This is without a doubt one of the best ways of making huge savings on groceries - if looking to stretch the budget and free up extra cash that could be better spent elsewhere - yet still eat healthy meals - especially as - even though we now live in an era where everyone is looking to cut the cost of their grocery bill - by using coupons, looking for discounts, bulk buying etc - what many don't realize is that they are literally throwing all those savings away - every time they throw perfectly edible food out. For example - according to recent figures - the average family of four throws away 25% to one third of the food they buy - which in monetary terms means - that in reality they are literally throwing $1,365 to $2,275 a year into the trash can. Which is where - as the majority of what is thrown out is perfectly edible - its seems only logical to adopt the “ waste not want not “ way of thinking and get creative with kitchen scraps - especially as not only will it shave huge amounts off the monthly grocery costs but also avoid the possibility of throwing money in the trash unnecessarily. So if this is something that you aren't already doing but would like to - next time you are about to throw something out - stop and have a look here Log In Log In and these are just but a few examples - of how easy it is to turn everyday foods that would normally be thrown out into healthy, tasty meals and accompaniments - as there are literally hundreds and hundreds of creative ideas out there to suit all tastes Oh and I would just add - as I don't remember them being mentioned - don't forget the Citrus peels - all of which have many uses but are particularly good when candied and Parmesan and Pecorino rinds - both of which are excellent for adding to risotto or minestrone - as not only are they super delicious but add a mouthwatering touch to the flavor too.
I am one of those people who never throw out food. In fact, Nothing ever gets wasted in my household. I am very conscious of what and how much I buy on a bi-weekly basis, so there is no need for anything to end up in the trash bin. Occasionally, a piece of fruit my turn before I get a chance to eat it, but that only ever happens when it's very hot, as I don't like keeping my fruit in the fridge. But nine times out of ten I am able to use the fruit by cooking it.
I once saw a recipe on Pinterest for muffins that were made from the leftover crumbs of breakfast cereal. You know how you look in a box of cereal and the bottom of the bag is two inches of cereal crumbs? I saw a recipe that called for 2 cups of assorted cereal crumbs. You already paid $3 or $4 for that box of cereal so why shouldn't you get every last drop out if it? Here's the recipe. You can mix various kinds of cereal dust, whatever is left in the boxes. Log In
Thanks for sharing this, and there are definitely some great suggestions on this list, some of which I've tried already. In particular, I was pretty shocked/surprised at how much flavor the shrimp shells give off when boiled as a stock, plus it's a nice change of pace from the usual chicken stock in soups. The corn cobs are another one I've seen used recently on the food blog, FoodWishes, where the chef actually used the juice from the cobs in addition to the corn kernels, and blended them all together to make a cream sauce for a vegetarian pasta dish. With lemons, if you're not going to be cooking with the rinds, you can also throw them down your garbage disposal and run it with the water running for a bit to freshen up any foul odors.
