Share Your Tips

Beaucoup de légumes en conserve

Beaucoup de légumes en conserve. Les légumes pour des sauces à spaghetti avec les dates (cèleris, poivrons…) Plein de courge que m’a généreuse nièce ma donné, sous vide pour des potages. Rien ne ne perd ici. En plus c’est tellement facile et surtout meilleur.

- Marlène , Gaspé

Make a list of what’s next to use!

I keep a list taped on the inside of a cupboard door, with everything that will likely go over soon listed. (To be honest, some things on my list are past their “best before,” like the tea, but it can still be used!)

At the bottom of the list I have a space where I keep track of how many days it’s been since I’ve had to throw out food.

This way, I am regularly reminded of what I’m trying to use up next, and motivated to use it because I don’t want to break a waste-free streak!

- Kelly, Okanagan Valley

one dish Zucchini supper

Uses for Zucchini

Cut small Zucchini lengthwise, remove seeds to make a trough; fill with Japanese style ground beef mix (terriaki) Bake in a hot oven until meat has browned remove from oven, cover with tomato sauce and return to the oven for another few minutes until sauce is heated.

Amounts depend on the size of the Zucchini and personal taste. Eat as is or serve with steamed rice

- Jan, Burnaby B.C.

Rice Cooker Broth

Chicken broth: leftover chicken carcass, leftover veggies, onion skins, sweet pepper seeds, herb stems etc, bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seeds and fill pan with water … cook on white rice setting for 1 hour (the cooker will not shut off by itself … don’t forget it) …

Prime Rib broth: scraps, fat and cracked rib bone, leftover veggies, onion skins, sweet pepper seeds, herb stems etc, bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seeds and fill pan with water … cook on white rice setting for 1 hour (the cooker will not shut off by itself … don’t forget it) …

Fat and meat trimmings: scraps, fat, leftover veggies, onion skins, sweet pepper seeds, herb stems etc, bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seeds and fill pan with water … cook on white rice setting for 1 hour (the cooker will not shut off by itself … don’t forget it) …

You get the idea … you can also make vegetarian broth this way and it takes very little time .. once the hour is done open the cooker and let the broth cool about 1/2 hour, set up litre or quart canning jars with a funnel plus fine strainer … lift out the larger pieces from the cooker and place in a used plastic bag then strain the broth into the jars (the amount will depend on how larger your cooker is) .. let it finish cooling then place in fridge … remove the fat the next day …

I keep the fat from the prime rib broth and freeze it … I then shave a tsp of it into a dish that has lean ground … brings the flavour up to steak without a lot of added fat … I also use it for vegetarian meals to bring up the flavour as well

- Su, Ottawa

Crock pot butters/sauce

Onion butter: end of the season onions that are starting to soften … remove outer layers and discard any that are mouldy and use the good ones for broth … wash the outside of the onions to remove any mold spores that may linger, slice thickly and place in oiled cooker (add any dried or wilted garlic as well) … plug in and turn to low and let it alone for at least 3 hours … it will depend on the condition of the onions when you put them in … when they are soft mash them down (or you can use a blender if they are cool enough but I like them less mushy), place a 1/2 cup into silicon muffin cups and freeze … when frozen place in a plastic bag … take out what you need at a time

Apple sauce: core but do not peel apples (soft and bruised ones are fine as long as there is no mold or they aren’t weeping), slice and cut the apples into large chunks (smaller if the skins are on) and place in oiled crock pot (I like to add a few cranberries) and leave on low until they are soft … no sugar needed and cranberries give the sauce a great colour … mash the apples or blend (I like it chunky) and place a 1/2 cup into silicon muffin cups and freeze … when frozen place in a plastic bag … take out what you need at a time

The onion pucks are great in stews or soups … the flavour is the same as roasted onions and the apple pucks are great with pork chops and sausages … and so much better than anything in a jar or can …. they are perfect for muffin recipes as well and already measured for you

- Su, Ottawa

Kitchen Miscellaneous / Le touski

During the pandemic, we have learned to make a weekly menu plan and make one trip a week to the grocery store. At least once a week–sometimes twice–we have “kitchen miscellaneous” or “le touski, avec tout ce qui reste dans le frigo”. I actually enjoy creating a new dish with the bits and pieces. Omelettes, wraps, and pizza are three meals where you can slip in half a red pepper, leftover pasta sauce, tired fresh herbs, the last bit of pesto, etc.

- Elizabeth, Toronto

Leftover Stew or Chili

Reheat the leftovers for lunch and serve it over a small bed of chopped kale for extra crunch, fiber and just goodness.

- Paula, Greater Sudbury

kale Saving Tip

I strip my kale from the stems, then spread them out on a cookie sheet and dry them out in a low oven. Then i crush them up until the resemble parsley flakes then store them in a mason jar and keep them need the stove. sprinkle some on scrambled eggs, add to home made soups, meat loaf or what ever you desire. great way to get some kale in your diet every day.

- jojo, moncton

Tips for people on the go

I believe almost everything can be frozen for future use. I have a small container in my freezer for the bits of avocado that can spoil if you turn your back on it, another for bananas, kale and so on. I purchased a “one Shot” bullet blender. I use these for smoothies. I add leftover coffee a bit of cinnamon and cocoa powder or anything else that appeals to me. I end up with a nutritious, delicious breakfast using what many would throw out. Seeds or granola can add substance. No limits.
Extra blades can be purchased for the one shot for convenience.

- Janice, Burnaby B.C.

Turn Old Veggies Into Smoothies

I put old lettuce and any other old veggies into a blender with a banana, fruit, a little yogurt and oj for a delicious smoothie.

- Martha, Halifax

gousses de vanille

Lorsque j’ai vidé mes gousses de vanille de leur contenu, au lieu d’en disposer, je mets les gousses de côté et lorsque j’en ai qq unes je les moue au moulin à café. Ça me donne une poudre fine que je garde dans un pot de verre et que j’utilise au besoin comme j’utiliserais les graines de vanille. C’est extrêmement bon et ça allonge l’usage de la vanille et diminue le gaspillage alimentaire.

- Lucie, Saint-Lazare

soupe

Vous avez un pain ,baguette un peu rassis et ne voulez pas gaspiller ou le cuisiner ? Moi je le passe vite fait sous le robinet et le mets dans un four froid que j’allume à 350 degrés F jusqu’à ce qu’il retrouve son croustillant et son bon goût de pain chaud .

- Nathalie, Montréal

Breakfast Muffins

Use up leftover sandwiches of almost any kind by making breakfast muffins. Put sandwiches or even stale bread and a bit of cheese in a blender or food processor with 1 raw egg and 1/2 cup of milk for each 2 slices of bread or equivalent. Blend to make a slushy batter. Pout into greased muffin cups and bake at 350F until a knife poked into the center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes. Serve hot with butter and salt and pepper or syrup. Freeze left overs in individual bags to be heated in a microwave. make a nice take along breakfast or even lunch.

- Joanne, Archerwill

Glass containers for better waste-free freezer storage

In my quest to avoid single-use plastic, I freeze all my food in glass containers & surprise bonus — it’s much more resistant to freezer-burn. My food (& plastic) waste has reduced dramatically with freezer-safe squares/rectangles (eg IKEA) for meats, etc, and Mason-type canning jars of various sizes for soups, stacked muffin-sized handfuls of blanched vegis to throw in soups/stews, etc., little bits of roasted red peppers, tomato paste, herbs, etc.

FANTASTIC – the containers are consistent sizes & shape, stack efficiently in both chest & fridge freezers, easy to label lids with erasable china markers & no plastic bags to buy or dispose of. I’ve had NO breakage in 3 years of doing this. Only 2 conditions:
1) must have ABSOLUTELY straight sides (no ‘shoulders’ at all, so max 750ml size)
2) You just need a little more forethought to start defrosting night before or early in the day – no prying frozen contents out with knives.

- Glyn, Burlington

How to use your scraps again (and again)

I throw scraps, peelings & leaves from well-scrubbed carrots, celery or other suitable veg in a container in my freezer (fine for a couple of weeks without blanching) to add when making stock (https://www.marthastewart.com/949654/vegetable-stock).

And I use a cheap blender on my other scraps (and the cooked veggies that are strained off after the stock is made) to make a ‘scraps smoothie’ that gets poured directly on the garden (it’s liquid, so doesn’t attract animals). Avoid banana & citrus peel though, as your blender probably can’t handle it.

- Glyn, Burlington

Save limp veggies!

Veggies that are aging can be made into soup or stored in the freezer until you’re ready to make it. Have 1 litre boxes of chicken stock on hand to use for the soup base if you don’t have time to boil up a chicken. Add aging produce, canned beans, leftover cooked rice or noodles, and spices. No need to waste any of this stuff. Makes a good meal too!

- Nancy, Vancouver

Kitchen Sink Quiche

I can make a quiche out of any leftovers that are left in our fridge. If I think I can’t use up a leftover before it’s expiry date, I will portion it out and freeze it!

- Lisa, Springwater

Curry of any flavour

some great spices can allow you to use up lots of near end vegies or small amounts left by throwing it all in a pot with some curry or other spice combo’s.

- Heather , Vancouver

DON’T THROW OUT ONION SKINS

you can colour food particularly eggs brown! You can also throw in onions unpeeled into soups stews so they stay in tact and can be squeezed for their remaining juices after cooking and give a nice rich brown colour to your soup or stew. They contain vitamins and anti-oxidants!

- Diana, Tsawwassen

Label Leftovers

I label my leftovers with the date and description so when they are frozen and you can’t remember what they are you have the info you need.

- Sandra, Vancouver

Food saving

Pack leftovers in reusable containers and eat later

- Audria, Vancouver

Oops I let my veggies get wrinkly!

Wrinkly veggies are NOT a lost cause! Turn them into a delicious pasta sauce or puréed soup! They will still taste delicious and BONUS you can feed it to guests or family without them noticing the produce had aged!

- Danielle, Durham Region

Save vegetable scraps for broth

1. Keep all of your vegetable scraps from prepping, e.g. peels, onion skins, small scrap pieces, asparagus bottoms, broccolis stems, etc..
2. Put all the scraps into a freezer-safe ziploc or container.
3. When a large quantity is gathered, simmer scraps in a pot of water with aromatics such as thyme or bay leaves for about an hour.
4. Pour through fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks. Place chunks in your compost bin.
5. Store in the fridge or freezer once cooled to room temperature, or use immediately.

- Daniel, Vancouver

Recycle your old cakes and muffins

Stale old cakes and muffins that do not get eaten in time can be revived into new cakes, brownies, muffins. We crumble up the old items with our fingers and mix them through a new batter mix by adding egg, butter, cream etc . Bake and enjoy. Saves on ingredients and revives old food.

- Nik Roberts, Vancouver

Eat the “Scraps” of Others

Leave enough room in your stomach to eat the “scraps” from other members of the family. Whether they disliked it, too full, or too difficult to eat, eat whatever is left on their plates, instead of throwing it away in the green bin.

- Steve, North Vancouver

Going green

If we have extra vegetables, in particular green leafy vegetables, we freeze them and use them for smoothies where we combine all fruits and vegetables that needs to be eaten so that they don’t go to waste.

- Matthew, Vancouver

food saving tip – organize your fridge!

We had a lot of people together in the summer and a full fridge. To make sure we used up what was started before starting a new one like a tomato or an avocado or something that needed to be used first we designated a compartment on the door to put these foods and to look there first. This really helped with food that needed to be used getting lost in a drawer or at the back of the fridge.

Ripen fruit on the counter and then put it in the fridge to slow any more ripening. Good for bananas and avocados….

- An, Toronto

Transformez vos pitas secs en croustilles santés!

-Séparez vos pitas en 2 sur l’épaisseur
-Coupez-les de la grosseur souhaité pour les utiliser avec une trempette
-Répartir les pitas sur une plaque à cuisson
-Ajouter de l’huile d’olive, du poivre, du sel, des épices cajun ou encore du paprika
-Au four à 400F pendant environ 5 à 8 minutes ou jusqu’à que les pitas soient dorés
Dégustez avec votre trempette préférée ou encore avec de l’humus, c’est excellent!

- Catherine, Varennes

Soupe

Avec des restants de légumes moins frais (céleri, haricot, chou-fleur et brocoli): on fait de la soupe et du potage.

- Marie-Christine Filteau, L'Assomption

Sache ce qu’il y a dans ton frigo

Nous avons remarqué à la maison que l’on gaspillait les aliments quand on oubliait leur existence. Donc depuis plusieurs années, nous élaborons une liste de tout ce qui se trouve dans le réfrigérateur. Cette dernière est toujours bien visible sur le frigo. Nous mettons également une étoile à côté des aliments qui doivent être mangés rapidement donc en un coup d’œil nous savons quoi manger!

- Yalynka, Québec

Bananes pour smoothies et crème glacée vegan

Mon truc anti-gaspillage.
Lorsque les bananes deviennent trop mûres, je les coupe en rondelles, les placent sur une plaque à biscuits et je les mets au congélateur quelques heures.
Je les conserve ainsi plusieurs mois dans un contenant au congélateur et j’en ai toujours à ma disposition pour la préparation de smoothies ou même de crème glacée végan.

On peut faire la même chose avec des avocats matures.

- Anne, Montréal

Look at the per unit price!

When we shop, we always look at the per unit price. Not all stores list it, but when they do it is in smaller print on the shelf price tag. Depending on the item it will be $/100ml, $/g, etc. These prices not only help you make informed decisions comparing generic vs branded items, but I’ve seen the larger packaging of the same item be more expensive, even though you assume it should be the same price or less! Sometimes there isn’t a benefit to buying the larger package. Buying based on the per unit price helps to avoid over buying, over spending and wasting!

- Kris, Mississauga

Pickling home grown vegetables

Over the past few years, I have been getting more into growing my own vegetables. Towards the end of summer, I often feel like I’m harvesting more than I can eat — learning pickling small batches of cabbage, carrots, and radishes has been an excellent way to keep them longer and make an excellent addition to salads!

1/3 cup vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp salt

1) Boil water until the sugar melts, add all ingredients.
2) Pour hot mixture over vegetables in a glass jar.
3) Store in fridge

- Ryan (ryan.hirakida@vancouver.ca), Burnaby

Plan, Plan, Plan

Plan your meals for the week (I do mine on Saturday before the big shop). Make a list accordingly, and stick to it. I’ve been doing this for 25+ years and can say we rarely waste food.

- Nimisha , Toronto

Use What You Have

If you are making a recipe and notice you don’t have a specific ingredient, instead of running to the grocery store to grab the one ingredient (that chances are you won’t use all of it) just google a substitution. You would be shocked at most of the substitutions you can use, and generally, the substitution uses items you probably already have on hand.

- Darian, Leamington

Food saving tip – Leftover Pasta

For leftover pasta, add olive oil to a frying pan, heat on med-high (6), add the leftover pasta and fry it, turning it occasionally until heated through. We like ours crisp.
If you like it spicy add some Chili flakes and garlic to the hot oil just before adding the pasta.
Or make an omelette with it and add eggs to the pan and some Parmesan.

- Eva, Originally Rome, but I now live in Toronto

Leftover Potatoes or Fries

Leftover cooked potatoes or fries (odd but it happens!), make a potato omelette.
Heat a tbsp oil in a frying pan.
Scramble a couple of eggs with a splash of milk and a dash of salt and pepper in a bowl.
Chop the potatoes into cubes (roughly 1cm or so) and mix them into the egg mixture.
Pour into the frying pan and cook through. Flip it so as to cook both sides.

- Eva, Originally Rome, but live in Toronto

Using up broccoli stems!

Rather than composting your broccoli stems, chop them into smaller chunks (raw) then pulse in a food processor – instant broccoli rice! You can cook it in a pan over medium heat and season as you would cauliflower rice or freeze for later use.

- Sarah, Ottawa

Kid’s uneaten lunch scraps

Cleaning out my son’s lunchbox each school day, I will take the uneaten fruit that has become soggy and will put in a small ziplock bag in freezer. I keep filling it and once it’s full, I make him a smoothie.
The veggies he didn’t are sometimes added to that evening’s dinner.

- Sherry, Toronto

Leftover Mashed Potatoes

I don’t have a set recipe for this because I usually wing it with whatever is in the house.

I like to take leftover mashed potatoes and turn them into a type of potato latkes. I add finely chopped green onions and/or peppers if I have some in the house. Sometimes I will add a beaten egg if I want to give it more sustenance.

Mix everything together. Add more salt and pepper if you like or a dash of Thyme or Oregano.

I shape them into patties, lightly coat them with flour or bread crumbs and fry them up until golden brown and crispy. Serve them hot with sour cream or apple sauce.

- Antoinette, Brampton

Raw Onion Leftovers?

If you have a recipe that calls for a specific amount of onion, don’t stick that half onion back in the fridge to be forgotten. Chop the whole thing up and freeze what you dont need. It’s great for all purposes.

- Lynn, Maple Ridge

How to Eat Broccoli Stalks

I peel mine with a vegetable peeler and put them in the steamer with the rest of the broccoli. I cook the hearts of cabbage also in a steamer and put a tiny bit of butter salt and lemon pepper and vinegar on them – Yum. All parts of most vegetables are eatable and tasty… they just need to be tried and then enjoyed…no need for any waste!

- Shirlee, Vanderhoof

Salty Broccoli Snack

I like to slice the stalks of Broccoli into thin disks, sprinkle a little salt, and just eat them as a snack to avoid wasting them.

- Doug, Thunder Bay

Fruit and Veggies Bits and Bobs

Bananas freeze very well whole in the peel. Great for baking, store in ziploc bag.
Scrap left over vegetables into a container in the freezer and use for soup, add to spaghetti sauce, casseroles or veggie pie.
Over ripe tomatoes freeze well whole. Store in ziploc, run under hot water and the skins slip off. Great for soup, stews or sauces.

- Terri, Stony Plain

Quick and Easy Gnocchi

When potatoes get old, boil them then add flour, pinch of salt mix and roll them in to a form of longs sticks.
Cut them in little nail size square dots put them in freezing bags and freeze them! You have now made gnocchi!😋😃

- Maria , Toronto

Banana Ice Cream – easy!

Freeze bananas and then blend them with (dark) cocoa powder, freeze in a container for healthy ice cream. Sometimes, I’ll use fruit like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, etc. as well.

- Sandi, Truro

Organize Your Grocery Shop

We use a grocery list app and add things onto it as we run out or when planning on making a specific dish. We organize the lists by which grocery store we usually buy that product at. It works really well for us since we both have access to the same list and can cross off or delete items as you put them in the cart.

- Janie, Garson

Homemade Buttermilk

Don’t have buttermilk? Because seriously, who ever has buttermilk? Just add a splash of lemon juice (or vinegar) to your milk!

- Stacey, Richmond

TOO Many Bananas?

With too many bananas in your kitchen, you could make Bananas Foster (I don’t use an actual recipe so you should Google one). Or peel the bananas, cut in half across the middle (not lengthwise) and put the banana on a popsicle stick. Dip the banana partially into melted chocolate (milk, white, dark), any combination works too. Immediately after dipping in chocolate, dip the chocolate part into crushed nuts, or cereal. Place on a parchment covered cookie tray and freeze. When frozen, put the frozen pops in freezer container(s) and then serve on a hot day – very refreshing! (kids AND adults love them). If your bananas get too ripe and you don’t want to make banana cake or bread, you can split the skin a bit and hang them outside (summer only) for the birds and butterflies and bees.

- Christine, HRM

Turn old bananas into a PB & Jam smoothie

I freeze my bananas when they start to brown. Then I throw them in my blender with some almond milk, some frozen strawberries, a scoop of peanut butter, and some spinach. Blend it up and it tastes like a peanut butter and jam sandwich. So good!

- Alysha , Toronto

Soup is too salty

Add some potato. Potatoes absorb a lot of salt.

- Judith, Forest

You see it, you use it

Avoid letting food hide and go bad in your fridge. Maintain food type zones so you can always find what you’re looking for and know what food and leftovers are available. Four instance, leftover vegetables or starches, they are always on a shallow shelf, top left. Also, add fridge “drawers”using shallow trays that can easily be pulled out to see what’s in the back. They sell ones for this purpose in home stores and some have the ability to mark and erase labels. Maintain the first in first out principle with fresh produce. When you shop, first pull out the older items, then add new, and finally put the older ones back on top or in front of the new.

- Nibor, Victoria

Friday Fridge Clean Up

On Friday’s I dive into my fridge and take stock of what’s left and needs to get used up before the next grocery shop. My favourite way to use these odds and ends is pizza, or a breakfast frittata on Saturday morning. Easy, delicious, and even better for leftovers.

- Amanda, Victoria

Sausages

Whenever sausages go on sale or they get discounted near their best before date I buy as much as I can. Then I plot them up in Ziploc bags and freeze them. They are great in stews ,soups,pasta sauces,or on their own sauteed with peppers. Very versatile and always handy for a quick meal and always a flavourful addition. I usually go for hot or sweet Italian or chorizo.

- Tony, Beaconsfield

Herbs & salad last longer

Rinse all herbs and salad greens in a big bowl of cold water with a tablespoon of vinegar. Drain and store as you regularly would. Lasts SO much longer in the fridge!

- Christi, Duncan

Bananas

Never waste bananas. Lightly mash bananas add 2 tsp instant coffee Or preference amount. Mix. Portion out in individual dessert cups Freeze. Take out slightly prior to serving. Healthy and delicious Great summer treat

- Shelley, Winnipeg

Pre-cook your pasta for future Pasta salad

I pre-cook my pasta all at once.
Follow package instructions. Once cooked, rinse and drain well. I measure the pasta into air-tight containers that hold two cups. I like using the tri-colour pasta, looks pretty in a bowl.

When in a rush, saves you time. It is not soggy, just take it from the freezer to thaw.

- Dorothy, Calgary

Fruit and Veggie Saving Tip

When your fruits & vegetables look a bit tired fill your sink with cold water add 1/4 cup white vinegar let it soak 15 minutes no need to rinse. Excellent results.

- Leah, Montreal

Cuisiner des bouillons en exploitant les résidus de cuisine

Lorsque je prépare des légumes pour les repas, je congèle les parties que je ne consomme pas comme les pelures d’oignons et de pommes de terre, les bouts de carottes ou de céleri et les feuilles de fenouil ou de carottes. Lorsque j’ai une bonne quantité, je les place dans un grand chaudron rempli d’eau et j’assaisonne le tout pour préparer un bouillon de légumes à partir duquel je peux ensuite faire une soupe. Je fais la même chose avec les carcasses de volaille pour obtenir de délicieux bouillons maison.

- Maxime, Montréal

Future broth

When I am cutting vegetables, trimming ends off onions, celery or carrots, I toss them into a ziplock freezer bag that I keep in the freezer. Along to that I add bones from chicken. Once full, I turn everything into broth for soup.

- Celeste Allyn, St. Catharines

Dish to use up all the bits in the fridge

Savoury bread pudding aka strata aka spouse-saver.
Make cubes of whatever bread, buns, etc. you have. Sauté, steam whatever veggies are languishing in the fridge, or use leftover cooked veggies. Add herbs, spices, seasonings to your taste. If you want to add pieces of ham, bacon, sausage, smoked tofu, etc. Mix all together and put in a greased size-appropriate pan. Pour a mixture of beaten egg/milk (cream) over top. You should be able to see the liquid along the edges of the pan, but the ingredients should not be swimming. Let it sit for a few hours/overnight in the fridge so the bread can soak up the liquid. Then top with whatever cheese is around, and maybe sprinkle on some Panko for crunch. Bake it in the oven at 350F until set and cheese is melted and golden. How long will depend on the size of your strata. Always good whatever combo I’ve used.

- Carolyn, Victoria

Feta Cheese – Buy in bulk and freeze

I learned by trial that I can freeze feta cheese. I buy a 1kg container and cut it into 100g chunks. I save some brine to put a couple of chunks into each week. I use this for adding to salads and as pizza topping.

- Tricia, Cochrane

Bread rationing for living alone

Buy 2 or 3 very small loaves of bread (some shops sell half loaves. Divide all your bread up into 4 slice piles. Keep the heels aside. Put each group of 4 into a separate freezer grade container (I use silicone bags, but ziplocks also work). Squeeze out the air as much as practical. Then put all the bags into a large container and put it into your freezer. As you need bread, get out one packet. Two slices for breakfast, 2 for a sandwich, or breakfast again the next day — you’ll never have stale bread.

The heels: keep all your bread heels in one bag in the freezer. When you have enough to make it worthwhile, you can run them through the food processor still frozen and put them back into the freeze for soft crumbs. Or you can dry them in the oven after you’ve cooked something in it, using up that ‘dying heat’. Then run them through the food processor for dry crumbs. Store in a glass jar. If you like, you can add seasoned salt to the dry crumbs.

- Caddie, Montreal

Save bread

Use slightly stale bread in French toast or stuffing for turkey or chicken. Put bread in the freezer as it’s starting to get stale and save it to be used in these recipes at a later date.

- Heather , Hamilton

Fragile Foods First

Not all perishable foods have the same staying power. Strawberries will decline sooner than apples; green beans sooner than cabbage. Commit to eating the more fragile foods first right at the time when you are buying them. I had a terrible time with green beans going moldy because I forgot about them. Now I only buy them if I am going to eat them the same night.

- Erin, Squamish

Buy only what you need

plan meals ahead so you plan your shopping for proper quantities. If you only need a few sprigs of parsley, share the rest with friends or coworkers. Think of alternative recipes to use up left over ingredients

- Brian, Vancouver

No Waste Tomato Paste

If you don’t need to use the whole can of tomato paste, spoon the leftovers into individual serving containers and freeze them. When you’re ready to use the leftovers, just pop it into your recipe and heat it up.’

- Sandra, Burnaby

Portion and freeze leftover pizza sauce

I freeze leftover pizza sauce in an ice cube tray, then pop the cubes into an airtight bag or container once frozen. When I’m making pizza, I can take out exactly what I need – for me, it’s two cubes of sauce per pizza.

- Carol, Vancouver

Ne jetez pas les tiges de vos fines herbes !

C’est possible de cuisiner l’entièreté des fines herbes, surtout les tiges!/ Je nettoies les tiges de coriandre et je les mélange au robot culinaire avec de l’huile d’olive et des épices afin de me concocter une vinaigrette à salade très savoureuse.

- Maxine, Montréal

Toujours prête pour éviter le gaspillage

Je transporte toujours avec moi des contenants. Je suis donc toujours prête à ramasser les restants de traiteurs lors d’évènements ou des dîners de réunion à mon travail! J’obtiens un délicieux repas, sans avoir eu à cuisiner, sans dépenser et surtout sans gaspillage!

- Daphnée, Montréal

Smoothies!

Mes enfants et mois adorons créer de nouveaux smoothies chaque semaine. Nous sortons du réfrigérateur les fruits et légumes moches ou fanés, et les mettons dans le mélangeur avec un peu de yogourt ou de beurre d’arachide. Un smoothie au déjeuner ou en collation, c’est toujours bon!

- Véronique, Montréal

Healthy fruity coconut popsicles

1) Over-ripe fruit
2) Coconut water
3) Popsicle molds

Directions

1) Add any fruit that past its prime such as berries, peaches, watermelon to a blender
2) Add coconut water and blend
3) Pour mixture into popsicle molds and let freeze for at least 6 hours.

- Tamara, Toronto

Simple Storage to Extend the Life of Fruits and Veggies

Make sure to store ethylene gas producing produce separate from produce that is ethylene sensitive! Some fruits and veggies release ethylene gas as they ripen. Some fruits and veggies are ethylene sensitive which means being in close proximity to the gas can speed up their decay.

Ethylene Gas Producing Produce
Apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew, apples, bananas, tomatoes, avocados, peaches, pears, nectarines, plums, figs, kiwi,

Ethylene Sensitive Produce
Broccoli, cucumbers, eggplant, leafy greens, watermelon, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, carrots cauliflower, garlic, green beans, peppers, sweet potatoes, strawberries, squash

- Marie-Helen, Toronto

Carrot Peel Chips

Reduce food waste from your root vegetables with these yummy chips.

Ingredients:

• Carrot peels (or other root vegetable peels like parsnip and beets)
• Olive or avocado oil
• Salt
• (Optional) Powdered spices to taste such as curry, dill, garlic, ranch, even cinnamon.

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400F
2) Add all peels to a mixing bowl
3) Drizzle oil over the peels and mix to cover all the peels with oil
4) Spread peels evenly over a baking sheet
5) Cook for 6 to 10 minutes, checking every couple minutes since they are very thin.
6) Eat as chips, add some dip or add as a side dish to a steak or on top of a burger

- Ashalea, Toronto

Cinnamon citrus peel cleaner

Simple recipe for an all-natural, no chemical cleaner that really works.

Ingredients:

• Peels from citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit
• White vinegar
• Cinnamon sticks
• (Optional) Other herbs and spices such as cloves and rosemary
• (Optional) Lemon or orange essential oils

Directions

1) Fill a mason jar with all solid ingredients.
2) Add vinegar to the jar and fill just enough to cover the peels.
3) Firmly seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place for two weeks.
4) Once ready, add the solution to a spray bottle.
5) Add extra cinnamon and cloves, if needed.

- Ashalea, Toronto

Your Produce Smoothie

Smoothies are a great way to do the same with overripe fruit.

• Handful of greens (spinach, kale etc.)
• Handful of not-so-ripe fruit (peaches, berries, etc.)
• 1 cup yogurt, milk or milk alternative
• 1 avocado or banana for creaminess

Blend until liquified, pour into a glass and enjoy.

- Marie-Helen, Toronto

Coffee Grind Body Scrub

Ingredients:

• ½ cup finely ground dry coffee beans
• ½ cup sugar (white or brown)
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the above ingredients using a fork until well blended. Store in an air-tight container and use with water in the shower to exfoliate your skin!

- Marie-Helen, Toronto

A Bit of This and A Bit of That

We do an end-of-week cleanout to use up fresh foods before the next shop. What we typically end up with is a variety of dishes which look more like a buffet of appetizers which provides choices for everyone and can be supplemented with foods from the pantry or freezer.

- Wendy, Saanich

Save butter wrappers to grease baking dishes

This tip comes from my Grandma. She would keep the foil wrapper from a stick of butter in the fridge, and save it to grease the dish or pan the next time she was baking.

- Jay, North Vancouver

Grab and go veggies

I chop up veggies ahead of time, so my kids can grab them and have a snack straight from the fridge. More veggies in their tummies, and less in our green bin.

- Lucy, North Vancouver

Freeze your greens

Greens that are starting to wilt, like spinach, can be frozen. Use them in smoothies and sauces straight from the freezer.

- Larina, Coquitlam

Check your cupboards before you shop.

We once ended up with 8 jars of nut butter in our cupboard! We kept buying more without knowing if we actually needed it. Luckily it lasts a long time and we were able to use it all, but it was a good reminder to check our fridge and cupboards and make a list before heading to the store.

- Bryan, Vancouver

Green smoothies

Make green smoothies to use up produce that is past it’s best, like wilted spinach.

- Kris, Burnaby

Keep leftovers in clear containers

Store leftovers in clear containers (e.g. glass) in your fridge. Being able to see what you have serves as a reminder to use them up.

- Carol, Vancouver