Some nights, preparing a home-cooked meal from scratch just isn’t in the cards — and that’s totally okay. Freezer meals are the answer.

Try these super-delicious, super-convenient freezer meal tips to keep things easy, safe AND tasty.

Build your freezer meal repertoire. Need freezer meal ideas? We’ve got a few: 

Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

Dutch Oven Chicken and Herb Dumplings

Greek Stuffed Peppers with Spinach & Artichoke

Sweet and Spicy Broth Bowl

One Dish Chicken Broccoli and Rice Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Chill before freezing. Putting hot foods in the freezer can increase your freezer’s temperature, making it more likely for other foods to defrost — not good. In a hurry? Refrigerate an uncovered dish and stir soups or stews frequently to speed up the chilling process.

Freeze with ease. Portion meals into individual containers or bags before freezing. This makes it super easy to grab what you need and avoid wasting food. Leave some extra space at the top of plastic containers and remove all the air from plastic bags before freezing.

Take stock of what’s in your freezer. Be sure to rotate meals so you use everything up. Most freezer meals will last anywhere from two to six months if they remain frozen during this time.

Summer is always the perfect time for cooking out. Most of us use grills or smokers to prepare enough food for the whole family and maybe even some dinner guests. What if we told you, you could double your cooking capacity by building your own smoker from office equipment? Joshua McIntyre of Mississippi has done just that (video below).

Delish reports that McIntyre turned an old file cabinet into his own personal double-capacity smoker! He posted a video on Facebook of his new cooker and pulled in over 8 million views. Apparently lots of people are interested in this innovative idea.

As you can see, the two top drawers of the cabinet are full of meats, even whole chickens! Then the bottom two drawers are set up for cooking. Brilliant! Take a look at the video below to get a close-up of how much he can cook in his brand “new” smoker.

Warning: Video contains expletives.

Sources: Delish, Joshua McIntyre/Facebook / Photo credit: It's Bob with a Beard/Instagram

Kylie Jenner has shared with us how she prefers to eat her Ramen Noodles! Using Twitter, she urged fans to start doing the same, and we’ve learned all about the many different ways Ramen can be enjoyed.

A photo posted by Kylie Jenner Snapchats (@kylizzlesnapchats) on Aug 5, 2016 at 3:12am PDT

I want to know what u guys put in ur ramen noodles !!

— Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) August 5, 2016

According to Refinery29, thousands of recipes started pouring in. Kylie reported via Snapchat that she likes to add butter, garlic powder and egg to her own Ramen dish.

Many of the responders were actually surprised that Kylie would eat Ramen Noodles at all, reports Teen Vogue. But doesn’t that make her all the more relatable? Who hasn’t enjoyed their fair share of this quick meal?

Well, now, thanks to Kylie, there are all sorts of Ramen recipe ideas floating around online. For example, some responses incorporated chili spices, hot sauce, proteins such as chicken or shrimp, and even cheese. This last one got some major attention from Kylie, who now feels she must try it.

Cheese ?!!! I must try https://t.co/wBFhZFxAwY

— Kylie Jenner (@KylieJenner) August 5, 2016

And now we must ask: What do you put in your Ramen Noodles?

Sources: Refinery29, Teen Vogue, Kylie Jenner/Twitter / Photo credit: Kylie Jenner/Instagram

Remember the gorgeous marble mirror cakes that took the Internet by storm a few weeks ago? Well, thanks to an amazing new video (below), you can now make them for yourself, no Instagram-envy required!

Marble mirror cakes are gorgeous, shiny cakes decorated with a swirled, mirror-like glaze. Even better, it turns out that the secret lies with one of our all-time favorite foods: white chocolate.

While the video is long, the process itself is fairly simple—perfect for a weekend baking project or a special occasion. Imagine the looks on the faces of your friends and family if you were to serve such a show stopping, gorgeous creation at your next function or dinner party!

Personally, we can’t wait to try out the technique for ourselves. Bake your most delicious cake recipe, and then get to decorating—we promise that the results (and the number of Instagram “likes” you receive) will not disappoint!

Source: Cookies Cupcakes and Cardio/YouTube / Photo credit: Cookies Cupcakes and Cardio/YouTube

Watermelon is the king (or queen) of all summer fruit. It is delicious, refreshing, and incontrovertibly associated with warm weather and good times.

In fact, watermelon is so delicious that it makes anyone who possesses it into the life of the party. During the summer months, we make a point of never showing up at a gathering or party without one of the juicy red fruits—we can’t even imagine a better hostess gift or potluck contribution.

If you’re not a watermelon fanatic already, however, prepare to become one with this amazing—and amusing—hack (video below).

Considering our unwavering love of watermelons, we spend a lot of time on the Internet searching for recipes and tricks for eating our favorite fruit. It was on one of our most recent searches that we found this incredible clip, demonstrating how to skin a watermelon.

Before you become too awestruck, you should know that the video doesn’t actually show how to skin a watermelon. What it does show, however, is a mind-boggling, aesthetically pleasing trick to make people think that you know how to skin a watermelon!

Watch the video below, and then prepare to be the most popular person at your next party. We promise that the time and effort will be well worth the looks on your friends’ faces!

Source: Mark Rober/YouTube / Photo credit: Mark Rober/YouTube

There is almost no end to the number of compliments that we could deservedly bestow on cookie butter. Not only is cookie butter the dessert to end all desserts—a spread made out of cookies that can be used to top everything from tarts to ice cream to more cookies—but it is so delicious that it makes peanut butter look like the ugly stepsister.

Whether you prefer the classic Biscoff Spread, or Trader Joe’s take on the decadent concoction, there’s no question that cookie butter is delicious. What you might not know, however, is that cookie butter is also surprisingly easy to make for yourself!

Luckily, we found an amazing video (below) showing how to do just that. It turns out that your favorite indulgence can be recreated using only three simple ingredients and a food processor—proving once and for all that there is nothing more perfect than cookie butter.

As the clip demonstrates, you can make cookie butter from any variety of crumbly, buttery cookies. Personally, we’ll be trying the recipe out on traditional Biscoff Cookies, classic shortbread cookies and salty peanut butter cookies!

Watch the video below for more inspiration, and don’t be afraid to experiment! After all, we can’t imagine that anything could possibly go wrong with a combination as delicious as cookies, butter, and sugar!

Source: BuzzFeedBlue/YouTube / Photo credit: The Newlywed Chefs

While we will never disavow our love of ice cream, there is something perfect about the guilt-free sweetness of frozen yogurt. Whether you prefer creamy chocolate or tropical mango, there is no question that this chilled diary product is the perfect dessert for enjoying summer nights without fear of overindulging.

Unfortunately, however, while there is no shortage of frozen yogurt stores, most recipes for homemade frozen yogurt require an ice cream maker. As firm believers in the fact that homemade is always better (and cheaper), we were left with a dilemma—is it possible to make delicious, healthy frozen yogurt without investing in an expensive kitchen appliance?

Luckily for us, the answer is a resounding, “yes.” After some serious research, we stumbled upon this amazing video (below), which demonstrates a mind-bogglingly easy way to make frozen yogurt from scratch.

The clip reveals how to craft strawberry, pineapple coconut, chocolate banana, mango lime, and cake batter frozen yogurt. Not only do the resulting creations look delicious, but also the method is so simple that it will leave you questioning why you didn’t think of it yourself!

Watch the video below, and then pull out your food processor or blender. Personally, we’re already preparing for a summer filled with healthy, delicious frozen yogurt in more flavors than we can possibly imagine!

Source: Gemma Stafford/YouTube Photo credit: Gemma's Bigger Bolder Baking

Prepare to revolutionize your entire dessert repertoire—we discovered a hack for making homemade honeycomb, and it could not be easier (video below).

If you’ve ever eaten honeycomb, you understand our excitement. Honeycomb is like toffee’s fluffy, crunchy, sophisticated cousin—characterized by an irresistible texture and an addicting caramelized flavor.

Despite the fact that it can be difficult to find honeycomb in the United States, however, the decadent dessert has been gaining popularity in dishes that range from Pinkberry’s limited edition ice cream to cult-favorite Violet Crumble candy bars. In honor of its growing popularity, we decided that it was high time that we learned how to make our own honeycomb, regardless of the difficulty of the recipe.

Luckily, however, before embarking down a slippery slope of candy thermometers and tears of frustration, we discovered this incredible video, which demonstrates an easy (and delicious) way in which to make homemade honeycomb.

While the recipe itself calls for Golden Syrup, a caramelized sugar syrup is available at many international or specialty grocery stores. Also, we discovered that it’s entirely possible to make the honeycomb using standard corn syrup—just make sure that you allow the mixture to caramelize completely before removing it from the stove.

Before watching the video below, prepare to have your mind blown. Personally, we’ll be dipping our honeycomb in dark chocolate, sprinkling it over ice cream, and even using it to decorate our most decadent summer cakes! Enjoy!

Source: Tesco/YouTube / Photo credit: Sugar Siren/Flickr

You might want to sit down for this.

It turns out that there is an incredibly simple way to determine how much spaghetti you should cook—and the answer is probably lying dormant in your kitchen drawers at this very moment.

If you’ve ever cooked spaghetti, (and chances are that you have), you probably know how hard it is to determine the right about of dried pasta to put in the pot. Personally, we always end up with enough starchy, sticky leftover pasta to feed a small village—not exactly the best way to budget resources or time.

Thanks to an incredible new hack, however, you’ll never have to worry about cooking too much or too little spaghetti ever again!

According to Delish, a recent set of photographs posted on Imgur has gone viral, demonstrating an ingenious use for that ubiquitous hole in your spaghetti spoon. Apparently, the hole can be used to determine the exact amount of dried spaghetti that you should cook per person—simultaneously explaining the hole’s existence and simplifying every dinner party that you will ever host.

Simply measure your dried pasta using the spoon’s hole before cooking and prepare for a leftover-free meal—without running the risk of underfeeding yourself or your guests!

Based on the difficulty of determining the correct amount of dried pasta to cook for a crowd, we suggest that you check out your spaghetti spoon immediately. If it doesn’t contain a hole, grab this one from Amazon — we promise that the purchase will pay off big time!

We don’t know about you, but there’s something incredibly exciting about learning a new use for everyday items. In celebration of this genius hack, we’ll be cooking spaghetti for dinner tonight, topped with classic marinara, flavorful primavera, or even a hearty Bolognese sauce!

Source: Delish / Photo credit: Imgur

Move over, Pink and Purple Drinks!

There’s a new Starbucks beverage named Coffee Jelly Starbucks taking the Internet by storm—the Coffee Jelly Frappuccino. Unfortunately, however, unlike the Pink and Purple Drinks, it’s available only in Japan, rendering the exciting new concoction out of reach for most of us.

After Googling the cost of plane tickets to Japan, we settled upon a cheaper way to bring the Coffee Jelly Frappuccino into our hands and onto our Instagram feeds. It turns out that coffee jelly is not only easy to make, but also perfect in a myriad of recipes, from drinks to dessert!

Even better, we found a video demonstrating how to make coffee jelly using instant Starbucks VIA packets, ensuring that your delicious creation is as authentic as possible.

We have a feeling that we’ll be making coffee jelly a lot this summer—it’s refreshing, trendy, and downright delicious. The Starbucks Coffee Jelly Frappuccino is crafted by topping coffee jelly with layers of vanilla custard, frozen blended coffee, and whipped cream, but feel free to customize the recipe to your liking!

Watch the video below, and then get to cooking! While you may not be able to fly to Japan, there’s no reason why that should stop you from enjoying the latest Starbucks trend in the comfort of your own home.

There is nothing worse than having to turn on your oven in the summer. Whether you are hosting a dinner party or coordinating a wedding rehearsal, we try to go the entire summer without utilizing any heat-generating appliances (video below).

Unfortunately, however, there’s one perfect summer food that practically requires an oven: the ice cream cake. After all, what is an ice cream cake without the cake?

Luckily, being true ice cream cake aficionados, we don’t let a fear of heat keep us from our summer dessert of choice. We scoured the Internet far and wide in search of the perfect hot weather ice cream cake hack, and the results were even better than we expected.

Thanks to the geniuses at Hack My Life, we now know the perfect way to make ice cream cakes, regardless of the weather. The video demonstrates how to make a delicious ice cream cake using only a few, simple, premade ingredients.

Even better—it’s infinitely customizable. Stick with the classics, like those demonstrated in the clip, or spice things up by using flavored whipped cream, adding fruit, or swapping the cookie flavor!

Personally, we’ll be making lavender and chocolate ice cream cake and Black Forest cherry ice cream cake throughout the summer, but the flavor combinations are entirely up to you. Watch the video below to learn the technique, and then get cooking—no oven required!

Source: truTV/YouTube / Photo credit: Butter with a Side of Bread

Blowing out the candles on a birthday cake is one of the most time-honored traditions of turning one year older. No matter whether you host a large party or a small gathering of friends and family, most of us never go more than a year without blowing out candles atop one birthday themed dessert or another.

Unfortunately, however, the act of blowing out birthday candles is also one of the most unsanitary parts of any celebration. A 2013 study conducted by Clemson University found that the average number of bacteria on a cake leaps from 200 to 3,000 after the candles have been blown out, and some countries have even gone so far as to suggest that their residents forgo birthday candles completely (we’re looking at you, Australia).

Luckily, if you’re not quite ready to give up on birthday wishes and cherished traditions for the sake of health, there’s a brilliant new viral video that might offer a solution. Entitled, “Tell me again why you don’t blow out the candles?” the clip demonstrates a hilarious new take on birthday celebrations.

Even if you’re not a germophobe, we suggest that you test out the method at your next birthday bash. At the very least, you will likely get a laugh, and at most you might prevent some of your closest friends and family from taking ill. After all, you may never look at a birthday cake again after thinking about all of the spit and bacteria that is distributed on the surface as part of your traditional celebration!

Sources: Country Living, Vindog Unleashed/YouTube / Photo credit: WallpaperFX

If you’re anything like us, risotto is one of those decadent dishes that you marvel at on restaurant menus but never actually get around to making for yourself. While it may not be the most difficult dish to cook, it requires constant attention for the better part of 30 minutes, rendering it an extremely difficult dish to whip up on weeknights or any other time when you might have to tackle two tasks at once.

Unfortunately, however, these barriers have not stopped us from pining after risotto every time we hear about it or read a recipe for a delicious variation on the classic Italian rice. After all, not only is risotto incredibly creamy and delicious, but also infinitely customizable, lending itself to decadent flavor customization that ranges from seafood to pumpkin and everything in between.

That’s why we were so excited when we heard about celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck’s genius risotto hack. The chef reports that, contrary to popular belief, it’s totally possible to make delicious risotto without all the stirring—all you need is a rice cooker.

Apparently, the everyday appliance keeps the rice so moist that you don’t even have to stir until the very end, and even then the process only lasts around a minute. We’ve included Wolfgang puck risotto recipe for Rice Cooker Mushroom Risotto below, but feel free to customize the flavoring and vegetables in any way you see fit—just don’t alter the variety of rice or the amount of liquid!

Wolfgang Puck’s Rice Cooker Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 pound assorted fresh organic mushrooms, such as shiitakes, chanterelles, Portobellos, cremini, or regular cultivated mushrooms

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice, rinsed in a strainer and drained well

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2-1/2 to 3 cups organic chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

Kosher salt

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

1 large garlic clove, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Directions

With a damp towel, wipe the mushrooms clean. With a small, sharp knife, trim off tough or dirty stems. Then, cut the mushrooms into thick, uniform slices.

Put the rinsed and drained rice in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir well to coat the rice evenly. Put the rice in the rice cooker. Add 2 cups of the broth along with the wine, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the salt. Stir well.

Close the lid of the rice cooker and press the “Cook” button. Cook for 20 minutes, and then switch the control to the “Keep Warm” setting.

While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute, stirring continuously, for 1 minute.

Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring continuously, until the mushrooms are juicy and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste and, if necessary, adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper. Set aside.

Carefully open the lid of the rice cooker. Stir in the sauteed mushrooms, 1/2 cup of the broth, the butter, parsley, and Parmesan. The mixture should have a creamy consistency; but, if it does not, stir in up to another 1/2 cup of the broth. Continue stirring for about 1 minute longer; then, taste and adjust the seasonings again, if necessary.

Spoon the risotto into heated wide, shallow bowls or soup plates. Serve immediately, passing additional Parmesan at the table for anyone who would like more.

Jackfruit may be one of this season’s hottest foods, but it’s also the most intimidating. As the largest tree fruit, jackfruits have a spiny green exterior, can weight up to 80 pounds, and frequently reach 20-30 inches in length, making them more than a little frightening to those of us for whom peeling a mango presents a challenge (video below).

Unfortunately, however, considering the hype surrounding the gargantuan fruit, we’re not exactly willing to leave well enough alone. Jackfruit is known for its intensely fruity flavor, and can be used in a wealth of exciting recipes, from jackfruit upside-down cake to vegan barbecue. All this excitement makes jackfruit a virtual necessity in our summer pantries, but while some grocery stores sell pre-cut jackfruit, we are of the firm belief that freshly cut fruit is always better than its pre-packaged counterpart.

Luckily for our taste buds, we found a detailed video on how to actually open this massive bundle of goodness. Jackfruits are available at most Asian grocery stores — just be sure to select a yellow, fragrant fruit in order to ensure that your conquest is ripe. Watch the clip below, and then get cooking! We guarantee that the exciting boldness of the fruit and your adventurous cooking will impress even the most cynical of your friends and family!

Source: saigondotcom/YouTube / Photo credit: Bariball Agriculture

Ramen is incredibly cheap, surprisingly delicious, and available almost everywhere, from gas stations to grocery stores. If you’re in college, ramen might just represent one of your main food groups, and if not, chances are that you’ve relied on ramen for a quick meal more than you’d like to admit (video below).

The problem with ramen, however, is that it gets old very quickly. There are only so many bowls of hot, salty noodles that you can consume before you start craving some variety. And, while it’s easy to add Sriracha or fresh chives to your ramen in search of new flavor, we’ve found some much more exciting ways to spice up the budget staple.

We were blown away when we discovered the video below, which demonstrates how to turn everyday ramen into everything from Faux Pho to Canadian Poutine. Even better, the recipes are almost as easy and cheap as the noodles themselves, utilizing kitchen staples to transform your favorite college food into a gourmet feast. The hardest part will be deciding which variation you’ll be cooking for dinner tonight!

Source: Tounsi.com/Youtube

There are two kinds of grocery shoppers: those who write out exactly what they need to make their pre-planned recipes for the week, and those who run through the store and grab whatever looks good or is on sale. Whichever kind you are, you’ve probably found yourself at least once staring at a fridge full of rotten fruit and wilted vegetables at the end of the week, frustrated that you weren’t able to use them all. Well, you’re not alone. Did you know that roughly 40 percent of food grown in the U.S. does not get eaten?

Not all fruits and vegetables freeze well, but one easy way to cut back on wasting them is simply to buy foods that will last you longer. Berries and bananas spoil very quickly, so buy them sparingly and eat or freeze them quickly.

When you don’t have a game plan but want to stock up on leafy greens, try buying cabbage instead of lettuce or kale. Cabbage can stay good for more than two weeks, so you should have enough time to make that slaw. We recommend storing cabbage in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. To maximize freshness, don’t cut or wash it until you’re ready to use it.

Onions and garlic add a much-needed savory punch to almost any entree, and they stay good for ages – up to a couple of months. Yellow onions last the longest. Here’s how to store them.

Potatoes are another versatile, vitamin-packed food that lasts forever. Well, ok, not forever, but you can get a good two to three months out of them. Not bad. Just keep them away from your onions – they age each other. Sweet potatoes are a different story — the sugars will age them much faster, so keep an eye on them.

Whole, unwashed carrots and beets can last for up to three weeks in your fridge. Cut the green stems off to slow down water loss, and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Green peppers last for two to three weeks, since they are low in sugar. Opt for ones that feel heavy and have tight, unwrinkled skin. Keep them in a plastic bag in the crisper.

Winter squash lasts for more than a month outside of the refrigerator, while uncut watermelon can give you a good week or two in the fridge.

How many times have you looked through your fridge and decided at the last minute that you want to eat that steak that’s sitting in your freezer? You’re hungry now, and while you don’t feel like waiting an hour, you also don’t want to wreck the beef in the microwave. Did you know that you can defrost it in 10 minutes?

All you need are two metal pots and some room temperature water. That’s it!

Turn one pot upside down and put your frozen steak on top. Then fill the second pot with water – just enough to make it heavier – and place it on top of your steak, sandwiching the meat between both pots.

The metal pans will conduct just enough heat to defrost the steak without cooking it. For a thinner steak that’s around a half inch thick, it should be defrosted in about five minutes, while a two-inch thick steak will take closer to 10 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it and take off the pans as soon as it’s fully defrosted.

Hard boiled eggs are a truly versatile, convenient snack or meal. From deviled eggs to Cobb salads to a delicious ramen topping, or even just by themselves with a little salt, they taste great and pack a healthy protein boost. But peeling them can be a major pain. Fortunately, we found a simple trick that makes removing the shells a breeze — all you need is one simple ingredient that you probably already have: vinegar.

That’s all it takes! Simply add around one tablespoon of white vinegar to four cups of water (feel free to eyeball it) and cook your eggs normally. The vinegar will weaken the shells slightly, making the shells slide right off when you peel them. We recommend adding the eggs to the boiling water mixture and gently boiling for 14 minutes. If you want soft-boiled eggs, add them to rapidly simmering water and, for one or two eggs, cook for five minutes for a perfectly runny yolk or up to seven minutes for a more firmly set but still spoonable yolk. If you’re cooking three or four eggs, cook for a few extra seconds. (We don’t recommend soft boiling more than four eggs at a time, but feel free to hard boil as many as you want.)

When the eggs are finished boiling, transfer them immediately to an ice bath. (For soft boiled, all you need to do is run them under cold tap water for 30 to 60 seconds and eat warm.)

Peel the eggs as soon as they are cool. If you want to leave them in the shells, they won’t peel as easily as fresh, but they will still be much easier than a vinegar-free batch.

For an extra special treat, you can scramble your egg in the shell. Shake the egg vigorously for two to three minutes — you want to make sure the yolk breaks inside the egg — and boil it like normal for a fluffy golden egg.

These simple life hacks, from making the perfect baked potato to measuring with your hands, will make your life easier. Thanks to these hacks, cooking and eating will no longer be a task, and they might even change your life.

1. Make the perfect loaded potato.

2. How to make super easy sugar cookie bowls.

3. Keep cakes moist by placing a piece of bread on top overnight.

4. Avoid messy hands while eating popsicles.

5. If you put a thumbprint in the middle of your burger it will cook flat, not round.

6. Lather a moat of PB around the J for a drip-free PB&J sandwich.

7. Determine a serving size with your hand.

8. Make dried fruits in your oven.

9. Put a wooden spoon over a boiling pot to prevent spill overs.

10. How to make a bacon taco bowl.

11. Make a brick oven at home for just $5.

12. Keep your avocados green longer with the help of lemon.

13. Use a paper towel to keep your salad fresh and avoid sogginess.

14. Bake tortillas to make your own crispy taco shells.

15. Section off your beef before freezing to have portion-sized patties to defrost.