If you consider yourself more than capable of whipping up a brilliant home-cooked meal every now and then, then you've probably come across the challenge of getting your money's worth from a can of tomato paste.
Luckily, one home chef discovered an extremely simple hack that just might save you a few extra bucks.
The scoop
In step with the old adage "less is more," tomato paste can be the perfect ingredient in many recipes.
@simpleenvironmentalist Don't let that tomato paste go to waste! Freeze it into cubes to prevent food waste instead 👏🏼 I'm sure there are better ways to do this but using an upcycled bag worked just fine 🫡 I know I'm not the only one who worries about what to do with the last half of the can…now you know, too! How do you stop food waste? #avoidfoodwaste #foodwaste #zerowasteonabudget #zerowaste #eco ♬ FULL CIRCLE - YANAtheartist
However, sometimes it feels like those cans you find in grocery stores are never the right size for how much paste you actually need. Either they are too big or too small.
TikToker and home cook Emma (@simpleenvironmentalist) may have the perfect solution for you.
In their short video, the TikToker offers up a painless life hack that leaves you with the option of portioning out the right amount of tomato paste for future use.
"Don't let that tomato paste go to waste!" wrote Emma. "Freeze it into cubes to prevent food waste instead."
As demonstrated in the TikTok, Emma simply scoops their leftover tomato paste in an "upcycled plastic bag" and then gently makes a divot in the bag to create little square portions.
Once everything is portioned out evenly, they place the bag into the freezer until the tomato paste hardens. After the paste is frozen, the portions can then easily break apart and be used as desired.
How it's helping
According to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 133 billion pounds of the food produced for human consumption is wasted or lost each year. In the United States, roughly 30-40% of the food supply was lost or wasted in 2010. This was worth an estimated $161 billion.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
What's the most common reason you end up throwing away food?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Bought more than I could eat 🛒 Outside of the monetary losses, food waste generates methane, especially in landfills where it decomposes. Not only does methane contribute to the rise in global temperatures, but it can also cause air pollution and respiratory health problems.
By utilizing easy-to-do life hacks such as saving tomato paste or finding uses for common household leftovers, we can cut down on the harmful impacts of food waste.
What everyone's saying
Over in the comments section, many users were gobsmacked by such a simple kitchen tip.
"Omg I've never thought to do it like this — I usually use an ice cube tray," noted one user. "I'll have to try this!"
"Oh my god why did that never cross my mind? THANK YOU," exclaimed another commenter.
A third user shared their similar experience, stating how successful the hack has been for them.
"Haha I bought a case of tomato paste at Costco and have been doing this and I still have cans left several years later," they wrote.
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.
