Hack: Grab a set of removable labels and give all your dry goods a home. You’ll always know where items are, and it will make cleanup a breeze. (Photo by Mike Garten)

Make faster, healthier meals with genius tips and top-tested product picks from our Kitchen Appliances, Cleaning and Nutrition Lab pros.

HOW TO UTILIZE YOUR KITCHEN

Rule of thumb: Cook once, prepare many different ways — and always make extra.

1. Put your freezer to work.

Ice cube trays can store everything from leftover cookie dough to coffee (hello, not-watered-down cold brew). You even can use them to freeze pint-size portions of pesto, pasta sauce or broth. Then just toss a few cubes into a hot pan for instant dinner.

2. Do meal prep on Sundays.

Set aside the afternoon to cook a big batch of grains, roast salmon or chicken and steam veggies. Add ready-to-eat ingredients to salads, grain bowls, quesadillas and more all week long.

3. Cook big batches.

When making a hearty one-pot meal like soup or lasagna, double the recipe and freeze half for busy nights.

4. Rethink expiration dates.

The fact that a food’s “use by” or “sell by” date has come doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to trash it. “Use by” indicates optimal freshness; “sell by” is a guideline for retailers on how long to display it. Always make sure you store items at the right temp: 40 degrees and below for refrigerated foods, 0 degrees for frozen ones.

*Kitchen Fact: Forty percent of food is wasted. That translates into more than 400 pounds of food per person annually in America.

*Kitchen Hack: Let appliances do the work. Pressure cookers, food processors and stand mixers require practically zero effort to use and leave you free to move about the kitchen while they do the cooking, dicing or mixing for you.

FOUR OF THE BEST SUPERMARKET SHORTCUTS

Keep these plant-based staples on hand. They’ve been tested by our Nutrition Lab, so count on them to be as delicious as they are nutritious!

• Pre-prepped Veggies: Toss into salads and pastas or saute in a stir-fry for a quick and easy meal in minutes.
• Canned Tomatoes: Ripe and ready to use right away. Add to chili, use to flavor sauces or fold into omelets.
• Healthier Croutons: Buy ones made from crispy puffed quinoa instead of fried refined flour. Pro tip: We think they’re great as snacks in their own right!

SPEED-CLEANING SECRETS: MASTER THE MESS

If it looks as if a tornado has touched down after every meal, reduce cleanup with these simple solutions

Lay down a “mat.” Before messy cooking projects like frying wings or making pizza or pasta, place an old, large towel on the floor. It will catch any spills or grease splatters so you won’t have to scrub. When dinner’s ready, carefully take the towel outside and shake it out, then toss it in the wash.

Put cleaners in an easy-to-reach place. Use a lazy Susan to corral dish liquids and other products under your kitchen sink. Not only does it make them easy to access, but a plastic turntable with a lip catches drips and is easy to clean. LAB PICK: OXO Good Grips 16-inch Turntable, $17, oxo.com

Keep a mini vacuum close by. Stash a lightweight stick vacuum in the closet nearest to your kitchen. Not just for carpet and rugs, it’s perfect for quickly handling dry spills on your tile and laminate floors. LAB PICK: BESTEK Corded Stick Vacuum Cleaner, $41, walmart.com

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Cook With Cauliflower

Eating cruciferous veggies (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and kale count, too) is linked to having thinner artery walls — a good thing, as thick ones up your risk for heart attack and stroke, according to a study from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia. The benefit may be due to the vegetables’ protective compounds and anti-inflammatory nutrients, says Jaclyn London, Good Housekeeping Institute’s nutrition director and a registered dietician.

How To Make Chimichurri Cauliflower “Steak”

1. Cut 2 slices from center of a cauliflower (each about 1 inch thick).

2. Combine 1 teaspoon ground cumin and 1 tablespoon canola oil. Brush on cauliflower slices; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. In 12-inch oven-safe skillet, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil on medium-high until hot. Add cauliflower; cook 3 minutes. Turn slices over. Place skillet in 425 F oven. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, or until stem is tender.

4. Meanwhile, stir together herb sauce: 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro and parsley, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 small crushed garlic clove, 1 seeded and finely chopped jalapeno, 2 tablespoons canola oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

5. Serve “steaks” with herb sauce.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, 800-638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

Rust-Oleum black satin countertop coating, sold at Ace Hardware and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Homedepot.com and Walmart.com from June 2017 through February 2018 for about $20.

The countertop coating contains levels of lead that exceed the federal lead-paint ban. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled countertop coating and contact Rust-Oleum at 800-908-4050. Consumers who have not used the countertop coating will receive a full refund plus $25 to return the product to Rust-Oleum. Consumers who have applied the recalled countertop coating will receive a repair kit or replacement of the affected surfaces.

2016-2018 Toyota Prius hybrid hatchbacks

A portion of the engine wire harness could contact the cover at the connection to the power control unit and wear over time, causing an electrical short circuit, which can generate heat, increasing the risk of fire. Dealers will check the engine wire harness assembly and replace it with a new one that includes a protective sleeve if a wire core is exposed. If a wire core isn’t exposed, protective tape will be installed on the engine wire harness assembly. Both repairs will be done for free. Owners can call the automaker at 800-331-4331 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236 to learn more.

© Hearst Communications Inc.

Distributed by King Features Syndicate

–GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS: Ultimate kitchen hacks–