There are moments in life when everything you thought you knew turns upside down—like realizing Pluto isn’t a planet, or that your mom’s “famous” lasagna was mostly cottage cheese. For me, one of those moments came while scrolling late-night TikTok. Content creator Steph Gigliotti (@stephgigliotti28) casually dropped a cheese-grating hack that changed everything. You know that box grater you’ve been wrestling with your entire adult life? Steph says you can (and should) flip the script to make your cheese life so much easier. Here’w what you need to know.
Related:The Supersmart Viral Paper Towel Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
😋😋 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter. 🍳🍔
@stephgigliotti28 The best tip I have! Turn your grater on the side before shredding cheese! 🧀 Why? 🧀 It’s easier to hold and shred, making the process faster 🧀 It’s safer! You’re less likely to hurt your fingers- don’t believe me? My husband does now 😂🫠 🧀Easily transport your cheese to a container or to your cooking pan Hope this helps! #tipsandtricks #lifehacks #kitchentips
♬ original sound – Steph Gigliotti
The Cheese Grater Flip That Actually Makes Sense
So here’s the hack: instead of holding your box grater upright like a wobbly tower, Steph says to lay it flat on its side and grate cheese horizontally. It sounds like one of those things that can’t possibly make a difference until you try it. And when you do, your first thought will be, “Why have I been doing it the other way this whole time?”
The traditional vertical method feels like trying to balance a cheese guillotine, but the horizontal flip is a lot easier to hang on to.
Laying the grater flat means you’re not doing the cheese equivalent of trying to saw a tree trunk with one hand. Your arm isn’t flailing, and you can apply consistent pressure. Gravity is your friend now. You can brace the grater against the counter and really get into a rhythm, like a cheddar-slinging lumberjack.
Everyone who’s ever lost some knuckle skin to a box grater knows the fear. Steph says turning it sideways makes it less likely you’ll shred your fingertips. Your fingers stay far away from the blades since your hand naturally moves across the top, not down into the danger zone.
When you’re done grating, the cheese is already in the grater, collecting in the hollow center like a little treasure chest of dairy gold. Just pick up the grater and dump it directly into a container or pan. No countertop mess. No extra bowl. No re-evaluating your life choices while scraping mozzarella off your cutting board with a butter knife.
Related:The Genius Plastic Bag Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
Is This Hack Actually Worth It?
While this seems smart, is this hack really worth it? In a word, yes!
I tried it with cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan and even a stubborn block of Monterey Jack and it worked like a charm every time. Not only was it faster, but I didn’t lose any blood or pride in the process.
Now, is this the kind of hack that will solve all your life problems? No, not unless your life is really easy. But will it make cheese grating, which can be a tedious, annoying, occasionally painful kitchen task, a little smoother, safer and less rage-inducing? Absolutely. And in a world where we all need a few tiny wins, this one is worth celebrating.
So next time you reach for your grater, flip it on its side, and prepare to feel like the cleverest chef in the room. Your fingers (and your pasta) will thank you.
Up Next:
Related: The Clever Coffee Filter Trick We Wish We’d Known About Sooner
