There’s nothing worse than buying a bunch of delicious food only to throw it out a week later because you weren’t able to finish it…instead of wasting your hard-earned cash (or, well, mom and dad’s) put it to good use and repurpose some common foods that go bad quickly!
1. Stale Bread = Bread pudding
Photo by Hannah Lin
Rock-hard moldy bread is particularly unappetizing. However, if you cut out the moldy parts, soak the bread in a custard and throw the mix in an oven, you’ll get a crunchy and moist dessert. Check out this link for creative bread-pudding recipes.
2. Stale Cereal = Crunchy granola
Photo by Lauren Kaplan
If you weren’t able to finish a whole box of cereal and it lost it’s crunchiness, fear not! Mix some add-ins and stick it in the oven for 10 minutes at 350°F. Let the granola cool to harden and pack tightly.
3. Stale Crackers/Chips = Bread crumbs
Photo by Jeanne Kessira
Crumble up old crackers or chips finely and use as you would any regular bread crumbs. Use goldfish for that special pop of artificial orange.
4. Cheese Rinds = Soup flavoring
Photo by Jeanne Kessira
Instead of throwing out cheese rinds, put them in stocks and stews to give a depth of flavor. Take out before serving, of course.
5. Roasted Vegetables or over-ripe fruits = soup or purée
For any vegetables that are no longer good to eat fresh (or that have been hanging around in your fridge for a bit too long), just stick them in a blender with some water and seasonings of your choice and blend it up until the mix is smooth and creamy. Do the same with nearly bursting fruit and use as a sauce to top ice cream or cakes. Look at this carrot soup recipe or this broccoli cheddar soup for inspiration.
Photo by Amanda Gajdosik