The Fork Tine Hack For Cleaner Cheese Slices

Let's face it, everything tastes better with cheese. From grabbing a quick snack to creating a dazzling charcuterie platter, the delicious dairy staple plays a large part in our eating routines. But, if you've ever shaken your head at all those clumsy cut slices of varying thickness that never look right, a clever hack making the rounds on social media just might help.

Shared by digital creator @convinoboard whose Instagram account is all about cheese, wine, appetizers, and easy recipes, their latest hack doesn't involve any special gadgets or equipment, such as a cheese slicer or wire. Really, all you need is a knife and fork.

Promising to create slices that are not too thick, jagged, or uneven, the technique especially helps when you are making a cheese board to serve to guests and "want everything to look just right," the Instagrammer says in their reel. And, it could be equally useful if you just want even slices for a simple sandwich.

In the Instagram video, which has received over 175,000 likes as of publication, the creator takes an ordinary block of cheese, which looks like cheddar, and places it on a chopping board. They then take a fork and pierce the cheese in the very top corner, which creates four evenly-spaced holes.

The holes that were created by the fork tines act as a guide, making it easy to create four clean, even slices of cheese — and, the technique can be repeated along the entire block for easy, seamless charcuterie preparation. 

The tip has received a lot of positive comments, with some describing it as pure "genius." One follower suggested that making the holes at both ends of the cheese would help even more. Although, there are others that have replied that this hack is not necessary, because it's easy enough to cut cheese evenly with just a knife. Clearly, some people just have better skills than others.

A fork isn't the only kitchen utensil that helps to create clean slices of cheese. A vegetable peeler can also be used to deliver slim, even pieces, ideal when you want to make the best grilled cheese sandwich. The tip, which was shared back in 2020 on the Facebook group Extreme Budget DIY & Life Hacks and took social media by storm, showed the poster Chloe Burton effortlessly gliding through a block of cheese with her peeler, much faster than using a knife.

Some of these tricks work best with harder cheeses, but if you're looking for tips on how to best cut a softer cheese, a wheel of cheese, or a triangular piece of Brie or Stilton, there are some handy techniques, such as cutting a round cheese into wedges, or slicing awkwardly-shaped cheese diagonally from the center-point outwards.

There are some useful hacks for when you also need grated cheese rather than sliced. Guaranteeing "no waste and instant portability for your shredded cheddar," Instagram user Slade Wentworth shared a useful tip that involves fitting a plastic zip-top bag over the bottom section of a cheese grater, which then handily collects all the cheese with no mess. Brilliant!