When driving from A to B anywhere in the country, raise your hand if you enjoy going the longest way possible. Yeah, probably not the case for many (myself included). Well, just like driving, if there’s somehow a short route for the everyday chores, it would be nice to know about them, right? Well, no need to search through Pinterest or make notes in magazines, because blogger Jeanne Sager has found a few for you and I, all dealing with kitchen fun:

How to Clean a Bendy Straw Without It Getting Moldy

Kids love straws that bend and curl, but cleaning them is a pain ! One mom swears by dabbing dish detergent on a pipe cleaner and using that to get up into all the nooks and crannies. The soap washes out with hot water. Don’t want it to get moldy when the water doesn’t all wash out? Ah, there’s a trick for that too! Another mom uses a drop of rubbing alcohol to dry it all up (she then runs warm water through it one last time right before serving to her child).

 

Fill a Muffin Tin With Scoops of Ice Cream for a Party

I went to a kids’ birthday party recently where the mom didn’t just have cupcakes for the kids; she had also scooped out ice cream into the wells of her muffin tins, so there was a perfect scoop all ready to go on the kids’ plates.

Use a Pizza Cutter to Slice Sticky Breakfast Foods

I always pour syrup on pancakes and waffles before cutting it, because the act of cutting it seems to spread it around better. BUT, somehow I also always end up getting sticky when I use a knife and fork to cut it.

A pizza cutter does the trick nicely — no more sticky mess!

Soften Frozen Tube Popsicles With Your Knife Sharpening Steel

Got a kid with sensitive teeth? Soften their frozen popsicle by banging on it with a knife sharpening steel!

Simple Way to Peel an Orange

You could buy a peeler for your oranges, but why bother? A friend uses this simple trick: she rolls the orange gently on the edge of a table, which loosens the peel and allows kids to get their little nails in there.

Freeze Juice Boxes to Keep Lunches Cold

Keeping bag lunches cold is easy if you freeze a juice box or water bottle the night before, then pop it into the bag first thing.

Use Kitchen Scissors to Cut Meat and Pizza for Little Ones

Young kids need most things cut into bite-sized pieces, which is a lot easier to do with a pair of kitchen scissors than it is with a knife and fork.

How to Create a ‘Lid’ for a Kid’s Cup

Lost one of the lids for your kid’s favorite cup? One mom told me she uses Glad Press ‘n Seal to create a new lid, and she sticks a straw right through the center.

Use a Muffin Tin to Carry Kids’ Drinks

Muffin tins are so versatile! When there are a bunch of kids at my house, I use them to carry all the cups out to the kids. You can also tell kids to place their cups IN the tin when they’re not drinking from them — it keeps them from getting knocked over and catches drips.

Spread a Kitchen Towel Under a Cutting Board to Prevent Slipping

Knives never made me nervous until I had my daughter, but when she was a toddler, always underfoot, I became much more concerned about preventing things from slipping, including my cutting boards. One of my kitchen towels underneath does the trick nicely.