Using A Trash Bowl Will Change How You Cook

So, I'm a culinary school dropout.

I only lasted a month at the Culinary Institute of America—I couldn't handle the heat, if you will—but I managed to learn a lot in that time.

I mentioned previously how much I love a good cutting board, but the other tiny thing that changed the way I cook is my chef instructors' insistence on using trash bowls.

This might sound silly.

You have so much space on your cutting board! The trash can is so close by, and isn't it more efficient to just clear off your cutting board between tasks?

If this is how you've been cooking, I get it.

It's what I used to do too. But you're wrong.

See how cluttered this board is? That's what you don't want

Keeping your cutting board clean is incredibly important.

For professional chefs, this little change gives them more space to maneuver while keeping their stations clean. For the average home cook, it's still a game-changer. Think for a moment about how often you end up going back and forth from the trash can—or, alternatively—how fast your cutting board gets cluttered with stuff.

Wouldn't it be easier to just throw everything you're chopping into one convenient spot so you only have to dump your food scraps once? Oh, and don't worry about getting this right.

A trash bowl can be whatever you have lying around. Colander? Great. If you're just cooking for yourself, maybe use a cereal bowl or a ramekin. Whatever you have is the right thing.

This might seem like a tiny change, but I promise it will make your culinary escapades wildly simpler than you'd believe.

Try it. You never know what could change your life.