There are countless hacks out there to help make your food last longer, from freezing your fruits and veggies to putting your mushrooms and potatoes in a paper bag.
This hack to preserve lemons is just as simple and can make them last up to three weeks longer than they typically would.
The scoop
TikToker, Kate Lewis (@k8newyork) posts apartment hacks on her page — she covers decor, design, cleaning, and even food storage tips.
Her hack to store lemons takes almost zero extra effort and will help to keep them fresh for three to four weeks.
She begins by washing them. "Make sure you clean them before because there's that layer of artificial wax that you're going to want to take off," she advises.
She does so by using a water and vinegar solution and scrubbing them with a sponge.
Once they're rinsed off and there's no vinegar left on them, place them in a jar filled with water — one with a lid is the best option to avoid spills — and put it in the fridge.
After that, your lemons will last up to four times as long as they typically would.
Kate echoed many viewers' thoughts, saying, "This is so simple, I don't know how I'm just learning about this at the age of 24."
@k8newyork Sometimes I go through lemons too fast to even need this hack but it comes in handy #lemonstorage #lemon #fridge #fridgetips #fruit #fruittips #washingfruit #fruitwax ♬ Moonlight Serenade - Glenn Miller
How it's helping
Avoiding food spoilage first and foremost means that you'll be spending less money at the grocery store. The more food you're able to preserve, the longer you'll have the stock to use. Plus, you're less likely to have to make something that you're not in the mood for just to get rid of the ingredients before they spoil.
Avoiding food waste is also hugely beneficial for the planet. According to Feeding America, homes in the U.S. throw out approximately 42 billion pounds of food waste each year, helping to make food waste the largest contributor to landfills. Food waste makes up 22% of trash.
Simple prep like this can drastically cut down the amount of food that you have to throw out, and it'll mean a bit of extra spending money.
What everyone's saying
One user commented on the post to say that she had tried out the hack, to which Kate responded and asked if it worked for her. "Yes," the user said, "For about 3-4 weeks!"
Others may not have tried the hack yet, but certainly were grateful for it. "This is why I love TikTok! Thank you!" wrote another user.
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