Food The Easiest Ways to Trim Produce By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 2, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo Learn fast, foolproof strategies for cutting your favorite fruits and vegetables. 01 of 05 Spring Lettuce Ngoc Minh Ngo To detach the core from soft lettuces (such as Bibb or butter), turn the head upside down. Hold the lettuce with one hand, grab the core with the other, and twist it off. 02 of 05 Asparagus Ngoc Minh Ngo When you bend an asparagus spear, a small miracle occurs: It snaps at exactly the spot where the tough stalk meets the tender spear. To save time, grab several spears at once, grasping the stems in one hand and the bottoms in the other. 4 Nutritional Benefits of Eating Asparagus—Plus Delicious Recipes to Try 03 of 05 Strawberries Ngoc Minh Ngo There's an art to hulling strawberries. If you tug off the leaves with your fingertips, you miss the underlying hard, white core. If you lop off the entire top, you squander precious flesh. Instead, trim around the leaves with the tip of a paring knife, cutting a cone shape just beneath the surface. Remove the greens and the hull. How to Store Strawberries So They Won't Spoil Quickly 04 of 05 Sugar Snap Peas Ngoc Minh Ngo Hold a paring knife in one hand and the sugar snap in the other, with the inside curve of the pod facing you. Sever the top of the pea and pull off the tough string that runs along the length of the pod. (Sometimes stores have already trimmed the string.) It's not necessary to remove the other end, though you can if you'd like. (This also works for snow peas.) 05 of 05 Artichokes Ngoc Minh Ngo Use a chef's knife to slice off the top quarter of the artichoke. Hold the artichoke by the stalk and use kitchen shears or scissors to snip the pointy tips from the remaining leaves. Place the artichoke on a cutting board and trim the entire stalk with the knife. To keep the artichoke from turning brown before cooking, toss it into a bowl of ice water with the juice of one lemon. How to Prep and Cook Fresh Artichokes Perfectly Every Time Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit