How to peel a mandarin

Yah, I know you all know how to peel a mandarin. But this is a cute trick I thought I'd share with you, particularly for those with children or for people who pack a lunch box for a lazy eater.

There is some research which shows that people, particularly men, are more likely to eat fruit if it is cut up and 'ready' for them to eat. And lets face it, if food looks attractive and convenient we are all more likely to be tempted.

So here's a method for preparing a mandarin so that it is absolutely ready to go. And the best thing is that the preparation doesn't take much time at all...with a bit of practice you can do it in less than 10 seconds.

I guess you might as well try it and see what the feedback is like from your significant-food-eating-others.

Method

Okay, put your mandarin on its side and slice off the top of the skin without getting into the flesh. Then do the same for the bottom. Don't laugh, this really is about mandarins and I'm not trying to trick you into making a Tony Abbot out of household fruit :->
Then make a cut through the skin from the top of the mandarin to the bottom. That's it. Your mandarin is ready to pack and with its now very flat base will sit neatly in a lunch box.
When it's time to eat, simply prise open the mandarin along the vertical cut that has already been made through the skin. The mandarin will 'magically' open up with all the segments conveniently displayed and ready to eat.

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Remove top and bottom.

Slice just through the peel.

Sits flat, ready to pack.

Open it up, hey presto.