Mom shares genius trick to keep cilantro fresh for weeks: 'You'll be mind blown'

There are many ways to maximize the freshness and longevity of produce and avoid wasting food. One TikToker demonstrated their favorite way to keep cilantro from wilting. 

The scoop

Carlie (@carlieorganics) is a stay-at-home mom who shares slice-of-life content and hacks for the kitchen. In one post, they show a simple way to keep cilantro fresh. This tip can also be used for vegetables, including carrots and celery.

@carlieorganics If you aren't already doing this you must! You'll be mind blown how much longer your cilantro lasts. The more you know! #lifehacks #homehacks #kitcheninspo #oddlysatisfying #tipsandtricks #howto #sahmlife #sahmsoftiktok #momcontent ♬ Hinoki Wood - Gia Margaret

To try this hack at home, all you need is a jar or cup and a little water. Take your fresh cilantro and trim the stems. Next, rinse your herbs and put them in a jar with some water. Pop the whole thing into the fridge, and it should extend the life of your cilantro. 

Carlie adds in the caption, "You'll be mind blown how much longer your cilantro lasts."

How it's working

Keeping your food fresh longer is a great way to reduce waste and save money while being a little gentler on the planet. The average American family throws away around $1,500 worth of food a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This amounts to a ton of food waste, with the USDA noting that around 30% of the food in the United States ends up in landfills. 

When organic material ends up in landfills, it breaks down, creating methane gas that contributes to the warming of the planet. Methane has around 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere, per the Environmental Defense Fund.

Ensuring your produce lasts longer and doing more with your leftovers are two fairly easy ways to reduce food waste. Beyond the kitchen, companies such as Too Good To Go help businesses sell food they would otherwise toss at a discount. 

What people are saying

TikTokers were excited about this hack and looked forward to trying it.

"I'm very excited about this," wrote one commenter. 

Someone else was thankful for the advice, saying, "Love these tips!"

What's the most common reason you end up throwing away food? Bought more than I could eat 🛒 Went bad sooner than I expected 👎 Forgot it was in the fridge 😞 Didn't want leftovers 🥡 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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