Are you guilty of letting greens like spinach go bad in your fridge? This TikTok hack will help you quash that bad habit and boost your iron, too.
The scoop
The TikTok video shared by user Shantelkarisma (@shantelkarismaa) shows off a simple way to do both with only a few minutes of prep.
@shantelkarismaa Stop wasting your spinach!! Freeze it for smoothies if you're not using it before it goes bad. Spinach is def my fav leafy green for iron & even though I take a supplement, I also like to include whole foods with it. #healthyhacks #lowironcheck #foodswithiron #spinachcubes ♬ original sound - Feelingblew
"Stop wasting your spinach," the TikToker captions the video. "Freeze it for smoothies if you're not using it before it goes bad."
To do this, the TikToker blends up the spinach with a bit of water. Then, she pours the liquid spinach into ice cube trays and freezes them. She says they're then ready to drop into smoothies for a healthy, iron-rich boost rather than going to waste.
How it's helping
The clever hack is a smart way to save money, as a container of organic spinach can cost you more than $3. The method could also be used for other greens, such as kale or arugula.
Keeping food from going bad helps reduce food waste. According to the EPA, 40% of food is wasted every year, costing more than $218 billion.
Plus, the TikToker says the trick is a great way to get some additional iron in your diet, a key nutrient approximately 10 million Americans lack. Low iron can lead to anemia, a serious condition that causes fatigue, weakness, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness, and can lead to more severe and life-threatening conditions.
Spinach is an excellent source of iron. A serving of about 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of raw spinach contains 2.7 milligrams of iron — 15% of the daily recommended value.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers appreciated this easy fix to wasting greens.
"I love this," writes one user.
"OMG you're a genius," writes another TikToker. "Doing this [right now]."
"Do it," the OP replies. "I could have saved so much money doing this sooner."
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