Chopstick Cherry Pitter And 7 Other Summer Food Hacks

Summer is in full swing — and that means grilling, beach trips, and plenty of fun outdoor activities. And with the warm weather come fresh summer fruits and sizzling barbecues. Whether you are flipping burgers or mixing up a batch of fresh guacamole, there are some tricks that will make your dinner and dips better, and your life easier.

Click here to see Chopstick Cherry Pitter and 7 Other Summer Food Hacks (Slideshow)

We've rounded up some our favorite summertime food hacks that can not only ease your preparation time, but also make for some cool presentations and bursts of flavor. Going to grill fish? Don't put it straight on the grill grates — we've got a lemony trick that will leave your fish completely intact and grilled to perfection.

Need to squeeze some extra juice out of the lemons for the lemonade stand? There is a 15-second summer food hack that can let you get every last drop out of any kind of citrus. Making adult lemonade? Now you can make those speakeasy-clear ice cubes at home to impress guests.

There are plenty more summertime food hacks that can improve your summer meals and parties. Make sure you try some of these easy-to-do tricks and you'll have the tastiest and best summer meal — and party — on the block.

Make Clear Ice Cubes

For fun drinks and cocktails, you can easily make those fancy clear ice cubes at home. Boil distilled water, let cool, and boil again. After cooling slightly for a second time, carefully pour into ice cube trays, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze.

Chopstick Cherry Pitter

If you don't have one of those fancy cherry pitters around, you can easily use a chopstick or skewer instead. Place the chopstick on the stem-end of the cherry and push through. The pit will come right out!

Click here to see more Summer Food Hacks

Emily Jacobs is the Recipe editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyRecipes.

This story was originally published on July 7, 2014.