A zero-waste enthusiast shared a great tip on Instagram for reviving wilted kale, turning it into a "cronchy beauty."
The scoop
Instagrammer Kathryn Kellogg (@going.zero.waste) shared a great hack via video that showed how to revive wilted kale leaves, making them good for consumption again.
The kale used in the video was extremely wilted. "The produce stand gave it to me for free," she shared before showing viewers how to bring it back to life.
In the video, Kathryn removes the stems for composting before soaking the leaves in ice-cold water for about 30 minutes. The leaves were then transferred to a jar of water like a bouquet of flowers and stored in the fridge, ready for consumption.
Kathryn, who regularly shares advice for saving produce, shared the hack after receiving several requests for ways to save kale from needing to be thrown out.
How it's working
The U.S. wastes more food than any other country — an estimated 106 million tons per year. Not only is this incredibly wasteful, but it also costs people a lot of money. Research has found that the average American spends around $1,300 every year on food that ends up being thrown out.
Buying less and using hacks like these can help keep food fresh for longer, reducing waste and saving the average household a lot of money every year.
Reducing food waste is high on the agenda in the U.S. and around the world. In June this year, the White House announced the country's first strategy to tackle food waste. In China, a natural gas company called Shenergy is opening a facility to produce clean energy from kitchen food waste.
Food waste is also a big contributor of toxic gases being released into our atmosphere, contributing around 14% of all harmful, heat-trapping gases produced every year in the U.S. Reducing food waste is an easy way to bring air pollution down, which can go a long way toward cooling our planet.
What people are saying
The reel has received over 1,800 likes so far, and the comment section is full of people asking for advice on how to keep other fruits and vegetables fresh for longer.
"How did you figure out this magic?!?" one viewer asked.
Another Instagram user shared other uses for the stems instead of compost, writing: "The ends can be frozen and used for a smoothie or green juice."
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