30+ Ways to Use Alexa In the Kitchen

Let’s go to The Chalkboard.

What Is Alexa?

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Alexa is Amazon’s intelligent assistant. Like Apple’s Siri, you can ask her questions and give her tasks, and she will use her extensive knowledge and the internet to help you out. 

What Hardware Do You Need For Alexa In The Kitchen?

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Alexa is a free service that Amazon provides. However, to get it to work, you need some hardware. There are a bunch of different options, but for the kitchen, I recommend the Echo Dot. It’s small, so it doesn’t take up too much counter space, and at less than $30, it’s a steal. I’ve tried the smaller Echo flex and find it frustrating. The speaker isn’t as good, and it doesn’t always hear my commands. I can’t tell you how many times I have asked it to set a timer, and it didn’t. Frustrating, to say the least. Buy the Echo Dot on Amazon.

How To Set Up Alexa In The Kitchen

After you have purchased your device, all you need is an Amazon account. You do NOT need a Prime account, which requires an annual fee. Once you receive the device, you simply download the Alexa app onto your phone and follow the prompts. In just a few short minutes, you are ready to start using it. You can even connect your Amazon account when purchasing to make it even easier. 

Does Alexa Help Cooking?

Heck yeah, Alexa can help you cook. She can also help with food shopping, prep, and everything else in between. If only she could wash dishes. Here’s how Alexa helps in the kitchen.

Alexa Can Help With Grocery Shopping

Before you even start to cook, you can use Alexa to create a shopping list. Just say, “Alexa, create a shopping list.” When you want to add items, say “add items to the shopping list.” The list is online within your Amazon account. 

Once you make your list, Alexa can read it back to you. “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?” And she will read it back to you. This skill is super helpful as you are meal planning since it gives you the chance to walk around your kitchen and see if you need the items on your list before you buy them. 

You can also check the price of a product. “Alexa, how much are bananas?”

If you are an AmazonFresh user, you can add items directly to your AmazonFresh order. Simply say, “Alexa, add bananas to my AmazonFresh order.” If you have ordered something previously, you can simply say “Alexa, reorder” the item. She will then add the past purchase to your Fresh cart. Don’t worry about unwanted purchases; you get a final review. If you aren’t an AmazonFresh user, you should be. It’s our pick for the best online grocer. 

Shopping cart creation also works for Whole Foods delivery. You can add items to any order and have it delivered in less than two hours. “Alexa, add bananas to my Whole Foods order.”

Help Choose Drinks to Serve

Curious as to what alcohol to serve with your meals? There are two services to help you nail the drinks. 

“Alexa, open Winefinder” will help you find which wine to pair with your dinner. Whether you are looking for a white or a red, serving fish or filet mignon, WineFinder will help you find the perfect wine. 

If cocktails are what you are seeking, “Alexa, open The Bartender.” This will help you find all the different types of drink recipes. You can even search by ingredient. 

Alexa Recipes

Don’t know what to make? Ask, “Alexa, what should I make for dinner?” Alexa will give you a bunch of suggestions. You can narrow it down by asking based on ingredients you have on hand. “Alexa, give me a recipe using chicken and broccoli.” 

Allrecipes has a skill that allows you to search for a recipe and cook through it. Their editors have picked the best ones from the thousands on their website to ensure you the best ones. 

If you know precisely what you want to make but don’t know how simply ask for the recipe. “Alexa, how do you make scrambled eggs?” Alexa cooking skills will provide step by step instructions. Simply tell her to “pause” as you through the recipe.

Alexa Cooking Skills

It’s not just before you start cooking that Alexa is invaluable. She’s also there throughout the process. Here’s how.

A Kitchen Assistant

Alexa can set timers for you and not just one but multiple.  “Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes.” Do you have several dishes cooking? She can set multiple timers and distinguish them by name. “Alexa, set a pasta timer for 12 minutes”. At any point, you can check progress by asking, “Alexa, how much time is left on the pasta timer?”

Are you trying to half or double a recipe? Ask Alexa for conversions and measurements. “Alexa, what’s half of ¾ of a cup?” Out of an ingredient? “Alexa, what’s a food substitute for soy sauce?” Boom! Alexa cooking skills to the rescue.

Have you run out of an ingredient? Have her source where you can find it. “Alexa, where can I find potatoes nearby?” She will then give you a list of local grocery stores. 

Entertainment

It’s always nice to have company in the kitchen. Especially one that’s not in your way. Alexa can play podcasts, “Alexa play Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino podcast.” 

Podcasts, not your thing? “Alexa, what’s in the news?”  She will offer you several suggestions for news outlets for you to choose from. Want to know what happened at the game? “Alexa, What’s My Sports Update?” Simply go to the Alexa app and set up your favorite teams. There are over 13 leagues to choose from. Here’s a well-written tutorial on how to set it up.  

Too much talking? Alexa can play music. You can connect to almost any account.  Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, IHeartRadio, Sirius XM, Audible are all supported.

The Kids Driving You Nuts? 

Nothing like the witching hour where you are just trying to get dinner on the table, and the kids get crazy! Alexa to the rescue.  

She can entertain your kids, “Alexa, tell us a story” or “Alexa, tell us a joke.”  She can even play games with them “Alexa, play Song Quiz” or “Alexa, play Harry Potter Quiz.” 

If the kids are arguing, let her settle the case for you. “Alexa, open the Kids Court.” Each child presents their side, and then she will determine who is right.

Is the argument simply who goes first? Then ask, “Alexa, open whose turn is it?” She will keep track of who went first last time and advise you.

After Cooking

You did it! You created dinner and now, celebrate your accomplishment. “Alexa, give me a round of applause.” If you have multiple devices, you can have Alexa ring the dinner bell through them.  “Alexa, make an announcement, dinner time.”

Say dinner didn’t go well; there’s always “Alexa, what Chinese food restaurants are nearby?” No matter what, she’s got your back!

Need help cleaning up? Open the Lysol app to get cleaning tips. 

Complete List of Alexa Cooking Skills

• “Alexa create a shopping list.”
• “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list.” 
• “Alexa, how much are bananas.”
• “Alexa, add bananas to my AmazonFresh order.”
• “Alexa, add bananas to my Whole Foods order.”
• “Alexa, open Winefinder.”
• “Alexa, open The Bartender.”
• “Alexa, what should I make for dinner?” 
• “Alexa, give me a recipe using chicken and broccoli.” 
• “Alexa, how do you make scrambled eggs?” 
• “Alexa, set a timer for 20 minutes.”
• “Alexa, set a pasta timer for 12 minutes.”
• “Alexa, how much time is left on the pasta timer?”
• “Alexa, what’s half of ¾ of a cup?”
• “Alexa, what’s a food substitute for soy sauce?”
• “Alexa, where can I find potatoes nearby?”
• “Alexa play a podcast.”
• “Alexa, play WLNG radio.”
• “Alexa, what’s in the news?”
• “Alexa, tell us a story.” 
• “Alexa, tell us a joke.”
• “Alexa, play Song Quiz.”
• “Alexa, play Harry Potter Quiz.” 
• “Alexa, open the Kids Court.”
• “Alexa, whose turn is it?”
• “Alexa, give me a round of applause.”
• “Alexa, make an announcement, dinner is ready.”
• “Alexa, open the Lysol app.”
• “Alexa, what Chinese food restaurants are nearby?”

Thoughts?

What do you think? Have you used Alexa in the kitchen? If so, let me know how in the comments below. I’d love to hear. 

Now, if only Alexa could clean up! 

Happy Cooking.

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