22 Kitchen Tasks Grandma Did That We Barely Do Anymore

Do you remember when making food meant more than just pushing buttons on a microwave? Our kitchens have changed a lot over time. New machines, different food ideas, and busy days have made many old kitchen ways disappear.

Today’s kitchens have lots of tools that help us cook quickly and easily. Still, it sometimes feels like we don’t really know much about our food anymore.

Let’s remember some old kitchen habits that most people don’t do now. Some might look odd or take too long for us today. As you read this list, think about how these changes have shaped the way we eat and feel about our food.

Which of these forgotten kitchen habits intrigues you the most? And which are you glad to see go? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Baking Bread Daily

The smell of fresh bread used to fill homes every day. Many families baked bread daily to have enough of this important food. Making dough and waiting for it to rise was part of everyday life.

Today, in our busy lives, we usually buy bread from stores or sometimes use bread machines at home. The daily habit of baking bread has mostly gone away.

Rendering Lard or Tallow

Our great-grandparents would be surprised to see us buy cooking oil. They used to melt animal fat to make lard or tallow for cooking. This meant heating the fat slowly until it melted, then straining and letting it cool.

They used this fat for many things, like frying and baking pie crusts. Now, we use vegetable oils or store-bought lard, missing the deep taste of fats made at home.

Shelling Peas and Beans by Hand

Shelling peas and beans used to be something people did together. Families would sit around the kitchen table, talking as they opened pods and gathered the seeds inside. It was a chance to talk and be close, turning a task into a small get-together.

Today, we mostly buy peas and beans already shelled or in cans. We save time but miss out on a special time for family connection.

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Hand Grinding Spices

In the past, the smell of freshly ground spices filled kitchens everywhere. People used mortar and pestles or hand-cranked grinders to prepare spices just before cooking. This method released the full flavor and aroma of each spice. 

Nowadays, we usually grab pre-ground spices off the shelf. While it’s quicker, we miss out on that burst of fresh flavor and the satisfaction of preparing ingredients ourselves.

Home Canning for Preserving Food

Summer used to mean it was time to can fruits and vegetables. Families would spend days washing jars, preparing produce, and carefully sealing everything up. This tradition kept pantries stocked with homemade jams, pickles, and sauces all year round. 

Today, most of us buy canned goods at the store or freeze our extra produce. The art of home canning is fading, along with the pride of enjoying summer’s bounty in the middle of winter.

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Making Butter by Hand

Churning butter was once a common kitchen chore, often assigned to children. They’d shake cream in a jar or use a butter churn until the fat separated and formed butter. It was hard work, but the result was fresh, flavorful butter that tasted nothing like what we buy in stores today. 

Now, making butter at home is a novelty rather than a necessity. We’ve traded the arm workout for convenience.

Washing Dishes by Hand Without Detergents

Dishwashing used to be a hard job before we had modern soaps and machines. People cleaned dishes using homemade lye soap, sand, or even wood ashes. It was rough on the hands and needed a lot of time and work. Rinsing often meant using several basins of water to make sure dishes were clean and free of soap.

Today, we put dishes in dishwashers or use store-bought detergents that break down grease quickly. The calm, slow feeling of washing dishes by hand is mostly gone because we focus on speed.

Using a Root Cellar for Storage

Before refrigerators, root cellars helped keep food fresh. These underground rooms stayed cool all year, making them great for storing fruits, vegetables, and even dairy. Families put their harvest in order to last through the winter.

Root cellars needed regular checks and moving of food to stop it from going bad. Today, we keep most of our food in refrigerators and freezers. The natural cycle of eating what is in season has mostly gone away.

Cooking in Cast-Iron Pots Regularly

Cast-iron cookware used to be the main choice in the kitchen. These heavy pots and pans warmed up evenly and could be used for many years. Cooks loved their well-used cast iron, which made every meal taste better.

Taking care of cast iron was a skill taught in families. Now, many kitchens use non-stick or stainless steel pots and pans. We have easier cleaning but miss the special flavor and link to cooking traditions that cast iron gives.

Whipping Cream by Hand

Before electric mixers, whipping cream meant a good arm workout. People would use a whisk or even a fork to beat cream until it formed soft or stiff peaks. It took time and effort, but the result was a light, fluffy topping for desserts. 

Today, we can buy whipped cream in a can or use electric mixers to do the job in minutes. The sense of accomplishment that came with hand-whipping cream is now a rare experience.

Making Stock from Scratch

Homemade stock was once the foundation of good cooking. People saved bones, vegetable scraps, and herbs to simmer into flavorful broths. This process could take hours, filling the house with rich aromas. 

These stocks formed the base for soups, sauces, and gravies. Now, most of us reach for boxed or canned stock when cooking. We’ve traded depth of flavor for convenience.

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Cooking on a Wood-Fired Stove

Imagine having to light a fire every time you wanted to cook! Wood-fired stoves were the heart of old kitchens. They required skill to use effectively, managing the fire to control the heat. Cooking this way gave food a distinct flavor and required constant attention. 

Today, we turn a knob on our gas or electric stoves for instant heat. We’ve gained precision and ease but lost the primal connection to fire in our cooking.

Cooking for Large Families Daily

Preparing meals for big families was once a full-time job. Kitchens bustled with activity as huge pots of stew simmered and loaves of bread baked. Meal planning focused on stretching ingredients to feed many mouths. 

Children often helped with meal prep, learning cooking skills along the way. Smaller family sizes and busier schedules have changed this dynamic. Many households now cook less frequently or in smaller quantities.

Using a Meat Grinder at Home

Home cooks used to grind their own meat all the time. They used hand-cranked grinders fixed to kitchen counters, which turned pieces of meat into fresh ground beef or sausage mix. This way, you always knew what was in your ground meat.

Washing the grinder took time and effort, but the good quality made it worth doing. Today, we mostly buy ground meat ready-made from the store. This is easier, but we don’t have the same control over what is inside or how fresh it is.

Scalding Milk for Recipes

Many old recipes begin with “scald the milk.” This means heating milk until it almost boils, then letting it cool a bit. Scalding changed the milk’s proteins and killed germs.

This step was important for dishes like custards and yeast breads. Now, pasteurization has made this step not needed for safety. We don’t have to watch the milk closely on the stove anymore.

Using a Sifter for Flour

Sifting flour used to be a must for baking. This process removed lumps and added air, resulting in lighter, fluffier baked goods. The gentle shower of flour through the sifter was a familiar sight in old kitchens. 

Recipes often called for “twice-sifted” flour for extra-fine texture. Now, most flour comes pre-sifted, and many recipes skip this step. We’ve saved time but lost a bit of the magic in baking preparation.

Boiling Clothes on the Stove

Laundry day once meant heating a big pot of water on the stove. Clothes were boiled to remove tough stains and kill germs. This method required constant stirring and careful handling of hot, wet fabric. 

After boiling, clothes were scrubbed on washboards and wrung out. Modern washing machines have made this labor-intensive process obsolete. We’ve gained cleaner clothes with less effort but lost the satisfaction of hands-on cleaning.

Preparing Gelatin from Scratch

Making gelatin desserts used to start with boiling animal bones and tissues. This long process extracted collagen, which formed the basis of jellies and aspics. Cooks strained the liquid carefully and added flavorings to create savory or sweet dishes. 

The instant gelatin we use today has simplified this task enormously. We can make jiggly desserts in minutes, but we’ve lost the connection to the origins of this interesting food.

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Hand-Chopping All Vegetables

Cutting vegetables used to take a lot of time and was done all by hand. The steady sound of knives hitting cutting boards was common in kitchens while cooks got meals ready. This way needed skill and patience, especially when cutting many vegetables.

Knife skills were taught from one generation to the next. Today, food processors and pre-cut vegetables make this job faster. We save time but miss some of the calm feeling that comes with preparing food by hand.

Using Iceboxes to Keep Food Cold

Before electric refrigerators, ice boxes keep food cool. These insulated cabinets held large blocks of ice, delivered regularly by ice companies. Families had to manage their food carefully, as the cooling power was limited. 

Drip pans needed emptying, and the ice needed replacing frequently. Modern refrigerators have made food storage much easier. We no longer need to plan our meals around the melting rate of an ice block.

Preparing Food Without Exact Measurements

Cooking used to depend more on experience than exact amounts. Recipes said things like “a pinch of this” or “a handful of that.” Cooks learned to guess amounts by looking and feeling.

This way of cooking let people be more creative and change things to their taste. Today, recipes with exact measurements are common. We have more consistency but have lost some of the natural, flexible way of cooking.

Collecting and Using Bacon Grease

The bacon grease can was once a staple in many kitchens. People saved the drippings after cooking bacon, using it as a flavoring for everything from vegetables to cornbread. This practice made use of every part of the animal and added rich flavor to meals. 

Health concerns have made this less common now. We often discard bacon grease, missing out on its unique taste and connection to thrifty cooking traditions.

Stirring Up Old Memories

Wow, what a walk through grandma’s kitchen! Our cooking story shows how much has changed. We now use machines instead of hard work, exact measurements instead of guessing, and quick ways instead of slow steps.

Today’s kitchens work faster, but have we lost some special moments? The smell of fresh spices, the joy of making jam, the fun of kneading dough, these things are now rare treats, not everyday habits.

Here’s something to think about: why not bring back some old ways? Give them a try. You might find a new hobby, make happy memories with family, or just feel more thankful for the easy tools we have now.

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AI was used for light editing, formatting, and readability. But a human (me!) wrote and edited this.