By: Rabea Anjum
There are a lot of versatile materials out there, but aluminum foil has to be one of my very favorites. It can be used as a barrier, as a heat reflector, as a light reflector, and so much more! So here are 15 ways to use aluminum foil, which are certain to save you time, effort, and money in the long run! 🙂
- Soften Brown Sugar
If your brown sugar has turned into a rock-solid lump, it’s tin foil to the rescue! Wrap the brown sugar up in tin foil, and put it in your oven. Bake the tin foil package at 300 degrees for 5 minutes, and your brown sugar will be soft and ready to use!
- Piping Bag
Nothing elevates cakes and cupcakes like piped frosting, but you don’t need to own a piping bag to do it! Use a sheet of tin foil to form your own disposable piping bag.
- Shine Silverware
If your silverware has lost it’s shine, there’s an easy way to get it back! Place a sheet of tin foil at the bottom of a baking dish, and lay your silverware out on the foil. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of baking soda over the top. Finally, pour in several cups of hot water until the silverware is submerged. Let the silverware soak for 5 minutes, then remove, rinse, and enjoy the shine!
- Clean Cast Iron
Use a balled-up piece of tin foil to scrub away crusty messes in your cast iron pans.
- Sharpen Scissors
If your scissors are struggling to make cuts, you can sharpen them with tin foil. Take a piece of tin foil and fold it in half at least 3 times. Use the scissors to make several cuts on the foil, and your scissors will be noticeably sharper!
- Protect Pie Crust
Use a piece or two of tin foil to cover the edges of your pie crust while it bakes to prevent it from burning. You can use it preventatively, by putting it on at the beginning of the baking process and removing it halfway through. Or you can put the tin foil on near the end of the baking process, if the edges of the crust seem to be browning faster than the rest of the crust.
- Foil Funnel
Funnels are often one of those items that you don’t think you’ll need… until the moment that you realize you need one. 😉 If you ever find yourself in this situation, you can improvise a funnel using a piece of tin foil! Just form a cone shape with the foil, and fold the edges over to keep the shape.
- Kitchen Helper
Tin foil is incredibly versatile, especially in the kitchen! Salmon filets in particular turn out perfectly moist and flaky when baked in tin foil pouches.
- Keep It Hot
Tin foil is especially handy for keeping things warm, thanks to it’s reflective surface. If one part of your meal is ready before the rest of it, just wrap it up in tin foil to help keep it warm while the rest of the food finishes up.
- Prevent Messes
If you’re baking something that you suspect may bubble while cooking, use tin foil to prevent a baked-on mess. Just line a cookie sheet with tin foil, and place the cookie sheet in the oven on the rack below what you’re cooking. If the dish bubbles over, it will land on the tin foil and you can just toss it out later.
- Take It Camping
Tin foil makes a useful addition to your regular camping supplies. Wrap canned food in tin foil and toss them right into your campfire to heat them up! You can also use tin foil as a reflective signaling material should you get lost.
- Light It Up
If you’re starting seeds indoors, they could use all the light they can get. One way to amplify the natural light is to line a shoebox with tin foil, and place your seedlings into the box. The foil will reflect the light (and heat!) onto the seedlings and help them grow.
- Painting Helper
Taping off doorknobs when painting can be a total pain. Save yourself some time and effort by wrapping the knobs in tin foil! It’s easy to mold to the shape of the door knob, and you can toss it easily if you drip paint onto it.
- Freeze It
Heavy duty tin foil makes a great material to freeze things in because it doesn’t allow air to pass through. It will keep the flavors in, and the smells from other foods out! Wrap and freeze bread products, casseroles, and more.
- Easy Breezy Clean-Up
One of the best ways to use tin foil is to protect large, hard-to-wash pans from greasy messes. Line the bottom of your roasting pan before roasting a turkey or pot roast, then toss out the foil when you’re done. Your roasting pan can go right back into the cupboard, rather than taking up your entire sink!
