Nature enthusiast Kelly (@plantbased.baby) shared a great tip for keeping a common household veggie fresh, even when it looks like it's on the way out.

The scoop

Kelly laid it all out in the caption of her TikTok video.

"Improper storage may cause veggies to go limp but all they need is a little hydration. After an overnight fridge bath my carrots were good as new," she wrote.

@plantbased.baby improper storage may cause veggies to go limp but all they need is a little hydration 🥕 after an overnight fridge bath my carrots were good as new #foodwaste #foodstorage #produce #freshproduce #tips #carrots #carrot #fridge #hacks #lifehack #foodwasteprevention #preservation #sustainability #sustainable #fresh #freshfood #plantbasedbaby ♬ Do You Believe in Magic? - The Lovin' Spoonful

Sure enough, Kelly showed how limp the carrot was at first and how it managed to crisp up overnight in a bowl full of water. Kelly even put the leftover water to use after she cut up the carrots. Her plants were thankful for the shot of water. 

How it's helping

This is just one of many ways you can keep your food fresh for longer. As grocery prices rise, it's important to get as much bang for your buck as possible. Saving veggies is a great way to ensure you use everything you've paid for. 

That's not the only benefit, though. Food waste is a major source of emissions in the U.S. 

For one, food production creates a lot of pollution, so using all of what you have and delaying the need to buy more helps curb those emissions. Companies such as Too Good To Go, Flashfood, and Misfits Market can help prevent additional food loss at the retail level. 

Downstream, decomposing food creates a lot of methane. This is a potent gas that captures heat and exacerbates destructive weather patterns such as floods and droughts.

That heat also warms up polar ice caps and increases sea levels in turn. Meanwhile, gases such as methane acidify oceans, throwing marine ecosystems into chaos. 

Concerted efforts to minimize food waste can help avoid these costs. 

What single change would make the biggest dent in your personal food waste? Not buying food I don't need 🧐 Freezing my food before it goes bad 🧊 Using my leftovers more effectively 🍲 Composting my food scraps 🌱 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

What everyone's saying

Kelly's TikTok followers were eager to try this simple hack to keep their carrots crisp. 

"I didn't know this works with carrots. I use this method for leafy greens," said one follower.

"RIP to all the carrots I didn't need to throw out," said another. 

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.