The Deli Lid Hack That Makes Slicing Round Foods So Much Easier

Got lots of fiddly cherry tomatoes to halve? We've got a hack that makes slicing round foods easier, faster, and neater. And all you'll need are two deli lids and a sharp knife.

Start by placing a deli lid on the counter right side up and put your round foods in the middle, taking care to pack the produce tightly together, so your grapes or pearl onions don't move around within its circumference. Take the second deli lid, turn it upside down, and place it firmly on top without damaging the delicate surface of fresh produce, like blueberries or pitted olives. You should be left with a gap between the lids which is big enough to slide your knife across. Finally, use your large, sharp knife to make a horizontal cut all the way across the gap, in the same way as you'd slice a bagel. Using a serrated knife is especially useful at this point to cleanly cut through softer produce.

Be sure to keep your hand steady across the entire lid, retaining a slight pressure while you make your cut to guarantee the ingredients are halved evenly. Hopefully, once you remove the top lid you should be left with perfectly halved tomatoes, grapes, pitted olives, and blueberries to enjoy that are neatly contained within the bottom lid; no muss and no fuss. If you're prepping lots of veggies for a party, simply repeat the process as many times as you need.

The rim around the edge of a deli lid is a great safety feature because it fences in the round ingredients, making it easier to cut them in one motion without slipping. The items are forced to stay within the confines of the rimmed lid and therefore won't roll off the countertop onto the floor. And because your hand is resting on top of the lid, your fingers will also be well away from the sharp edge of the cutting knife, reducing the risk of accidental cuts. 

What's more? Once you're done slicing through your slew of spherical ingredients, there are heaps of other beneficial uses for deli lids and containers. For example, you may like to repurpose them into stackable pantry containers to store dry goods, like lentils, beans, and pasta. They're the perfect size for housing dry spices, rubs, and muffin mixes too. Plus, they make for great makeshift measuring cups or serving dishes for taco fixings, ice cream toppings, and more. So, the next time you're about to recycle your deli containers, keep some aside to quickly prep a handful of cherry tomatoes for your summer salad, halve a punnet of gooseberries, or use them as compact storage containers for dry produce.