If You Hate Stale Cereal, You'll Love This Box-Folding Hack From TikTok

Anyone who's ever eaten old Cheerios from the bottom of the box can attest to the fact that the quality of your breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day. If you hate the taste of stale cereal, you don't necessarily have to race to finish it within days of opening the container. The key to keeping cereal fresh for longer periods of time lies in how you seal the box.

This trick for folding cardboard cereal boxes first went viral on TikTok in 2020. Instead of closing the top panels like a regular sqare box, this hack has you contort the shape of the packaging into something that more closely resembles a milk carton.

To try it, start by collapsing three of the four pieces of cardboard on top of the box into the opening, leaving one of the two longer strips turned up. Next, pinch the two side panels inward so that they both create a V shape. To hold this configuration, tuck the unfolded flap of cardboard into the opposite flap and crimp the opening closed.

By creating a tighter seal, this ingenious folding method protects the cereal inside from going stale prematurely. It also shaves some height off of unwieldy cereal boxes, making it easier to slide them into cramped pantries.

Keeping your kitchen feeling fresh and organized is easier said than done. Fortunately, there are plenty of clever tricks that make the job less intimidating. Here are more simple kitchen hacks to try at home.