I am always mindful of ways to avoid food waste and aim to minimize waste in other areas of my life. In terms of food waste, I thought I was doing pretty well, considering I’ve always eaten my broccoli and cauliflower stalks.
These are two things I’ve noticed that can commonly be thrown straight in the compost bucket. There are, of course, several incredible benefits of composting, including those for the environment and the health of the plants that you grow (and eat!).
But not everything needs to be composted. It was only recently that I learned that the pit of an avocado is edible and, in fact, very nutritious. I am a committed vegetarian who eats a largely plant-based diet. Because of this, I thought, “If I didn’t think I could eat my avocado pits, then surely there are others out there who also don’t know this.”
Here are some common fresh foods you may be able to get a little bit extra out of. Making the most of fresh produce like this is one of my favorite ways to avoid food waste.
Ways to avoid wastage of food | Get more from your fresh produce
1. Avocados
The avocado fits into my top five favourite foods in the world in terms of both taste and the nutritional value they provide. I recently discovered that the pits can be ground up and added to smoothies, so I rate them even higher than ever!** According to Pam Blowers, who is a herbalist and the founder of Viola Organics, the pits contain 70% of the antioxidant properties and 50% of the vitamin C[1]
2. Broccoli
You may not want to serve the stalk as a side dish, but it works well when cut into small chunks and added to stir-fries, curries, and soups. The leaves can be added to salads, smoothies, or again to stir-fries, curries, and soups. Hopefully, now you’re starting to get some ideas on ways to avoid food waste.
3. Cauliflower
Use the stalks and the leaves in various hot dishes – e.g. stir fry’s, curries, soups, stews. You can cut them up small and add to salads or eat raw with your favourite dip. Susan Patterson from Do It Yourself suggests that the vitamins in the leaves are just as high as they are in the head.[2]
4. Kale
I find that kale stalks tend to take a bit too much work to chew into. Instead, I remove the leaves to use in whatever dish I’m preparing and save the stalks in the fridge for my next green smoothie. Cut them small, whiz them up with your favourite smoothie ingredients, and enjoy!**
5. Turnips
The leaves on this plant are also edible. Try slicing the turnip up and stir-frying it in some water, olive oil, and garlic. Add the turnip leaves at the end to heat them with the sliced turnip, and then season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
6. Celery
Yet another plant whose leaves can be enjoyed rather than discarded. Use in place of coriander or whiz up in a green smoothie. You can also add to hot dishes such as soups, curries, and casseroles.
**Ensure you have a high-speed blender or processor for these foods so that the blades don’t get damaged and the food can be ground up small enough for easy consumption.
Other ways to avoid wastage of food
1. Make better use of your freezer
The freezer is your friend and one of the best ways to avoid food waste. Many fruits and vegetables freeze very well if you’ve got too much. Prepare them by chopping them up as if you were about to cook them. Then freeze and use later in dishes such as stir-fries and casseroles. Or add them straight to your smoothies when needed.
2. Be mindful of serving sizes
If you find the family leaving food unfinished on their plates, consider a couple of things. Firstly, think about serving less if this is regularly happening. They can always get top-ups later, and it’s one of the easiest ways to avoid food waste.
Secondly, consider whether the leftovers on their plate need to be thrown in the bin. Most dishes can make superb lunches the next day. Alternatively, you can use the leftovers to create a slightly different dish the next day. For example, leftover rice can be turned into fried rice.
If you enjoyed reading this, check out the other blogs in my healthy eating category. You might even want to make your own fermented vegetables for gut-loving goodness!
[1] Organic NZ magazine article September/October 2015 “Amazing avocado. Persea Americana. By Pam Blowers, Herbalist
[2] http://www.doityourself.com/stry/3-uses-for-cauliflower-leaves. By Susan Patterson
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