From Waste to Taste

Did you know that some of the most common household wastes are fruit and vegetable peels and stalks? What a waste of natural goodness! Next time you chop fruits and veggies in the kitchen, consider what else you can do with them. Some of these natural scraps hold nutritional value for those who know how to draw them out.  

We’re all looking for ways to make Mother Nature smile and one of the best ways to do this is by reducing our waste. Sometimes, sustainable answers to our waste problem just take a little creativity in the kitchen. Rather than considering fruit peels and vegetable stalks as natural candy wrappers, it’s good to find out which ones are tea bags, jams, and flavorings in disguise.  

Here are some of those treasures on the chopping board and the surprising ways to give them new life while helping Mother Nature along the way. 

Citrusy peels such as those from oranges and lemons are perfect for creating flavored water. Be sure to spot those scraps that still have a bit of pulp in them—squeezed calamansi and lemon halves commonly keep them locked in their linings. These will surely add flavor, aroma, and vitamins into your everyday hydration.

If you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon, drop peels and leaves of pineapples in a liter of water, then boil them altogether for an instant batch of tea. You can always adjust the taste with honey, sugar, or cinnamon bark.

Harvest those leftover vegetable trimmings, ends, and peels and toss them in your blender with ice or water. This quick healthy drink helps digestion, reduces inflammation, and boosts your immunity. Feel free to add some yogurt or honey to sweeten the deal. 

Enjoy more of your fruits by gathering their discarded peels and cores. These can be cooked, sifted, and sweetened to create homemade jams that are a perfect pair for bread, cookies, and crepes. Overripe fruits can also be used this way, so don’t toss them out willy-nilly. 

So many leftover stalks and trunks by the chopping board? Gather them up in a freezer-safe bag. Add to it after every veggie-chopping session, then once that’s filled, you have enough to boil up a soup base! Simply add those bits to a pot of water to boil, simmer, and then drain. Feel free to incorporate color and taste by adding tomato paste.  

Pro tip: you can sauté the veggie bits before adding them into your freezer bag for your soup base to have a richer taste. Corn cobs, in particular, serve as an amazing chowder base when boiled with herbs and pepper. 

Keep this in mind when you’re cooking potatoes at home: the water you use to wash those spuds is a great addition to sauces. The starch from their skin, when mixed with water, can be used to thicken sauce mixes, or create a soup base all on its own. 

So long as it’s not yet moldy, there’s still hope for those old bread loaves and slices. They can always be repurposed as croutons for salads, or bread crumb coating. You can even pop them in the freezer while you decide what to do with them.

Discarding something of value is a REAL waste, so think twice before throwing out these hidden kitchen gems. Making better use of these scraps can lead to a domino effect of benefits, from better waste management, improved health, and making the most out of your delicious recipes. 

Sources

Check out tips and recipes for reusing food and spending less . ABRINQ Foundation, 2021.

14 Creative Ways to Use Food Scraps . Healthline, 2021.

20 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Food Waste . Healthline, 2017.

https://nolisoli.ph/74913/fruit-vegetable-peelings-waste-reduction-imendiola-20200220/

https://www.garlicandzest.com/scraps-vegetable-broth/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/smart-ways-to-use-food-scraps-4845396