Home cook shares clever trick to bring wilted veggies back to life: 'So much less food waste'

TikToker Rebecca (@rebeccaavl) posted a great kitchen hack that every home chef should know. 

The scoop

"Has anyone told you this yet?" wrote Rebecca in her video caption. 

@rebeccaavl Has anyone told you this yet? #howtocookveggies ♬ original sound - 🙂

She started off with a wilted piece of broccoli. It was flopping around and clearly not great for cooking. So she went on to demonstrate how simply cutting its stem, putting it in a cup of water, and leaving it in the fridge could bring back its crispiness. She had to top up the water once before the next day, but sure enough, the broccoli recovered its delightful snap. 

Similar techniques can keep green onions, cilantro, and celery fresher for longer. 

How it's helping

Right off the bat, saving broccoli means saving the money you spent on it. This is important for all sorts of veggies when grocery prices are as high as they are. 

Broccoli, in particular, is a great, healthy vegetable, and one you'll want to work to get the most out of. It's a rich source of antioxidants, high in fiber, and provides support for the immune, bone, and digestive systems.   

Besides, food waste is a big source of pollution. Composting certainly helps, but that's more of a last resort. On top of that, it takes a lot of land and resources to grow food. When good food goes to waste, so does everything that went into it. 

Keeping your veggies fresh is a great start to minimizing food waste, but there are whole services built on the practice. Too Good To Go, Flashfood, and Misfits Market can save you a few bucks on food and prevent good food from getting tossed out. 

What everyone's saying

One TikTok commenter noted the success they had with another vegetable using a similar method. 

"I do the same with lettuce that's wilted too! So much less food waste," they said.  

What's the most common reason you end up throwing away food? Bought more than I could eat 🛒 Went bad sooner than I expected 👎 Forgot it was in the fridge 😞 Didn't want leftovers 🥡 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.