A popular Instagrammer shared a hack to keep pantry moths out of the house using one important and familiar ingredient.
The scoop
Health tech Kamana Bhaskaran (@kamanabhaskaran) posted a simple tip she learned from her grandmother to keep bugs out of the pantry.
The video starts with Kamana asking, "Did you know, on average, pantry moths can lay up to 400 eggs on the food that we eat?"
To prevent that from happening, Kamana says all you have to do is fill a clean and airtight glass container and add bay leaves. This simple hack will deter moths and bugs from entering stored foods.
"The scent emitted by the natural oils in bay leaves naturally repels moths," she explains.
How it's helping
Bay leaves, typically used in stews, soups, and broths, are quite versatile when you know how to use them. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are excellent for aiding and healing the body. According to Earth.com, you can even use the oils of the leaves externally to help with sprains and bruising.
Hacks such as this one are an incredible way to preserve food and save money. It's also great for the environment since it uses natural ingredients instead of toxic chemicals and actively prevents waste.
Anything we can do to help food stay fresh longer for consumption is a win for our bank accounts and the planet. When food ends up in the garbage, all of the water, energy, and resources used to grow it are also thrown away.
Extending the shelf life of what you already have also means you don't have to take an extra trip to the store, which saves energy, money, and unnecessary contributions to air pollution.
Getting creative with your leftovers can save up to $1,200 a year. Using produce scraps that normally end up in the trash to make vegetable stock and meal planning are just a few of many ways you can implement change in the kitchen to make a difference.
What everyone's saying
The tip was well received with over 100,000 likes.
"What a great hack!" one follower exclaimed.
"That's how you keep bugs at bay," another cleverly wrote.
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