Zero Waste Kitchen: Creative Ways to Reduce Food Waste and Eat Sustainably

By: Meaghan Orellana, Nutrition and Dietetics Student

Did you know that 30-40% of all food produced in the U.S. goes to waste? That's a staggering amount! Reducing food waste is a powerful way to contribute to a more sustainable planet, save money, and get more creative in the kitchen. One of the best ways to start is by adopting a "use-it-all" mindset, ensuring every part of your food gets a second life.

Here are practical tips for turning potential scraps into kitchen stars and other easy ways to eat more sustainably.

Use All Parts of Your Food to Reduce Food Waste

From peelings to bones, many "scraps" are packed with flavor and nutrients!

Vegetable Scraps

Instead of tossing those ends and peels, put them to work:

• Vegetable Broth: Keep a freezer-safe bag handy for collecting veggie scraps. When the bag is full, add the scraps to a pot, cover them with water, and boil for a flavorful, free homemade broth. Some vegetables can be too overpowering or create a bitter taste, experiment with foods you like but as a general rule, here are some that are tried and true.

Good Scraps to Use: Carrots, onion and garlic (including the skins) celery stalk, mushroom stems, herbs, squash (peels but not the flesh), leeks, scallion, tomatoes.

Broth Scraps to Skip: Broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, celery leaves, corn, hot peppers, pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, sweet potato, turnips.

Check out this link for more details!

• Start Your Own Garden: Many vegetables can regrow easily on your windowsill! Place lettuce ends, green onions, or pineapple tops in a cup of water and keep them in a sunny spot. These scraps will often keep growing, giving you a fresh supply.

• Pesto Power: Don't discard the greens! Radish or carrot greens make an excellent, slightly peppery substitute for basil in your favorite pesto recipe. This versatile pesto can be frozen and thawed easily for future meals.

Wilted or Limp Vegetables

No need to rush to toss slightly sad-looking produce:

• Revive Them: Give them an ice bath! Often, adding limp vegetables to a bowl of cold water can help them crisp back up.

• Cook Them Down: If they can't be revived, chop and add them to a soup, blend into ground meat for moisture and nutrients, or bake them into a savory bread.

Fruit Scraps

The peels and cores of fruit have fantastic uses beyond the compost bin:

• Infused Vinegar: Add clean fruit scraps (like berry hulls or apple cores) to a clean jar with vinegar (white or apple cider) and let it infuse for 2–3 weeks. Strain it to create a flavored vinegar that's great for dressings or cleaning.

• Homemade Tea: Boil fruit scraps in water to make a gentle, naturally flavored tea. Apple peels and cores are wonderful when boiled and steeped with chai tea bags. They can also be used to naturally flavor a green or black tea or a cocktail mixer.

• Citrus Peels: Turn fragrant citrus peels into candy, dry them for easy zesting, or soak them in vinegar to make a natural household cleaner.

• Feed Your Plants: Used coffee grounds or tea leaves are excellent natural fertilizers; just sprinkle them directly into your garden.

Meat Scraps

Bones and connective tissue are key to rich, nourishing food:

• Bone Broth: Save bones from chicken, beef, or fish. Add them to a pot, cover with water, and boil them for a flavorful, mineral-rich bone broth.

• Dog Treats: Leftover softened bones from broth can sometimes be safely blended into a paste and given as a treat or kibble topper for your dog (check with your vet first about which bones are safe).

Stale Bread

Don't let bread go to waste when it's past its prime:

• Croutons, Crumbs, and French Toast: Stale bread is perfect for making homemade breadcrumbs, rustic croutons for salads, or soaking up a custard for classic French toast.

Sustainable Eating Beyond the Scraps

A sustainable kitchen involves more than just minimizing waste. It’s also about how you shop and what you choose to eat.

Smart Shopping and Storage

• Plan Ahead: Meal planning is your best defense against forgotten food. Knowing what you'll cook prevents impulse buying and ensures you use what you have.

• Store Food Properly: Learn the best storage methods for your produce and pantry items. For instance, storing herbs like flowers in a glass of water or keeping bananas away from other fruit can drastically extend their shelf life. Check out this website for tips on produce storage! Store dry goods in airtight containers in a cool, dry place to protect from humidity and pests. Upcycle empty glass jars from pickles and sauces to store dry goods, just make sure they are completely dry before using.

• Shop Locally and In Season: Buying in-season produce from local farmers reduces the environmental cost of long-distance transportation and supports your community. Check out some of these Farmers Markets!

  • Hampstead Farmers Market: Thursdays

  • Poplar Grove Farmers Market: April-Nov

  • Wilmington Farmers Market: Saturdays

  • Midgett and Sons Crab Co, Sneads Ferry: Open daily  

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  Look for Certifications: When buying imported goods, check for organic and fair-trade certification labels to ensure sustainable and ethical sourcing.

• Buy in Bulk: Purchase pantry staples like grains, nuts, and dried beans at a bulk food store using your own containers to drastically reduce packaging waste.

Eating Habits

• Embrace Plant-Based: Try incorporating a fully plant-based meal a few times a week. Even small shifts toward reducing meat consumption can significantly lower your environmental footprint.

Plant Based Protein Sources: Edamame, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, nutritional yeast, quinoa

• Stay Hydrated Sustainably: Ditch single-use plastic bottles and use a reusable water bottle.

The Final Step: Composting

For the scraps you genuinely can't use (like banana peels, coffee filters or food that has gone bad), composting is the answer. Instead of sending them to a landfill, where they produce methane, turn them into nutrient-rich soil. You can compost in your own yard, find an urban composting service, or bring your scraps to an accepted facility.

Start easy with a compost collection service like Wilmington Compost Company or try a self-composting bucket like this one!

By adopting just a few of these simple practices, you're transforming your kitchen into a powerhouse of sustainability, one scrap at a time. Take baby steps, even one or two steps makes a big difference!