Generally I am a fan of following the instructions. Whether it’s a dress pattern, recipe or flat-packed furniture, the instructions tend to be helpful. But not always. Here are a few instances where you’re better to ignore the instructions.
Cereal: Slide finger under flap to open
Have you ever had a cardboard cut? It’s like a paper cut but deeper and less clean. If you want to experience a cardboard cut, follow the instructions on the cereal box and slide a finger between the two cardboard flaps to open the box. It may not cut you the first time, or the second or third, but keep doing it and it will cut you. Or, if you’re not into self-harm, slide the handle of your cereal spoon under the flap instead, like a sensible person.
Terry’s Chocolate Orange: Tap and unwrap
This is where this blog post started, because you get choc oranges at Christmas time (which feels like months ago but was actually only a few weeks), and everybody knows that gently tapping the solid ball of chocolate will achieve nothing at all. We in the UK all know that, but I wonder if it ever confuses foreigners, who tap, unwrap, and are faced with a ball of unseparated segments that they are supposed, somehow, to eat. The correct instructions are, of course: whack very, very hard against a nice solid surface – and unwrap.
Supermarket bakery: Use tongs for hygiene reasons
I can understand the reasoning behind this one: you don’t want customers picking up pastries or loaves, examining them and then putting them back. But unless everyone using the tongs sterilises their hands immediately before, that’s not very hygienic either. The most hygienic way, in my opinion, is to pick up the item you want with your fingers, while being careful not to touch any others. I haven’t conducted a study with lab-grown cultures or anything, but it makes sense to me.
Buses: Stay seated until the bus has come to a stop
I don’t know what buses are like where you live, but in Glasgow, and basically everywhere else I’ve ever caught the bus, if you stay seated until the vehicle has come to a stop, you are going to miss your stop. Unless you’re hovering by the driver’s shoulder, he/she probably won’t stop at all. This advice would work on long-distance buses (coaches) with pre-planned stops, but it doesn’t work on your local number 38.
Herbs: Store in the fridge
There are some things you should store in the fridge, like eggs (they keep three times as long, trust me), but there are others you shouldn’t. Once the packet is open, fresh herbs actually last longer if you treat them like cut flowers and put them in some water. They may even grow roots and keep going indefinitely! This is something you can try with leeks, spring onions and even cabbage, too, and they will keep growing! That’s worth remembering if your vegetable drawer is looking a bit full.
These are some of the instances where I choose not to follow the instructions. You may have others. Feel free to share in the comments below.
K C Murdarasi 
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