Nobody Told Us About the Cupcake Trick: 19 Foods We Have All Been Eating Wrong (and the Easier Way)
Nobody hands you a manual for eating a cupcake, a mango or a slice of pie. We just copy what we saw at home, and some of those habits make simple foods messier and harder than they need to be. These are the everyday foods most of us have been eating wrong, or at least the hard way, with a smarter trick for each one and a quick recipe to try it on. None of this is about rules. It is about less mess, fewer dropped toppings and more fun at the table, especially with the holidays coming. Which one did your family already know..
The Cupcake Sandwich: Stop Eating Wrong and Skip the Frosting Nose
Most of us bite straight down into a cupcake and end up with frosting on our nose and a dry bottom left over. The smarter way: twist off the bottom half of the cake, flip it over and set it on top of the frosting. Now you have a little frosting sandwich, with cake on both sides and every bite even. It is tidy enough for kids and grown-ups at a party. If you have been eating wrong all these years, you are in good company. Did you know this one already?
You will need: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/2 cup milk. Frosting: 1 cup soft butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 12-cup muffin pan. 2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. 3. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla. 4. Add the flour mix and milk in turns. 5. Fill cups two-thirds full and bake 18 to 20 minutes. 6. Cool fully, then beat the frosting ingredients and pipe on top.
Eating Mango Wrong? Cut a Hedgehog Instead of Peeling
Peeling a mango and chasing the slippery fruit around the board is the hard way. Instead, slice off the two fat cheeks beside the flat pit. Score each cheek in a grid without cutting through the skin, then push the skin up from below. The cubes pop out like a hedgehog and you can bite them right off or slice them into a bowl. No sticky hands, no waste.
You will need: 2 ripe mangoes, 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or Tajin-style chili lime seasoning, pinch of salt.
How to make it: 1. Stand the mango up and slice down on each side of the pit. 2. Score each cheek in a grid. 3. Push the skin up so the cubes pop out. 4. Squeeze lime over the top. 5. Sprinkle with chili and salt. 6. Eat right off the skin or cut into cups.
Pomegranate: Open It Under Water
Banging a pomegranate with a spoon sends red juice all over your shirt and walls. The cleaner way: score the skin into quarters, break it open in a big bowl of cold water and push the seeds out with your thumbs. The seeds sink, the white pith floats, and nothing stains. Skim off the pith, drain and you have a bowl of ruby jewels in about five minutes. If you have been eating wrong with a wooden spoon and a ruined shirt, this fixes it.
You will need: 1 pomegranate, 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup granola, 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios.
How to make it: 1. Score the pomegranate into quarters and break it open in a bowl of water. 2. Push the seeds out under the water. 3. Skim off the pith and drain the seeds. 4. Spoon yogurt into two bowls and drizzle with honey. 5. Top with seeds, granola and pistachios.
Eating Sushi Wrong? Dip the Fish Side and Save the Ginger
Many of us drown the rice in soy sauce and pile ginger on top of every piece. Sushi chefs suggest turning nigiri over and touching just the fish to the soy sauce, so the rice does not fall apart or get too salty. The pink ginger is meant to clean your palate between different pieces, not to be eaten on top. It is also fine to use your fingers for nigiri. Are you a chopsticks or fingers person?
You will need: 2 cups cooked sushi rice, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 6 oz sushi-grade salmon or cooked shrimp, cucumber, avocado, soy sauce, pickled ginger, sesame seeds.
How to make it: 1. Stir vinegar, sugar and salt into the warm rice and cool. 2. Divide rice into bowls. 3. Top with sliced salmon or shrimp, cucumber and avocado. 4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 5. Serve soy sauce on the side and ginger for between bites.
Eating a Burger Wrong? Flip It Upside Down
The top bun is thick and the bottom bun is thin, so the juicy bottom often falls apart before you finish. Turn the burger over before you bite. Now the sturdy top bun soaks up the juices and the thinner bun sits on top, so the whole thing holds together longer. Want more burger ideas? Try our gourmet burgers that beat any restaurant.
You will need: 1 lb ground beef (80/20), salt and pepper, 4 slices cheddar, 4 burger buns, butter, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard.
How to make it: 1. Divide beef into 4 balls. 2. Heat a cast iron pan very hot. 3. Smash each ball flat and season. 4. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, flip and add cheese. 5. Toast the buttered buns. 6. Build the burger, then flip it over to eat.
Takeout Box: Unfold It Into a Plate
Most of us eat straight out of the deep takeout box and dig around for the last noodles. Many folded paper boxes are made to open flat. Pull the metal handle off if there is one, open the side flaps and the box spreads out into a little plate. You can see your food, mix it better and skip washing a dish. It is one of those things we have all been eating wrong for years.
You will need: 8 oz spaghetti or lo mein noodles, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 cups mixed vegetables, 2 garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, green onions.
How to make it: 1. Cook the noodles and drain. 2. Stir-fry vegetables and garlic in oil 3 minutes. 3. Add noodles. 4. Mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil and pour it over. 5. Toss 2 minutes until glossy. 6. Top with green onions.
Cherry Tomatoes and Grapes: Slice a Dozen at Once
Cutting cherry tomatoes or grapes one by one for a salad or a toddler plate takes forever. Put a pile of them on a flat plastic lid, cover with a second lid and press gently. Run a long, sharp knife through the gap between the lids and every one is cut in half in a single pass. Keep your fingers on top of the lid.
You will need: 2 pints cherry tomatoes, 1 cup small mozzarella balls, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
How to make it: 1. Halve the tomatoes with the two-lid trick. 2. Add mozzarella and torn basil. 3. Drizzle with oil and vinegar. 4. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Toss gently and rest 10 minutes before serving.
Oranges: Peel a Spiral or Roll It First
Digging your nails into an orange peel is slow and messy. Roll the orange firmly on the counter first to loosen the peel, then cut off the top and bottom and make one shallow cut down the side. The peel unrolls in one long strip. For kids and stockings, slice the orange into a snake: cut off the ends, slit one side and open it into a strip of easy segments.
You will need: 4 oranges, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, a few mint leaves.
How to make it: 1. Roll and peel the oranges, or cut them into a snake strip. 2. Separate the segments. 3. Stir yogurt, honey and cinnamon together. 4. Arrange the orange on a plate. 5. Serve with the yogurt dip and mint.
Corn on the Cob: Butter It With Bread
Rolling a hot ear of corn across a stick of butter leaves a dent in the butter and bare spots on the corn. The easy way: butter a slice of soft bread, wrap it around the cob and twist. The bread spreads butter into every row, and someone gets a buttery slice of bread at the end. Is that the best part of the trick?
You will need: 6 ears corn shucked, 4 tablespoons soft butter, 1 slice soft sandwich bread, salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or chili powder (optional).
How to make it: 1. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. 2. Add the corn and cook 4 to 6 minutes. 3. Stir garlic or chili powder into the butter if you like. 4. Spread the butter on the bread. 5. Wrap the bread around each cob and twist. 6. Sprinkle with salt.
Eating Kiwi Wrong? Halve It and Grab a Spoon
Peeling a fuzzy kiwi with a knife wastes fruit and makes your fingers green and sticky. Just cut the kiwi in half across the middle and scoop it out with a teaspoon, like a tiny cup of fruit. Kids love it, and it works for lunch boxes too. Fun fact: the skin is edible if you wash it well, though most people skip it.
You will need: 4 kiwis, 1 frozen banana, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup milk or almond milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey.
How to make it: 1. Halve the kiwis and scoop out the fruit with a spoon. 2. Add kiwi, banana and spinach to a blender. 3. Pour in milk and yogurt. 4. Add honey. 5. Blend until smooth and serve cold.
Strawberries: Push the Hull Out With a Straw
Cutting the tops off strawberries with a knife takes a good chunk of the berry with them. Push a sturdy straw up from the pointed bottom of the berry and out through the green top. The leaves and the hard core pop right out, and you keep almost all of the fruit. It is a fun job for kids, too. Turns out we were not eating wrong, just hulling wrong.
You will need: 1 lb strawberries, 6 oz dark or semisweet chocolate chopped, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 2 oz white chocolate (optional).
How to make it: 1. Hull the berries with a straw and dry them well. 2. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in 30-second bursts, stirring. 3. Dip each berry into the chocolate. 4. Set on parchment. 5. Drizzle with melted white chocolate. 6. Chill 20 minutes until set.
Pie: Cut Every Slice Before You Lift the First
The first slice of pie almost always comes out broken, because we cut one piece and try to pry it out. Instead, cut all the slices first, all the way through the bottom crust, with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped between cuts. Then slide the server under the first piece. It lifts out clean. Chilling the pie for an hour helps too. Pumpkin or apple at your table?
You will need: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust, 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F. 2. Whisk pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt, eggs and milk. 3. Pour into the crust. 4. Bake 15 minutes, then lower to 350 F and bake 40 to 50 minutes until set. 5. Cool and chill. 6. Cut all slices before lifting the first.
Eating Wings Wrong? Pull the Bones Out First
Nibbling around the two little bones in a wing flat leaves half the meat behind. Grab the small, thin bone at the end, twist it and pull it out. Then pull the big bone and it slides free, leaving one clean piece of meat to dunk. It works best on well-cooked wings. Ranch or blue cheese?
You will need: 2 lb chicken wings split, 1 tablespoon baking powder (not soda), 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/3 cup hot sauce, 3 tablespoons melted butter.
How to make it: 1. Pat the wings very dry. 2. Toss with baking powder, salt and garlic powder. 3. Bake on a rack at 250 F for 30 minutes. 4. Raise the oven to 425 F and bake 40 to 50 minutes until crispy. 5. Toss in hot sauce and butter. 6. Twist out the bones and dip.
Ice Cream Cones: Plug the Bottom With a Marshmallow
The drip from the bottom of a cone always lands on a shirt or a car seat. Drop a mini marshmallow or a chocolate chip into the bottom of the cone before you scoop. It plugs the tip so melted ice cream cannot leak out, and you get a sweet surprise in the last bite. Quick poll: A) chocolate, B) vanilla, C) strawberry, or D) mint chip?
You will need: 2 cups cold heavy cream, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla, pinch of salt, cones, mini marshmallows.
How to make it: 1. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. 2. Fold in condensed milk, vanilla and salt. 3. Pour into a loaf pan. 4. Freeze 6 hours or overnight. 5. Drop a marshmallow into each cone. 6. Scoop and serve.
Watermelon: Cut Sticks, Not Wedges
Big wedges of watermelon mean juice down your arms and a lot of rind to hold. Cut the melon in half, set it flat side down and slice it into a grid of long sticks, first one way and then the other. Each stick has a little rind handle at the end. They are easy for kids to hold and easy to store in the fridge. If you have been eating wrong with giant wedges, the sticks are a summer and holiday party saver.
You will need: 1 small seedless watermelon, 1 lime, 1/2 cup crumbled feta, fresh mint, pinch of salt.
How to make it: 1. Halve the melon and lay it cut side down. 2. Slice 1-inch strips one way. 3. Turn and slice again to make sticks. 4. Pile them on a platter. 5. Squeeze lime over the top. 6. Sprinkle with feta, mint and a pinch of salt.
Cookies and Milk: Use a Fork to Dunk
Dunking a sandwich cookie with your fingers ends in a soggy cookie lost at the bottom of the glass. Push a fork gently into the cream center, then dunk. You can hold it under as long as you like and lift it out whole. It is the trick kids remember forever. How long do you hold it under?
You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups chocolate chips, cold milk.
How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Beat butter and sugars until creamy. 3. Add eggs and vanilla. 4. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt, then the chips. 5. Scoop onto a sheet and bake 9 to 11 minutes. 6. Cool and serve with cold milk.
Bananas: Peel From the Other End
If the stem end of your banana will not snap, try the other end. Pinch the little dark tip at the bottom and the peel splits open easily, with fewer of those stringy bits. Many people say this is how monkeys do it, though monkeys eat bananas in many ways. Either way, it works on a stubborn banana. So if you felt like you were eating wrong all along, you might have been peeling from the hard end.
You will need: 4 ripe bananas, 6 oz chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, 1/4 cup chopped peanuts or sprinkles, 8 craft sticks.
How to make it: 1. Peel the bananas from the bottom and cut them in half. 2. Push a stick into each half. 3. Freeze 1 hour on parchment. 4. Melt chocolate with coconut oil. 5. Dip each banana and roll in nuts or sprinkles. 6. Freeze until firm.
Cheesecake: Slice It With Plain Dental Floss
A knife drags through cheesecake and smears the edges. Take a long piece of plain, unflavored dental floss, pull it tight and press it straight down through the cake. Let go of one end and pull it out the side. Every slice comes out clean and smooth. A thin knife dipped in hot water works too. Nobody is eating wrong here, but the slices will look like a bakery cut them.
You will need: 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese softened, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup heavy cream, berries to top.
How to make it: 1. Mix crumbs and butter and press into a 9-inch pan. 2. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. 3. Whip the cream to stiff peaks. 4. Fold the cream into the cheese. 5. Spread over the crust and chill 6 hours. 6. Slice with floss and top with berries.
Eating Tacos Wrong? Double the Tortilla and Tilt Your Head
Hard shells crack and soft tortillas tear, and the filling ends up on your plate. Taco truck cooks often use two small corn tortillas per taco, so if one tears, the other holds everything. Keep the taco level and tilt your head to it instead of tipping the taco up. Fewer spills, more filling in your mouth. How many do you eat in one sitting?
You will need: 1 lb ground beef or shredded chicken, 1 packet taco seasoning or 2 teaspoons chili powder plus cumin and garlic, 16 small corn tortillas, onion, cilantro, lime, salsa, shredded cheese.
How to make it: 1. Brown the meat and add seasoning with 1/2 cup water. 2. Simmer 5 minutes. 3. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet. 4. Stack two tortillas for each taco. 5. Fill with meat, onion, cilantro and cheese. 6. Finish with lime and salsa.
