Grating Cheese - why do I find it so painful?

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I know it is way, way cheaper to buy blocks of cheese and grate them, but it really, really physically hurts me to do it.

I see people on tv grating a block quickly with no fuss, so it obviously can’t be hurting them.

Whenever I grate cheese, the pain in my hands and fingers from holding the cheese and pushing on it and holding the grater from sliding away makes it agonising. I have to keep stopping and waiting, for the pain to ease and then do a bit more. It takes me ages to do a block.

I am late 40’s but have got arthritis in my knuckles and wrists which probably doesn’t help. I can’t bring myself to pay extra to buy grated cheese, but I now find myself avoiding any food with grated cheese as the pain really gets to me plus it takes me so long to do it.

Does anyone else have this issue? Is there an obvious solution that I am missing here please?

What about one of those ones that look like a meat grinder - you turn the handle?

Food processors have a grater normally you could use that if you have a FP.

Ooooh I wonder if this one works on cheddar?

www.amazon.co.uk/Cole-Mason-Speciality-Chocolate-Stainless/dp/B010T986NE/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=cheese+grinder&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1540321878&sr=8-11

Have you tried a new grater? I’ve always hated, hated grating cheese. Turns out graters go blunt, and my 20 year old one wasn’t really cutting it (see what I did there? cutting it ) any more.
New grater transformed my kitchen life.

I don't have arthritis but I used to hate grating cheese.

It sounds stupid but when I bought a new grater it was so much easier than the old grater I had been using.

www.amazon.co.uk/Vegetable-Mandoline-Interchangeable-Cylinders-Blades%EF%BC%88Green%EF%BC%89/dp/B07F67NJ35/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?psc=1&s=kitchen&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1540321951&sr=1-4-spons&refinements=p_n_theme_browse-bin%3A376440011

Would one of those make it easier? They are pricey though, so you would have to work out how long it would take to make your money back on the cost vs savings.

Xpost with everyone :o

I want one of those! A friend has one like that and she loves it.

Get an IKEA one with the grating bit over a bowl. Back and forth action much easier than up and down, and no need to hold the grater. I think they are still a quid. Or, rotary cheese graters are also cheap and brilliant.

I'll buy massive chunks of cheese when I can, grate it in the blender and put into containers, I freeze half or so and just take out when I need it.

You need a mouli grater. Cheese in, turn handle, cheese out.

Definitely a mouli grater. my parents have had one since they got married in 1967 and it's grate wahey!!!see what i did there!

Price wise I found there wasn't much in it and sometimes the grated stuff is cheaper.

There was something on the BBC website the other day about how we are all grating cheese the wrong way...let me see if I can find it.

@DENMAN03 the price difference is somewhat negligible as you say but it's covered in powdery anti-caking agents which taste weird. Blocks of the real stuff is much nicer.

Get a processor op.

Here!

@EleanorLavish yup we’re meant to be using the box grater horizontally!

OP get a food processor that has a greater attachment!

I feel your pain OP! Four years ago my sister bought me a Russell Hobbs electric cheese grater, it's one of the most used gadgets in our house now. Love it. Worth every penny. Grated a full block in under a minute and the gratey bits can go in the dishwasher.

Pricey but worth it to never have to grate cheese 

Thank you for replying! I don’t have a good processor unfortunately, so can’t use one of those.

The mouli grater unfortunately is also not a lot better (my Dad has one, so I have used that) - it still needs to be gripped and it is the gripping of things and holding them that seems to cause the pain.

That link to the food grater being used the wrong way EleaonorLavish - yep I have been doing it the wrong way too!

However, I don’t think doing it sideways is going to stop the pain in my hand holding the cheese. I am not really suffering from grated knuckles - it is joint pain, which is so painful, and the muscles in my hands then spasm which also hurts.

I also cannot open jars or bottles. I don’t seem to have any strength in my fingers?

Plus those seals you get on the top of mayonnaise squeeze bottles - I cannot grip them to pull them off.

I'm with you. I irrationally hate grating cheese. I have a food processor, which is fab for doing larger quantities, but is also a PITA for just a little bit.

Fortunately, I have a DH who will happily do it. Also, if I have guests who say "is there anything I can help with?" the fools! I always give them the cheese + grater ( even if we aren't going to eat it for dinner )

Am off to google an electric cheese grater MapleSpice!

My cheese often snaps!
My fingers/knuckles often get grated! 😞