Take all you can eat, but eat all you take. We’ve been taught this simple rule in school. We come across signs put up about it at buffets and eateries every once in a while. But do we really understand what it means? Disposing kitchen scraps also counts as wastage but often goes unnoticed. It is all about making the most use of each ingredient, root to stem. Read on for some really cool hacks and DIYs!
1. Orange Peel
Our all-time favourite DIY is using orange peels. Cut the orange peel in a bowl shape, add wax/oil in it and voila, you have an orange scented candle ready! Let’s have an orangy Diwali this year maybe?
2. Eggs
If your recipe requires just the egg yolks, don’t make the mistake of throwing the egg whites if you don’t need them right away. They can very well be frozen and used later. Goes vice-versa too! The eggshells can be added to the soil to improve the growth of saplings.
3. Bread
The end of a bread loaf is 9 out of 10 times discarded. Next time you have a hardened sugar situation, put the bread in the jar and it will soften it up again. Or you can cut it up into tiny squares and bake/fry them into croutons.
4. Coffee Grounds
Coffee has much more to offer than just a warm hug! Use old coffee grounds, mix them with olive or coconut oil and you have your very own exfoliant scrub.
5. Pineapple skin
Tea-lovers, we got you covered. Boil pineapple skin into a tea for an exotic twist. You can do this with other fruit skins as well!
6. Corn Husks
For the barbeque lover in you, here’s a simple but genius hack. Use the corn husks to wrap food that goes on the grill. Less mess too, right?
7. Yoghurt
Once yoghurt goes bad or expires, there is no way you can eat it and no way you should. Instead, put together a couple of tablespoons of this yoghurt and honey each. You can use this as a facial mask without a second doubt.
8. Melon seeds
If you’re looking for a healthy snack which won’t make you feel guilty about munching on whole day, don’t throw the seeds away! Roasted seeds are crunchy, savoury and easy to make!
9. Chopped herbs
Have extra chopped herbs with no place to go? Add them in an ice tray and fill up with olive oil. Once frozen, store in a freezer bag and use later when required.
10. Lemon
You can grate some lemon peel to give your drinks or dishes a zesty touch. Leftover lemon peels can also help in cleaning your microwaves and pans.
Do you have any cool hacks or DIYs to reduce wastage of food? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll try and give it a shot!
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