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Before tossing food that’s past its best-by date, take a closer look. Many foods that are no longer ideal for eating can still be useful around the house or in the garden. Finding new purposes for these items helps cut down on waste, saves money, and gets the most out of every grocery trip.
One important note: if food is moldy, spoiled, or shows signs that it’s unsafe to eat or handle, throw it away. The ideas below are meant for foods that have simply passed their quality date or are no longer appealing to eat but are still suitable for non-food uses.
Here are 15 smart ways to put expired or aging food to good use.
Natural Cleaner
Don’t throw away citrus peels from oranges, lemons, or limes. Fill a jar with the peels and cover them with white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for one to two weeks before straining it into a spray bottle. The result is a fresh-smelling household cleaner that’s great for countertops, sinks, and other hard surfaces.
Air Freshener
Citrus peels can also freshen your home. Simmer orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit peels in a pot of water with herbs like rosemary, mint, basil, or thyme. The gentle fragrance fills your home without relying on artificial air fresheners.
You can also dry the peels and place them in small fabric bags to freshen drawers and closets.
Homemade Skincare Scrub
Stale oats don’t have to end up in the trash. Mix them with honey and yogurt that’s no longer suitable for eating but is still safe to use on your skin. The mixture creates a gentle scrub for hands, feet, or elbows.
Garden Fertilizer
Coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, and overripe bananas can all benefit your garden. Mix them into the soil around flowers, vegetables, or potted plants to add organic matter and nutrients.
Compost
Fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee filters, tea leaves, eggshells, and many other kitchen leftovers belong in the compost pile instead of the garbage. Compost turns food waste into nutrient-rich material that helps improve garden soil.
Fruit Fly Trap
Overripe fruit works well as bait for fruit flies. Place a piece of fruit in a bowl or jar, cover it with plastic wrap, and poke a few small holes in the top. The flies crawl inside but have trouble finding their way back out.
Natural Fabric Dye
Old berries, beet scraps, onion skins, and used coffee grounds can produce beautiful natural dyes. They’re perfect for dyeing fabric, paper, or craft projects without using synthetic coloring.
Feed Backyard Chickens
Many backyard chickens happily eat stale bread, vegetable scraps, plain yogurt, and certain fruits. Skip anything that’s moldy or unsafe, but suitable leftovers can help reduce food waste while giving your flock a tasty snack.
Garden Pest Spray
Garlic and onions that are past their prime can still be useful. Chop them, soak them in water for a day, strain the liquid, and spray it around plants. The strong smell may discourage certain garden pests.
Homemade Face Mask
Plain yogurt that’s no longer fresh enough to eat can still be used externally if it hasn’t spoiled. Mix it with honey to create a simple moisturizing face mask. If you like, add a few drops of your favorite skin-safe essential oil.
Homemade Bread Crumbs
Stale bread is perfect for making bread crumbs. Dry the slices completely, grind them into fine crumbs, and season them with your favorite herbs and spices. Store them in an airtight container for future recipes.
Compost Tea
Kitchen scraps that are suitable for compost can also be used to make compost tea. Soak finished compost or compostable plant material in water for several days, then use the liquid to water garden plants.
Homemade Vegetable Stock
Save carrot peels, celery tops, onion skins, mushroom stems, and other vegetable trimmings in the freezer. Once you’ve collected enough, simmer everything in water to make a flavorful homemade vegetable stock.
Flavored Vinegar
Slightly overripe fruits such as berries, peaches, or apples can add flavor to vinegar. Let the fruit steep in vinegar for several days before straining. The finished vinegar works well in homemade salad dressings and marinades.
Fruit Leather
Soft, overripe fruit is ideal for homemade fruit leather. Blend the fruit into a smooth puree, spread it thinly on a baking sheet or dehydrator tray, and dry it at a low temperature until it’s flexible and chewy. It’s an easy way to turn fruit that’s a little too ripe into a homemade snack.
