Waste not, want not – Volume 2 – (Article 2 of 5)

by Dr. Marli Botha

We all have the best intentions when we make trips to the grocery store, and the plan is never for the food to end up in the trash. But many of us still find ourselves trying to figure out what to do with food that is on the verge of spoiling, because life just got in the way and you didn’t have a chance to eat it. This is especially true when it comes to fruit…

Here are 7 Uses & Benefits of Leftover Fruit:

1. One of the best ways to use up ripe bananas is to make banana bread with it!
2. Are you trying to figure out what to do with your leftover peaches and blackberries? Obviously, a delicious pie is the answer!
3. What to do with those wrinkly apples and pears? Cover them with a Weet-Bix topping (half Weet-Bix, half muesli, little bit of butter to bind them and honey to taste and bake). Crumble desserts have never been easier!
4. Making a pie with its peels still on would be weird, to say the least. But using the peels for tea makes much more sense, and many tea lovers will appreciate the fruity flavour. As easy it is to just pour some boiling water onto the peels, add a tea bag and brew some tea!
5. If you’re a fan of those iconic fruit snacks from the ’80s and ’90s, you’ll love these Fruit Leather Roll-Ups. Blend your fruit(s) of choice with some sugar and lemon juice and let the mixture dry out in an oven on low heat for a few hours. Wait until they’re cool and pliable, then roll up strips of homemade fruit leather for a delicious snack that both kids and adults will love!
6. Take your leftover fruit, add it to a pot and simmer over low heat with sugar to taste. Keep in mind that it will thicken as it cools. Blend it into a smooth sauce or keep it chunky for a spread with some texture!
7. Or, if you don’t want to babysit a pot over the stove, roasting fruit is a great option, as it helps to caramelize the fruit to augment its natural sweetness!

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 skin care product is to do a patch test to look for allergies and sensitivities.