Mom shares brilliant method to make use of common cooking waste: 'I'll definitely be doing this'

If you live in a low-waste or zero-waste household, you already have habits that encourage you to use every inch of your produce. 

Any excess becomes a vegetable stock or can be fed to your animals, depending on the pets you own.

One of the more surprising ingredients that can be reused is rice water. While beauty enthusiasts know it can be used to add shine and thickness to your hair, among other benefits, it can also be incredibly beneficial for your plants.

The scoop

Melea (@okayestmommelea) shared a video showcasing how to utilize your excess rice water the next time you cook.

@okayestmommelea Rice water starch is wonderful for indoor plants! They love it! 🥰 #creatorsearchinsights #planthacks #indoorplants #indoorplantcare #ricewater ♬ original sound - ✨ Melea |SAHM x2|Hot Mess ✨

"Mix up the water into the rice really good and then drain. Now use this water to feed your beautiful plants," Melea says.

The video shows the entire process and how simple it is. She pours water over the rice, mixes it up with her hands, drains the rice water into a large container, and pours it into her plants.

If you want highly concentrated rice water to benefit your plants, boiled rice water has a higher concentration than rinsed rice water; you can take the extra time to ferment your rice water.

Rice water is safe for most plants, including succulents, orchids, spider plants, and ferns. Produce like cabbage, tomatoes, and peppers also benefit from rice water in its soil.

How it's helping

Rice water has a high concentration of starch, which is what plants use to store energy for future growth. According to The Spruce, the starches also promote healthy bacteria, including lactobacilli and mycorrhizae fungi, in soil.

Additionally, rice water acts as a fertilizer as it contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — which make up the three nutrients of an NPK fertilizer you see in products like Miracle-Gro.

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

By using rice water instead of buying fertilizer, this creator is saving water, time, energy, and money. It also encourages more people to grow their own food at home, as easy hacks make DIY life more accessible.

What everyone's saying

"I'm repotting all of my plants so I'll definitely be doing this," one commenter wrote.

"I've had indoor plants for years and never knew! Thank you!" another shared.

"Just informed my mother about this," a third responded.

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