Stop Using A Knife To Scrape Burnt Toast And Reach For A Grater Instead

Just like the coffee we pair with it in the morning, most of us have a preference when it comes to the color of our toast — from extra light to golden brown. But you'd be hard-pressed to find black coffee drinkers who also take their toast the same way. Not only is burnt toast unappetizing, but it may also be unhealthy.

However you like your bread toasted, there's nothing worse than waiting for that ding and pop — only to smell the scent of toast gone awry. Whether you accidentally turned your appliance's settings up, forgot to set a timer, or left a slice on the stovetop a minute too long, finding yourself with a burnt piece of bread usually means starting over — but it doesn't have to.

Even if the top layer is blackened to a crisp, your bread just might have the potential for perfection beneath the char. So, rather than wasting food, time, and money, you can save your toast with a simple scrape. The typical method employs a knife to scrape off the burnt bit, but if you've got a cheese grater handy, you should actually reach for that instead.

A cheese grater is not only essential for topping your pasta with fresh Parmesan but also great for reviving a burnt slice of bread. As opposed to manually applying pressure to scrape as you would with a knife, the kitchen tool's serrated surface does all the hard work for you, gently and effortlessly removing the charred crumbs.

It also helps to ensure the bread's shape and surface keep their integrity for toppings like butter, jam, or avocado. The last thing you want to do is poke a hole in your toast or end up scraping away too much — two risks that come with using a knife.

As for how to go about "grating" toast? Gently rub the burnt side in a circular motion along the surface of the tool over a bowl. The blackened parts will crumble right off. If your grater features different types of serrated options, you can start by using the coarse grate first to tackle the worst of the char, then clean up the rest with the fine grate.

Keep on going until all of the blackened bits have fallen off, and you should be left with the perfectly crisp and golden piece of toast that was hiding beneath the surface. Thanks to your cheese grater, breakfast is saved.