The Costco Croissant Hack You Never Knew To Use

Pastries tend to get a bad reputation. Sure, they don't hang out on the street corner hassling passers-by, but many of them do get accused by sites like Best Health of being one of the worst breakfast foods you can eat. Such delicacies as donuts and danishes are said to be unhealthy because, "Not only are these pastries made with refined white flour, but there's sugar added," according to dietician Jean LaMantia. This is because most of them alter your blood sugar, which WebMD claims can raise your chance for strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, and other ailments.

That's the bad news. The good news is that not all pastries are created equal. While some pastries are basically sugary desserts dressed in morning food motley, there are slightly healthier options. For instance, if you want something a little better, it might be time to look to the croissant. According to CaloriesInfo these generally have less fat and carbohydrates than donuts, while also bearing more protein and fiber. With a croissant, you can still get a carbohydrate fix, and some of that flaky goodness that just melts in your mouth.

The trouble with croissants is they go stale quickly. Luckily, one Instagrammer has found a way to get all the croissants you want in a single shopping trip and keep them bakery-fresh for fast eating whenever the mood strikes you.

Michelle Lopez's Instagram page is chocked full of food pictures and suggestions for anyone who is ready to take their eating game to the next level. One of the tricks she's learned, and is passing along to others, is how to cope with buying bulk croissants at stores like Costco and keeping them moist enough to eat, instead of throwing away half a box because the cruel, cruel air has turned them into croissant-shaped briquettes.

Because croissants "go stale fast," according to Ms. Lopez, she created an Instagram post suggesting that people "slice leftover croissants crosswise," which means cutting them long way, from end to end. She says you then "stuff them in freezer safe baggie." Once they're sealed up, she recommends freezing them. "You can freeze for up to three months," Lopez advises. When you're ready to eat them, all that is required is popping the halves into a toaster oven to be heated to desired brownness.

By doing this, the croissants end up with a crispy texture that's ideal for spreading butters and jams, and provides a satisfying crunch when eaten. Plus, fewer trips to the store and less food waste. That's a win-win-win.