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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Caryn Blum
I freeze leftover cake, cookies, and anything else that I think will work for my trifles.
I layer these between pudding or fruit or puréed fruit. Top
with with cool whip/ whipped cream and decorate with nuts or chips.
Makes a great dessert for a crowd and cost very little.
ThriftyFrugalMom
That’s a great idea, Caryn! I love trifles, but for some reason never think to make them. I’ll have to try to remember that next time we have excess baked stuff leftover.
Suzanna
Great tips! I have a delicious string bean and potato soup I make with ham broth. And, believe it or not, bacon fat makes delicious pie crust. I actually don’t make pie unless I have bacon fat around. You might think you would notice the bacon-y taste, but you don’t. And bacon fat is actually a good-for-you fat. Have a great day!
ThriftyFrugalMom
That soup sounds yummy, Suzanna! I can believe the ham broth would go perfectly with the potatoes and green beans. Never thought of using bacon fat for pie crust. I would have been scared that it would taste too bacon-y, so I’m glad to know that it doesn’t. And I totally agree with you- bacon fat is a good-for-you fat. I’d much rather use it than margarine any day.
Reader
Has anybody tried to pour bacon grease over green beans? A woman I knew years ago did hers that way; I hear they were pretty tasty.
Lydia Beiler
I’ve done it occasionally. It’s quite tasty!
Steph
I’ve tried a few of these, but others are new. Thanks for sharing your tips! I’m most excited to see what I can do with the left over coffee!
ThriftyFrugalMom
The leftover coffee is definitely one of my favorites….so many yummy uses!
Lucinda Nutting
This is a great find. I always feel so bad about throwing away food that I haven’t finished or don’t know what to do with. I’ve always known about making chicken broth, but all the other tips are brand new to me and I’m so excited to save money by doing this! Thanks so much for the post 🙂
ThriftyFrugalMom
Awesome! I love knowing that people are learning things from my blog. 🙂 Happy money saving!
MaryGay
I put onions just starting to go soft in a zipper bag and grate them into sauces, salad dressings, etc. I do the same with garlic cloves. Peel and store in a zipper bag and grate into anything. Btw, it is easier to grate them frozen. I put my chipotle in adobo and my tomato paste in bags and cut off whatever I need for recipes. So much cheaper than buying a tube of tomato paste. You can do the same for those tubes of fresh herbs. Squeeze them into a bag and use a sharp knife to cut off the amount you need. I save this way because things like lemon grass are so expensive but one of those tubes will serve for several recipes if you can use them before they go bad. Hence the freezer.
Also, use the same method for fruit going soft that you use for soup. Keep a bag going and when you get enough throw it in a lasagna dish and make a crisp out of it. Goes from frozen to yummy in no time. I even freeze the topping for the crisp by making extra and then when the fruit adds up I am ready. Dump the fruit straight from the freezer in the pan and top with the frozen oats, brown sugar, nut, etc. mixture and pop it in the oven. Works well when someone calls and says they are stopping by too!
Thanks for your posts. Very helpful!
ThriftyFrugalMom
I love your suggestions, Mary! Sounds like you’ve learned how to be resourceful. And the thing of freezing onions to grate them is such a smart idea. I recently had a bunch of onions that were getting soft and ended up needing to throw a lot of them out. 🙁 Next time, I’ll have a better option!
Jennifer
Another way to use scraps that would normally go to compost is to save them for making vegetable broth. You can use veggies past their prime, herbs, and cuttings, skins, scraps, tops, bottoms–whatever you have. Place it all in a large freezer bag and put in the freezer. Keep adding to the bag and when it gets full simmer it in water with seasonings to make a veggie broth.
ThriftyFrugalMom
That’s a great tip, Jennifer! I’ve heard of people doing that, but I’ve never done it myself, partly because I’m just not very familiar with vegetable broth. This is probably a silly question, but what is the flavor like? And what do you typically use it for?