Reducing food waste is in everyone’s interest, from chefs to home cooks to the environment. We’re used to hearing about nose-to-tail or root-to-stem cooking, especially with regard to restaurants. But even in our own kitchens, there are smart ways to use things that might otherwise go in the trash or compost pile.
Here are some recipe ideas for cutting down on food waste in your kitchen, from our archives. Feel free to share yours in the comments below.
[Your food scraps deserve another shot. Here’s how to use peels, stems and more in your cooking.]
Maple Bread Crust Pudding With Salted Caramel Sauce, above. It’s annoying, but it’s a fact: There are kids (and adults?) out there who don’t want bread crusts. Some recipes also call for just the plush insides, too. Whatever the reason, stash them in a freezer for this pretty outrageous breakfast or dessert.
(Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post)
Chocolate, Red Bean and Rose Brownies. Hang on to the liquid from those canned chickpeas, a.k.a. the egg substitute known as aquafaba, for a rich, vegan treat.
[Egg substitutions for cooking and baking when the store shelves are empty]
(Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post)
Candied Orange Peel. This project takes some time, but considering candied orange peel isn’t always available and it’s a great way to salvage something we don’t typically eat, you’ll be rewarded by the effort.
[Sprouting onions and scarred tomatoes: How to tell whether fading produce is still safe to eat]
(Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post)
Pickled Red Onion and Chard Stems. You need a mere cup of chard stems for this zesty refrigerator pickle.
[Pandemic-related cooking and eating habits could help curb food waste — if consumers stick to them]
(Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post)
Dorie Greenspan’s Quinoa Bowls. This nourishing bowl uses both radishes and their leaves, which are turned into a bright pesto.
[Browse our Recipe Finder for more than 9,100 Post-tested recipes at washingtonpost.com/recipes]
(Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post)
Roasted Beets With Sauteed Beet Greens. The recipe offers a staged approach — roasting the beets, sauteing the stems and then the leaves — to make the most of this root vegetable.
(Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post)
Scrappy Vegetable Broth. I rarely make vegetable broth any other way. Collect the scraps in the freezer and make a batch of broth once you’ve accumulated enough. You’ll appreciate it come soup season.
[Homemade broth is the key ingredient your bowl of soup deserves]
(Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post; food styling by Bonnie S. Benwick/The Washington Post)
Cinnamony Apple Crisps. Do you make apple pie? Keep this recipe in mind to use up the peels.
More from Voraciously:
8 sweet and savory apple recipes that will have you feeling fall
How to make excellent scrambled eggs, just the way you like them
Sourdough tips and resources from a former skeptic