43 food mistakes EVERYONE makes (and how to avoid them)

Common kitchen clangers

When it comes to preparing, storing and cooking food, many of us make the same mistakes day after day (often without realising it). From keeping products for too long to using the wrong kitchen tools, here we reveal the culinary clangers that most people commit – and offer advice on how to avoid them.

Read on to discover 43 food mistakes most people make, counting down to the most common of all.

We've based our ranking on how common each mistake is, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.

43. Keeping canned soup for too long

Many of us like to hoard canned soup in our cupboards for chilly evenings and sick days. However, it's best not to keep them stashed away for too long – those tins of tomato, mushroom or chicken soup won’t stay fresh forever. They have a shelf life of up to five years, but start to deteriorate after two.

42. Not washing fruit and vegetables

We often forget to wash fruit, vegetables and salad leaves before eating them. If they're labelled as ready to eat, it's usually fine – but it's still good practice to rinse your fruits and vegetables to get rid of any dirt and pesticides. This will also reduce your chances of getting ill.

41. Making burger patties that rise in the middle

Here's a burger hack from the professionals: making a shallow indent with your thumb in the middle of an uncooked patty will prevent the middle from rising during cooking. A flat burger is always a better burger, as it will provide the perfect platform for all sorts of toppings.

40. Adding oil when you boil pasta

Some people think that olive oil stops pasta from sticking during the cooking process. However, it also stops the sauce from adhering to the pasta once it's cooked, so it's best not to use it. Instead, stir the water as it's boiling – and save a couple of spoonfuls of starchy pasta cooking water to help bind your sauce.

39. Pre-cooking lasagne sheets

Contrary to popular belief, lasagne sheets don't need to be pre-cooked or softened before use. Instead, all you need to do is ensure that your sauce contains plenty of liquid, and that you bake the dish for at least 20 minutes – ideally until the top is golden and the cheese is deliciously oozy.

38. Using boiling water for mashed potatoes

Nothing beats a warming bowl of mashed potatoes on a cold evening – and it turns out that the secret to the creamiest mash is cooking the potatoes in milk, rather than water. When you simmer potatoes in water and drain them, you’re essentially throwing away the excess starch. Starch is integral for achieving a silky-smooth finish, so cooking your potatoes in milk will help them absorb the dairy flavour and lock in that starchiness.

37. Throwing away leftover dip

Got some leftover guacamole from last night's chilli? Don't throw it away. You can easily freeze dips like guacamole and hummus in ice cube trays or zip-lock bags so they're ready to go when you next need them. Just don't forget to take them out of the freezer to defrost an hour or so beforehand!

36. Using a small pan for pasta

As insignificant as it may seem, using a small pan could be the underlying reason why your pasta isn’t as delicious as it could be. Adding dried pasta to a tiny pan can cause the temperature to fluctuate, allowing it to drop in heat quickly and take longer to boil again. If this starchy food is left in warm water for too long, it can cluster together and get mushy. Switch to a large pan for perfect pasta every time.

35. Letting sugar go hard

Fed up with your sugar turning clumpy and hard? This often happens to brown sugar when it's been exposed to the air for too long – and it happens to white sugar when there's too much moisture. Either way, it's best to store your sugar in an airtight container to make it last longer.

34. Keeping potatoes and onions together

Been storing your potatoes and onions in the same place? Stop! Each of these vegetables produces gases that cause the other to spoil – so keep them separately in a cool, dry, dark place. Brown paper bags and burlap sacks are good storage options.

33. Using a cold spoon to scoop ice cream

When ice cream comes straight out of the freezer, serving it can be a feat of strength. To make it easier, place a metal spoon in hot water for a minute or so, then use it to scoop the ice cream with ease.

32. Getting fish stuck to the pan

Whether you're baking, barbecuing or frying, there's a simple solution if you find your fish sticking. Rather than placing it directly on the pan or grill, cook it on a sheet of baking paper. The skin will still get perfectly crispy, and you'll be able to lift it off intact.

31. Peeling ginger with a knife

If you use a knife to peel ginger, the knobbly nature of this root means you'll lose a lot of perfectly edible flesh. A way to prevent this is to scrape the skin off using a teaspoon – it’s surprisingly easy to do (and you'll prevent waste in the process).

30. Adding dressing too early

One of the biggest mistakes people make when prepping salad ahead of time is adding the dressing too early. The result? A limp, soggy salad nobody is going to want to eat. There's an easy solution, though – simply leave the dressing in a pot on the side and mix it in just before serving.

29. Adding milk to scrambled eggs

There's no need to add milk or cream when making scrambled eggs – the eggs and added liquid will separate during cooking, forming a wet, rubbery scramble rather than a soft and fluffy one. If you want to make the dish more indulgent, consider cooking your eggs in a large knob of melted butter instead.

28. Getting syrup stuck to spoons

Every time you add honey or golden syrup to a dish or bake, more than half of it stays stuck on the spoon, right? Good news: it doesn't have to be this way. Next time, dip the spoon in hot water, then scoop out the honey or syrup – it'll slip off much more easily.

27. Using boiling water for coffee

There are a few hard and fast rules to follow when brewing coffee – and this is one. Most coffee beans react best to boiled water that's been allowed to cool for a minute or two (bring it to the boil first to deal with hard water and impurities). There's a fine line, though: if the temperature is too hot, you'll get caffeine-rich, slightly bitter coffee, but if the temperature is too cool, the brew time will be longer.

26. Using blunt knives

Not only is it more difficult to prepare your ingredients with a blunt knife, but you're also more likely to injure yourself. It might sound strange, but a sharp knife is often a safer knife – so use a sharpener to keep yours in tip-top condition.

25. Leaving butter uncovered

Butter absorbs smells, so it can pick up the taste of anything with a strong aroma that’s left in the fridge. To avoid this, refrigerate your butter in its original packaging within a re-sealable plastic bag – and be sure to freeze any you're not planning on using in the next week or so.

24. Overmixing pancake batter

When it comes to whipping up a batch of pancakes, a mistake lots of us make is stirring the batter too much. Ferociously whisking it causes gluten to develop, which produces tough, chewy pancakes. A few little lumps are actually fine; simply stir your batter until the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated.

23. Soaking wooden chopping boards

No matter how dirty or stained your wooden chopping board is, never submerge it in water or put it in the dishwasher. As a porous material, the wood will soak up any liquid – and this internal moisture could cause it to warp, crack, or even start to rot. Instead, sponge wash your chopping board and allow it to dry thoroughly before storing.

22. Storing peanut butter the wrong way up

Find yourself having to mix the oil into the peanuts every time you open a jar of peanut butter? There's an easy fix. Store the container upside-down – that way, the oil will disperse evenly throughout the peanut butter all on its own.

21. Making soggy sandwiches

Before adding them to sandwiches, put any sliced tomato or cucumber you plan on using between two pieces of kitchen roll to soak up any excess moisture. Also, spread some sort of fat (such as butter, cheese or mayo) directly onto the bread first – this will act as a barrier against soggier ingredients.

20. Mashing the wrong type of potatoes

If you've been using any old potatoes to make mash, you're missing a trick. The key to great mashed potatoes is to use a floury, fluffy variety such as Russet, Yukon Gold, King Edward or Maris Piper (avoid waxy red or white ones altogether). Remember to be gentle, too – mashing too hard will release starch, making the dish sticky.

19. Cooking meat without drying it

If you struggle to get your meat to brown properly, make sure you pat it dry before it hits the pan. This is particularly important for steak, which needs to develop a crust. It's one of the rules top chefs swear by for getting the perfect steak every time.

18. Cracking eggs the wrong way

Cracking eggs on the side of the bowl might do more harm than good. Not only could shattered shell fragments end up in the mix, but bacteria from those small pieces may contaminate your food – which is especially dangerous if you're a fan of a runny scramble. Instead, experts recommend tapping the egg firmly on a flat surface just once before pulling the shell apart; if done correctly, the shell should break off into two equal halves.

17. Keeping leftovers for too long

Heating up leftovers is a brilliant time-saving move on busy weeknights – but just don't assume you can keep them on standby forever, even if you stashed them in the fridge right away. If you haven't eaten your leftovers after three or four days, throw them out. Even if there aren't any obvious signs that the food is going bad, harmful bacteria may have begun to accumulate, which could make you ill.

16. Adding potatoes to boiling water

When cooking potatoes, always place them in cold, salted water, then bring them to the boil – this will help them to cook evenly. If you drop your potatoes directly into boiling water, the outside of the potatoes will cook before the heat has had chance to reach the inside.

15. Storing tomatoes in the fridge

Think you should keep your tomatoes in the fridge with the rest of your salad vegetables? Think again. Cold temperatures in the fridge cause damage to tomatoes' membranes, making them watery and less flavoursome. As such, the best place to store your tomatoes is on the kitchen counter.

14. Stirring food too often

When you're hungry or low on time, it’s easy to get stir-happy, frequently moving ingredients around in the pan in the hope that it’ll make them cook more quickly. Sadly, it’s not the case – in fact, doing so can actually slow down the cooking process. Instead, leave the stove to do its thing, allowing the ingredients to cook through. Only stir every now and again to avoid any sticking or burning.

13. Thawing meat at room temperature

It seems like common sense to leave a few frozen sausages or some minced meat out on the counter overnight to defrost – but experts say that you should never thaw meat at room temperature, as bacteria thrives at temperatures above 8°C (46.4°F). Forgot to thaw your meat altogether? Defrosting it in the microwave is perfectly fine; just remember that you'll need to cook it straight away.

12. Storing meat on the top shelf of the fridge

When your fridge is full, you may think 'what's the harm?' when it comes to popping raw meat on the top shelf. However, it's really not a good idea. When placed on the top shelf, the juices from uncooked meat, poultry and fish can drip down onto other foods, contaminating them with harmful bacteria. Instead, always be sure to store meat on the bottom shelf.

11. Making a mess when boiling water

Cooking pasta doesn’t have to mean meticulously watching the pan to ensure the water doesn’t boil over. In fact, there’s a simple hack to stop excess starchy water from spilling out: simply balance a wooden spoon over the rim of the pan, and the boiling bubbles won’t run down the side. Experts say it’s the temperature difference between the boiling water and the spoon that keeps the bubbles at bay.

10. Overfilling the pan

The point of stir-frying is to add flavour and texture to food by crisping it up through contact with the hot pan. Overfilling your pan will mean that some ingredients won’t touch the hot base, causing them to steam instead of sizzle. As a general rule, you should always make sure to leave plenty of space for your ingredients to cook.

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9. Opening the oven door when baking

It’s natural to want to check on sweet or savoury treats as they bake. However, every time you open the door, the oven will cool down, and it'll take time for it to get back up to temperature. Doing this can also prevent your soufflé or bread from rising properly – so as tempting as it may be to take a peep, try to resist the urge.

8. Wrapping cheese in cling film

Most cheeses, especially fine cheeses, need to breathe – so when it comes to storing them correctly, cling film should be avoided. Instead, wrap them up in cheese paper, waxed paper or greaseproof paper. Store cheeses in the lower part of the fridge and keep them away from strong-smelling produce; just like butter, cheese can absorb aromas.

7. Slicing the root off an onion

Fed up with your eyes stinging when you slice onions? Stop cutting off the root – this part of the onion has a higher sulphuric compound concentration, which can cause you to cry. Cutting off the root also loosens up the onion's layers, meaning the vegetable is more likely to move around as you slice it.

6. Only seasoning at the end of cooking

Don't wait until a dish is fully cooked before you add seasoning. Salt helps to enhance the flavour of other ingredients, so for the best results, season lightly at each stage of the cooking process and taste as you go. If you’re eating a dish that someone else has cooked, always have a mouthful before reaching for the salt shaker.

5. Throwing away stale bread

There's no need to throw away stale bread. Instead, sprinkle water all over the loaf, then pop it in the oven for a few minutes. Hey presto! You'll have spongy, fresh bread again. Alternatively, stale bread is brilliant for making croutons – simply cut it into cubes, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then cook in the air fryer or oven until golden brown and crunchy.

4. Keeping mayonnaise for too long

It's easy to forget that mayonnaise doesn’t have as long a shelf life as other non-dairy bottled condiments like ketchup and barbecue sauce. In fact, you should only really keep mayo in the fridge for one or two months after it's been opened (check the label, as different brands vary). Meanwhile, homemade mayo's shelf life is even shorter – more like a week.

3. Storing milk and wine in the fridge door

Most of us use the shelves in our fridge doors for milk and wine – but this isn't actually a great idea. The fridge door is where temperatures fluctuate the most, so it's where items will spoil the quickest. Use this section for the likes of condiments, water and pasteurised juices, and place food and drinks that need to maintain a consistent cold temperature in the body of the fridge instead.

2. Cooking steak straight from the fridge

This one's a very common mistake – but happily, it's something that can be rectified easily. If you take steak from the fridge and put it straight in the pan, you're likely to end up with an undercooked interior and an unappealing grey exterior. Instead, remove it from the fridge about an hour before cooking to allow time for it to come up to room temperature.

1. Using the wrong knife

One of the biggest mistakes home cooks make is not using the right knife. A serrated knife cuts bread, but is also good for slicing soft produce like tomatoes and strawberries – plus, it can saw through larger, tougher items like celeriac. Meanwhile. paring knives are ideal for fiddly jobs such as peeling, removing seeds and de-veining shrimp.

Now discover the foods most people don’t know you CAN actually freeze  

Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.