Your Kitchen ‘First Aid’ Kit

Own a first aid kit? Most of us have some kind of box, stashed away in the kitchen cupboard and featuring all kinds of essentials for an emergency around the home. Plasters, bandages and paracetemol are just a few items you might keep in yours – but do you have a kit reserved only for your kitchen?

What we mean by that is, do you have a box full of ’emergency’ items in case of a kitchen-based disaster? If not, here’s what you might need…

Plastic Bags

Those plastic bags you have stuffed inside that cupboard may come in very useful after all. In the instance that a power cut should threaten to impact the food in your fridge or freezer, WebMD advises filling up plastic bags with cold water. Now, simply pack them close up against boxes and bags of food.

The site suggests that losing power for up to four hours shouldn’t affect the safety of food in your fridge or freezer. However, it is advised that you ‘keep in mind that every time you open the door of a powerless refrigerator, the temperature drops.’

If your freezer isn’t full, group items together to keep them colder for longer and ‘fill quart-sized, zip-up plastic bags with water and put them in your freezer to help fill it’.

So, keep hold of those plastic bags you’ve been storing; don’t be tempted to fill them up with old clothes for the charity shop – you may be able to make use them in your kitchen.

Lemon and Vinegar

Have you added too much salt to your meal? Add some more acidity with a squeeze of lemon or some vinegar. If it tastes stiflingly salty, stir in some more liquid – milk, cream or red wine, whichever works with your dish.

Foil or Baking Paper

Is your cake browning far too fast? Cover it with baking paper or foil and move it to a lower shelf in the oven. This will prevent it from burning but will ensure it still cooks through.

An Oven Thermometer

Don’t rely on the thermostat of your oven. Instead, invest in an oven thermometer, which will offer reassurance when you’re following a recipe. It’ll also save your blushes when you have friends round for food and you’re not entirely sure that stew’s cooked properly.

A Hand Blender

Don’t have the energy to get those lumps out of your cake batter? We don’t blame you! A hand blender will come to your rescue! It’s also ideal for making soup. Look out for one which features a mini chopper, too, as it’ll make light work of those smaller jobs. It may well be the best investment you’ve ever made and will mean you don’t necessarily have to splash out on a food processor.

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Until next time…