When I was young, my parents had a giant compost bin in our backyard, but I never really understood the value of it until I was older.
I now realize that being able to reuse food scraps and other waste is not only good for the environment, but also good for my wallet.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), "In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30 to 40 percent of the food supply."
That's right, every year, up to 40 percent of the food supply in our country goes to waste.
So, how can you help solve this problem? By reducing your food waste, recovering foods so they don't go to waste, and recycling wasted food to create compost and fertilizer.
Another great way to stop wasting food is to learn which food scraps you can actually still eat! Read below to learn more about the ways you can prepare scraps to make them edible.
Thumbnail Photo: Flickr / Rebecca Siegel
#1: Broccoli Stems And Leaves
Many people prefer to only eat broccoli florets, but you can actually eat the entire veggie!
Add the leaves and stems to a sauté or soup, or grate them into a slaw or salad.
Broccoli is packed with antioxidants, folate, and beta-carotene. This veggie is also full of fiber.
#2: Banana Peels
Banana peels are often thought of as just a protective layer for the banana inside, but they're actually so much more than that.
They may not be super-tasty on their own, but banana peels can be great in smoothies and tea.
Learn about some of the incredible health benefits of banana peels in this LittleThings article.
#3: Carrot Tops
If you buy your carrots whole — the way they come from the farm — chances are, you just cut off the tops and toss them in the trash.
Carrot tops have tons of vitamin A, even more than carrots themselves, and they are totally edible and tasty.
Wash them off, and toss them into a grain salad, or grind them up into pesto.
#4: Beet Leaves
Beets are a pretty divisive food — you either love them or hate them. Their leaves, on the other hand, are usually well-liked by anyone who enjoys dark, leafy greens.
Beet greens are great sautéed as a side dish and offer huge amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium.
#5: Watermelon Rinds
Watermelon rinds are almost universally disliked. They're bitter and flavorless, so most people think they're just the thing that acts as a buffer for the tasty pink fruit.
Many people don't know that watermelon rinds are in fact totally edible. They can even help with your blood pressure.
Instead of just forcing yourself to eat raw rinds, easily pickle them for a tasty snack.
#6: Orange Peels
Orange peels aren't just something your friends dared you to eat as a kid. They're actually a healthy snack.
The white pith contains a lot of nutrients, and the peel has a good amount of fiber.
To eat this bitter part of the fruit, try zesting the peel into baked goods or candying the peel.
#7: Onion Peels
Almost everyone just throws away the flaky, outer layers of onions, but they can actually be reused!
Not only do the outer peels have healthy antioxidants, they can also be pretty yummy.
Toss them into a pot and use them to make a delicious and rich vegetable broth for homemade soups and stews.
#8: Cucumber Skin
So many people peel cucumbers, but there's no reason to do this!
Cucumber skins can give a bite and crunch to the fresh vegetable, and they're incredibly rich in vitamin K.
Often, the skins are coated in a waxy substance, so make sure to wash that off before eating.
#9: Bruised Cabbage Leaves
We usually throw away the outer layers of cabbage, since they're often bruised, but you can actually use these in tasty ways.
Cabbage has a lot of vitamin A, B, and C, so you should get the full use out of the leaves!
Cut up these bruised leaves into thin pieces, and put them in a stir-fry or soup.
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