Reuse food scraps for sustainable eating
By Cora Gold, Editor-in-Chief of Revivalist
Food scraps can feel like an unavoidable part of cooking. You chop vegetables for dinner, peel fruit for a snack, trim herbs for a recipe, and before long, you’re left with a pile of carrot peels, onion skins, fruit seeds and celery ends. For many people, the trash is the automatic next stop. The thing is, many of those scraps still have plenty to offer. Before grinding them down the sink or tossing them out, here are 10 easy ways to put them to good use.
1. Turn Vegetable Scraps Into Homemade Stock
Those onion skins, carrot peels, celery ends and mushroom stems might look like garbage, but they still have plenty to give. Considering households around the world generate 631 million tons of food waste, according to the United Nations Environment Program’s Food Waste Index Report 2024, finding ways to use more of what you buy can make a difference.
Tip your vegetable trimmings into a large pot, cover with water and let it simmer. After an hour or two, you’ll have a flavorful stock that can be used in soups, sauces, risottos and stews.
Not every scrap belongs in the pot. Strongly flavored vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli may make stock bitter if overused. Most everyday trimmings, however, work beautifully.
2. Regrow Certain Vegetables From Scraps
Some food scraps are surprisingly determined to stick around. Before throwing away the ends of certain vegetables, consider giving them a second chance. Green onions, for example, can sprout easily.
Place the white root ends in a glass of water, and they will begin producing new green shoots within days. Celery and lettuce can also regrow from their bases when you place them in shallow water.
Regrowing your vegetables is a satisfying way to get a little more value from ingredients you’ve already purchased. If you have children, it can also be a fun introduction to gardening and sustainability. As a bonus, having a few green shoots on your windowsill can brighten up your mood and add a little life to your space.
3. Freeze Food Before It Goes Bad
Sometimes, the best way to reduce food waste is simply to press pause. A freezer can buy valuable time for food that’s approaching the end of its shelf life. That bunch of herbs you only needed for one recipe or the bananas rapidly developing brown spots don’t have to become food scraps just yet.
Freezing allows you to save them for later use instead of throwing them away. It’s also useful for collecting scraps you plan to reuse. For example, vegetable trimmings destined for homemade stock can be stored in a freezer-safe container until you’ve gathered enough to fill a pot.
The same principle applies to meat. If you have leftover meat and you know you won’t use it in time, freezing can help preserve its quality and prevent unnecessary waste. You can generally store beef in the freezer for up to six months, while lamb and veal typically last three to six months. Pork is best used within two to three months.
4. Use Citrus Peels Around the House
While throwing the peel of your favorite orange, lemon or lime in the trash may seem harmless, citrus peel waste can become an environmental burden when improperly disposed of. However, those fragrant peels still have plenty of life left in them.
Many people turn these peels into a homemade cleaner, and it’s very easy to make. Simply fill a jar with citrus peels, cover them with vinegar and leave the mixture to sit for a couple of weeks. Then, strain the liquid and dilute it with water for a fresh-smelling cleaner.
Citrus peels can also help tackle unpleasant odors. Add them to a simmer pot on the stove or place them in the fridge. If you enjoy baking, don’t forget about zest. A little grated peel can brighten cakes, biscuits, marinades and dressings with almost no extra effort.
5. Give Stale Bread a Second Life
Stale bread isn’t necessarily bad bread. It might just be waiting for a new job. The easiest and perhaps most delicious option is using them to make homemade croutons. All you have to do is cut the bread into cubes, toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then bake until golden brown. Let them cool completely before serving or storing.
Breadcrumbs are another smart way to rescue bread that’s past its sandwich-making prime. A quick blitz in the food processor creates a versatile ingredient that can be frozen and used whenever a recipe calls for it.
Before you get creative, though, check carefully for mold. Even if only part of a loaf appears moldy, it isn’t advisable to eat it. It still has plenty of potential if it’s simply stale.
6. Create Something Useful From Fruit Scraps
Food scraps deserve more credit than they get, and they can easily become part of your next recipe. Here are some ideas to try:
- Use apple peels and cores to make homemade apple scrap vinegar.
- Pickle watermelon rind.
- Boil jackfruit seeds to eat as a snack or use in curries and hummus.
- Flavor water, syrups or iced tea with strawberry tops.
- Turn slightly bruised fruit into jams, smoothies, sauces or baked goods.
These ideas can be super helpful when fruit seems to ripen all at once during warmer months. Rather than viewing a bowl of overripe fruit as a problem, think of it as an opportunity. Those scraps and less-than-perfect pieces may be closer to becoming a tasty ingredient.
7. Compost What You Can’t Eat
Some food scraps simply can’t be repurposed, but you can always give them a final purpose by composting them. Fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, coffee grounds, eggshells and other organic materials can break down naturally and return valuable nutrients to the soil.
You can maintain a backyard compost pile or use a compact countertop system. Some communities now offer compost collection programs or designated drop-off locations, as well. Either way, composting allows organic waste to decompose in a much more climate-friendly way and releases significantly less methane than landfilling.
8. Save Herbs Stems, Not Just the Leaves
Herb stems often become food waste. Many recipes tell you to pluck off the leaves and throw the rest away, but that’s usually where a lot of flavor is hiding. Tender steam from herbs like parsley, coriander, dill and basil can be finely chopped and added to soups, sauces, marinades and pestos. They blend in easily and help you get more from ingredients you’ve already bought.
Woody stems can still earn their place in the kitchen, too. Place a few in a pan while butter-basting a steak or use them to add flavor to a grill. Moreover, chervil and tarragon stems work well if you’re making béarnaise.
9. Use Coffee Grounds for Gardening and Deodorizing
If your day starts with a cup of coffee, you’re probably producing a steady supply of grounds. Fortunately, those can be useful around the house.
For gardeners, coffee grounds can help deter slugs and snails. They can also serve as a natural air freshener around the house, including in the fridge. You may even use the grounds to help with cleaning. Their slightly abrasive texture makes them useful as a gentle scrubbing agent for pots and pans that need a little extra attention.
10. Plan Ahead to Prevent Food Scraps in the First Place
Finding creative uses for food scraps is a fantastic habit, but the easiest ones to manage are the ones that never pile up in the first place. Before heading to the supermarket, take a quick inventory of what’s already in your fridge and pantry.
That bunch of parsley from last week’s recipe or the half-used bag of carrots might inspire your next meal. Using older ingredients first, storing produce properly, and setting aside a leftover night once or twice a week can help prevent food from being forgotten.
These small habits can have a big impact. Food waste costs the average American consumer $728 each year, much of it from food that was purchased with good intentions but never eaten. When you plan around what you already have, you’re reducing food waste and getting the full value from every grocery shop.
Fill Your Bin Less With These Ideas
The next time you’re standing over the trash can with a handful of peels, stems or leftovers, pause for a moment. You might discover that what looks like waste is actually the start of your next recipe, cleaning solution or gardening project. Sometimes, all it takes is a second look to see just how much potential is still there.
About the Author
Cora Gold has a passion for writing about life, happiness and sustainability. As Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist, she loves to share her insights and find inspiration from others. Follow Cora on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.