Scraps to Snacks - Food Waste You Can Eat

Make the most out of your food, even the scraps that come along with it!

Carrot Tops

Those leafy carrot tops don’t need to be thrown out or added to your compost bin. Not only are they edible, but they’re really flavorful! They taste like Swiss chard and parsley and have a strong earthy flavor.

Tear them up and throw them in a salad, add them to homemade salsa, or make them into a pesto sauce. You can also add them to a smoothie for flavor.

Carrot Pulp

Speaking of carrots, the pulp of these bright orange veggies is another scrap worth saving. You can use this in carrot cake or use it to make carrot cake pancakes. Just dry it with a paper towel and you’ll be good to cook or bake with it!

Watermelon Rinds and Seeds

Watermelon is one of the best tastes of summer, but you probably didn’t know the rind and seeds of this sweet fruit are both edible. You can pickle watermelon rind, which causes it to change texture and become its own tart, tasty treat—great in sandwiches and salads.

Seeds are also edible and fun to munch on as a delicious and healthy snack.

Chicken Bones

This one may sound out there, but there’s a method to our madness. Use chicken bones to make your own homemade chicken stock that will be much better than what you can buy at the store. Boil the bones with herbs of your choosing. You can even add any veggie scraps that don't look appetizing.

Reduce the water to a simmer. Once you’ve done this, these bones will serve as a flavorful base for soups or stews. Just remember to remove the bones before you add the rest of the ingredients to complete the recipe.

Parmesan Rind

Another rind you can salvage comes from the stinky yet delicious parmesan cheese wheel. Use the rind on top of a soup.

It will melt right into the liquid, adding a delicious layer of dairy flavor. This is especially great in French onion soup!

Celery Tops

Don’t skip adding celery tops to many meals as a great way to add flavor. The tops and outer stalks of celery can be chopped and added to egg or tuna salad for extra flavor.

You can also easily save these in your freezer and add them to stock or soup.

Herb Stems

Herb stems have flavor and you don’t want to throw them out without getting the most out of them! Add these to homemade broth to add flavor and prevent food waste.

Squash Seeds

Roasted squash seeds are absolutely delicious, so don’t throw them away or compost them the next time you have squash with a meal.

These are similar to pumpkin seeds—just as edible and just as yummy!

Citrus Peels

The next time you have a lemon, orange, lime, or any other citrus fruit, don’t get rid of the peel. You can create a tangy, sweet, and delicious treat with these scraps.

Using a simple recipe of sugar, water, and your peel, you can create a candy-like creation from something you may have otherwise tossed.

Pickle Juice

Once you’ve eaten the last pickle from the jar, think twice before you pour all that tangy juice down the drain.

Use it to flavor a tuna salad or to pickle different vegetables to prevent waste and to get the most out of that flavor-filled juice.

Yogurt and Milk

When yogurt and milk are nearing their expiration dates, don’t throw them away. Instead, freeze these items to use in recipes at a later date so they don’t go to waste.

You can even add yogurt to an ice cube tray to turn it into cubes that can be used in smoothies. Sustainable and functional all in one!

Cauliflower Leaves

Try roasting cauliflower leaves for something truly delicious. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to the leaves then pop them in the oven until they get a bit crispy. These make a good snack or side to any meal.

There are so many ways to use food scraps that don’t involve chucking them. Doing this can save so much money and does good for the planet, making it a win-win.