Waste not, want not – Volume 4 (Article 4 of 4)

by Dr. Marli Botha

When preparing food, we often forget about parts like stems, stubs, peels, or leaves. Though they are typically discarded, there are many ways to make use of these fruit and vegetable scraps to help reduce waste and benefit both your family and the environment.

Here are 4 uses and benefits of leftover vegetables:

1. Herbs are one of the most commonly tossed fresh foods. They’re often purchased in clamshells at the grocery store, but unless pesto is on the menu, we only ever need a few sprigs. To keep from wasting the rest, blitz tender herbs, such as basil, parsley, dill, and cilantro in a food processor, then scoop by the tablespoon into ice cube trays. Cover with water or olive oil and freeze until you need them for soups, stews, pestos, or curries.
2. Dry excess woody herbs by tying the stems together, then hanging upside down in a dry corner of the kitchen. After a few days, they’ll feel crumbly and be ready to store at room temperature in an airtight bag or container.
3. Leftovers are a bastion of food waste. Some foods don’t taste so hot when they’re reheated, after all. Take mashed potatoes, for example. The good news is they can be repurposed into many wonderful bites. Any kind of patty, fritter or latke can benefit from the addition of leftover mashed potatoes. Pureed potatoes also make a silky soup thickener, especially for those trying to curb their heavy cream consumption.
4. Many of us automatically reach for the vegetable peeler when cooking up potatoes or other root vegetables, but by throwing away the peel we’re actually losing some of the vegetables’ richest nutrients, not to mention lots of healthy fibre!

It is important to mention that no food is meant to be a cure-all for any condition, though there are certainly health and skin benefits contained within them. The one thing you should always do before using a new skincare product is to do a patch test to look for allergies and sensitivities.