Kitchen Know-How

Measurements and conversions

A stick of butter is ½ cup, or 8 tablespoons.
Dry cups: scoop or spoon in and level off. Liquid cups: set on the counter and read at eye level.

Rounded metric values are NIST’s kitchen equivalents (1 tsp = 5 mL). A fluid ounce measures volume; an ounce on a scale measures weight. They match only for water and liquids like it.
U.S. measure	Equals	About in metric
1 tablespoon	3 teaspoons	15 mL
1 fluid ounce	2 tablespoons	30 mL
¼ cup	4 tablespoons	60 mL
⅓ cup	5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon	80 mL
½ cup	8 tablespoons	120 mL
1 cup	8 fluid ounces (16 tablespoons)	240 mL
1 pint	2 cups	480 mL
1 quart	2 pints (4 cups)	950 mL
1 gallon	4 quarts (16 cups)	3.8 L
1 ounce (weight)		28 g
1 pound	16 ounces	454 g
1 kilogram	about 2.2 pounds	1,000 g

Memory challenge: U.S. customary units · Learn the kitchen chain teaspoon → gallon by heart.
Memory challenge: exact metric conversions · The exact numbers behind every chart.
Measurements card to print · For inside a cabinet door.

Sources: [1]

Substitutions

From Utah State University Extension. Substitutions work best in cooking; in baking, expect small changes.
If you’re out of	Use
1 cup buttermilk	1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to make 1 cup
1 teaspoon baking powder	¼ teaspoon baking soda plus ⅝ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sour cream	1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup packed brown sugar	1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sugar	¾ cup honey, and use ¼ cup less liquid in the recipe
1 ounce (1 square) unsweetened chocolate	3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon fat
1 tablespoon cornstarch (for thickening)	2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup all-purpose flour	1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1 cup milk	⅓ cup instant nonfat dry milk plus 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon water

Sources: [2]

How to read a recipe

Read it all the way through before you start, including the times. “Chill overnight” is easier to see before dinner than during.
Check the yield (how many it serves) and scale it if needed. The meal planner scales recipes for you.
Get everything out and measured first. Cooks call this mise en place, French for “everything in its place.”
Watch the order of words. “1 cup nuts, chopped” is measured, then chopped; “1 cup chopped nuts” is chopped, then measured.
Know the short forms: t or tsp = teaspoon; T or Tbsp = tablespoon; c = cup; oz = ounce; lb = pound; g = gram.
“Divided” means the ingredient is used in more than one step; “to taste” means add a little, taste, and adjust.
Preheat the oven when the recipe says, and use a thermometer for doneness, not the clock alone.

Pantry staples and how long they keep

A starter pantry for family meals: rice, pasta, oats, flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, salt and pepper, a cooking oil, canned tomatoes, canned or dried beans, broth, peanut butter or another spread, and a few spices you use often (garlic powder, cinnamon, chili powder, Italian seasoning).

From USDA. Store below 85°F, away from the stove and not under the sink. Throw out cans that bulge, leak, are heavily rusted, or have a deep dent, especially on a seam.
Staple	Keeps (unopened, cool and dry)
Canned low-acid foods: beans, corn, peas, soups (not tomato), meat	2 to 5 years
Canned high-acid foods: tomatoes, fruit, pickles, citrus juice	12 to 18 months
White rice and dried pasta	2 years
Home-canned foods	1 year

Sources: [3]

Stocking a first kitchen on a budget

You don’t need a full set. These cover nearly every recipe on this site. Buy good basics once and add pieces as you find you need them; thrift stores and yard sales are good places for cast iron, glass dishes and bakeware.

Start with

Chef’s knife and paring knife
Two cutting boards
Cast iron or stainless skillet (10 to 12 inch)
Saucepan with lid
Large pot
Sheet pan
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon, turner, tongs, rubber spatula, whisk
Colander
Can opener and vegetable peeler
Instant-read thermometer
Mixing bowls and a few storage containers

Add later

Nonstick skillet for eggs
Dutch oven
9 by 13 baking dish
Loaf pan and muffin tin
Box grater
Kitchen scale
Slow cooker or pressure cooker
Blender

What’s in the kitchen · What each tool is and how to care for it.

Meal-prep containers and freezer tips

Cool food fast in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Label every container with what it is and the date.
Freeze soups and sauces flat in freezer bags with the air pressed out; they stack and thaw quickly.
Leave a little room at the top of rigid containers; food expands as it freezes.
Frozen food at 0°F stays safe; the freezer times on charts are for best quality, and leftovers taste best within 3 to 4 months.
Plan to eat refrigerated prep-day food within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it.

How long food keeps

Sources: [4], [5]

Knife cuts

Cut	What it means
Chop	Cut into small pieces; they don’t have to match.
Dice	Cut into small cubes, about ¼ inch on all sides.
Mince	Cut into tiny pieces, as for garlic.
Slice	Cut across into flat pieces.
Julienne	Cut into thin strips, like matchsticks.

Sources: [6]

Cooking words

Word	Meaning
Bake	Cook uncovered in dry heat, usually in an oven.
Roast	Cook in dry oven heat; usually said of meat and vegetables.
Broil	Cook under direct heat from above.
Boil	Heat a liquid until bubbles rise and break all over the surface.
Simmer	Cook in liquid just below boiling, with small bubbles rising slowly.
Braise	Cook slowly in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot.
Sauté	Cook quickly in a little hot fat (from French sauter, “to jump”).
Stir-fry	Cook small pieces quickly over high heat, stirring all the time.
Sear	Brown the outside quickly over high heat for flavor.
Steam	Cook on a rack or in a basket over a little boiling water, covered.
Blanch	Cook briefly in boiling water.
Poach	Cook gently in simmering liquid.
Reduce	Boil a liquid to make less of it and concentrate its flavor.
Fold	Mix gently by cutting down through a mixture and turning it over, to keep air in.
Cream	Beat fat, like butter, with sugar until soft and smooth.
Knead	Press, fold and stretch dough until smooth.
Marinate	Soak food in a flavored liquid.

Sources: [6]

Sources

Metric Kitchen: Cooking Measurement Equivalencies, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Accessed 2026-10-30.
List of Ingredient Substitutions for Cooking and Baking, Utah State University Extension. Accessed 2026-10-30.
Shelf-Stable Food Safety, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Accessed 2026-10-30.
Leftovers and Food Safety, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Accessed 2026-10-30.
Cold Food Storage Chart, FoodSafety.gov. Accessed 2026-10-30.
Cooking Terms Glossary, University of Minnesota Extension, Real Life Good Food. Accessed 2026-10-30.

Updated 2026-10-30. These pages share widely accepted advice from the sources listed; for a health condition, ask your doctor.