10 TikTok Food Hacks That Actually Work

If you're on a mission to elevate your kitchen skills, look no further than TikTok — seriously. Beyond the skin-care product reviews, beauty tutorials, and fitness challenges, the social media platform is teeming with culinary tips and tutorials. The only challenge? Actually finding the most useful food hacks amongst the plethora of content constantly being added to the 'Tok.

But don't worry fellow foodie, that's where this list comes in. Ahead, check out the best TikTok food hacks that will totally transform your kitchen game.

Hull a Strawberry with a Straw

Let's face it: Hulling strawberries (aka removing the cores) can be a drag, especially if you're preparing a large batch. And while you can use a paring knife or huller to get the job done, a straw — preferably, a reusable one (Buy It, $4 for four, amazon.com)— can work just as well, according to the innovative folks on TikTok. Simply insert the bad boy through the bottom of the strawberry, then push it up and through the top to remove the core and stem in one go. Needless to say, this trick gives the name "strawberry" a whole new meaning.

Microwave Garlic to Remove the Peel

Peeling fresh garlic is all fun and games — wait, who am I kidding? There are few things worse than peeling fresh garlic with its stubborn skin and sticky, smelly residue that seems to linger on your fingers for days. Enter: This genius trick of the 'Tok. Next time your recipe calls for a clove, pop it in the microwave for up to 30 seconds instead and get ready to be amazed at how easily the paper-like skin will slide right off. The only catch? Depending on the strength of your micro, 30 seconds might make your garlic a bit mushy. To be safe, start by heating the garlic for 15 to 20 seconds first to find your microwave's sweet spot.

Cut Around the Seeds of a Bell Pepper

Long gone are the days of cutting a bell pepper only to get seeds everywhere, thanks to this brilliant TikTok food hack. First, cut off the stem and then flip the veggie upside down on a cutting board (Buy It, $13, amazon.com). From there, start slicing along the grooves of the pepper, which creates four wedges that can be easily pulled back and cut off at the bottom. This technique keeps the center core of seeds intact, helping you avoid a messy cutting board and any lingering seeds in your crunchy snack.

Remove the Tendon from Chicken Breast

So, you know that white stringy thing in raw chicken breast? That's the tendon or connective tissue. And though you can leave it in there and cook the chicken as is, some people find the tendon to be tough and unpleasant to eat. If you're in that boat, try this TikTok food hack: Holding onto the end of the tendon with a paper towel (this can help ensure a tight grip and keep you from touching the raw poultry), take a fork in the other, and slide it so that the tendon is in between the prongs. Push the fork down against the chicken breast, pull the tendon in the opposite direction, and in one magical motion, the tendon will slip right out of the chicken. And this all happens in mere seconds!

Separate Lettuce Leaves for Wraps

If you're all about lettuce wraps, you'll want to add this TikTok food hack to your to-do list. Slam a lettuce head on the countertop, cut out the core, put the remaining greens in a colander (Buy It, $6, amazon.com), shake them under running water. This trick — shaking them out under running water versus trying to pull them off the head with your hands — allows you to separate intact (!!) lettuce leaves without rips or holes. Finally, your lettuce wraps will stop falling apart.

Strip Herbs with Box Grater

Believe it or not, but you don't need a special gadget to strip fresh herbs (aka remove the leaves from the tough, woody stem). As this viral TikTok video shows, pulling parsley through a box grater (Buy It, $12, amazon.com)will totally do the trick. The user, @anet_shevchenko, uses the same technique to strip fresh dill in another video, demonstrating the versatility of the creative technique.

Slice Multiple Cherry Tomatoes at Once

Instead of slicing cherry or grape tomatoes one by one, try this time-saving TikTok food hack: Spread the tomatoes on your cutting board in a single layer. Gently place a flat surface — such as the lid of a food storage container or another cutting board — on top, then slice the tomatoes in a horizontal motion. The lid will keep the tomatoes in place, allowing you to cut the tomatoes in one fell swoop.

Juice a Lemon Without Actually Cutting It

No citrus juicer? No problem. Thanks to this clever TikTok food hack, you can extract the tart juice with ease (and without squirting it all over yourself). First, roll the lemon back and forth on your countertop until it's soft and squishy — this helps to break up the flesh inside, according to TikTok user @jacquibaihn — then poke a skewer (Buy It, $8 for six, amazon.com)into one end of the fruit. Place it over a cup or bowl, then give it a squeeze for fresh lemon juice sans sticky hands or any fancy kitchen gadgets.

Separate an Egg Yolk with a Water Bottle

Whether you're making meringue cookies, whipping up some homemade Hollandaise, or just trying to put together an egg white omelet, you're going to have to separate the yolks from the whites. And while there are a handful of easy enough methods out there to do just that — i.e. run an egg through a slotted spoon, sift the egg between its two shells — they can be a bit time-consuming and messy. For a quicker egg separating technique, call upon this TikTok food hack. Squeeze and hold the mouth of an empty (and clean) plastic water bottle close to the egg yolk and the release pressure on the bottle. It sucks the yolk up in an oddly satisfying manner. And, added bonus, this trick also puts plastic bottles to good use.

Peel an Orange Without the Mess

Not only are they packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, but oranges are also rich in folate, fiber, and potassium. Before you can even eat the fruit to reap these potential perks, you have to peel its hard, stubborn skin — a process that often proves frustrating (especially for those with long nails) and that leaves your hands sticky. Next time you're craving some citrusy goodness, remember this TikTok food hack: Grab a paring knife (Buy It, $9, amazon.com) and score a circle around the orange, about an inch down from the top. Next, starting from the cut you just made, score the fruit in several vertical lines. When you're ready to dig in, you'll be able to neatly peel away the skin in seconds. (BTW, this can also be done on grapefruits, whose health benefits you don't want to miss.)