Did you know that sliced watermelon rinds can add cucumber-like crunch to a salad? Or that broccoli stems are delicious when shredded to serve as “rice”? Have you ever had the pleasure of eating hearty, earthy sautéed beet greens?
Using parts of fruits and veggies that you might normally throw away is a great way to maximize nutritional value, add flavor and reduce wasted food.
Just think about how peels and stems function for the plant: Peels protect the insides of produce with antioxidants and fiber. And because stems serve as the arteries of plants, they’re bursting with nourishing vitamins and minerals. So eating those “cast-offs” will give you extra nutrition.
The GH Innovation Kitchen — a group of nutrition, culinary and kitchen appliance experts in the GH Institute — is here to show you how to get the most out of your produce.
Prep Your Produce
How to Wash Fruits & Veggies
Yes, you need to! Produce picks up dirt and chemicals on its way from the farm to your kitchen. Try these tips to get it squeaky-clean.
- Wait to wash. One of the most common mistakes that's ruining your produce involves cleaning it before storing in the fridge. Washing produce before storing it can speed up spoilage. Instead, rinse it just before you eat it. If you do choose to wash it before putting it into your crisper, dry thoroughly to reduce the risk of mold.
- Skip soap and bleach. Fruits and veggies are porous, so washing them in soap or bleach is a big no-no, as produce can absorb these chemicals. A simple rinse with water should do the trick.
- Try baking soda. A cold-water soak with baking soda can also work. Go for 1 tsp of baking soda per 2 cups of cold water and soak for 12 to 15 minutes.
Top Tools for Washing Produce
This veggie brush makes it easy to wipe debris from items like potatoes and carrots. Be sure to dry the scrubber fully between uses.
Salad spinners are the perfect all-in-one tool for washing, drying, serving and storing leafy greens. This one is our top-tested best value pick.
This set includes a small and large bowl to wash your produce in and two colanders so you can drain (or rinse!) them easily. Our pro tip: Place the colander in the in large bowl to catch any excess water.
Use Every Last Bit
How to Eat Everything in the Fridge
Here are a few strategies for clearing out the crisper.
- Make a smoothie. Cucumber peels, carrot tops and spinach stems can all be thrown into a blender to give your a.m. sip more fiber and vitamins. Feel free to freeze uneaten avocado, ginger, etc., for future blends.
- Save for stock. Stash components that don’t get incorporated during daily cooking — unused leek greens, parsnip ends, onion peels, etc. — in the freezer, then make a veggie stock or broth with them.
- DIY a salad mix. Don’t be afraid to toss heaps of herbs into your next bowl of greens. It’s a stress-free (and tasty!) way to use up a bunch. Even better, drizzle on a dressing that includes an entire lemon, rind and all.
Try "Upcycled" Foods
Don’t do much cooking? Support these brands that give new life to odds and ends in delicious ways.
Misfits Market
This online grocer offers “imperfect” produce, and it has its own line of foods with repurposed scraps (Cacio e Pepe Ravioli, for example, is stuffed with a blend of rescued pecorino cheese and black pepper).
RIND
Yes, you can eat the outermost layer of citrus. Overripe and wasted fruit scraps are rescued and upcycled to make this unique snack. The company dries the fruit gently for craveable slices that contain the nutrient-rich peels.
Seven Sundays
Get an additional dose of protein from this brand’s line of boosted cereals made with upcycled oat protein, a by-product of oat milk production. Each bowl offers nice crunch and satisfying sweetness sans refined sugars.
Recycle the Rest
How to Turn Scraps Into Soil
Composting isn’t as hard as it may seem, and the results can help your garden grow.
- Collect the extras. When you prep meals or snacks, keep a small bowl nearby to gather eggshells, fruit and veggie waste and crumbs. Store in the freezer or in an indoor composting container (see our suggestions at right) until you’re ready to compost.
- Choose a method. There are many ways to compost. Some towns and cities offer pick-up, drop-off or subscription services. At home, it can be as simple as digging a hole in your yard or using an outdoor compost bin to combine food waste with leaves and grass clippings (you’ll need to water and turn the pile). New high-tech composters like the one at right make the process even easier.
- Reap the benefits. Composting cuts down on the garbage you create and how often you need to replace the bag — and less rotting food waste means fewer smells. Also, if you compost at home, in a matter of months you’ll have nutrient-rich soil to use in your garden or to nourish houseplants.
Compost Helpers
These top-performing Lab picks streamline the process (and minimize odors).
Keep produce parts in this chic container until you're ready to add the to the compost heap. It has both a secure, vented lid, which allows for airflow around scraps, and a hemp filter that works to reduce bad smells.
Similar in size and design to a kitchen trash can, this electric option leverages heat and a grinding cycle to quietly dry out and break down food scraps — which can then be mixed into your soil or sent out to chicken farmers via the company’s recycling service. The food recycler syncs with an app, allowing you to schedule its operation.
This countertop-friendly machine operates by drying, cooling and grinding food waste. And the grinding system is so powerful that it can handle pits, peels, bones and leftovers; many of which aren't traditionally composted. It also features an intuitive one-touch button for operation and easy-to-read LED interface.
