If you're eating the South Beach Diet way, you're eating healthier and likely cooking more, too. That's why it's important to have a good set of knives.

If you're not already equipped with a quality set of knives, you may want to purchase some. Fortunately, you really only need the following three knives to perform most kitchen tasks:

1. Chef's knife (also called a French or cook's knife). This is the most widely used and versatile knife in the kitchen. Select a very sharp knife with a blade between 8 and 10 inches long — the longer blade will make chopping easier.

    

2. Smaller utility knife. This knife is slightly longer than a paring knife and can be used for small trimming and slicing jobs.

    

3. Bread knife with a serrated edge. Use this to easily cut through loaves of whole-wheat bread. Keep in mind that a sharper knife is safer than a dull one (since you don't need to use as much force with a sharp knife). It's also a good idea to store your knives in a wooden block. This will keep you safe as you reach for a knife and is also a good way to keep your knives from becoming dull.

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