlimited Trial

This is what you’ll see if you’re eligible for the free month:

Kindle Unlimited Deals for Existing and Returning Members

Already used Kindle Unlimited before? You may still be eligible for a promotional deal. Past members have been offered 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for as low as $0.99 when Amazon runs a win-back promo.

Log into your Amazon account here to see if a returning member deal has been applied to your account.

Pro tip: Watch for promotional pricing during Prime Day, Black Friday, and the holiday season. Amazon frequently discounts KU memberships during these windows — sometimes as low as $4.99–$5.99/month even on longer plans.

The Biggest Complaints (And Whether They’re Deal-Breakers)

No subscription is perfect. Here’s what you should know upfront:

Not every book is included. Newer releases from Big Five publishers are almost never in KU. If you want to read a specific bestseller the week it drops, you may have to buy it separately. Most readers find this easy to work around by using the library for those titles.

Self-published quality varies. You’ll find incredible indie authors alongside books that needed another round of editing. Check ratings and reviews before diving in — a 4.5-star average with thousands of reviews is usually a safe bet.

You don’t own the books. When you return a title, it leaves your library. If you want to revisit it, you borrow it again. For books you know you’ll re-read, buying them outright makes more sense.

The 20-book borrow limit. You can have 20 titles checked out at once. For most readers this is plenty. If you’re a serial book hoarder, it takes some adjustment.

No prorated refunds on the annual plan. If you pay for 12 months and cancel after three, you won’t get the difference back automatically. Amazon customer service has made exceptions in some cases, but it’s not guaranteed. Don’t go annual unless you’re confident you’ll use it for at least six months.

Kindle Unlimited vs Prime Reading: What’s the Difference?

Amazon has a few different reading options and they’re easy to confuse.

Kindle Unlimited is a standalone subscription — $11.99/month or the annual/gift plans above. Over 5 million titles, audiobook access, magazines. Available to anyone regardless of Prime membership.

Prime Reading is included free with Amazon Prime. Much smaller catalog (around 3,000 titles). If you already have Prime, you get this automatically at no extra cost.

The difference comes down to catalog size. Prime Reading is fine for casual readers who go through one or two books a month. But if you’re a regular reader who loves digging into full series or exploring genres, Kindle Unlimited is the upgrade worth paying for. The catalog is exponentially larger, and the audiobook access alone adds significant value.

Read our full comparison: Kindle Unlimited vs Prime Reading

Best Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Membership

• Build your reading queue before you subscribe. Don’t open the app and hope something catches your eye. Use Goodreads or book blogs to build a list of titles you actually want to read.
• Use the “Read for Free” filter on Amazon. When browsing books, filter by Kindle Unlimited eligibility to surface current and popular titles that are included.
• Keep 20 books downloaded in different genres. That way you can mood-read without waiting for a download.
• Return books as soon as you finish (or give up on them). No penalty. Return and move on — it keeps your queue fresh.
• Download the Kindle app on your phone. Even with a dedicated Kindle device, having the app on your phone means you can read anywhere — carpool line, waiting rooms, whenever.
• Download audiobooks before trips. Load up offline content before a flight or road trip.
• Watch for promos before you go annual. Prime Day and Black Friday regularly bring discounted KU memberships. If you’re not in a rush, a little patience can save an extra $20–$30.

Get the Kindle Unlimited 24-Month Plan (Best Rate)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is Kindle Unlimited per month?

The standard Kindle Unlimited price is $11.99 per month when you pay month-to-month, with no contract and the ability to cancel anytime.

How much is a year of Kindle Unlimited?

The 12-month Kindle Unlimited gift membership is $131.89/year, which works out to $10.99/month — saving about $12 compared to paying monthly all year. See the current annual plan here.

Is there a Kindle Unlimited 2-year subscription?

Yes. You can get a Kindle Unlimited 24-month gift membership for $263.78 at Amazon’s gift landing page. It works out to $10.99/month and can be gifted to someone else or to yourself.

Is there a Kindle Unlimited free trial?

New Kindle Unlimited customers may qualify for a free 30-day trial. Click here to check if you’re eligible. If you’ve used Kindle Unlimited before, you may still see a promotional rate for returning members — log in here to check your account.

Is Kindle Unlimited worth it?

Kindle Unlimited is worth it if you read at least 2–3 books per month. At $11.99/month, a single full-price ebook barely breaks even. But if you’re regularly going through 3+ books a month across any genre, the math works strongly in your favor — especially on the 12 or 24-month plan.

Is Kindle Unlimited free with Amazon Prime?

No. Kindle Unlimited is a separate subscription from Amazon Prime. Prime members do get access to Prime Reading at no extra cost, but Prime Reading has a much smaller catalog (roughly 3,000 titles) compared to KU’s 5 million+. See the full comparison here.

Are there Kindle Unlimited deals for existing customers?

Yes, periodically. Past members have been offered 3 months of Kindle Unlimited for as low as $0.99 as part of Amazon’s win-back promotions. Log into your Amazon account here to see if a returning member deal is available for you.

What happens if I cancel my Kindle Unlimited annual plan?

If you cancel an annual plan early, Amazon does not automatically prorate a refund. You’ll keep access through the end of your paid period. Amazon customer service has made exceptions on a case-by-case basis, but a refund is not guaranteed — so only go annual if you’re confident you’ll use it for at least six months.

Can I do Kindle Unlimited audiobooks?

Yes. Many titles in the Kindle Unlimited library include Audible narration, letting you switch between reading and listening on the same book. When browsing the library, look for the headphone icon on a title to confirm audiobook access is included.

Get Kindle Unlimited Here

Jalapeño Popper Dip

I created this jalapeno popper dip for a family gathering a few years ago, and before the night was over, three people asked me to text them the recipe. Three!

Sit back and relax. No stress, no standing over the stove, and no wondering if anyone will want it. Just mix a few things, bake, and watch the bowl empty.

How This Became a Go-To Appetizer

I've been bringing this dip to every party for years, and I mean every party. It's so good that it's never come home with me. Not once! That's right folks, not even at my family holidays, neighborhood cookouts, or Super Bowls!

The first time I made it three people texted me asking for the recipe before they even left the event. It turns out nobody had had it before. It's just that good, and it's that simple.

What Goes In (and Why Softened Cream Cheese Is Non-Negotiable)

Cream Cheese (two 8 oz packages, softened)

This is your base. Softened is non-negotiable — cold cream cheese won't mix smoothly and you'll end up with lumps that won't cook out. I've tried to shortcut this and regretted it every time. Leave it out for 30 minutes, or microwave in 10 second bursts. Full fat or Neufchatel both work. Skip fat free — it doesn't melt right and the texture goes off.

Mayonnaise (1 cup)

Mayo thins out the cream cheese so the dip is easier to scoop. Be sure to use regular full-fat mayo. Light mayo is fine, but the dip will be noticeably thinner and not as rich. Don’t skip the mayo thinking you’ll save calories. The texture will be dense without it and the chips will fight to get some dip.

Green Chilies (4 oz can, chopped, drained)

They have a mild, earthy pepper flavor with some smokiness and almost no heat. Drain them well as excess liquid will make the dip too runny. These are what give the dip its savory depth without overwhelming it.

Jalapeños (4 oz can, diced, or ½ cup fresh, finely chopped)

Canned peppers are consistent in heat. Fresh jalapeños have a brighter flavor but can vary wildly in heat. If you go fresh, taste one first and adjust. Either way, drain canned well before adding.

For a milder dip, you can cut the jalapeños in half or leave them out and just use the green chilies. It’s still worth making.

Parmesan Cheese (1 cup, grated)

This goes on top and not mixed in. For a golden crispy top instead of a soft pale one you need parmesan. Press it down lightly before backing so it sticks to every spot. Bare patches stay pale.

Real block cheese melts and crisps better than canned cheese. When possible, use freshly grated real block cheese.

How to Make Jalapeño Popper Dip

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Get this going first so it’s hot when your dip is prepped.
2. Mix cream cheese and mayo. Blend softened cream cheese and mayo with a spoon, spatula, or hand mixer until creamy and lump-free. Lumps won’t disappear in the oven — what you see in the bowl is what you get in the dish.
3. Stir in the peppers. Drain both cans well, then fold them in. You want peppers spread throughout — not random pockets of plain cream cheese.
4. Spread into an 8×8 baking dish. Smooth the top into an even layer. Uneven spots mean uneven browning — the thin parts cook faster and can get dry.
5. Top with parmesan. Sprinkle evenly over the whole surface and press it down lightly. Full coverage is what gives you golden crispy top everywhere.
6. Bake 15–20 minutes. Look for bubbles breaking the surface around the edges and parmesan turning golden brown. At 15 minutes, check it. If bubbly but not browned, give it 3–5 more.
7. Rest 2–3 minutes, then serve. The dip is definately molten right out of the oven — it needs a few minutes to tighten up slightly. Skip the rest and the first scoop comes out soupy.

What We Dip Into This

Chips and crackers: We love tortilla chips as a classic choice for party dips as they have a corn flavor that compliments the dip rather than competes with it and are strong enough to not break while scooping. Lime tortilla chips are a great option if you want to add a bit of a citrus flavor. Other options include corn chips (Fritos), Ritz, Wheat Thins, Triscuits, and pita chips.

Sides: Fresh vegetables are always a great option for guests. Celery, bell pepper, and cucumber sticks are great additions to the platter. This dip is robust and flavorful enough to stand on its own!

How Far Ahead You Can Make This

Fridge: Let cool, cover and refrigerate for 3–4 days. For best flavor, refrigerate for 1 day as the flavors meld together.

Reheating: Foil it and place it in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Otherwise, microwave individual servings for 30-45 seconds. If it seems too thick after reheating, stir in a spoonful of mayo or sour cream to loosen it up.

Don't freeze it. When thawed, cream cheese and mayo can separate and become grainy.

Make ahead: You can mix the whole dip (no parmesan topping) up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover it and keep it in the fridge. Add the parmesan just before you bake it. I actually like doing it this way for parties — the flavors come together overnight and when guests arrive, it goes right into the oven.

Jalapeño Popper Dip FAQ

Can I make this less spicy?

Yes! It’s still worth a try. You can either slice the jalapeños in half, or skip them and use only the green chilies. It will have flavor. You will just be missing the spiciness. I have prepared it this way for family gatherings where half the table does not eat spicy food. No one complained.

Can I use fresh jalapeños instead of canned?

Yes — use about ½ cup finely chopped. The flavor is sharper and brighter, but the heat level varies wildly pepper to pepper. Canned are consistent, which matters when you're making this for a crowd. If you go fresh, taste one first and adjust the amount.

Can I substitute the parmesan?

Yes, but I would argue otherwise. Pepper jack or cheddar cheese will melt and not become crispy – you lose the golden crust that gives this dip it's final touch. Pecorino Romano is a legit substitute; it acts the same and is slighter sharper.

What size baking dish do I need?

An 8×8 baking dish is perfect — it's deep enough to hold the dip but shallow enough to heat it through evenly. A 9×9 works too, but the dip will be a little thinner and may cook a minute or two faster. Don't go smaller or the dip will brown on top before it heats through.

Can I serve this cold?

You can, but it is a different dip. For cold, it's thick and dense — more like a spread. For hot, it is creamy, melty, and scoopable. It is the hot version that people come back for. Make sure to serve it warm.

How do I know it’s done baking?

Two indications are the bubbles breaking the surface and the parmesan browning. If you notice one without the other, you should check again in a few minutes. The edges should be a bit more dark than the center, that's right, not burnt.

Other Hot Dips That Disappear Just as Fast

• Pepperoni Pizza Dip — cream cheese base layered with pizza sauce, mozzarella, and pepperoni. Same format, totally different flavor.
• Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip — another hot party dip, hands-off in the slow cooker
• Baked Crab Rangoon Dip — baked dip with a crispy homemade wonton chip
• Layered Taco Dip — cold layered dip that always disappears fast

Print

JALAPENO POPPER DIP

I made this dip for a family gathering last month, and three family members asked me to text them the recipe before they even left. THREE. That’s when I knew I had a winner. It’s quick—no hovering over the stove, no wondering if anyone’s actually going to want it. Just creamy, spicy, cheesy goodness that works every single time.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword jalapeno popper dip

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings

Calories 231kcal

Author Kate Sorensen

Equipment

• Mixing Bowl
• Baking Dish 1 ½ to 2 quarts size
• Spatula
• Can Opener

Ingredients

• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
• 1 4 oz can diced jalapeños (or ~½ cup fresh, finely chopped)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400°F. Get this going first so it’s hot and ready when your dip is prepped. If your oven runs cool, bump it up to 425°F.
• Mix the cream cheese and mayo until smooth. In a bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and mayo. Use a spoon, spatula, or hand mixer to blend until creamy and lump-free. About a minute by hand, or 30 seconds with a mixer. If you see chunks of cream cheese, keep mixing.
• Stir in the green chilies and jalapeños. Drain both cans well, then add them to the bowl. Fold everything together with a spatula until the peppers are spread throughout. You want every scoop to have peppers, not random pockets of plain cream cheese.
• Spread into a baking dish. Use your spatula to scrape the dip into an 8×8 pan (or similar) and smooth the top into an even layer. This helps it bake evenly.
• Top with parmesan. Sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the whole thing. Don't be shy—you want full coverage so you get that golden, crispy top everywhere. Press it down lightly so it sticks to the dip and doesn't slide off when you scoop.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Slide it into the oven and set a timer. You're looking for the dip to bubble around the edges and the parmesan to turn golden brown. If it's bubbly but not browned after 15 minutes, give it another 3 to 5 minutes. If it's browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil. When the top is golden and you can see bubbles breaking the surface, it's done.
• Let it cool for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve. This dip is molten when it first comes out. Let it sit for just a couple minutes so it thickens slightly and people don't burn their mouths. Serve straight from the baking dish with tortilla chips, corn chips, sturdy crackers, or even sliced baguette.

Notes

• Adjust heat: reduce or increase jalapeños depending on preference.
• This recipe makes about 4 cups of dip.
• Fresh jalapeños cost less and taste sharper than canned.
• Can be prepped ahead (without parmesan topping); bake before serving.
• Stores 3–4 days in fridge; reheat covered.
• This dip is molten when it first comes out—let it cool a few minutes before serving so people don’t burn their mouths.
• Don’t have a hand mixer? A fork and patience work just fine.
• No small baking dish? Use a slightly larger one, but watch it since the dip will spread thinner and might cook faster.
• Got an oven-safe skillet? That works too.

 

If you’ve ever wished you could bottle up the magic of a cotton candy carnival and sip it guilt-free, well, you’re in for a treat. This cotton candy flavored water is like a party in your mouth without all the sugar (I’ve been trying to cut back on sugary drinks, so if you appreciate this recipe, let me know, I’ll share more of my favorites!!)

Made with just a couple of Starburst drink mix packets and some ice-cold water, it’s sweet, refreshing, and tastes just like those nostalgic pink and blue spun sugar clouds that our daughter obsesses over anytime we see them.

And best of all? It’s a non-alcoholic cotton candy drink you can enjoy anytime.

Poolside. At a kid’s party.

Or just because Tuesday was a little too Tuesday, ya know?

Before we go too much into this recipe (can I even call it that, it’s SO easy!), let me mention that you can find this water mix recipe on this free printable with 144 water mix flavor combinations!

Get your free list of 144 flavored water recipes here! 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Tastes like cotton candy without the sticky fingers (hello, mamas … #winning!)
• Only 3 ingredients
• Perfect for summer and full of cotton candy aesthetic vibes
• Customizable sweetness with just water
• Keep you moving towards those hydration goals (and hydrated skin!)

Ingredients

• 1 Starburst Blue Raspberry Drink Mix Packet
• 1 Starburst All Pink Drink Mix Packet
• 20 ounces of cold water
• Ice
• Extra water (optional, to taste)

Instructions

1. Pour both Starburst drink mix packets into a blender bottle or large cup.
2. Add 20 ounces of cold water and shake (or stir) until dissolved.
3. Pour over ice in a glass.
4. Taste and add more water if needed for your preferred sweetness level.

Tips for the Best Cotton Candy Drink

• Use very cold water so it’s instantly refreshing, unless you have time for it to chill out in the fridge, then by all means, start with warm water!
• Let the flavors sit for a minute or two for better blending.
• Add a sugared rim, paper straw, or cotton candy garnish for party flair if you’re using this cotton candy drink recipe for a party!

Variations

• Fizzy version: Use sparkling water instead of regular water.
• Mocktail: Add lemon-lime soda and garnish with candy.
• Adult cocktail: Add vodka for a fun blue cotton candy cocktail.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve in clear cups or mason jars to show off the pink & blue swirl.
• Garnish with cotton candy or rock candy for aesthetics.
• Perfect for pool parties, baby showers, or a girl’s night in.

Storage and Reheating

This drink is best fresh but can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Stir before serving.

Nutrition Information (Approx. Per Serving)

• Calories: 10
• Sugar: 0g
• Carbs: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Protein: 0g

*Nutrition may vary depending on the brand of mix used.

FAQs

Is drinking water with flavor packets good for you?

Yes, most flavor packets like Starburst are sugar-free and low-calorie, making them a great option if you’re trying to drink more water. Just check the ingredients for artificial sweeteners if you’re watching those.

How to add flavoring to water?

You can use powdered drink mixes, fruit slices, infused cubes, or herbs. This recipe uses flavor packets for max impact with zero effort.

Is flavored water good for your kidneys?

In general, yes. As long as you’re not consuming too many artificial additives, flavored water can be just as hydrating as plain water. If you have health concerns, consult your doctor.

Try Agency Skincare free and receive a personalized skincare plan tailored by dermatology providers. Agency products are created with research-backed ingredients and guided by licensed medical providers who understand your skin concerns.

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Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Crock pot chicken fajitas have been in my dinner rotation for years, and for good reason: you throw everything in the slow cooker in the morning, and by evening you’ve got tender, flavor-soaked chicken ready to pile into warm tortillas. No standing over a skillet, no watching the clock, and no sad, dry chicken.

This is the kind of recipe that actually gets better the longer it sits.

One honest note before you get started: the chicken won’t come out with those gorgeous char marks you’d get from a cast iron skillet. That’s just not what a slow cooker does.

But what it does do is give you impossibly juicy, pull-apart chicken that soaks up every bit of seasoning — and that’s a different kind of good. If the char matters to you, a quick 2-minute broil at the end fixes that.

Why This Slow Cooker Recipe Works

Slow cooker recipes live and die by one thing: moisture management. Chicken breasts release a lot of liquid as they cook, and if you’re not thoughtful about the layering, you end up with watery fajita filling that makes your tortillas soggy before you even get to the table.

This recipe puts the peppers and onions on the bottom — they release their moisture first and essentially create a steaming environment for the chicken to cook in without sitting in pooled liquid.

The seasoning blend gets applied directly to the chicken before it goes in, so it clings to the meat the entire cook time rather than washing off into the liquid. And salsa — not canned tomatoes, not broth — is the liquid here because it adds body, acidity, and built-in seasoning all at once.

There’s a reason this combination keeps showing up on dinner tables: it works.

Using a quality slow cooker makes a real difference here. If your crock pot runs hot (older models often do), check the chicken at the 3.5-hour mark on low rather than waiting the full 4.

Overcooked chicken in a slow cooker turns stringy in an unpleasant way, not just dry. A programmable slow cooker with a warm setting is worth every penny if you’re not home to check it — it automatically drops to warm when the cook time is up so you’re not stressing about timing.

What You Need to Know Before You Start

A few things that will save you from the most common slow cooker fajita mistakes:

Chicken Breasts vs. Chicken Thighs

Both work, but they behave differently. Chicken breasts shred cleanly and have a leaner texture — they’re what most people picture when they think of fajitas.

Chicken thighs are more forgiving if your slow cooker runs hot; they stay juicy even if you go a little long. Either way, use boneless skinless pieces so you’re not dealing with bones or excess fat at the end.

Bell Pepper Color

You can use any color bell pepper, but there’s a real taste difference. Green peppers are sharper and slightly bitter — some people love that contrast with the chicken.

Red, yellow, and orange peppers are sweeter and mellow out even more during the long cook. I like a mix of red and green for both color and flavor range, but this is genuinely a personal preference call.

The Liquid Amount Matters

Don’t add water or broth. The chicken and vegetables release plenty of moisture as they cook, and the salsa adds all the additional liquid you need.

Adding extra liquid turns this into soup, not fajita filling. Stick to the ½ cup of salsa called for and trust the process.

Cook Time Windows

On low: 4 to 5 hours. On high: 2 to 3 hours.

Thicker chicken breasts need more time; thinner ones less. If you’re cooking from frozen, add 1 to 1.5 hours on low.

Check with a meat thermometer — you want 165°F internal temperature.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need for 4 to 6 servings:

For the Fajita Filling

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 3–4 medium)
• 3 bell peppers, sliced (any color combination — I use 2 red, 1 green)
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-rings
• ½ cup salsa (use your favorite jarred variety or homemade)
• 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning (store-bought packet or homemade — recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt (reduce if your seasoning blend is already salty)

Homemade Fajita Seasoning (optional, makes about 3 tablespoons)

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional, for heat)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

If you make your own blend often, a good fajita seasoning blend from the store is convenient, but making it yourself means you control the salt level — which matters when you’re also adding salsa.

For Serving

• 8–10 flour tortillas (6-inch or 8-inch, depending on how loaded you like them)
• Shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Sour cream
• Guacamole or sliced avocado
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Pico de gallo or extra salsa
• Jalapeño slices (optional)

How to Make Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Step 1: Layer the Vegetables

Place the sliced bell peppers and onion in the bottom of your slow cooker. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and toss lightly to coat.

Spreading them in an even layer helps them cook uniformly and gives the chicken something to rest on rather than sitting directly on the crock surface.

Step 2: Season the Chicken

In a small bowl, combine the fajita seasoning, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, minced garlic, and lime juice. Stir into a loose paste.

Coat the chicken breasts on all sides with this mixture. Don’t rush this step — thorough coating means every bite has good seasoning, not just the outside.

Step 3: Add Chicken and Salsa

Place the seasoned chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Pour the salsa over everything.

Put the lid on and resist the urge to lift it while cooking — every time you remove the lid, you add roughly 20 minutes to the cook time.

Step 4: Cook

Cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Start checking the chicken at the earlier end of the range.

You want it to reach 165°F at the thickest part and shred easily with two forks. If it’s pulling apart but still looks a little wet, remove the lid for the last 20 minutes to let some moisture escape.

Step 5: Shred and Mix

Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker and stir everything together. The chicken will absorb the cooking liquid and seasoning as it sits.

Taste and adjust salt and lime juice at this point.

Step 6 (Optional): Broil for Texture

If you want some caramelization and texture on the peppers and chicken, spread the filling on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 3 to 5 minutes. Watch it closely — you want some browning, not charring.

A cast iron skillet also works great here — heat it until very hot and cook the filling in batches for 1 to 2 minutes to get that quick sear. Either method takes the slow cooker version from good to genuinely restaurant-quality.

Step 7: Warm the Tortillas and Serve

Warm your tortillas directly over a gas burner for about 30 seconds per side, in a dry skillet, or wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds. Cold tortillas crack when you fold them; warm tortillas are pliable and actually taste like something.

Pile on the filling and add your toppings.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

Don’t Skip the Lime

The lime juice does two things: it brightens the overall flavor and it helps the seasoning cling to the chicken. Bottled lime juice works in a pinch, but fresh lime has noticeably more flavor.

Squeeze it right before you use it — lime juice oxidizes quickly and loses its punch within a few hours.

Slice the Peppers and Onions Thicker Than You Think

Thin slices will turn to mush after 4+ hours in the slow cooker. Aim for ½-inch strips.

They’ll still soften considerably, but they’ll hold their shape enough that you get real texture in the filling rather than a uniform, soft mass.

Make It Spicier (or Milder)

For more heat, use a hot salsa, add ¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne to your seasoning, or throw in a seeded jalapeño with the vegetables. To keep it mild, use a mild salsa and omit the cayenne.

The base recipe as written is kid-friendly heat-wise.

Use Salsa You’d Actually Eat with Chips

This sounds obvious, but since salsa is the primary liquid in this recipe, its flavor carries through to the final dish. If you wouldn’t eat it straight, don’t cook with it.

Chunky salsas work fine; they just break down during cooking and become part of the sauce.

Fajita Seasoning Quality Varies Widely

Some store-bought packets are mostly salt and fillers. If you’re using a packet rather than making your own, taste the filling before adding more salt at the end.

Some packets have 400–500mg of sodium per serving, which adds up quickly. Making your own blend with the recipe above takes about 3 minutes and gives you control over every component.

Meal Prep This

This filling holds beautifully in the fridge for 4 days. Make a double batch on Sunday and you’ve got lunches and dinners covered through Wednesday with no additional effort.

It also freezes well — freeze flat in zip bags and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

What to Serve with Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

The filling stands on its own in tortillas, but if you’re feeding a crowd or want to round out the meal:

• Mexican rice — makes the meal more substantial and soaks up the extra juices
• Refried beans or black beans — add protein and make it more filling
• Cilantro lime rice — the acidity plays well against the smoky seasoning
• Simple green salad — a light counterpoint to the rich filling
• Corn on the cob or elote — turns this into a full summer spread
• Chips and guacamole — because you already have everything out for toppings anyway

Low-Carb and Dairy-Free Options

The filling itself is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free — all the adjustments happen at the serving stage. For low-carb: serve over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps instead of tortillas.

For dairy-free: skip the sour cream and cheese, and use a dairy-free guacamole or just sliced avocado. For gluten-free: use certified gluten-free tortillas or corn tortillas, and check your fajita seasoning packet for any wheat-based fillers (some have them).

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator

Store the filling (without tortillas and toppings) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors actually develop a bit more overnight, so day-two leftovers are genuinely good.

Freezer

Freeze in zip-top bags laid flat for up to 3 months. Label with the date.

Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The peppers will be softer after freezing but the flavor holds well.

Don’t freeze with tortillas or toppings — those don’t survive the freeze-thaw cycle.

Reheating

Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between, until heated through. Or reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes — this method evaporates excess moisture and gives you a better texture.

Add a splash of water or chicken broth if it looks dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen chicken in the slow cooker?

Technically yes, though the USDA recommends thawing first for food safety reasons (frozen chicken spends more time in the temperature danger zone). If you do cook from frozen, add at least 1 to 1.5 hours to the cook time and verify the internal temperature reaches 165°F before eating.

For best results, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Can I make this with chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes, and many people prefer thighs for slow cooker recipes because they’re harder to overcook. Boneless skinless thighs work exactly the same way — same cook time, same seasoning, same layering method.

The end result is a bit richer and slightly more tender.

My filling is too watery. How do I fix it?

Remove the lid for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking to let steam escape. Or after shredding, transfer the filling to a skillet and cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes to reduce the liquid.

A small amount of liquid is normal and keeps the chicken juicy; a lot of liquid usually means you added extra water or broth that wasn’t needed.

Can I cook this on HIGH to save time?

Yes. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.

The trade-off is that you have less margin for error — chicken breasts on HIGH can go from done to rubbery faster than on LOW. Start checking at the 2-hour mark if you’re using smaller chicken breasts.

Thighs are more forgiving on HIGH.

What tortillas are best for fajitas?

Flour tortillas are traditional for fajitas — they’re pliable and hold up to a loaded filling. Corn tortillas have more flavor but crack more easily and are smaller, so you get less filling per tortilla.

For gluten-free, look for flour-style GF tortillas rather than corn if you want a sturdier wrap. Whatever you use, warm them first — a cold tortilla cracks and doesn’t taste as good.

If you make fajitas regularly, a good set of quality flour tortillas in the freezer is worth it — they thaw quickly and are usually better than the ones that have been sitting in the bread aisle for a week.

Can I add corn or black beans to the slow cooker?

Yes, with a caveat. Canned black beans (drained and rinsed) can go in for the last hour of cooking — adding them earlier makes them mushy.

Canned or frozen corn can go in for the last 30 minutes, or stir it in right at the end so it just heats through. Both additions make the filling more substantial and stretch it further.

How do I keep the chicken from drying out?

The two main culprits are cooking too long and cooking on HIGH when your slow cooker runs hot. Use a meat thermometer and pull the chicken the moment it hits 165°F.

Also, don’t drain the cooking liquid before shredding — return the chicken to the juices so it reabsorbs moisture as it sits. A fast-read meat thermometer is the single most useful tool for slow cooker chicken — it takes the guesswork out completely.

More Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes

If you liked this recipe, here are a few more slow cooker favorites worth trying:

• Crack Chicken Instant Pot Recipe

Leftover Halloween Candy Recipes: Candy Brownie Dessert

Every year, the candy bowl ends up with the same problem: too much left over, and nobody actually wants to eat it piece by piece once November hits. It sits in a bowl on the counter, getting ignored until someone finally throws it away.

This candy brownie recipe is the answer. You chop it up, fold it into a simple fudgy brownie batter, and bake it into something that disappears faster than the candy ever would have on its own.

These are not fancy brownies. They are the kind you make on a weeknight with a bowl and a wooden spoon, and they turn out better than anything from a mix.

The candy adds pockets of caramel, peanut butter, crispy wafer, or chocolate depending on what you have — and every pan comes out a little different. That is the point.

Why This Sweet Recipe Works

Most brownie recipes call for specific mix-ins — chocolate chips, nuts, a certain kind of candy. This one is built to be flexible.

The base batter is rich and fudgy on its own, which means it can handle a wide variety of candy additions without the texture falling apart. Whether you throw in chopped Snickers, broken Kit Kats, M&Ms, Reese’s Cups, Milky Ways, or a combination of all of them, the batter holds everything together and bakes into a dense, chewy bar.

The fat-to-flour ratio here leans higher than a cakey brownie, which keeps the crumb tight and fudgy even with all the extra candy mixed in. If you use candy bars with caramel (Snickers, Milky Way, Twix), you’ll get ribbons of gooey caramel running through the bars.

If you use Reese’s, you get soft pockets of peanut butter. Kit Kats add a little crunch to an otherwise soft texture.

There is no wrong combination.

One honest note: candy with a lot of caramel can make the brownies stickier and harder to cut cleanly. If you want neat bars, let them cool completely — at least two hours — before cutting.

If you cut them warm, they will be delicious and messy. Both are fine depending on what you’re going for.

What You Need to Know Before You Start

This recipe does not require a mixer. A large bowl, a whisk or wooden spoon, and a standard 9×13 baking pan are all you need.

If you want thicker brownies, use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan and add about 10 minutes to the bake time.

The candy should be chopped into rough pieces — not powder, not huge chunks. Aim for pieces about the size of a chocolate chip or slightly larger.

If you leave candy too large, it can create uneven spots in the brownie that don’t bake through properly.

Do not overmix once you add the flour. Overmixing develops gluten and makes brownies cakey and tough instead of fudgy.

Stir until the flour is just incorporated and stop there.

Use parchment paper in your pan if you want to lift the brownies out cleanly for cutting. A well-greased pan works too, but parchment makes everything easier.

Precut parchment sheets are genuinely one of those kitchen products worth keeping on hand — they fit standard pans and save a lot of fussing.

Ingredients

For the Brownie Batter

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

For the Mix-Ins

• 2 to 2½ cups chopped Halloween candy (any combination — see notes below)
• Optional: ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (adds extra chocolate depth)

Candy Combination Ideas

Use whatever you have. Here are combinations that work especially well:

• All chocolate bars: Snickers + Milky Way + 3 Musketeers — rich, caramelly, very fudgy
• Peanut butter heavy: Reese’s Cups + Reese’s Pieces + Butterfingers — nutty and dense
• Crunchy mix: Kit Kats + Butterfingers + M&Ms — some texture contrast in an otherwise soft brownie
• Everything bowl: Whatever is left — mixed candy works just as well as a curated combination

Avoid: gummy candy, hard candy, anything with a strong mint flavor (York Peppermint Patties will make the whole batch taste like mint), and candy with wrappers still on. Check your pieces before chopping.

How to Make Halloween Candy Brownies

Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the brownies out after baking.

Alternatively, grease the pan generously with butter or non-stick spray. Set aside.

Step 2: Melt the Butter

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until fully melted. You can also do this in a saucepan on the stovetop over low heat.

Let the melted butter cool for about 5 minutes — you don’t want it hot enough to scramble the eggs when you add them.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

Add the sugar to the melted butter and whisk until combined. The mixture will look grainy — that is normal.

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the vanilla and whisk until the batter is smooth and slightly glossy.

A good-quality balloon whisk makes this step faster and easier than a fork.

Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients

Sift the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder directly into the bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just combined — stop as soon as you no longer see dry streaks of flour.

Do not overmix.

Step 5: Fold In the Candy

Reserve about ¼ cup of the chopped candy to press onto the top. Fold the remaining candy into the batter with a few gentle strokes.

The batter will be thick — that is correct.

Step 6: Bake

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. It will be thick and may need some coaxing to reach the corners — use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Press the reserved candy pieces onto the top of the batter. Bake at 350°F for 28 to 34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).

The edges will look set; the center may look slightly underdone — it firms up as it cools.

Step 7: Cool and Cut

Let the brownies cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before attempting to lift them out. For clean cuts, cool completely (1–2 hours) before slicing.

Use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts for the neatest edges.

Tips for Better Results

Use Room-Temperature Eggs

Cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize slightly, making the batter look broken or lumpy. Set your eggs out for 20–30 minutes before baking, or do a quick warm-up by placing them (in the shell) in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.

Don’t Skip the Cooling Time

Fudgy brownies need time to set after baking. Cutting into them too early gives you a gooey mess that falls apart.

If you are making these to serve at a party or bring somewhere, bake them the night before and refrigerate overnight — they cut cleanly and the texture is even better cold.

Make Brownie Bites Instead

For a party-friendly presentation, use a mini muffin tin instead of a baking pan. Grease the tin well, fill each cup about ⅔ full, press a small piece of candy on top, and bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes.

You get individual brownie bites that are easy to pick up and serve. This is also a great option for kids’ parties where everyone wants their own piece without sharing a cut pan.

Check Candy for Wrappers

It sounds obvious, but when you are working fast and chopping through a pile of Halloween candy, it is easy to miss a wrapper. Go through your candy before you chop it.

Stray wrappers in the batter are not fun to find.

Adjust Sweetness Based on Candy Type

If your candy is very sweet (mostly milk chocolate, caramel-heavy bars), you can reduce the sugar in the batter by ¼ cup without affecting the texture noticeably. If you are using darker chocolate candy or more bittersweet mix-ins, keep the full amount of sugar.

The Right Pan Makes a Difference

Light-colored aluminum pans bake brownies more evenly than dark pans, which can cause over-browning on the edges before the center is done. If you only have a dark pan, check them 5 minutes earlier than the recipe suggests.

A good 9×13 aluminum baking pan is one of those workhorses worth having in your kitchen — it is what most professional bakers use for brownies.

How to Store Halloween Candy Brownies

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Layer them with parchment paper if stacking so the tops don’t stick together.

A good airtight storage container keeps them from drying out faster than they should.

Refrigerator

Refrigerated brownies last up to a week. The texture gets firmer and denser when cold — some people prefer this.

Let them sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before eating if you want them closer to room-temperature texture.

Freezer

Brownies freeze well. Cut into individual bars, wrap each one in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer bag or container.

Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30–60 minutes, or microwave for 20–30 seconds if you want them warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use any type of Halloween candy in this recipe?

Chocolate-based candy works best — Snickers, Reese’s, Kit Kats, M&Ms, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Butterfingers, Twix, Baby Ruth. Avoid gummy candy, hard candy, anything with a strong mint flavor, and candy like Skittles or Starburst, which are fruit-based and don’t bake well in brownies.

When in doubt, if it is chocolate, it works.

How much candy should I use?

2 to 2½ cups of chopped candy is the right range for a 9×13 pan. Less than that and you lose the candy impact; more than that and the batter has trouble holding together.

If you have a lot of candy to use up, you can push it to 3 cups, but the brownies will be stickier and harder to cut cleanly.

Can I make these from a boxed brownie mix?

Yes. If you want to shortcut the batter, use your favorite boxed brownie mix prepared according to package directions, then fold in the chopped candy before baking.

The from-scratch batter in this recipe produces a denser, richer result, but a boxed mix works in a pinch and comes together faster.

My brownies came out cakey instead of fudgy. What went wrong?

A few things cause cakey brownies: too much flour (measure by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling, not scooping), overmixing after adding the flour, or baking too long. Fudgy brownies should come out of the oven looking slightly underdone in the very center.

They firm up as they cool. Trust the toothpick with moist crumbs — not clean, moist crumbs — and pull them at that point.

Can I make these gluten-free?

You can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. The texture may be slightly different — a little more dense or crumbly depending on the blend — but it works.

Also check your candy: some candy bars contain gluten in the cookie or wafer layers (Kit Kats are not gluten-free, for example). Read labels if gluten-free is a requirement.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes. Double everything and bake in two 9×13 pans.

Do not try to bake a doubled batch in one pan — it will be too thick to cook through without overbaking the edges. Bake time stays the same when using two separate pans.

How do I know when they are done?

Insert a toothpick into the center of the pan. For fudgy brownies, it should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs clinging to it — not wet batter, but not clean either.

The edges will look set and the center will look slightly soft. That is exactly where you want them.

Pull them out and let the carryover heat finish the job while they cool in the pan.

Recipe Card

Related Recipes

If you liked these Halloween candy brownies, here are a few more ways to use up extra candy or satisfy a chocolate craving:

• Halloween Candy Cookies — same concept, cookie format, great for bake sales
• Chocolate Fudge — a no-bake option when you want something fast
• Peanut Butter Bars — if you have a lot of Reese’s to use up, these are the move
• Chocolate Bark — the fastest leftover candy recipe, no baking required

No Bake Desserts: Pumpkin Pie No Bake Dessert Recipe

When October hits and the air finally gets that first real chill, pumpkin everything takes over — and honestly, I’m fine with that. But turning on the oven when you just want a quick dessert for a weeknight or a potluck?

Not always happening. This pumpkin pie no bake dessert skips the oven entirely and still delivers that creamy, spiced pumpkin flavor you’re craving.

It sets up in the fridge, slices cleanly, and keeps well for several days. My honest take: it’s one of the few no bake desserts I’ve made that actually holds its shape and doesn’t taste like a sad substitute for the real thing.

Why This Pumpkin Pie No Bake Recipe Works

A lot of no bake pumpkin desserts end up with a filling that’s too soft, too sweet, or weirdly gummy. This one avoids all of that because of a few specific things happening in the recipe.

First, the filling uses cream cheese as a base rather than relying purely on whipped topping. Cream cheese adds structure and a slight tang that cuts through the sweetness of the pumpkin and sugar.

Without it, you end up with something that tastes more like sweetened foam than pie filling.

Second, canned pumpkin — not pumpkin pie filling — is the right call here. Pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices added, which means you lose control over the flavor balance.

Plain canned pumpkin puree lets you dial in exactly how sweet and how spiced you want it.

Third, time in the refrigerator does the work that the oven usually does. Two to three hours minimum — overnight is better.

Skipping that chill time is the most common mistake people make, and it results in a filling that slides when you cut it. Give it the full chill and you’ll get clean slices.

The graham cracker crust is pressed, not baked, which keeps the texture slightly crumbly in a good way — it’s got enough butter to hold together when chilled but doesn’t turn into a hard brick the way baked crusts sometimes do.

What You Need to Know Before You Start

A few things worth knowing before you start mixing:

Cream cheese temperature matters. Use room temperature cream cheese.

Cold cream cheese does not beat smooth — it leaves lumps in the filling that don’t go away no matter how long you mix. Pull it out of the fridge 45 minutes to an hour before you plan to start.

Canned pumpkin brands vary. Libby’s is the most consistent in terms of moisture content.

Some store-brand canned pumpkins are wetter, which can make the filling looser. If yours looks watery, blot it briefly with a paper towel before mixing.

The crust needs to be packed firmly. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a drinking glass to press the crust down hard.

A loosely pressed crust will crumble when you serve it. This is the one step where extra pressure is genuinely useful.

Whipped topping (Cool Whip) vs. fresh whipped cream. Cool Whip holds its shape for days in the fridge.

Fresh whipped cream tastes better but weeps after about 24 hours. For a dessert you’re making ahead or serving over multiple days, Cool Whip is the practical choice.

For same-day serving, fresh whipped cream is worth it.

This is a make-ahead dessert by design. It needs at least 2 hours of refrigerator time, preferably overnight.

Build that into your planning — it’s not a last-minute situation.

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12 full crackers)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Pumpkin Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 oz whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed

For Topping (Optional)

• Additional whipped topping
• A light dusting of ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• Crushed graham crackers

Equipment You’ll Need

You don’t need anything fancy, but having the right tools makes the process smoother. A standard 9-inch pie dish is the right size for this recipe — deeper dishes will give you a thinner filling layer, and shallower dishes may overflow.

I use a glass pie dish so I can see the crust layer from the side.

A hand mixer is the most useful tool here — it beats the cream cheese smooth in about two minutes and incorporates everything evenly. You can do it by hand with a lot of elbow grease, but the filling will likely have some lumps.

For a dessert that looks as good as it tastes, a hand mixer is worth the few minutes of cleanup.

• 9-inch glass pie dish — lets you see the crust from the side; glass holds temperature well when chilling
• Electric hand mixer — essential for getting the cream cheese filling completely smooth without lumps
• Mixing bowls with lids — useful for both mixing and covering the pie while it chills without the plastic wrap slipping
• Pie carrier with lid — if you’re bringing this to a potluck or holiday dinner, a pie carrier protects the top and makes transport easy

How to Make Pumpkin Pie No Bake Dessert

Step 1: Make the Graham Cracker Crust

In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly coated and the mixture looks like wet sand.

It should clump when you press it between your fingers — if it’s still dry and crumbly, add another teaspoon of melted butter.

Transfer the crumb mixture to your pie dish. Use your fingers to spread it across the bottom and up the sides of the dish.

Then use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a smooth drinking glass to press it down firmly and evenly. Pay extra attention to the edges where the bottom meets the sides — that’s where crusts tend to crumble first.

Place the crust in the refrigerator while you make the filling. Chilling it for at least 15 minutes helps it firm up so it holds shape when the filling goes in.

Step 2: Beat the Cream Cheese

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with your hand mixer on medium speed until it’s completely smooth — no lumps, no chunks. This takes about 2 minutes.

If you’re seeing chunks that won’t break up, your cream cheese is still too cold. Stop, let it sit for 15 more minutes, and try again.

This step determines the texture of the entire filling, so don’t rush it. A smooth cream cheese base means a smooth final filling.

Step 3: Add the Pumpkin and Spices

Add the canned pumpkin puree to the beaten cream cheese and mix on low speed until combined. Then add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.

Increase the speed to medium and mix until the filling is smooth and uniform in color — about 1 to 2 minutes.

Taste the filling at this point. This is your one chance to adjust.

Want more spice? Add another 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.

Too sweet? A small pinch of salt (1/8 teaspoon) will balance it without changing the flavor profile dramatically.

Step 4: Fold in the Whipped Topping

Switch from the mixer to a rubber spatula. Add the thawed Cool Whip to the pumpkin filling and fold it in gently — use slow, wide strokes from the bottom of the bowl up and over.

Don’t stir or beat it in. Folding preserves the lightness of the whipped topping; stirring deflates it and makes the filling denser.

Fold until just combined — a few light orange streaks are fine. Overmixing at this stage is more of a problem than undermixing.

Step 5: Fill and Chill

Retrieve your chilled crust from the refrigerator. Spoon the pumpkin filling into the crust and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or a pie cover (don’t let it touch the filling surface) and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — 4 hours is better, and overnight is best.

The filling firms up significantly as it chills. A pie that seems a bit wobbly after 2 hours will be fully set after 4.

If you’re serving this for a holiday dinner, make it the night before.

Step 6: Top and Serve

Just before serving, add your toppings if using. A dollop of whipped topping on each slice looks clean and intentional.

A light dusting of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice over the entire top takes about five seconds and makes the pie look like it came from a bakery. Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for the cleanest slices.

Tips for the Best Results

On the Crust

Pre-made graham cracker crusts from the store work fine and save about 5 minutes, but the homemade crust holds together better because you control the butter ratio. Store-bought crusts also tend to be shallower, so you may end up with leftover filling.

If you use a store-bought crust, keep the leftover filling in a small ramekin in the fridge — it’s good as a dip for apple slices.

If you want a gingersnap crust instead of graham cracker, use the same ratio — 1 1/2 cups gingersnap crumbs, 1/3 cup sugar, 6 tablespoons butter. The ginger adds a nice bite that works well with pumpkin spice.

On the Filling

Powdered sugar dissolves completely into the cream cheese without any graininess, which is why it’s used here instead of granulated. Don’t substitute granulated — the texture will be noticeably grainy, especially when the pie is cold.

If you want a denser, richer filling, reduce the whipped topping to 6 oz instead of 8. If you want a lighter, fluffier texture, use the full 8 oz.

Both work — it’s a preference call.

On Serving

This pie slices most cleanly when it’s very cold — straight from the refrigerator, not after sitting on the counter for 20 minutes. If you’re transporting it, keep it cold until the last possible moment.

Warm filling gets soft and slides off the crust.

A thin spatula or pie server works better than a wide one for getting the slices out without the crust crumbling. Slide it under the crust and lift cleanly rather than scooping.

Storage Instructions

This pumpkin no bake dessert stores well, which is one of its practical advantages over baked pies.

Refrigerator: Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The crust will soften slightly over time as it absorbs moisture from the filling — by day 3 or 4 it’s noticeably softer, which some people actually prefer.

The filling stays good throughout.

Freezer: This pie freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, or use a pie carrier and freeze for up to 1 month.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator — don’t try to thaw at room temperature, as the filling can get watery. The texture holds up well after freezing; the crust gets a bit more compact but still tastes good.

Individual slices: Slice before freezing for easy grab-and-go portions. Wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap.

They thaw in the refrigerator in about 3 to 4 hours.

If you’re planning to freeze part of the pie, skip the whipped topping on top — add it fresh after thawing. Frozen whipped topping gets watery as it thaws.

Variations Worth Trying

Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

Use chocolate graham crackers or Oreo crumbs (with the filling scraped out) for the crust. The chocolate-pumpkin combination is underrated and works especially well if you want a less traditional take on this recipe.

Individual Cups

Press the crust into the bottom of individual Mason jars or dessert cups and layer the filling on top. This format skips the slicing entirely and makes it easy to serve at parties or pack for lunches.

Press about 2 tablespoons of crust per jar, then fill with 1/3 cup of filling.

Maple Pumpkin Version

Replace 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup. The maple flavor is subtle but adds a warmth that pairs naturally with the pumpkin spice.

Use grade B (dark) maple syrup if you can find it — the flavor is stronger.

Cream Cheese-Free Version

For a lighter version, replace the cream cheese with an equal amount of Greek yogurt (full-fat works best). The texture will be softer and the flavor tangier, and it won’t slice as cleanly — but it’s a workable substitution if dairy sensitivity or preference is a factor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of plain pumpkin puree?

Technically yes, but the result will be sweeter and more heavily spiced than intended, and you lose control over the flavor balance. If you use pumpkin pie filling, reduce the powdered sugar to 1/2 cup and skip the added spices — then taste and adjust from there.

The filling won’t be quite as smooth, since pie filling sometimes has a slightly different texture than plain puree.

Why is my filling not setting up?

The most likely cause is not enough chill time. Two hours is the minimum; four is more reliable.

A second possibility is that the cream cheese was too warm when you mixed it, which can make the filling looser. A third cause is watery canned pumpkin — if your pumpkin puree had a lot of liquid, it can prevent the filling from firming up properly.

Give it more time in the fridge before concluding there’s a problem.

Can I make this a day ahead?

Yes, and it actually turns out better when made a day ahead. The filling has more time to set and the flavors meld together more fully overnight.

Add any toppings the day you’re serving — not the day before. This is genuinely one of the best recipes to make ahead because there’s no quality loss and it reduces day-of work.

Can I use a pre-made graham cracker crust from the store?

Yes. A 9-inch pre-made graham cracker crust works fine and saves a few minutes.

The main trade-off is that store-bought crusts are shallower, so you may not fit all the filling — put the extra in ramekins. The homemade crust also holds together slightly better because of the higher butter content, but the store-bought version is a reasonable shortcut.

Can I freeze the whole pie?

Yes. Wrap it well (plastic wrap then foil) and freeze for up to one month.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Skip the whipped topping before freezing — add it fresh after thawing.

The texture after freezing and thawing is very close to fresh, with the crust being slightly more compact than when it was first made.

What can I use instead of Cool Whip?

Fresh whipped cream works and tastes better, but it won’t hold up as long in the refrigerator — expect it to start weeping after about 24 hours. Use 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream beaten to stiff peaks in place of the 8 oz Cool Whip.

If you’re serving the pie same-day, fresh whipped cream is the better choice. If you’re making it ahead or keeping it for several days, Cool Whip is more practical.

How do I get clean slices?

Three things help: (1) Make sure the pie is fully chilled — slice it straight from the refrigerator. (2) Use a sharp knife.

(3) Wipe the blade clean with a damp cloth between each cut. The filling sticks to the blade and drags on the next cut if you don’t wipe it.

A thin, flexible spatula gets each slice out without breaking the crust.

Pumpkin Pie No Bake Dessert Recipe

More No Bake Desserts You’ll Want to Try

If this pumpkin pie no bake dessert is a hit, these are worth bookmarking for the rest of the season. No bake desserts are genuinely useful when the oven is already running for the main dish or when you need something that can be made two days ahead without any quality loss.

• No Bake Cheesecake — The same cream cheese and whipped topping base, without the pumpkin. Endlessly customizable with different toppings: strawberry, blueberry, caramel, or plain.
• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars — An oat-and-peanut-butter base pressed into a pan, topped with a chocolate layer. Sets in the freezer and cuts into bars. A crowd favorite at bake sales.
• Pumpkin Cream Cheese Dip — A simplified version of this filling without the crust. Serve it with graham crackers, apple slices, or vanilla wafers. Ready in 10 minutes, no chilling required.
• No Bake Pumpkin Balls — The filling rolled into bite-sized pieces and coated in crushed graham crackers or powdered sugar. Good for parties where slicing and plating isn’t practical.

Fall desserts don’t have to mean hours in the kitchen. This pumpkin pie no bake recipe is proof that a genuinely good dessert can come together with 20 minutes of active time and the patience to let the refrigerator do the rest of the work.