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Hungry for some beans or soup, but it's all in cans? Maybe you're stuck on a road trip and have no tool to open the tins. Well, there is a way to open can without can opener – grab a spoon to test the theory.

Open Can With A Metal Spoon

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While it's possible to crack a can open with a knife, it's been proven to be unsafe. Why not use a much safer tool – a metal spoon? After all, can openers haven't been around much, and consumers still found ways to dig into the prepared food without a special tool. In fact, canned food was only served for the military men first. They used any sharp object they could find to open it. “Cut round the top near the outer edge with a chisel and hammer," the instructions on the packaging said later on when it was available to civilians. The first-ever can opener was invented around the 1850s, and they were just as unsafe as knives. The huge claw propped the top open with its sharpness.

That’s not where the can opener journey stopped. Later, the more common wheel cutter spread around. Yet, the can opener that consumers use today – one gripping the can and opening without much pressure – only got in our hands in the early ‘30s. Still, there's a way to tear the can open without any proper tools. Get a metal spoon first. The plastic one won't work - it's too fragile for the job. Then, get ready to be careful as the lid of the can is still extremely sharp and can cut deep through the skin.

Do It Without Can Opener

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There are a few steps to opening a can with a simple metal spoon. First of all, grab it and set it down on a firm surface, holding it carefully with one hand. The other hand then uses the spoon. Hold it at a 90-degree angle at the can – the bowl of it should be prepping at the lid, the inside meeting the inside of the lid. As the tip of the spoon gets in the position between the lid and the edge of the tin, start creating friction between the two metals. The area in work should be small and precise for the best result. Soon enough, the tin lid will be giving in to pressure, and you'll see a hole. Repeat that all around the can and get ready for a delicious canned snack.

Now the canned food is almost ready for consumption. To open it fully, use the improvised tool once again. This time, stick it under the lid and push it up. Make sure to be extra careful at this step as the lid will be very sharp – use a towel or a protective glove to complete the last part of the challenge. After throwing the lid out, this can is finally open, and the food inside should be available to the consumer.

Be it some sweet corn to eat with a spoon, beans for a weekend meal, or soup to serve at the camping site - this trick is easy to do on any occasion. In the end, we still recommend prioritizing safer can openers if that option is possible.

Sources: The Takeout, Southern Living