After posting the TED talk from Tristram about food waste, I had a good look at how we cook at home.

As they say, walk the talk. Our home is throwing out stems, stalks, peels and skins when preparing our veggies and fruits. I browsed the web for a whole evening and discovered some interesting ways to recycle food waste. I have started using a couple of them already and I just love my new found banana sugar scrub (#4) and my papaya feet moisturizer (#10).

1. Kiwi skin

Apparently, the skin of a kiwi fruit is edible. Slice it very thinly with skin on. The taste and texture complement one another nicely. The skin contains a lot of fibre, vitamin C, and even omega 3 fatty acids. I definitely will try this one, it will save me a good minute peeling it in the morning to mix with my Bircher muesli.

2. Veggie scraps

Don’t throw away the ends of carrots or celery, potato skins, onion and garlic skins, the stem of cauliflower or carrot tops! Throw them in a bag in the freezer and make a vegetable stock when the bag is full. Add to last night’s chicken carcass for an almost free chicken stock. Bonus tip: Freeze the stock in ice cube trays as a healthier alternative to store-bought bouillon cubes, which often contain the nasty additive MSG. Add a broth cube when cooking quinoa, rice or veggies for extra flavor and nutrition.

3. Lemon skin

Try lemons to remove grease and bring the shine back. Instead of using toxic cleaning products in the kitchen, try lemon. Sprinkle affected area with salt or baking soda (to act as an abrasive) and then rub with juiced lemon halves. Just be careful using lemon on sensitive surfaces such as marble. We also use it to shine shower heads, water taps, etc.

4. Banana peels

Make a scrub sponge! So clever. You get to use sugar without eating it!  Sprinkle sugar on the flesh side of banana peels and use as a soft, exfoliating sponge. Rub gently all over your body and then rinse in the shower. This is my favourite!!!

5. Orange and/or grapefruit peels

Use citrus peel to refresh your face and tone your skin. Rub orange or grapefruit peels on your face (avoiding your eyes) and then gently rinse with warm water.

6. Potato peels

Bye bye, puffy eyes! Potato peels can reduce puffiness around eyes; press the moist side of the fresh peels to the skin for 15 minutes. Rinse and gently pat your skin dry.

7. Any fruit peels

Use all the possible fruit peels and rinds that remain after you have consumed the fruit and dry them in the sun. Then crush it. Your homemade potpourri is ready.

8. Watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydews shells

Scooped out the inside and use as serving dish for your fruit salad.   

9. Citrus peels

Adding citrus peels to olive oil will not only flavour it but will help to reinvigorate oil that’s getting old.

10. Papaya skins

“My papayas are killin’ me!” Rub papaya skins and pulp on the bottoms of your feet to help soften skin and soothe cracked heels. They’re rich in Vitamin A and papain, which breaks down inactive proteins and removes dead skin cells. Plus it feels pretty cool! 🙂

So think twice about what you toss out in the kitchen; you may be throwing out high-quality beauty products!

Visit the Sabine’s Baskets Pte. Ltd page to find out more about Sabine's work.