11 Food Hacks and Facts I Learned From Guy’s Grocery Games

Every time I’m at the grocery store, I check out the clearance section first. I didn’t know what kind of hidden gems were there until I started watching Guy’s Grocery Games — stream it on Max right now — and now I find it fun to challenge myself to use a surprising ingredient in weeknight meals to both stay on budget and have fun in the kitchen.

Flavortown Market is more well-stocked, vibrant, and full of shocking curveball ingredients than my local Ralph’s, but watching contestants almost literally fly down the aisles, throw things into their carts, and cook up a storm in 30 minutes flat has taught me a lot. The innovation is truly outta bounds with creative contestants putting together dynamic flavor combinations with surprising ingredients. After watching ... maybe three seasons in a row in a single week ... I found myself jotting down ideas like "re-hydrated beet chip and eggplant dip" and "pine nut vegan chorizo." And that’s just the frosted tip of the iceberg!

So I’ve decided to pay it forward and share 11 food facts and hacks I learned from Guy’s Grocery Games, hoping it inspires you to cook something new — preferably without having to break a sweat bolting through the supermarket first.

Featured In: Beat the Judges: Vegetarian | Season 31, Episode 4

Fun fact: Guy was a vegetarian as a kid for years. In a Beat the Judges: Vegetarian episode, Chef Mackenzie Devito of No Bones Beach Club shared that if you boil raw cashews, it’s a speedier way to make a blended sauce (cheese sauce, or in her case gravy) instead of having to soak the nuts for 24 hours.

Featured In: GGG Winners’ Face-Off | Season 32, Episode 1

One of the wildcard ingredients in a tough challenge was beet chips. Instead of using them as a crunchy garnish or dipper, Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami chose to re-hydrate them and combine with charred, smoky eggplant and a red wine reduction to make a purée that would definitely also make a great dip...with beet chips!

Featured In: Fruit Fest | Season 28, Episode 7

In GGG’s Funkalicious Fruit Fest that had a Fruit-Forward Feast challenge (say that five times fast), I found out that yellow squash, okra, and pistachios are all fruit. The more you know.

Featured In: All Un-Gredients | Season 23, Episode 4

During an "un-gredients" challenge where contestants had to make spaghetti and meatballs without pasta or tomatoes, Chef Judith Able made lamb meatballs stuffed with brie, which actually became almost like a sauce and balanced out the gamey flavor. Paired with brown butter and spaghetti squash, it’s a dish I will brie recreating ASAP.

Featured In: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner | Season 29, Episode 1

"I’ve never seen that hack. If I were to tell you top 10 hacks that I’ve seen pulled off in Grocery Games, that’s genius!" Guy told Chef Kevin Cooper when he made cinnamon roll waffles with double-fried chicken wings tossed in lemon butter bacon sauce.

Featured In: DDD International | Season 29, Episode 9

I have always been a caramelized kimchi fan for helping amp up the natural sugars in the Korean fermented cabbage, but I never realized that it can actually have a chemical reaction. When Chef Will Song of BOPNGRILL competed on GGG, he cooked his in butter to "speed up the fermentation process" and bring out more flavor in his diner-inspired kimchi cheeseburger.

Featured In: All-Star Vegetarian Games | Season 25, Episode 3

Chef Justin Warner blew everyone away with his vegetarian fish and chips. He used young coconut to make the "fish," and then blitzed up dulse (seaweed) for a salty, briny seasoning. He then wrapped it in more seaweed and tempura-fried it, and the resemblance and flavor was uncanny to the classic version with actual fish.

Featured In: All-Star Vegetarian Games | Season 25, Episode 3

In the same All-Star Vegetarian showdown, Chef Damaris Phillips made chorizo out of pine nuts sautéed with shallots, garlic, cumin, and paprika. Not only is this a transformed carnivore classic, but she noted it has protein to help bulk up a vegetarian meal. She served it inside tacos with roasted sweet potatoes and cabbage.

Featured In: Fruit Fest | Season 28, Episode 7

Using fruit in savory ways is nothing new, but Chef Carlos Perez even surprised the judges when he quick-pickled watermelon using red wine vinegar — uncommon for pickles — and sugar. This added an acidic punch in a pinch, complementing his seared scallops.

Featured In: All-Star Vegetarian Games | Season 25, Episode 3

Chef Maneet Chauhan needed to amp up her tomato sauce with limited ingredients, so she chose garlic, red onion, and two tablespoons of yogurt for creaminess. With the natural sweetness of tomatoes and complementary acidity, it wowed everyone upon first bite