Moen Uncovers Common Cooking Pet Peeves
If you don’t like to cook after a long day at the office, or if sweating over a hot stove after a day spent running around after the kids sounds unappealing, you’re not alone. According to a poll of nutritionists*, 43 percent of Canadians don’t cook balanced meals on a regular basis – likely because cooking can be a real chore. Whether it’s an explosion in the oven, a major spill on the floor, or a ruined dessert at the last minute, we all have our “hot” buttons in the kitchen. Here are a few insights into common cooking pet peeves, plus some helpful hints for making time in the kitchen a bit more enjoyable.
Post-cooking Cleanup
From washing dishes to wiping up countertops and floors, nearly half of Canadian adults (49 percent) list “cleaning up after they’re done cooking” as among their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen, according to a recent Moen survey, conducted online by Harris Poll**. The easiest way to avoid a mess? Clean as you go. While cooking, keep spills at bay by wiping them up right away with a paper towel, put dishes you’re done using in the sink instead of letting them clutter the counter, and use as few utensils as possible to minimize the amount you’ll have to wash.
Thirty-six percent of Canadians also list “removing grease/tough residue from dishes” as a pet peeve when preparing a meal in their kitchen. Combat caked-on messes by rinsing dishes immediately after using or eating, so the food doesn’t harden; if you’ve forgotten, soak dishes in soapy water before putting them in the dishwasher to help ensure tough-to-rinse foods will come clean. And, be sure to choose a kitchen faucet with a powerful spray to make removing stuck-on foods simpler, like fixtures with Moen® Power Clean™ technology. These provide more force to get tough jobs done, while reducing the amount of residual water in and around the sink.
Sticky Fingers
From baking ooey gooey brownies to making a batch of mama’s famous meatballs, cooking often means getting your hands dirty. And that’s not always a pleasant experience, especially when it comes time to wash them. Nearly one quarter of Canadians (23 percent) say “trying to use the sink faucet with dirty hands” is among their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen.
Make washing up easier by installing a hands-free faucet, like fixtures with MotionSense™ from Moen. MotionSense detects your movement, setting water flow in motion, allowing you to speed through everyday tasks with greater ease and efficiency.
Flying Solo
When it comes to preparing food, one is definitely the loneliest number. Twenty-five percent of Canadians say “having to do it all by themselves” is one of their biggest pet peeves when preparing a meal in their kitchen. To lessen the burden, divide the responsibility among members of the household, assigning each person a designated night to whip something up (or buy takeout!). Meal prep is also a great excuse for some family bonding time. Get kids excited to help out by letting them choose the menu, such as homemade pizzas, or challenge your spouse to assist you with a new recipe at least once a week, so cooking feels like a fun activity, not a burden.
There’s no need to get stressed at the sink. With the right mindset and habits, cooking can be enjoyable all the way from the first step of the recipe to drying off the very last dish.
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*”Simply Cook and Enjoy! Dietitians of Canada Stir up ‘Cookspiration’ in the Kitchen for Nutrition Month 2014.” Dietitians of Canada. Dietitians of Canada, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 13 July 2016.
**Survey Methodology:
This survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Moen from June 28-30, 2016 among 1,384 adults ages 18 and older in Canada. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
