Money-conscious households may be looking into ways how they can stretch ingredients in their store cupboards to make them go that little bit further. Zero Waste Week (September 5-9) is on a mission to change people's perception of rubbish, which can be a valuable resource.
Research compiled by food experts at recipe-box subscription provider, Green Chef highlights parts of vegetables you didn’t know you could eat, to food waste which can benefit your hair and skin. According to Green Chef, these tips could reduce your carbon footprint and save you money too.
Here are the top 10 foods you should use rather than sending to landfill...
Top food waste hacks that you can follow at home
Leaving cucumber peel at any entrance points to your home will safely deter ants from entering.
Coffee grounds, ground fruit stones and nut shells contain a huge amount of skin-loving ingredients that will exfoliate the natural way when added to a DIY body or face scrub.
Don’t throw away your cauliflower leaves which are delicious when roasted with a little olive oil, salt and cracked black pepper.
If you’ve left your yoghurt a little after its use by date, why not use it to condition your hair and scalp, and potentially aid faster hair growth? Massage plain yoghurt into your scalp and let it sit for 15 mins, letting the lactic acid work its magic and remove the dead skin cells.
Unused kale and broccoli stalks can be kept and made into hearty soups or as a base for stock.
Hang on to banana skins, which when steeped in a bucket of water for a few days, will be a natural food rich in phosphorus and potassium, and super healthy for plants.
Do not peel potatoes as their skins are full of essential nutrients that could improve bone health and have anti-allergic properties. If you really need to remove them, keep potato skins and roast them for a delicious starter or side dish.
Eggshells can be cleaned and ground into a calcium-rich powder, which can be used to remove limestone deposits in your bathroom.
Do not discard carrot leaves which are delicious fronds; instead toss them into salads or blend to make carrot top pesto, hummus or smoothies.
Cabbage leaves may be used to soothe breast tenderness after having a baby.
Green Chef continues its mission to raise awareness about the volumes of food waste each household sends to landfill each week. A spokesperson from Green Chef said: “Food waste is a huge problem in our society and the amount of food waste from households that needlessly ends up in landfill every day is shocking.
"Most food waste is avoidable, and by talking about ways in which we can combat our food waste, we hope to reduce the burden of food waste on our planet."
