When it comes to packing lunch, it can be tough to keep ingredients fresh and crunchy, and no one wants a soggy salad. One home chef revealed a smart repurposing trick that keeps textures going strong and helps reduce waste.
The scoop
In a TikTok video, creator Suzie Durigon (@therealjustcrumbs) demonstrates how to repurpose empty fruit cups to keep wet and dry foods separate until you're ready to eat.
@therealjustcrumbs If you like having fruit cups as a snack, save the empty plastic cup to use for this cool kitchen hack! #fruitcup #masonjar #snacks #unprocessyourfood #kitchenhack #nowaste #lowwaste #tipsandtricks #easyrecipe #eathealthy #nutritious ♬ original sound - Suzie Durigon
"Now, when you take it to work, this is separate from this. This will stay crunchy," she said while assembling a homemade coleslaw and placing crispy prosciutto slices and crackers on the side.
The trick involves adding your wet ingredients to a jar or large container, then placing your dry toppings into an empty fruit cup and setting it on top before sealing everything up.
It's not just handy for salad — she also recommends using it for yogurt and granola or any meal where texture matters.
How it's helping
This clever reuse hack keeps lunch ingredients crisp, making every bite just as good as when you packed it.
Since it uses packaging you likely already have, it's a no-cost upgrade that makes prepping and transporting meals a whole lot easier.
Beyond the lunchbox, it's an invitation to start thinking differently about the single-use items in your kitchen.
That small shift in mindset — seeing waste as a resource — is one of the easiest ways to start living more sustainably without overhauling your routine.
Plus, reusing plastic containers gives them second lives, keeping them out of landfills and helping to reduce the amount of plastic pollution that ends up in our oceans.
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That approach mirrors how some professional organizers help people trade clutter for store credit by finding value in what they already own.
This hack is an easy entry point into a more circular economy, wherein we reuse and repurpose instead of buying new.
For more low-effort ideas, explore how to repurpose containers and packaging throughout your home and also know your recycling options to keep plastic out of landfills for good.
What everyone's saying
Users were quick to cheer on the idea.
"I love this hack," one wrote.
"Women in STEM," another chimed in, celebrating the creative use of everyday items.
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