Latest news with #home cooking
The Sun
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Our ‘HUG home' slashes bills and childcare costs by £2,375 a MONTH – anyone can do it
CARRYING backpacks, kids' coats, her toddler daughter and a chatty seven-year-old, Lucy Catkin, 40, pushes through her front door at past five feeling shattered. She's spent a day running wildlife education classes for corporate clients and just wrangled her little ones away from a nearby birthday party. 3 3 Lucy, however, isn't worried about cooking dinner or having enough people to help with her evening list. A cracking tea of mac and cheese and apple pie, all home made, is on the table. All she and the children have to do is wash their hands. Together with her husband John, 52, who works as a landscape gardener, their two children - Indi, seven and Rosie, two - as well as Lucy's dad Peter, 82, a retired headmaster and educational consultant, they're part of a new housing trend. Known as HUGs, or House Units of Generations, super savvy families fight back against soaring rents, mortgages, energy bills and grocery prices by living several generations under one roof. Like Lucy's family living in a four-bedroom detached house in Oxted, Surrey, a HUG home with two households wipes out an extra rent or mortgage. It halves living expenses and slashes childcare and elder care costs which can mean savings up to £30,000 a year. 'I am proud to live in a HUG household. I don't know why more people aren't giving it a go,' Lucy said. 'It's a game changer for us. It's not just about money, other benefits include better health, diet and less stress for everyone if done the right way. 'Our multi-gen house cuts the cost of living, the kids thrive on quality grandfather reading time and it's allowed me the chance to build a dream business. 'We thought it was just a phase' Lucy moved back home in 2011 at 26 before going abroad on a year-long sabbatical from studying biology at university. Her dad was spending much of his time in Spain so returning home made sense. A year later, she went travelling again, met John in South Africa in 2012 and the pair returned to Britain on what they thought was a temporary basis and moved in with Peter. They married in 2018, welcomed Indy that September and the arrangement continued as the new parents settled into family life and careers. 'I never thought it was going to last more than a few months,' Lucy said. 'Almost a decade and a half later I am still here with my dad, my husband and our two children all under the same roof. "The kids adore their grandfather and it is up to 50% cheaper than running two separate homes.' More 'HUG homes' than ever before ONS figures reveal there are now 1.8million three-generation households in England. They make up 2.1% of all households, a 17% rise in a decade. Three in ten UK adults now live in multigenerational homes, rising to nearly half of those aged 25 to 34. The number of two-generation households, like adult children living with parents, jumped 44% in just four years. The surge is fuelled by the cost-of-living crisis, soaring property prices and a shortage of affordable homes. For many, moving in with family is the only way to keep a roof over their heads. Once they see the savings and support, few want to leave. HUGs include kids who never left, boomerang sons and daughters, and couples raising children alongside their own parents. Property experts at CBRE predict HUG homes will triple by 2040, with the biggest surge between 2025 and 2030. Research also shows older adults in HUGs are 30% less likely to feel lonely, while children in multigenerational homes have higher reading scores and spend more time on homework. How it works When Indy was one, Peter offered the young family the use of the upstairs area as their space including three bedrooms and a bathroom. Lucy and John also helped convert a downstairs sitting room into his bedroom and bathroom. It turned the three-bedroom house into four bedrooms. The refurbishment of upstairs and downstairs cost less than £10,000 as John is also a builder and did much of the work himself. 'It meant HUG snugs for each family group and a shared kitchen, lounge and garden as bustling communal spaces,' Lucy said. Grandad Peter became the Pied Piper of reading, with Indy and her friends flocking to his special book corner rather than the TV. 'He is also a fabulous cook, famous for chicken curry, mac and cheese and a Monday night roast. 'We all do unpaid jobs around the house and, despite the odd arguments about who ate the last piece of cheddar, we love our unique household.' The finances 3 If they were to live on their own, Jon and Lucy's monthly bills would be hefty. They would pay £1,571 for a mortgage, based on Office for National Statistics data for their area, £204 in council tax, £140 for gas and electric, and £40 for water. Their food shop would run to £650, broadband and mobiles another £70, plus £450 on transport, £300 on leisure, and £250 on insurance and other essentials. A total of £3,625 every month. Peter, living alone in his three-bed, had paid off his mortgage years ago but even without that, his monthly running costs still came to £1,244. Run separately, the two households would spend £4,869 a month. By moving in together, they scrap a second mortgage, share utilities and shop for one big family instead of two smaller ones. Gas and electric fall from £250 to £170, water bills halve, groceries drop by £150 through bulk-buying, broadband and TV costs fall by £50, and childcare costs shrink with Peter helping on babysitting duty and reading while mum and dad are busy at home. They have also reduced transport costs by sharing cars. By living together, they can save up to £2,375 every month, or 48.8% of their combined running costs. To keep on track, the family has most bills on direct debit and holds regular meetings about repairs and switching providers. How they've got on the property ladder When Peter decided to keep living with his daughter Lucy and her husband John, he also wanted to put long-term estate planning in place. As part of this, he gifted each of them a one-third share of the house, meaning the property is now owned equally between the three of them. The gift is treated as a Potentially Exempt Transfer (PET) for Inheritance Tax (IHT). If Peter lives for seven years after making the gift, the value of the shares he transferred will generally fall outside his estate for IHT purposes. The family shares costs, repairs, and other housing-related expenses. Because this is Peter's main residence, there is normally no Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to pay on the transfer thanks to Private Residence Relief. This relief means the gain in value on his share of the property is exempt from CGT. If there is no mortgage on the property and no money changes hands, there will also be no Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for Lucy and John. If the property did have a mortgage and they took on part of it, SDLT would be calculated on the debt amount assumed. If you're considering this you should consult a solicitor and formalise the arrangement with the Land Registry. A chance for a dream business For Lucy, the arrangement also made her dream business possible. After being made redundant in 2023, she knew she had enough support and financial leeway to launch Catkin and Conker, a nature course based small-business. The courses include ones for children, adults and executives designed to help people go back to nature, learn woodland craft and spend time in forest school style settings. Catkin and Conker is now in demand across the country, especially from nursing homes. 'Seeing how my kids and dad benefited from doing things together inspired this idea,' Lucy said. 'Now the courses are run at nursing homes for patients including those with dementia. 'Children get to come for free and the elderly residents and kids work together on craft.'
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Easiest Way to Clean Wooden Cutting Boards with What's Already in Your Pantry, According to Chefs
I recently invested in an expensive wood cutting board. It was worth every penny and, as much as I want to use it every day, I also want to keep it in tip-top shape for years to come. To find the best way to clean and maintain my new, ultra-luxe wooden cutting board, I reached out to a handful of chef friends and cleaning experts for their advice. Because, if there are two things that chefs take incredible care of, it's their knives and cutting boards. Turns out, they all echoed the same advice for wood board care! These are the best editor-tested, chef-approved ways to clean and sanitize your favorite wooden cutting board, plus easy tricks to do to keep them at peak performance — and what to avoid at all costs. The 8 Best (and Easiest!) Ways to Clean Wooden Cutting Boards, According to Pros 1. Scrub with lemon and salt. As it turns out, one of the best ways to clean your wooden chopping block is with a few things every home cook probably already has: a lemon and coarse salt. Sprinkle salt on your board, then scour the surface with half a lemon cut-side down (pre-squeezed is fine!). Let it sit for five minutes, then scrape away the dirty gray liquid that's leftover with a rag or bench scraper. When you're done, give it a final rinse with a clean wet sponge. 2. Keep it simple with dish soap. While you shouldn't submerge your board for hours in a water bath, a little soapy water at the end of the day is necessary for cleaning this hardworking tool. 'Personally, I like using Dawn,' says Jordan Ware, the chef de cuisine at Hen of the Wood in Vermont (he also crafts bespoke boards under the name Original Provisions). 'Other brands can leave lingering scents, which get into the food.' After drying it with a towel, Eamon Lee, former executive chef at Syracuse University, suggests letting the board sit out overnight to dry completely before storing it in a cupboard. Dawn Platinum Dishwashing Liquid Amazon $6 Buy Now 3. Create a kosher salt crust. Charlie Palmer, a James Beard Award-winning chef and hotel developer, finds this salt method so useful, he employs it in all of his Charlie Palmer Steak restaurants. After a quick soapy wash, he coats his board with kosher salt then lets it sit for an hour. 'This draws out moisture,' he explains. And not just moisture: 'The salt absorbs all the bad smells,' says Lachlan Archibald, head chef at The Kitchin in Edinburgh, Scotland. Once the hour is up, use a bench scraper to flake off the salt (more on that below). Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt Amazon $10 Buy Now 4. Reach for a bench scraper. Bench scrapers are ubiquitous in restaurant kitchens — but they're not regularly found in home cooks' utensil drawers. It pays to invest in one, though, because they're incredibly useful for cleaning wooden cutting boards, as well as plenty of other surfaces. Palmer uses one to scrape off his kosher salt cure, and it's also helpful when it comes to loosening any crusted-on food bits, like melted cheese. This tip was echoed by many of the chefs, including Matt Carrell, owner of Woodland Baking in Vermont. Carrell finds a metal bench scraper to be especially helpful at cleaning crusty flour from wooden boards and butcher blocks. 'It also does an excellent job at dividing butter,' he notes. OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Scraper & Chopper Amazon $12 Buy Now 5. Mix lemon and baking soda. Thanks to their acidity, lemons make for a pretty good all-natural cleaner. If you don't have any coarse salt lying around, reach for baking soda, another incredible cleaner. While it won't disinfect it, sprinkling baking soda on your cutting board and then covering it with lemon juice and scrubbing with a lemon can be considered a 'spa treatment' for stains and odors, says Jessica Ek of The American Cleaning Institute. Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda, 1 lb. Amazon $1 (was $2) Buy Now 6. Create a baking soda paste. A water and baking soda paste can easily remove odors and stains from both wooden and plastic cutting boards. With one part water to three parts baking soda, stir the paste together, then scrub it into the board to absorb any lingering smells or leftover traces of food. Rinse it off, and it's like you never used it to chop garlic or anchovies — in less than a minute! 7. Sanitize with bleach (if you must!). If you're especially worried about bacteria seeping into your wooden cutting board, Lee uses a simple-but-effective solution: 'One tablespoon of bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water. Soak a cloth in the solution and wipe the board generously on all sides. Let stand for one minute, rinse with running water, and pat dry.' (Here's everything you need to know about cleaning with bleach in the kitchen.) Clorox Splash-Less Bleach Amazon $3 Buy Now 8. Break out the sander. Need to do major damage control? It may be time for an electric sander. In fact, some professional chefs consider this to be regular maintenance. Archibald at The Kitchin does this twice a year to keep his boards in shipshape. An orbital sander, which uses a circular motion, is preferred for its powerful ability to lift materials from the surface. You may find this purchase more useful than you originally thought — this cast-iron maker also uses it to repair rusty pans. As with all power tools, take adequate safety precautions, including wearing protective eyewear, when using. HYCHIKA 5-Inch Random Orbital Sander Amazon $34 Buy Now 3 Other Tips for Making Your Wooden Cutting Board Last Avoid prolonged exposure to moisture. Raw poultry on a wooden cutting board is not a good idea, but that's not the only bacterial red flag. Soaking boards or letting them stay wet for too long can cause problems, too. 'Don't let your boards stay wet,' Ware warns. 'Moisture and temperature changes are really bad for wood, in terms of bacterial growth.' Oil it regularly. Oiling wooden work surfaces — and kitchen tools like wooden spoons — is non-negotiable for long-term care. 'This will help with knife cuts and dryness, which will keep your boards around for a long time,' Carrell explains. It also provides a protective sealant layer to keep the porous wood from soaking up bacteria and funky smells. John Boos Block Board Cream Amazon $22 Buy Now Don't go overboard, though: Ware gives his boards a proper rubdown every couple of months. He recommends a mineral oil, or blended beeswax product that gives off a pretty luster when buffed. (Psst: The Kitchn tested a variety of board oils and picked a must-try favorite.) TOPINSTOCK Rubber Feet for Cutting Board, 12 Pieces Amazon $12 Buy Now Add rubber feet. Ware always adds rubber feet to the bottom of his custom-made boards. Not only does it stop them from sliding around on the counter, but it also encourages proper airflow around the entire board. 'That helps it dry evenly,' he explains. 'Putting a piece of wet wood directly on your counter will just make it warp.' How do you care for your favorite wood cutting boards? Tell us in the comments below! Further Reading We Used Our New 'Room Plan' Tool to Give This Living Room 3 Distinct Styles — See How, Then Try It Yourself The Design Changemakers to Know in 2025 Create Your Own 3D Room Plan with Our New Tool
