It’s a Saturday morning in October, which means there’s a good chance you’re buying a butternut squash in the next 48 hours.

…Or maybe not. Perhaps you are avoiding butternut squash soup, butternut squash lasagna, or butternut squash mac and cheese because chopping this vegetable is a pain in the as$. I wouldn’t blame you if that were the case. For years, I was in the same boat.

But there is a way to break down these bad boys in less time, with less swearing, and with fewer near-misses on losing a finger.

Why bother, when you can just buy a squash pre-chopped at many grocery stores? A couple of reasons. For one, it’s far more forgiving in terms of meal planning. While pre-chopped only lasts a few days in your fridge, a whole squash will keep in your pantry for weeks–so you don’t have to toss up between turning down a dinner invite and having food go bad in your fridge.  And second, it is far, far cheaper–sometimes by up to 2 dollars per pound, which can really add up if you’re making a big soup.

So grab your very sharp knife (5-dollar sharpener link here!) and follow along…

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How to peel and cut a butternut squash

Step one: buying the squash
An easy chopping experience starts with the right squash. Look for one with the straightest neck and body you can find.

Step two: off with its head!
…or its neck. (October is the butternut squash’s Reign of Terror.) Cut straight through the squash at the bottom of the neck, right before it fattens out at the bottom. This will be the point right before the flesh stops and the seeds begin. 

Step three: give yourself a stable cutting surface
Cut off the very top and very bottom of the squash. This will allow you to sit the squash vertically on the cutting board.

Step four: peel the squash
Stand the squash’s neck vertically on the cutting board. Use your very sharp knife to cut straight down along the squash to remove the peel. Repeat on the bottom half of the squash. 

Step five: remove seeds and chop
Cut the bottom half of the squash in half vertically to reveal the seeds. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Ta-da! Now you can chop the squash however you’d like.