6 Foods That Are Useful Outside the Kitchen

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Food belongs in the kitchen or on the table. Just about everyone can agree with that statement. There may have been times in your life where you thought it was a good idea to store cookies under your bed so your siblings did not eat them or to smuggle candy upstairs to eat before dinner. The bugs that followed your trail of crumbs into your room probably dissuaded you from thinking that hiding food in other rooms like a squirrel preparing for winter was a good idea. If nothing else, your parents’ displeasure at finding out why the house was dealing with an influx of pests proved that getting to eat all of your Halloween candy without having to share was not worth the trouble that followed.

As a general rule, it is true that food does not belong outside of the kitchen where it is prepared, stored and often served. There are some foods, however, that can be used outside of the kitchen. Such items serve more purposes beyond simply being ingredients in your next dish. Here are six foods that are useful outside the kitchen that you probably already have on hand.

Walnuts

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Walnuts are found in many homes and are sold at every grocery store in America. They are an excellent source of protein, a filling snack and a good way to include healthy fats in your diet. These healthy fats are important for maintaining both healthy hair and skin. They can also help to prevent your body from attempting to build up its own fat stores due to a lack of fat consumption. Walnuts can be sprinkled over salads, crushed into granola and pie crusts or simply eaten raw. They are also useful outside of the kitchen.

If you have minor scratches on wood furniture in your house, a raw walnut might be exactly what you need to do a simple home repair. To fill the scratch, take a raw walnut and rub the meat back and forth over the scratch. The oil and meat from the walnut will slowly fill in the scratch and leave your furniture looking good as new.

Sugar

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Sugar can be found in every house, restaurant and office building in America. People use it to bake sweets, enhance the flavor of sauces, line the rims of cocktail glasses and, of course, cut the bitter taste of their morning coffee. Sugar can also, however, be used outside of the kitchen. In recent years, sugar scrubs have become very popular. People use them for home spa days to get rid of troublesome dried skin and as a natural exfoliator. These popular scrubs are made with, as the name implies, the same sugar found in people’s houses.

You can make your own sugar scrub using either brown or white sugar. Simply mix it with coconut oil, and scrub your skin with it. If you prefer a smell other than coconut, add a few drops of your favorite essential oils. Be careful when storing or making your sugar scrub, and be sure to clean up carefully when you have used it. The combination of oil and sugar will be irresistible to insects if the scrub is not stored in an airtight container or bits of it are left smeared on the shower walls or floor.

Vinegar

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Everyone probably has vinegar in their house. That said, most people would probably struggle to name a dish that actually includes vinegar. The smelly liquid has a taste that is nearly as distinctive as its odor, but few people could name a food or sauce that carries that sharp sour and bitter taste. Those that could name something would likely all point to various types of salad dressings. Beyond that, the average person is at a loss. So what is the point of keeping a bottle of that smelling liquid in the house if no one eats it anyway?

Vinegar is wonderfully useful as a cleaning solution. White vinegar is excellent for descaling appliances that routinely deal with hot or boiling water such as coffee makers and tea pots. To use vinegar to descale your appliances, fill the pot or container with vinegar instead of water. Then, use the appliance as you normally would. In cases of bad scale build up, you may need to run the cycle more than once with fresh vinegar.

You can also use vinegar to descale your showerhead and faucets. Simply fill a plastic bag with white vinegar and tie it over the showerhead or faucet overnight. In the morning, remove the bag and rinse with cold water. Again, in cases of terrible scaling, you might need to soak the showerhead or faucet more than once.

White vinegar is also said to be useful for pest control. If you find yourself dealing with pests such as ants in your kitchen and do not want to spray chemicals near where you prepare food, you can scrub down the area with soap and water before following up with a vinegar rinse. The vinegar will destroy any old scent trails as well as discourage the pests from returning.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a food that has received a great deal of attention in recent years. People swear up and down that eating coconut oil will bring a wide variety of benefits that range from a healthier digestive tract to increased cardiovascular strength to speedier weight loss. Some of those claims may have a grain of truth in them. Many, however, are doubtlessly bogus. There is no doubt, however, that coconut oil has more uses than simply a fragrant, lightly flavored oil for cooking. Coconut oil is wonderful for your skin and can encourage healthy hair growth. To reap the benefits of the oil, smear a small amount on your skin as if it were lotion. Rub it in or let it soak into your skin. Use a light amount on healthy skin and a heavier layer on rough or extremely dry areas such as your heels or palms. To encourage healthier, longer, shinier hair, rub the warm oil directly onto your scalp. Leave the oil on for several hours or overnight. Then, wash it out in the morning to reveal shiny, soft hair.

Herbs

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No one wants to admit that they have a pest control problem, but there is no doubt that everyone on the planet has to deal with vermin finding their way into places they are not wanted. As such, everyone has no doubt had to deal with the unpleasant task of ridding their home of either unpleasant houseguests or, worse, undesirable roommates. Some people are unlucky enough to find themselves sharing their houses with mice, rats, scorpions or even snakes. The most common pest, however, is arguable some form of bug. Whether it is endless streams of ants, the eerie looking silverfish or the reviled cockroach, everyone has had to deal with bugs in their house at some point. For those that hate using heavy insecticides, the battle can seem fruitless. The answer, however, may already be in your house. Many herbs and spices can act as natural pest control substances. Bay leaves, for example, will keep flies away. Lemongrass, on the other hand, naturally contains citronella which will repel mosquitoes. Garlic, meanwhile, is said to be as loathsome to cockroaches as they are to humans.

Black Tea

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Black tea is a drink that is common in many households, especially if those who live there do not drink coffee. The health benefits of black tea may not be as well-known as its cousin, green tea, but this hot drink is excellent for your health. Black tea is filled with antioxidants, may reduce inflammation and has been linked to lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol. It is also a healthy source of caffeine for those who do not care for the bitter taste of coffee. Like coffee, however, it is usually easy for a dentist to tell if someone drinks copious amounts of black tea. A slight pigmentation can develop on a person’s teeth if they drink black tea constantly or do not visit their dentist often enough. That pigmentation, however, can come in handy as a home remedy for greying hair. Black tea acts as a natural hair dye that can cover grey hairs. It is all natural and can be applied lightly or for heavier color. Simply brew a pot of black tea and soak the hair you want to darken in the tea. The longer you leave your hair soaking, the darker the color will be at the end.