15 Kitchen Scraps You Should Never Throw Away

Most people would be surprised by all the different things they can do with their kitchen scraps. If you are trying to find ways to use your kitchen scraps instead of throwing them away, here are 15 ideas to help you get started.

1. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds have an amazing variety of uses, from being a deodorizer to an exfoliant, to a garden fertilizer. Use them in your potted plants for extra nourishment, or in a homemade body scrub! The options are endless.

Source: OYR Frugal & Sustainable Organic Gardening/YouTube

2. Citrus Peels

Citrus peels are kitchen scraps that are useful and easy to use. They are full of essential oils and can be used to make a variety of sweet-smelling items. Throw them into your garbage disposal to remove foul odors, or add them to some white vinegar to make a cleaning spray. You can also zest and freeze them for future baked goods.

3. Tea Bags

Teabags are great for nourishing soil, just like coffee grounds. They can be saved and removed from the tea bag to use just the tea leaves. Many tea bags can also be reused to make another cup of tea.

4. Rice Water

You should always save the water after cooking rice! It is a fantastic beauty ingredient that can be excellent for hair growth, and it also works well as a facial toner to achieve smooth and even-toned skin. You can even freeze it into ice cubes to give yourself an ice facial.

5. Apple Peels and Core

Try saving those apple peels and cores instead of throwing them out. You can make your own homemade version of apple cider vinegar by fermenting these scraps with water or white vinegar. This is a great way of using these scraps to make a new product and save money on your next grocery shopping trip.

Source: Gourmet Vegetarian Kitchen/YouTube

6. Veggie Scraps

All forms of veggie scraps should be saved if possible. They can be used in so many ways, and it is a shame to waste them. You can freeze them and make a big batch of veggie broth, or you can use certain scraps to plant in your garden. Carrots, celery, onions, garlic, ginger, and potatoes are just a few veggie remains that can be replanted in your garden. You can also compost these scraps if you have no other use for them.

7. Banana Peel

Banana peels are a great kitchen scrap to add to your garden. They are full of vitamins and minerals and do the soil a heap of good. Instead of throwing your banana peels away, you can chop them up and throw them outside. Or you can make a water and banana peel smoothie to water your plants with and help them grow big and strong!

Check out our comprehensive list of how to use banana peels!

8. Seeds

The kitchen is a great place to find seeds, whether squash, fruit, or bell pepper seeds. Instead of throwing these seeds away, why not keep them to use later? You can easily dry vegetable and fruit seeds on your window seal and plant them in your garden.

This is a great way of making a garden for yourself without having to spend an extra dime. Even avocado seeds can be reused to avoid waste.

Source: Project Diaries/YouTube

9. Juicing Pulp

If you use a juicer, you probably throw away a lot of vegetable and fruit pulp. This can be a wasteful habit, but it can be fixed with just a few changes. Carrot pulp is perfect for carrot cake or carrot muffins. You can also use vegetable juice pulp in creamy or blended soups. Most vegetable pulp can even make tasty crackers if it is spread out thin and baked. There are all kinds of recipes that you can add juicing pulp to.

10. Pasta Water

Pasta water is a great moisturizer for plants. It has plenty of nutrients from the pasta and creates a nourishing drink for flora. If you want to give your plants an extra boost of encouragement to help them grow, give them some pasta water. Just make sure that you don’t use salted pasta water and let it cool completely.

11. Herb Stems

Herb stems might seem like one of those things that you just naturally throw away, but you might be surprised to find just how useful they can be. Herbs stems aren’t anywhere near as flavorful as the tender herbs themselves, however, they still have some residual flavor and can be added to dishes finely diced. They are especially good at making flavorful broths since they can stand up to some boiling. This is a great way to use every last bit of your fresh herbs.

12. Broccoli Stalks

Broccoli stalks are a hugely overlooked part of this tasty veggie. The stalks are just as flavorful as the broccoli head and can be used in several ways. You can chop it up and add it to whatever dish the broccoli is added to or you could freeze it for later to go into creamy soups or broths. Raw broccoli stalk is even good eaten with dip, such as hummus!

13. Pickle Juice

Pickle juice is easy to discard without a second thought but try to hang onto that tart juice. It is flavorful and bright, perfect for adding into dishes that need a little something extra. Pickle juice is commonly added to sour soups or to stir fry recipes. It can be used just like you would use vinegar, but it has much more flavor.

14. Onion Skins

Onion skins are another one of these amazing kitchen scraps that you should not be throwing away! These skins are bright with pigment, perfect for dying your clothes or fabrics. Onion skins contain a long-lasting pigment, making them an excellent natural dye. Orange onion skins will create a beautiful and warm yellow to pumpkin color. Generally, purple onion skins will make a lavender or blue-colored dye. All you need to do is boil the skins until they have created a dark-colored dye, then add in your clothes or fabric to soak.

15. Garlic Tops

Most of us chop off the tops of garlic if we are going to be roasting it, and it is a shame to throw those tops away. Garlic is a potent ingredient, and even a small amount of it can go a long way. You can freeze them for later and add them into homemade broths and soups. They are perfect for imparting garlic flavor and can easily be fished out once the dish has been cooked.

Related Articles:

If you want to read more articles on producing less waste. Here are some other similar resources to look at.

• Reduce Food Waste With These 10 Multi-Functional Ingredients
• 10 Plant-Based Recipes Featuring Kitchen Scraps!
• 7 Ways to Use Food Scraps in the Garden (They’re Not Just for Compost)
• 6 Kitchen Scraps That Make Your House Smell Amazing
• 10 Plant-Based Recipes Featuring Kitchen Scraps!
• 6 Ways to Use Avocado Seeds to Minimize Food Waste

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