People Are Just Discovering How to Use a Cheese Grater the Right Way, and I Can’t Believe I Didn’t Know About It Sooner

I know that grating a block of cheese is preferred compared with buying a bag of shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese is bagged with an additive that helps prevent the cheese from clumping and sticking together, making it easy to sprinkle onto your dishes. However, those additives can slightly alter the texture of what you’re eating, which is why many cooks prefer to freshly grate their cheese.

But having to grate a block of cheese is, to be honest, kind of the worst. It’s tiring on the arms and can easily make a mess. So when I recently came upon a cheese grating hack on Instagram, I was instantly intrigued. Could this solve all of my cheese grating woes?

Here’s how it works: Instead of holding the handle of the vertical cheese grater at the top and covering the bottom with a cutting board or bowl to catch the grated cheese, turn it over on the side. Hold the handle of the grater near you and grate the cheese away from you. The inside of the grater will still catch the cheese without it getting anywhere, then you can carefully transfer it to a bowl and empty it.

I’m particularly a fan of this way of grating cheese because of how much easier it is on your arm. It also makes for a mess-free transfer, and you don’t have to hold a bowl steady or anything as you grate the cheese vertically.

While many people have their own opinions on how you should grate cheese, I agree with the sentiment that this way of grating cheese is far better than others. “I have a better grip and better pressure on the block/piece of cheese,” one foodie comments. “I started doing this, much easier!” another writes. I couldn’t agree more!