ways to use Food scraps

10 Ways to Turn Food Scraps into Treasure

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In the United States, an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the food supply is wasted each year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the produce you grow or buy doesn’t have to be destined for the landfill. Here are some ways to give your fruit, vegetable and herb scraps new life.

How to Reuse Food Scraps to Reduce Kitchen Waste

Make Frozen Herb Cubes

Fill an ice cube tray with minced herbs, top with olive oil and freeze overnight. Pop the frozen cubes out of the trays and store in a freezer bag, so you always have small portions handy for adding to soups, sauces and salad dressings.

Bulk up your Greens

The leafy tops of celery, carrots, beets and other veggies can be sauteed or tossed into a salad.

Go Bananas

Drop peels into a pitcher of water and refrigerate overnight. The resulting “compost tea” is loaded with potassium, phosphorus and other nutrients that your houseplants will love.

Get Buttered up

Elevate your baked potatoes, waffles or anything else that benefits from a slathering of flavorful compound butter. Start with softened butter, and mix in minced herbs or citrus zest.

Make your own Cleaning Products

Infuse white vinegar with citrus peels for a natural all-purpose cleaner that smells divine. Toss lemon peels into your garbage disposal for a DIY deodorizer. Or simmer dried citrus peels, herbs, spices and flowers on the stove to create a fresh-scented potpourri.

Take Stock

Whenever you have leftover onion slices, herbs, carrot knobs, celery stalks or even bare corn cobs, add them to an air-tight container or zip-top bag in your freezer. When it’s full, simmer the contents with more aromatics, tomato paste, water and salt for several hours. Cool, strain and freeze in 1-cup portions, so you’ll always have homemade stock on hand for soups, stews, rice dishes and more.

Make Strawberry Syrup

Upcycle discarded berry tops into a sweet sauce for pancakes, ice cream or oatmeal. Just toss the leafy tops into a saucepan with water, lemon juice and sugar, simmer until thick and strain out the syrup.

Practice Self-Care

Give yourself a fruit-infused facial with one of these pureed combos: strawberries with cornstarch; peaches with oatmeal and honey; or avocado with egg yolk.

Treat your Animal Friends

Make dog food from leftover pet-safe ingredients like unseasoned carrots, sweet potatoes and blueberries. If you live in a rural area, donate your fruit and veggie scraps to a farm to help feed the chickens, pigs, goats and other livestock.

Grow New Plants

Pineapple tops, celery stalks, scallions and many other plants will regrow a whole new plant when placed in water or soil. Now that’s sustainable!

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iStock-1808081295 | Originally published in the April 2025 Issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.