How to open a coconut three different ways - and the tools you need to do it

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Shutterstock

• Coconut flesh is rich in nutrients, including healthy saturated fats that may boost your body's fat burning capabilities and increase the healthy HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream.
• While coconuts are a staple dietary item for residents of many tropical regions, people in other areas shy away from this palm seed due to the misconception that they are hard to open.
• With our foolproof technique and a few tools, you can open a coconut quickly and safely.

Coconuts are delicious, nutritious, and always a welcome treat - that is, if you can crack one open to get at the edible stuff inside. And guess what? You can.

Although many people think coconuts are hard to open, they're actually not too tough to crack if you use the right technique and a few simple tools like a screwdriver, mallet, and knife.

Sure, if you are working with your bare hands alone, then a coconut's thick husk is pretty difficult to break through, though you can always just throw the thing down onto some concrete.

Since we gather you'd rather use some tools instead of banging a coconut against a hard surface until it opens, we've put together this guide on how to open a coconut three different ways.

With this little arsenal of common household items on hand, you'll be more than ready to crack that coconut open.

Here are the tools you need to open a coconut:

• A Phillips screwdriver: Black & Red Phillips Screwdriver ($7.57)
• A sharp paring knife: Saken 3.5-inch Paring Knife ($25)
• A mallet: KitchenAid Stainless Steel Meat Tenderizer ($10.66)
• A sturdy vegetable peeler: OXO Good Grips Y Peeler ($10)
• A chef's knife: J.A. Henckels 8-inch Chef's Knife ($53.29)

You'll also ideally have access to an oven, a baking sheet, and for an alternative technique, a dish towel and a plastic bag. We'll get to that.

Read on to learn how to open a coconut three different ways.

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.