Top tips: fruit hacks for summer

Sure, you can do naff things like serving fruit salad in a hollowed-out watermelon but how about halving 20 grapes in one go or using a glass to peel a mango?

We've scoured the internet to bring you six summer fruit hacks that may just change your life - or at least your fruit salad.

Use a straw to de-stalk strawberries

Hold the strawberry in one hand, then push a plastic straw up from the bottom, pushing out the stalk. It's just as easy as cutting the top off with a knife but means you don't lose half the strawberry,

Cut corners to avoid watermelon face

The ultimate way to eat a watermelon is in wedges, but when you get down near the rind you can't avoid smearing watermelon on your cheeks. Try cutting the corners off your wedge – you'll still have the rind to hold onto

Things are moving into too-much-time-on-your-hands territory now but, if you need to pit some cherries (and there really is no better use of your time), try this technique. Stick a paperclip into the stem end of the cherry, wiggle it around to loosen the pit, hook it under the pit and pop it out.

Peel a mango with a glass

Peeling a mango has usually been a messy endeavour – until now. Cut both cheeks off the mango. Hold one cheek in one hand and a water glass in the other. Press the bottom of the flesh side of the mango adjacent to the top of the glass, then push the mango down the outside of the glass, separating the flesh from the skin. The peeled flesh will pop neatly into the glass.

Eat a banana the right way

You've always peeled from the handle-like stem, right? Try turning the banana upside down, then gently squeezing the tip. It will split in half, allowing you to neatly peel the banana while holding onto the long stem like a handle. Genius.

Halve grapes (or tomatoes) en masse

Take a plate, turn it upside down and put your grapes or cherry tomatoes in a single layer on top. Place a second plate (the right way up) on top. Press down on the top plate firmly, then use a sharp or serrated knife to cut through the grapes or tomatoes (a bit like you're halving a sponge cake).