The next time you make a pot of homemade sauce, consider adding this time-saving hack to your cooking routine.
ZeroWasteCartel (@zerowastecartel), a TikTok account dedicated to promoting sustainable living, shares a simple way you can extend the life of your sauce and reduce food waste.
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The scoop
With this easy hack, you can create multiple single-serving sauces in one go.
After you make a full pot of sauce, grab an empty ice cube tray and simply pour the sauce into the individual cubes. Once filled, place the tray in the freezer to store long-term.
@zerowastecartel Reduce food waste & save time with this kitchen hack. Freeze your homemade sauces in ice cube trays for single-serving use 🍝 💛 #kitchenhack #sustainabilitytips #sustainableliving #zerowasteliving #homemadefood #nofoodwaste #reducefoodwaste #noleftovers ♬ original sound - ZeroWasteCartel
When you're ready to use the sauce, pop out one of the cubes and add it to a hot pan to defrost. This is also a great way to rotate your meals without having to waste a whole pot of sauce.
"Reduce food waste and save time with this kitchen hack," says ZeroWasteCartel in the video description. "Freeze your homemade sauces in ice cube trays for single-serving use."
The video narration adds, "Tastes just as great as day one!"
How it's helping
ZeroWasteCartel's simple freezer sauce tip is an easy way to save money and time in the kitchen. By freezing your sauce in single-serving trays, the next time you cook a meal, you don't have to make a whole new batch of sauce from scratch.
Hacks like this also help combat food waste and reduce your environmental impact.
Food waste is a massive challenge worldwide. According to a recent study by ReFED, 33% of the total food in the United States — a staggering 78 million tons — ends up as waste.
Of the total food waste in 2022, the ReFED study found that 48.2% — 42.8 million tons — came from residential homes. Each time you waste food, you also waste the energy, water, and transportation required to produce and package that food item as well.
Food waste also contributes to the planet's rising temperatures. When discarded food ends up rotting in a landfill, it releases harmful gases that warm the atmosphere. By reducing your food waste, you can also help reduce the amount of harmful pollution that enters the atmosphere.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were excited to discover the sustainable kitchen hack and offered other ways to reduce food waste.
"Omg thanks for the tip!" commented one user.
"Also perfect for caramelized onions," wrote another. "Make a big amount before and freeze them."
"That's a great idea," responded ZeroWasteCartel.
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