Are you guilty of tossing any of these foods? By using them creatively instead, you’ll not only lower your food waste, but you’ll also save money, too! Such a great solution!
I’m one of those people that believes that it’s not just the big things we do to save money that matter, but it’s also often the little things that add up to make a big difference.
You know, the old “a penny saved is a penny earned” mentality.
That’s part of the reason it bothers me so much to throw out food and why I make a deliberate effort to reduce our food waste.
But it’s not just about saving money. It’s also about being good stewards of what we’ve been given and about using what we have wisely so we have more to give to others.
If you are trying to find food waste solutions, then I think you’ll love finding out how to create delicious food out of 8 things that people often throw out!
Food Waste Solution: 8 Foods to Never Throw Out
1. Sour Milk
If you aren’t used to this idea, I know it sounds kind of gross. But trust me, you can use sour milk to make some absolutely delicious things!
Basically, sour milk can be used in place of buttermilk in any baked food. A few of my favorite ways to use it are pancakes, cake, and biscuits.
*When I say sour milk, I mean milk that is just starting to sour and taste bad. If milk is starting to discolor, curdle or smell absolutely awful, it is too sour to consume. However, it is my understanding that raw milk is a totally different story and can be safely used even once it starts curdling. Please use your own discretion!
2. Chicken/Turkey Bones
Did you know that you can make a wonderfully delicious homemade chicken stock using chicken bones?
For years I didn’t know this either, and when I cooked a chicken or turkey, I innocently threw out the bones. Not anymore! I love that it is not only super easy to make but also incredibly healthy too!
4. Stale Bread
Don’t you just hate when you have bread dry out or get stale on you? I know it’s tempting to just toss it, but there are actually lots of easy ways to use it and you won’t even notice that it is old.
Use it to make:
- casseroles that use bread as their base such as Cheeseburger Casserole, Amish Turkey Stuffing or Bacon, Egg, Cheese and Spinach Casserole
- bread pudding (a yummy dessert that I just recently had for the first time!)
- croutons
- bread crumbs
4. Bacon Grease
If you are frying your bacon and then just throwing out the grease, please stop! Seriously! Instead, save it and give these 25 amazing bacon grease uses a try!
The great thing about bacon grease (other than its delicious flavor) is that it won’t spoil for a long time. As long as you keep it in the fridge it should be good for at least 6 months.
6. Stale Chips and Crackers
Arrange stale chips and crackers in a single layer on a cookie sheet and pop them in the oven at 375º for 5 to 10 minutes. They’ll be deliciously crisp again!
5. Ham Broth
You know how you have all that rich ham broth left after you cook a ham? It always bothered me, but I used to just throw it out because I simply had no idea what to do with it.
I mean, when was the last time that you saw a recipe using ham broth?
Then one day, I decided to experiment with a recipe that I was making that called for chicken broth. I used half ham broth, half chicken broth and it ended up being really good!
And I’ve used up my ham broth that way ever since. It works especially well in soup recipes such as Salsa Chicken Soup or Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup or in casseroles.
PRO TIP: Since ham broth is generally stronger in flavor than chicken broth, I wouldn’t substitute it for more than half the amount of chicken broth.
Also, depending on how salty your broth is, you may want to reduce the amount of salt that the recipe calls for. It’s always easier to add more if needed!
7. Brewed Coffee
Don’t throw out that leftover coffee! While you won’t get a coffee flavor, using coffee in place of water in chocolate cake gives it a richer flavor.
You can also freeze the coffee as ice cubes to make yummy homemade peppermint mocha or caramel frappuccinos.
And if you hate waiting for hot drinks like coffee or hot chocolate to cool down, add a coffee ice cube to help you be able to sip it sooner.
Check out my other ideas for using up your leftover coffee here!
8. Dried Out Cheese
Occasionally, I’ll have a block of cheese that is partially dried out because it didn’t get sealed very well when it was put back in the fridge.
Instead of throwing it out, I simply grate it and use it in soup or to top a casserole. Once it melts, no one will have any clue.
Do you have any creative solutions to use “old” food and reduce food waste?
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Sarah
Great tips! Thank you for sharing them. Ham broth can also be used to cook noodles or dumplings. They are richer than chicken noodles, but really delicious.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Sarah, that’s a great idea! I had kind of forgotten that my mom often used ham broth for noodles. Never thought of using it for dumplings though. I can imagine that it would add a wonderful flavor.
Tammy
This is great! I do a lot of what you do also.
Here’s a tip for the broth. Put in freezer cube tray and when frozen, store in freezer zip bag and label. I do that with sauces, like pizza sauce, it can be used for more than pizza.
Croutons, love croutons, I’ll have to try Natasha’s.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Great tip on the broth, Tammy! That would be an easy way to make gravy. I freeze leftover pizza sauce but I often just do it in the jar- which is a pain to thaw if there is more than just a little bit. The ice cube form would melt much more quickly!
Allison
I have put bacon grease in ice cube trays before, too, and it works great. You can pull out a few cubes and pop them in with your green beans or other things you want to season. Yum!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh, that’s smart, Allison! Never thought of freezing it like that.
K Stewart
Any remaining fresh herbs that are on the edge get chopped up and put into ice cube trays with some olive oil so they can be used for cooking later. Just grab a cube and go. We also freeze fresh fruit that may be a little past its prime for use in smoothies, breads and ice creams later on.
ThriftyFrugalMom
I don’t use a lot of fresh herbs just because it seems I always use just a few and the rest go to waste. So your suggestion of freezing them like that is awesome! And yes, freezing soft fruit is a wonderful way to rescue it from the garbage. Your mention of smmoothies made me remember that they are a great way to use up spinach that is on the verge of going out. You don’t even taste it, but you get the benefit of the added vitamins!
saundra
I just discovered the joys of ham broth myself. I made one a couple of weeks ago and decided I would save the broth and cook my next batch of pinto beans in it. WOW! They were delicious! Thanks for the idea about the stale crackers and chips. I didn’t know that. Well, the poor squirrels around my house (who usually get the stale crackers and chips) won’t be happy. Thank you for sharing.
ThriftyFrugalMom
Oh, what a great idea to cook pinto beans in ham broth! I can imagine that it gave them an amazing flavor. I’ve done it occasionally for green beans and that is really good. And too funny about the squirrels! 🙂
Sarah Mueller
When we were buying raw milk, it would last up to 3 weeks before starting to curdle and you’re right – it wasn’t bad at all. It was more like yogurt at that point. I’d use it for baking at that point. Now pasteurized milk after a couple weeks is another story!
Bacon grease is a real treat around here – it makes an amazing pancake. Thanks for a great list!
ThriftyFrugalMom
Yes, we love our raw milk and I’m so grateful to be able to get it for a reasonable price. And I agree about the bacon grease being a treat! Never used it in pancakes though. Now I’m going to have to try it!
Natasha
I loved your article – very useful info! Thanks so much for sharing a link to my croutons recipe 🙂
ThriftyFrugalMom
Glad you enjoyed it! And you are welcome. 🙂 I have a crouton recipe that I use that I don’t love and I can’t wait to try yours- it looks delicious!