Food prices are increasing and yet food waste is an increasing problem that affects both our wallets and the environment. But fear not! With a little creativity and some clever hacks, you can drastically reduce the amount of food you throw away.
Here are 15 kitchen hacks to reduce food waste along with easy-to-follow guidelines or recipes for each one:
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Mustard Jar Vinaigrette Salad Dressing: Got an almost empty jar of mustard where it's hard to scrape the last bits out? Turn it into a delicious mustard vinaigrette by simply adding olive oil, chopped garlic, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper. Shake shake and you've just made a delicious salad dressing.
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Banana Peel Fertilizer: Blend banana peels with water, then pour the mixture around the base of plants for a natural potassium boost. This can only be done with organic bananas because these normal bananas are sprayed with pesticides and can damage your soil and plants.
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Olive Oil Herb Ice Cubes: Got leftover herbs that are going bad? Why not make olive oil herb bombs that can easily be frozen and used when needed? Simply cut up your herbs, place it in an ice cube tray and fill it with olive oil. Works great for basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, and more - an awesome way to save time and cut down on food waste.
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Stale Bread Croutons: Turn stale bread into crunchy croutons by cutting it into cubes, tossing with it olive oil, salt, and herbs (such as thyme), then baking until golden brown. Delicious in salads or soups.
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Citrus Peel Cleaning Spray: Instead of tossing citrus peels, turn them into a natural all-purpose cleaner by infusing them in vinegar for a few weeks. Strain out the peels and use the infused vinegar to clean countertops, floors, and more.
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Pickle Juice Uses: Don't throw out your pickle juice! You can easily use your pickle juice in other recipes such as soups, salad dressings, sauces, and deviled eggs for extra flavor. You can also drink it for a healthy dose of probiotics.
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Vegetable Scrap Stock: Save vegetable scraps like onion tops, carrot peels, and celery ends in a freezer bag. Once you have enough, simmer them in water with herbs and spices to make homemade vegetable stock. Check here for a recipe.
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Ripe Banana Bread: Don't throw out your overripe bananas, even if they're almost black. As long as there's no mold, your bananas can be used in a delicious banana bread recipe. The riper, the sweeter they are, the more delicious your banana bread. For a vegan recipe, click here.
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Overripe Fruit Jam: Cook overripe fruit with a bit of sugar and lemon juice to make delicious homemade jam.
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Coffee Grounds Body Scrub: Mix used coffee grounds with coconut oil or olive oil, and a bit of sugar to make a luxurious body scrub that exfoliates and moisturizes. It's a great way to repurpose coffee grounds and pamper your skin at the same time.
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Pickle Vegetables: Learn how easy and simple it is to pickle almost any veggie! You can make pickled cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, kohlrabi, onions, cauliflower, peppers, asparagus or green beans.
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No-Waste Mayonnaise: Got a can of chickpeas? Don't throw out aquafaba – the liquid/brine leftover in a can of chickpeas. Make an easy no-waste mayonnaise with oil, mustard, vinegar and salt. Super easy and tasty to make!
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Vegetable Peel Chips: Toss the peeled skins of potato, carrot, or beet together with olive oil and seasoning, then bake until crispy for a tasty semi-healthy snack.
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Peanut Butter Jar Overnight Oats: Did you hit the bottom of your peanut butter jar? Can't get the last bits out? No worries, you can use that jar to make delicious peanut butter overnight oats. You can add any milk and toppings you like.
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Use the green leaves of veggies: usually, we throw away the green leaves of vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery and beets, but you can easily use them in juices, soups or salads. Not only do they add some extra flavor but they're full of vitamins.
With these 15 kitchen hacks to reduce food waste, you can save money and get creative in the kitchen. So before you throw that leftover scraps or stale bread away, give one of these 15 kitchen hacks to reduce food waste a try and see just how delicious reducing waste can be!
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