cook-at-home

upcycling

transform food waste into food wealth

It’s all too easy to toss food scraps in the trash and forget about them. But learning how to get the most out of discarded peels, stems, and roots is the key to wasting less food at home. Managing waste can save you money and even make you a better cook.

Combating food waste starts with buying only what you need. Consider the number of meals you’ll make and buy only what’s necessary. When shopping, don’t fear unattractive fruits and veggies. Yes, these “ugly” pieces may be discolored or misshapen. Save these items by choosing the right cooking technique, which allows them to shine in all their imperfect glory.

Once you’re home, remove the packaging on produce items and inspect each piece. If there’s a slightly spoiled apple in the bunch, remove it and use immediately so it won’t spoil the rest.

Use overripe fruits such as berries and bananas in breads and baked desserts like crisps, crumbles, and cobblers. Fruit on the verge of spoiling has lots of flavor that can withstand high oven temperatures.

Freeze excess items before they spoil. Place sliced fruits or whole berries on trays. Transfer trays to the freezer. Once the fruit is frozen solid, add it to freezer bags.

As for veggies, freeze normally discarded scraps. Save cucumber, carrot, and kale ends; cauliflower and broccoli stalks; and eggplant skins. These scraps can be transformed into tasty pickles later. Freeze remnants from asparagus, carrots, onions, gingerroot, lemongrass, cilantro, and leeks. Flavor stocks or sauces with these remnants.

Wash all fruits and vegetables before use. If produce is waxed, remove as much wax as possible, add produce to a large bowl filled with warm water along with a tablespoon or two each of lemon juice and baking soda. Soak for a few minutes, scrub with a soft-bristled brush, rinse, and use. When trash becomes treasure

Too often the best part of a fruit or vegetable is thrown away. High amounts of nutrients can be found in food scraps. Put them to good use with these upcycling tips. ✔ The green tops of carrots are an affordable alternative to basil when making pesto. ✔ For a dose of healthy greens, use radish leaves in a frittata or pasta dish. ✔ Add celery leaves to chilled pasta and quinoa dishes.

Mix into tabbouleh in place of parsley. ✔ Use herb stems in green salsas. ✔ Hardy rosemary stems can be repurposed once the leaves have been used. Submerge the stems in water for 30 minutes, and then use for skewering meats and vegetables destined for the grill. ✔ Steam the leaves and the stems of kale for a healthy side. ✔ Make a slaw by thinly slicing the outer leaves and layers of fennel bulbs and cabbages. Thinly sliced broccoli stems are another good addition. ✔ Apple peels can be added to smoothies or baked with cinnamon at 200° for about 10 minutes to make apple chips. ✔ Candy the peels of organic oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruits. Use to garnish salads, yogurts, and desserts. ✔ Save the carcass from a roast chicken. Cover with water in a pot and add vegetable scraps. Simmer, uncovered, for several hours to make homemade stock. ✔ Keep used tea bags in the fridge. When you’ve collected a few, make iced tea by pouring boiling water over them. Flavor the tea with strawberry tops or peach skins. Steep, chill, strain, and serve. ✔ Repurpose used coffee grounds to eliminate bad odors in the fridge. Fill a bowl or jar with old grounds, and leave uncovered for a few days in the refrigerator. ✔ Egg shells help deter pests in the garden. Snails and slugs dislike crawling over the sharp pieces when they’re sprinkled over dirt.

SELECTED SOURCES Eat It Up by Sherri Brooks Vinton ($18.99, DaCapo, 2016) • The Zero Waste Cookbook by Giovanna Torrico & Amelia Wasiliev ($19.99, Hardie Grant, 2019)

Made from saved scraps, upcycled food items transform food trash into food treasure. The nonprofit Upcycled Food Association (UFA) has created the world’s first third-party certification program for upcycled food ingredients and products. An on-package mark is now available on some items. Gaining in popularity, upcycled food products use pulps, stems, peels, and pits to make unique food items. Examples on the market include a tea-like beverage brewed with avocado pits salvaged from local restaurants; a chocolate chip cookie mix made from oat milk pulp; and a grain-free snack chip made with juiced kale and celery scrap ingredients.

SELECTED SOURCES “In the Know: Sustainability,” Food Network Magazine, 1–2/21 • Upcycled Food Association, www.UpcycledFood.org, 2022

Cucumber Spritzer with Fresh Mint

From the Taste for Life test kitchen 4 c sparkling or seltzer water

K organic cucumber, unpeeled 4 fresh mint sprigs

1. Pour 1 cup of sparkling water into each of 4 glasses. 2. Slice half of the unpeeled cucumber into long strips and the other half into circles.

3. Divide cucumber strips, circles, and mint sprigs among glasses. Add ice cubes, if desired. Serve immediately.

5 min

prep time serves 4

Per serving: 11 Calories, 1 g Protein, 2 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 14 mg Sodium, H Iron

Kitchen Note: This refreshing beverage uses up leftover cucumber and prevents food waste by keeping the vegetable peel. Sprigs of fresh mint add cool flavor to the bubbly water.