A mom on TikTok shared a simple way to reduce food waste and save a little money: Freeze your fruit.
Mary Jane (@thatonemomsaid) knows sometimes the produce you get from the store can "go bad faster than you can eat it." Instead of throwing it out, why not add to its shelf life and pop it in the freezer?
@thatonemomsaid Budget hacks when tou are trying to minimize food waste!
♬ original sound - Mary Jane
"Almost all produce can be cut up and frozen," she says.
The scoop
This kitchen hack is rather simple. Keep an eye on how your refrigerated produce is doing, and once you notice it might be past the typical consistency you enjoy, put it in the freezer. With some fruits and vegetables, you may need to cut off leaves or pick out pieces that have mold. This can extend produce's shelf life and reduce the amount of food headed to landfills.
You can use frozen fruit in smoothies, yogurt parfaits, homemade popsicles — the list is endless. Who knew you could freeze onions for meal prep? Did someone say frozen lime juice cubes to prevent wasting limes? If you want to take reducing your carbon footprint a step further, you can reuse the bags you place your frozen produce in.
How it's working
Giving your produce another life rather than a quick trash-can death is a small but mighty change for the environment.
When food gets wasted, all the resources that went into producing it — water, land, energy, and labor — essentially also go to waste, per the United Nations. When food waste ends up in landfills, it can't properly break down. This emits methane, contributing to planet-warming gas pollution.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, landfills are the third-largest source of human-related methane pollution nationwide; food waste is responsible for 58% of landfill pollution. The EPA estimates approximately 40% of food is wasted.
Even larger companies are working to reduce waste. Meal kit provider HelloFresh has been taking steps to prevent food waste, working with organic materials supplier Denali to repurpose inedible food into compost and animal feed.
🗣️ 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
What people are saying
"We do this too," one commenter said. "It's a great way to save produce!"
Easy, simple, and effective.
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