Perfectly Practical #21 - Not Wasting Food

One thing that really burns me up is when I waste stuff. 

It is never intentional but sometimes it happens and it fills me with rage. 

Okay, rage is a strong word, but it really does fill me with a great sense of rage something very similar to rage annoyance.

•  Those last bits of onion, peppers, celery, carrots, herbs, etc. that sometimes lurk in the crisper forever can be salvaged by just throwing them in a bag and putting them in the freezer.  When the bag gets full, make some stock using those veggie scraps (and leftover meat bones if you have them.)
• The last dregs of wine, coffee, or juice can be frozen in ice cube trays and used as ice cubes in drinks or for flavoring dishes. 
• Some condiments can be frozen in ice cube trays as well.  Pesto, for instance, and then you don't have to worry about your pesto growing fur in the fridge.  (Ask me how I know about pesto growing fur...)
• Milk out of date?  Use it in recipes calling for buttermilk.

Garden produce is another one of those things that gets wasted, just because something looks a little wrinkly or tough, that doesn't mean it's not useful.  I mean, when I'm old wrinkly and tough, I hope I'm still useful.

That's why when people say they have some garden produce past its prime, I am all too happy to find a way to use it.

You can:

• Pickle it 
• Repurpose it for stock use 
• Put it in a compost heap  
• And if you have rabbits, goats, or chickens, they love garden scraps. 

I would love to hear what kind of perfectly practical tips you have for salvaging food.

This is part of Works for Me.