We each have things we do to make the most of our food. Maybe you make smoothies from brown bananas or your Mum has a special way of storing celery?
Tell us about it!Squishy brown bananas and peanut butter make the most delicious toasted sandwiches, The over-ripe bananas are so sweet and taste caramelised when toasted.
By: Heather, Warkworth
I grow Italian parsley and I always have too much. When I’m using the oven I cut off excess stems of parsley, cut the leaves off and place on a baking tray. As soon as the oven is turned off I place the tray of leaves in the oven; after approx 1 1/2 – 2 hours I take the tray out & crush the dried parsley leaves & place in an airtight jar ready for use when the plant is dormant.
By: Geraldine, Wellington
When our children were younger we would collect the crusts and stale bread & take the children to the local park to feed the ducks. Now that our children are older we blitz stale bread to make breadcrumbs, mouldy bread feeds the sparrows.
By: Geraldine, Wellington
Used tea leaves are great for the garden. Add them to the soil around plants to give them a boost of nutrients. You can also put them into your compost.
By: Ritual Tea Company
When your children eat apples at home, or you use them in baking, collect the cores and skins etc in a container or snaplock bag in the fridge. When there is about half a cup or more, simmer these in a water to cover them, wait for them to break up a bit and turn slushy. Pour contents of the pot into a sieve over a jug or bowl, freeze this pectin stock in ice cube trays and add a couple of cubes to low pectin fruit jams such as strawberry. You can also add these to sauces and marmalade etc which need to set to a thicker consistency.
By: Caroline, Levin
We plan all our meals for the week on a Sunday then only buy what we need. This saves us buying something we don’t need and having leftovers. It also makes cooking easier as we know what we are having for dinner and lunch all week. We always have oats so if we have overly ripe bananas we mash them into the oats to make it go further. We usually double a meal such as a stir fry and will have it for lunch. On a Sunday we cook a frittata to use up any extra veges we have lying around. This makes a great lunch on a Monday and Tuesday.
By: Olivia, Christchurch
I cut up spinach and kale and put in a container in the freezer (don’t cook it first). Then I always have it ready to add to omelettes, stews and other recipes. I also freeze almost everything that isn’t an everyday use item.
By: Veronica, Auckland
Kids don’t like crusts? Turn them into breadcrumbs in the blender, then make stuffing. Add herbs, onions, whatever you like, bind with a little stock or egg then roast. You can make the stuffing without the chicken – the kids will love it.
By: Lisa, Lower Hutt
Take all kind of vegetables that would be going to waste, (peelings, ends of carrot etc) and put in a big pot with water and some of you favourite herbs and salt. Simmer for over an hour. You now have a stock for soups or sauces, and it can be frozen.
By: Prika, Hinds
When there is a surplus of fruit I measure it up in lots for jam and freeze it. I then have fruit to make into jam when we run out. I do the same for lemon honey. I also make surplus veges into pickles etc . These make good and inexpensive Christmas presents along with a jar of jam. I find that these presents are much appreciated.
By: Marlene, Auckland
I freeze even small amounts of leftovers in containers straight after our evening meal. We also name and date them. Sometimes, when we are tempted to buy takeaways because we are feeling tired – we look in the freezer and pull out the little bits of leftovers. Sometimes we all have what I call a different ‘free meal’. We often purposely cook more than we can eat in one meal and freeze the rest in portions for one or two people.
By: Sylvia, Tauranga
If you have leftover bread going stale or don’t like crusts, pop them in kitchen whizz to make breadcrumbs. Keep in freezer you have fresh breadcrumbs whenever you want them
By: Wendy, Oamaru
Put vegetables in biodegradable bags, not plastic, and their life will be astonishingly extended!
By: Briony, TImaru
When making vegetable stew I throw in whatever vegetables I have, plus garlic and ginger which add a great taste. Great for the slow cooker.
By: Suzanne, Masterton
If you want crisp celery for salads and don’t want to freeze it for soups, wrap the whole fresh celery completely in foil and put in the fridge – lasts for weeks. Make sure to completely re-wrap the celery in the foil after each use.
By: Eve, Auckland
If the rind of lemons & limes are clean I grate them & use in salads, smoothies, pesto etc. or freeze for later use.
By: Ruth, Mt Maunganui
I keep my fresh ginger in the freezer and grate when needing fresh ginger in recipes. It keeps for ages which means I always have fresh ginger on hand.
By: Jennifer, Mahia Beach
When carrots have started to go a bit soft, I dice and blanch them then free flow freeze them. Bags of frozen carrots to use when I run out of fresh.
By: Tracey, Featherston
