The Smart Way to Use Container Lids When They’re Missing Their Bottoms

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town…read more
published Dec 2, 2021
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container lids on countertop.
Credit: Sarah Crowley

Quick question: How many food storage containers do you have that are missing their lids? And how many lids do you have that lost their bottoms? What’s that? Around 917 total? Yeah … that’s the case for a lot of us. And while the solo bottoms are infinitely more useful than the solo tops (you can use them as organizers!), I do have a smart alternative use for those random lids.

Years ago, a friend showed me a kitchen trick that’s so delightful and useful that I get excited every time I get a chance to put it into practice. You just need two matching lids and then you can easily halve a bunch of grapes for little kids or cut cherry tomatoes for a salad. My point? You don’t need to toss all of your lids that are missing bottoms. In fact, you should definitely keep at least two of them!

Related: The Best Thing You Can Do with a Food Storage Container That’s Missing Its Lid

Credit: Sarah Crowley

Use Two Container Lids to Halve Cherry Tomatoes or Grapes

So, how do you turn two container lids into an amazing slicer? Easy. Here’s how you do it: Grab two plastic food lids that are the same size, a sharp knife (serrated works best!), and a handful of washed grapes or cherry tomatoes. Set one lid on your counter or cutting board, top side facing down. Spread a single layer of tomatoes or grapes on the overturned lid. Put the second lid over the cherry tomatoes or grapes, underside facing down. 

Read more: How To Slice a Bunch of Cherry Tomatoes at Once

Apply gentle pressure on the upper lid with one hand to steady the produce. Use your other hand to slip the blade of your knife in the space between the top and bottom lids. Then, cut through your produce with firm sideways cuts (your knife should be parallel to the surface you’re cutting on) from one side of the lid to the other. 

Remove the lid top and use the bottom to lift your cut tomatoes or grapes and slide them straight into a bowl. That’s it! This tip makes cutting cherry tomatoes or grapes so much easier and faster than cutting each one by hand. Now, you, too, will be glad you saved those lids so you can wow your own friends and halve your grapes and tomatoes in just seconds.

What do you do with your plastic food container lids missing their bottoms? Tell us in the comments below.

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