What kitchen hack was standard in your house growing up that you later learned isn’t common.

My mom always kept a heavy, canvas cloth around 12” X 18” in a plastic bag in the freezer (to prevent rancidity between washings [along with her pastry cloth]) for chopping nuts. You place it over your chopping board (or on the counter if your countertop isn’t precious, or your cloth is thick enough) when chopping nuts and it keeps the pieces from flying everywhere. As soon as I moved out to go to college, I got my own because I couldn’t live without it. I thought everyone had one in their freezer until I left home.

Edited to add per suggestion for clarity: The canvas cloth is placed flat on the cutting board, the nuts placed on the cloth, and a Chef’s knife used in a rocking motion with the tip of the blade held down under the palm of your non-dominant hand so it doesn’t leave the surface.