Kitchen Clean-up Hacks from Dietitians

Dietitians may say their favorite place in the home is the kitchen, but that’s only when we’re making or enjoying food. Clean-up is a whole other beast.  In my house, the rule is if you didn’t cook the meal, then you’re on kitchen clean-up duty. Which means Mr E is typically shutting down the kitchen after dinner. As the kind, loving wife that I am, I try to help limit the mess in the kitchen to be cleaned up.  For example, my number one clean-up preventive measure is using non-stick foil or parchment paper on my pans.  Anything the melts or burns is easily thrown away, and the pan just needs a quick wipe down.  Many of my colleagues tend to have similar strategies. Check out how dietitians cut back on messes with these clean-up hacks.

Clean-Up Starts at the Supermarket

• I buy the steamable veggies in the frozen section. Just throw them in the microwave and you don’t have a pot to clean up later. Time and sanity saver. – Betsy Ramirez, Supermarket Nutrition

Create a Protective Barrier

• Use a liner when using your slow cooker. Slow cooker can help save time preparing dinner, but then you’re stuck scrubbing it down at the end of the night. Use a slow cooker liner for quick and easy cleanup. – Julie Harrington, RDelicious Kitchen
• I always line baking sheets with foil or parchment paper and when roasting veggies I toss them with olive oil and any spices I’m using directly on the lined baking sheet so I don’t have another bowl to clean. – Jessica Fishman Levinson, Nutritioulicious

RECIPE: Summer Shakshuka

• I love using silicone baking mats so I don’t have to scrub baking sheets! – Kaleigh McMordie, Lively Table

All in One Packet Meals

• I really like to make foil packet dinner (such as shrimp boil, salmon en papillote) so there is no clean up required. – Dixya Bhattarai, Food, Pleasure & Health
• Parchment paper baby! – Kathryn Ayres, MA, RD, Meals for Medicine LLC

RECIPE: Egg in a Delicata Nest

• Using foil boats and grilling are the best for a no-dish dinner! – Kaleigh McMordie, Lively Table

RECIPE: Garlic Cilantro Salmon  

One Pot, One Mess

• I’m all about one pot and one tray meals! And I always line with parchment paper or foil for less scrubbing. I also roast and bake in a pretty pan that can go right on the table (no need for serving dishes when company is over). – Christy Brissette, 80 Twenty Nutrition

RECIPE:  Mediterranean Roasted Chicken with Broccoli and Peppers

RECIPE:  Healthy Turkey Chili Loaded with Vegetables

Taking Paper Plates Beyond Picnics

• I use paper plates when I bread or use a nut crust on chicken or salmon. – Madeline Basler, Real You Nutrition

Plastic Bags: Not Just for Sandwiches

• I try to clean as I go, which can be tough when cooking with lots of fresh produce. It can be messy to chop, slice, peel, etc. and those small pieces always seem to find their way to the countertop or floor. I started placing a gallon-size Ziploc bag into a mixing bowl and folding the top over to hold it open. All the kitchen scrap go in there, the rest in trash or compost. Then, the scrap bag goes in the freezer, and when I’ve collected enough, I make a big batch of vegetable stock that I can then use or freeze for other things. Less mess and less food waste! – Cara Harbstreet, Street Smart Nutrition
• I “chop” nuts by sealing them in a zip-top bag, then crushing them with a can
  or something else that’s heavy. This way I don’t have to clean any nut-chopping equipment! – Amy Gorin, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition

WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO KITCHEN CLEAN-UP TACTIC?

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DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own and are not influenced or biased by any third parties. I am not compensated for mentioning any specific brands or retailers on this blog, however I do serve as an affiliate for several retailers, which may pay me a small compensation for referrals and allows me to keep this website and blog active for you and future readers.

Any opinions expressed by RDN colleagues are strictly their own and are not compensated for mentioning on this blog. Please refer to their individual sites for disclosure agreements.