Life Hacks, Post Your Favorites!

[ah giten]

After Yom Tov, especially Pesach, make a spreadsheet. What on the menu went over well with guests and kids. What did you run short on and need to have more next time around. What did you way overbuy on. That way there is no need to reinvent the wheel next year.

And make sure you hide the list in a place that you won't be able to find the next year...

[etech0]

And make sure you hide the list in a place that you won't be able to find the next year...

Is that a life hack or is that just life?

[etech0]

That’s a fantastic idea

Been doing it for about a year now and it works beautifully. And if you want to mix in ingredients for meatballs, you can throw them in the bag, re-zip, and mix it inside.

[moko]

To easily melt a small amount of chocolate / butter, put it in a ziploc bag and put that into a mug of hot water for a few minutes. No mess! You can cut a hole in the corner to pipe chocolate too.

or just stick the bag in the microwave for a minute

[moko]

Shredded cheese lasts longer in the freezer, but will clump up, before freezing add a little bit of cornstarch (1tbs) and shake vigorously. The pieces will stay separate and it'll be easy to use.

If you want a hot meal on any plane, bring a tradition soup or oatmeal packet and use the free hot water they offer with tea. Great for traveling in general.

there's already starch in shredded cheese

[etech0]

or just stick the bag in the microwave for a minute

And hope it doesn't burn

[Joel]

Open glass jars with rubber gloves

[Mordyk]

Before you go on a long flight, freeze a JJ cappuccino.  If it's frozen they let it on the plane. Once you get up from your nap on the plane there is nothing as refreshing as an iced cappuccino. It should still be freezing but not frozen.

Thank me later

[VacationLover]

Before you go on a long flight, freeze a JJ cappuccino.  If it's frozen they let it on the plane. Once you get up from your nap on the plane there is nothing as refreshing as an iced cappuccino. It should still be freezing but not frozen.

Thank me later

From my experience,  they don't take away any box drinks - even liquid - since it shows up on their screen as neatly packed food wrapped in silver foil (shhhh...).

Freezing liquid always works, not only on box drinks. It can be a small bottle milk or anything.

[Sam Finkelstein]

I’ve had varying degree of success with this. Usually they’ve melted a bit by the time we reach security.

[biobook]

Open glass jars with rubber gloves

Or a rubber band around the lid.

[cholent]

From my experience,  they don't take away any box drinks - even liquid - since it shows up on their screen as neatly packed food wrapped in silver foil (shhhh...).

Freezing liquid always works, not only on box drinks. It can be a small bottle milk or anything.

They took away my non frozen jj iced capps (I usually do the frozen trip but this was the way back, I had checked out of the hotel many hours earlier and it was no longer frozen)

[biobook]

When you first open a bottle of soda or seltzer or pop, begin by slowly turning the cap one-quarter turn and wait about 10 seconds, watching for the small bubbles to slow down, and listening as the sssst of escaping gas gets quieter.  Then turn another 1/4 turn, and wait another 10 seconds till it quiets down.  Now open the cap the rest of the way, and look proudly around as you pour a perfect cup.  Don't expect a pat on the back, though, because nobody will realize what didn't happen.  But you'll know. 

Because one day, soon we hope, you'll be at a shul kiddush, balancing a full bowl of aromatic chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash in one hand, and an empty cup in the other, and someone will offer to pour you a drink, and he'll twist that cap quickly, in one fell swoop, and you'll watch as the bottle suddenly erupts, and fizzy, bubbly liquid streams downward, over his greasy hands into your still-untouched chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, filling the bowl with what now looks like brown soup, which overflows the rim and drips downwards onto your Shabbos shoes, and you'll look up as he sheepishly mumbles "Sorry!  Someone must have shaken the bottle" and you'll think NO, YOU DOOFUS!!!  DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE!  ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF SODA! but you won't say that, of course, you'll just smile kindly and say "It's nothing, I'll get another bowl" and you'll return to the table, only to discover that the pan has now been totally emptied of its chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, and you'll just sigh.  How could he know?  He's not a DDFer.

[ckmk47]

Prepare a Tradition soup the regular way.  (Add boiling water an let it sit.)
Then pour out the broth into a bowl and add shredded cheese to the noodles in the cup and mix.
You've now got soup and noodles and cheese.

[ckmk47]

After Yom Tov, especially Pesach, make a spreadsheet. What on the menu went over well with guests and kids. What did you run short on and need to have more next time around. What did you way overbuy on. That way there is no need to reinvent the wheel next year.

Also make a list of how much you used of everything ( wine, matzoh, potatoes, etc) and who was there. (How many eaters)

[Jellybelly]

When you first open a bottle of soda or seltzer or pop, begin by slowly turning the cap one-quarter turn and wait about 10 seconds, watching for the small bubbles to slow down, and listening as the sssst of escaping gas gets quieter.  Then turn another 1/4 turn, and wait another 10 seconds till it quiets down.  Now open the cap the rest of the way, and look proudly around as you pour a perfect cup.  Don't expect a pat on the back, though, because nobody will realize what didn't happen.  But you'll know. 

Because one day, soon we hope, you'll be at a shul kiddush, balancing a full bowl of aromatic chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash in one hand, and an empty cup in the other, and someone will offer to pour you a drink, and he'll twist that cap quickly, in one fell swoop, and you'll watch as the bottle suddenly erupts, and fizzy, bubbly liquid streams downward, over his greasy hands into your still-untouched chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, filling the bowl with what now looks like brown soup, which overflows the rim and drips downwards onto your Shabbos shoes, and you'll look up as he sheepishly mumbles "Sorry!  Someone must have shaken the bottle" and you'll think NO, YOU DOOFUS!!!  DON'T BLAME SOMEONE ELSE!  ADMIT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE OF SODA! but you won't say that, of course, you'll just smile kindly and say "It's nothing, I'll get another bowl" and you'll return to the table, only to discover that the pan has now been totally emptied of its chulent or chili or Hungarian goulash, and you'll just sigh.  How could he know?  He's not a DDFer.

@Yehuda57 has some serious competition over here

[justaregularguy]

@Yehuda57 has some serious competition over here

its different. theyre both essential

[ah giten]

on the topic of tradition soup. I wouldn't recommend eating it, but for those that do eat it.
If you struggle to eat the long noodles, just try squeezing the cup BEFORE pouring in the hot water.

[cmey]

When making homemade pizza on a pan (cast iron is better) partially bake the dough for a few minutes before putting on the marinara , cheese, oregano, etc. That way you end up with a perfect crust instead of half doughy out of the oven.

[etech0]