Having to throw away fruit that went bad before you could eat it is ~the worst~. That's why one TikToker is sharing her best hack for using old lemons before it's too late.
The scoop
In her now-viral video, Krys Gier (@krysgier) showed that even lemons that are about to go bad can be used.
@krysgier Lemons!!!! I normally get the big pack of them at the grocery store, and then I will use them either for cleaning around my house, lemon ice cubes to make lemon water, and for a little extra ✨pizzazz✨ for cooking! What do you want to see next?? 💚🌱 #nomorefoodwaste #foodwastesolution #lemonwaterhack ♬ Elevator Music - Bohoman
Her hack is incredibly simple — you only need a knife and an ice cube tray to do it. In the clip, Gier took some lemons that were clearly past their prime and chopped them in half. Then, she squeezed the juice out of the halves into the ice cube tray.
Finally, Gier threw the tray into the freezer. As she puts it in the video, "they become the perfect ice cubes for water." These lemony ice cubes would also be great for cocktails, mocktails, or for anything else on a night when you're hosting company.
How it's helping
Besides the fact that throwing away once-good produce is really annoying, it's also incredibly costly. One estimate from the nonprofit Feeding America found that Americans throw away at least $218 billion of food annually.
A significant portion of that waste comes from produce. In fact, the average family of four wastes around $1,600 worth of fruits and veggies in a year.
When our food goes to landfills, it rots, creating the potent planet-warming methane gas. Surprisingly, food waste actually accounts for over one-tenth of all of the harmful pollution heating up the Earth.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers seem to be loving this hack, adding their support to Gier in the video's comments section.
One follower commented, "Uhhh this is such a good idea!" while another thanked Gier for sharing the hack, adding, "I love this so much."
If this tip proved anything, it's that when life gives you (rotting) lemons, just make ice cubes. Your wallet and the planet will thank you. Plus, your water will taste way better.
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