10 Tips and Tricks to Cutting Down on Food Waste in the Kitchen

When I was a kid, my family used to tease me for saving even a single leftover pea after dinner. They thought it was funny—but something about wasting food, no matter how small, just didn’t sit right with me.

Years later, it turns out that instinct had merit. Today, an estimated 30–40% of food goes to waste, while over 800 million people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger. The average person generates more than 4 pounds of waste per day, and U.S. landfills—home to more than half of our 220 million tons of annual waste—are the second-largest source of human-caused methane emissions.

From bulk store overspending to forgotten produce in the back of the fridge, most of us waste more than we realize. Even well-intentioned eaters might toss food scraps that could be repurposed, like citrus peels, broccoli stems, or herb stalks.

The good news? With a little awareness and a few simple strategies, we can reduce food waste—and even save money while we’re at it. It’s always a work in progress (I’m still guilty of the occasional forgotten fridge item!), but progress starts with awareness.

Ten tips and tricks to cut down on

food waste in the kitchen

Use the rind!

If you don’t have one, purchase a grater so that you can zest lemon and lime peels. They are packed with vitamins and minerals that would offer many more benefits by consuming rather than wasting them. Store excess for soups, salads and stir-fries. Try this delicious and nutritious recipe, Lemon and Walnut Linguine With Roasted Broccoli, which calls for nutrient-dense lemon rind.

Add produce pulp to muffins, pancakes and breads.

You’ll never know the difference, but will be adding lots of additional fiber to your plate. These Raw Juice Pulp Crackers will help you live waste-free and are perfect for snacking on the go!

Make a nutrient dense soup broth.

Use immediately or save in a sealed container for 3 days and use as a nutrient-rich veggie stock. Soup broths are a great alternative to water when cooking rice, pasta quinoa or other whole grains.

Make iced or hot tea.

Use the same recipe to make a soup broth, but instead of using it as a broth, drink it as a tea. Add a little lemon zest for a citrus boost or ginger for a spicy kick. During the summer, add ice for a cool refreshing drink or mix with a little sparkling water for a summer spritzer.

Add juice pulp to stir-fries.

I recently made turmeric, ginger and lemon shots with my juicer and had so much beautiful turmeric pulp left over. I ended up adding it to an Asian stir-fry that night, which gave it a delicious earthy flavor, not to mention the bonus of feeding my body with super-powered nutrients.

Dehydrate and grate veggie pulp to use as “bread crumbs” on top of vegan pizza, pastas and vegan mac n’ cheese.

These veggie-based breadcrumbs are so good that you might find yourself ditching the sugary granola bar and enjoying plant-based breadcrumbs as your afternoon-pick-me-up!

Make your own skincare.

The stems and rinds of vegetables and herbs are packed with antioxidants. Lemon rind is great for skin lightening and rosemary stems are phytonutrient-rich. Why waste them? Grab your spice grinder and grind the two together then add to your favorite moisturizer for a facial mask. Or, you can simply combine them with coconut, avocado or olive oil for a super antioxidant moisturizing overnight facial mask.

Feed the chickens!

Farm animals aren’t picky about their produce-stems, seeds, ugly fruit-they love it all. Bring the left over produce to a nearby farm to feed the chickens, goats and pigs. They will thank you and, if you are the one feeding it to them, you will thank them for making you smile. (Have you seen a pig go to town on produce? It’s quite the spectacle.)

Preserve and use leftover produce as decoration.

I recently added some dried rosemary stems to my decorative plants and they look rustic and pretty! Get inspired by these DIY Nature As Décor Projects.

Make decorative ice.

Add rinds, stems and seeds to an ice tray and surprise your guests when you serve them their drink. Not only does it make you look like a professional host, but you’re also helping your friends stay healthy by giving them a little fiber and nutrition with their drink.

Individually, we can make an impact!

If each of us reduced our food waste by just 10% a day, we’d save over 150 pounds of waste per person every year. That’s a powerful impact from a small shift in daily habits—and when we all do our part, those small efforts add up to meaningful change for the planet.

Waste reduction starts with awareness and intention—and it starts with us. Together, we have the power to create a more sustainable, less wasteful future.

What are your favorite ways to reuse, repurpose, or cut down on waste in the kitchen? I’d love to hear your tips!