Olivia Cavallaro Culture 09.19.2022 21:Sep PM EDT

5 TikTok Food Hacks That Actually Work

Kitchen pros have shared their knowledge on the social media app, where many have learned life-changing food hacks.

While Tiktok has taken over the world with its popular dance crazes and memes, it's also actually a treasure trove of great cooking advice. The video platform is now teeming with TikTok food hacks that actually work, among many other helpful lifestyle tips, from skincare to home and living. The best part is that these hacks are being shared almost daily, so viewers can go ahead and try them for themselves or contribute their own unique ideas.

5 TikTok Food Hacks to Try at Home

1. Slicing a batch of cherry tomatoes efficiently.

Cherry tomatoes, grapes, and other small fruit that need to be sliced can be a chore, especially when prepping for a family gathering. One of the amazing TikTok food hacks that actually work involves placing a bunch of cherry or grape tomatoes on a flat, sturdy surface such as a cutting board and then using either a plate or another chopping board over them to keep them in place. Then, taking a knife, slice through them in a horizontal motion to cut them all at once, TikTok user pierre.le.chef recommended, as reported by Shape. This saves so much time and effort in preparing a batch for any kind of salad.

2. Use a kitchen staple to strip herbs.

Here is a great way to take a box grater to new heights: Use it to strip herbs! The report recommended not to buy other kitchen gadgets and instead repurpose a box grater to strip fresh herbs, as shared by Anet Shevchenko on TikTok. Whether it's for stripping dill or parsley or any other herbs, a box grater can actually serve more purposes than just grating one's favorite cheese.

3. Invert a bell pepper before slicing it to prevent making a mess out of its seeds.

Chopping bell pepper for salads and other dishes can be very troublesome as its tiny seeds can often create a mess in the kitchen. Thankfully, TikTok user Mel figured out a better way to deal with bell peppers. As per the report, all one needs to do is cut off the bell pepper stem and then place the bell pepper upside down on a cutting board. Then, take a knife and cut the bell pepper along its grooves. Once done, pull it back to reveal an intact core with all the seeds still attached, so it won't create any mess.

4. Safely remove an avocado pit without using a knife.

Avocado pits have long been causing accidents and injuries just because it's tricky to remove from the fruit. But TikTok user Cho shared that one can safely remove an avocado pit by simply using their fingers and doing away with slippery knives (and possible injuries). Simply cut the avocado in half as per usual and open it up. Instead of stabbing the avocado pit, however, just take the avocado and place the pit between the index and forefinger, then place the thumb behind. Using the thumb, push the pit out, and it should seamlessly pop out of the avocado, Delish reported.

5. Peel a whole head of garlic in less than a minute.

The report also recommended saving time in peeling garlic by simply placing a head of garlic in a small bowl and filling it halfway with water. Microwave it for 30 seconds and carefully take it out of the water and pat it dry before slicing the root end of the bulb. Gently squeeze out the garlic cloves, and it will be ready for any dish. Check out this video tutorial from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen.