Have you ever wondered why many cutting boards have a large opening or handle at one end?
At first glance, it may look like it’s simply there so you can carry the board. But that opening can have several practical uses, making food preparation easier and less messy.
Here are some clever ways to use it.
1. 🖐️ Use It as a Comfortable Handle
The most obvious purpose is also one of the most useful.
The opening gives you a secure place to grip the board when:
Moving it from the counter
Carrying prepared ingredients
Taking the board to the sink
Serving food
Instead of grabbing the cutting surface, you can hold the board from the side.
2. 🥕 Transfer Chopped Food More Easily
Here’s a particularly useful trick.
After chopping vegetables, meat, herbs, or fruit, you can use the cutting board to move the ingredients to a bowl, pan, or plate.Food blog
Here’s how:
Step 1: Finish chopping your ingredients.
Step 2: Gather them toward one side of the board.
Step 3: Hold the board firmly by the handle.
Step 4: Tilt the board over your bowl or pan.
Step 5: Use a spatula or bench scraper to slide the ingredients off.
The handle gives you better control while carrying and tilting the board.
3. 🍲 Use the Opening to Help Guide Food
On some cutting boards, the handle opening is positioned so that when you tilt the board, ingredients can be directed toward the edge.
However, the opening isn’t universally designed as a food chute. Its primary purpose is usually to provide a grip and make the board easier to handle.
If the opening is large enough, though, it can be convenient when transferring ingredients.
4. 🧅 Keep Your Workspace Organized
A cutting board with a handle can also be easier to store.
After cleaning and drying the board, you can hang it from a suitable kitchen hook.
This can:
Free up counter space
Keep the board accessible
Allow it to dry properly
Reduce clutter in kitchen cabinets
Make sure the hook is strong enough to support the board securely.
5. 🧼 Make Cleaning Easier
The handle can also make washing the board more comfortable.
Instead of gripping the wet cutting surface, hold the board through the opening while rinsing it.
After washing:
