101 Kitchen Secrets: Cut Down on Dishes, Cost, and Time in the Kitchen

by Jason Goldstein

From the king of viral hacks, Jason Goldstein, comes a compilation of his best 101 secrets to save you money, time, and dirty dishes

With secrets featured on his viral @chophappy account, as well as never-before-seen hacks, 101 Kitchen Secrets is the guide every home chef needs to cook like a pro. You’ll save money, use fewer dishes, and have dinner on the table in no time with these easy tips.

Genres: Cookbooks

112 pages, Hardcover

Published January 7, 2025

Reviews

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title might not sound thrilling, but this book was a gem! I loved it so much I screenshotted about 35% of the tips—practical advice designed to save time, money, and dirty dishes. One standout idea was creating a sheet pan breading station using foil divided into three sections for eggs, flour, and panko—genius! No messy bowls to wash, just your gooped-up hands. And Goldstein will probably have a hack for that next book!

Another tip that hit home? How to rescue crystallized honey. I wish I’d known this before just tossing two jars. This book is packed with insights that will make you rethink how you approach everyday cooking challenges. Quick read and I recommend it for anyone looking to simplify their kitchen life, especially this time of year when the kitchen seems to be where you spend most of your time. 🍗

[A Bookworm Crafts · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this little book. Jason Goldstein (better known as @chophappy on Instagram) gives his top hacks to help us upgrade our cooking skills to use fewer dishes, save money, and spend less time cooking.

I would consider myself a pretty competent and efficient cook, but I was blown away by some of the hacks in this book that are so simple and yet so helpful! My favourite tip in each section were: to use tinfoil to make a breading station so you can roll it up and throw it away afterwards (easy cleanup), you can freeze Parmesan and grate it from frozen (so you never have to throw out rotten Parmesan again), and the six-minute salmon recipe (saves time).

A recommended read for home chefs who are short on time!

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sharondblk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who wouldn't want to cut down on dishes, cost and time in the kitchen? I certainly would. This book is divided into three parts, each part addressing one of the topics - cutting down on dishes, wasting less food and cooking more efficiently. Each page has a tip or "hack" if you like. Some of them are recipes, and more of them are advice. There is no introduction, explaining the overarching theme of the book, and at times it feels more like a list than a cohesive book. Actually, this would be great as one of those "page a day" calendars, you rip of a page each day and get a new tip. This book would be great for someone setting up home for the first time, because many of the things that are suggested I've learnt already, but I've been around for a while!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, who provided me with an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Anastey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Familius. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I like the simple design of this book. I don't like that everything was written in all capital lettering. It is a lot harder for people with vision imparement, or dyslexia to read. I was struggling with eye strain towards the end. I think it would be a fun coffee table book for guests to browse though.

Most of the tips sounded great, and were easy to understand. Unfortunately there were a few I've tried before reading this book that didn't work out, so my feelings are a little mixed.

[Bluegoose53 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Kitchen Secrets are divided into categories such as Save Dishes. Some are new to me such as Secret 3 Couscous in that category. Secret #36 in the Save Money category has a trustworthy recipe for making your own sun-dried tomatoes that tasted just right. Secret #82 in the Save Time category not only saves time, but it’s much safer. This book would make a great gift for someone you know loves to cook or just began cooking.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Louise Sattler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both Hubby and I read the book 101 Kitchen Secrets by Jason Goldstein. Who knew that you could save money by adding garbanzo beans to an avocado recipe to make guacamole? Or how to extend the life of your potatoes by storing them with apples! There are so many tips and tricks in this book. I believe if you follow the suggestions you will save much more than the price of the book!

[Melissa Borsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jason Goldstein is a Chiropractor by day and a food blogger by night. He has come up with lots of practical advice and some genius hacks! This is a brilliant guide to keep close by while cooking and will be used daily! I thank Netgalley and Familius for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Bailey Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

101 Kitchen Secrets is a small  book with a wealth of tips and knowledge! This book has so many ideas to help make your cooking experience more convenient, economical,  and time saving! If you enjoy cooking, this is a book for you!

[Marcela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a handy book, but as I received it as an ebook ARC, it was hard for me to utilize on an everyday basis. I like paper copies better for reference books like this. I'd recommend getting this in the paperback form, so that you can truly go back to the tips as needed.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick and simple book with simple kitchen shortcuts. Some were pretty clever, a few I was aware of, and a few left me feeling skeptical- I’ll have to try them to see!

[Thebestdogmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the title of this book. I mean after so many years of cooking, what “hack” can you possibly learn. Well, turns out a lot! I got some great ideas from this book.

[Bibliohiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. There were some great hacks in here that are easy to incorporate.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A snack sized kitchen tips book.

Its a quick read, with lots of small hacks for the kitchen.
I for one, plan on trying a specific tip involving the fridge and clingfilm.
Recommend.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some things I knew, some I’d never try, some that probably work but waste things I don’t agree with, and a few that intrigue me. Interesting book!

[Margaux · Rating 4 out of 5]

101 Kitchen Secrets by Jason Goldstein (food blogger through Chop Happy) is just what it sounds like; a helpful reference guide divided into sections for saving time, saving money, and saving dishes. The cover, font choices, and design are simple and easy to read, making it perfect for keeping with your cookbooks and handy to keep and pull out. The first section for saving dishes offers various methods for using disposable items or changing the order of cooking items. The second section on saving money has options for making items cheaply or making ingredients last a little longer. The third section on saving time gives tips on easier and faster ways to prep ingredients and cook meals faster. Even though I do really enjoy cooking, some of the tasks that come along with it like cleaning and prepping take a lot of time and energy. This book is full of super helpful tips to make the process faster, easier, and cheaper from home, so that less of my budget is spent on eating out. I am glad I found this book and will definitely keep it in mind as a dinner party gift for friends in the future! Always looking for clever and helpful guides like this. Best regards!