How to Use Fruit Peels: 10 Ideas

You know it's possible reuse fruit peels in many practical and original ways to avoid unnecessary waste? Do a calculation, even an approximate one: the quantity of apple, orange, and banana peels that we throw in the trash It's truly enormous. But is it always essential? Are we sure that, at least sometimes to start, there are no alternatives? Yet if we think of lemons, for example, many of their qualities, even for reusing them for household cleaning, are contained precisely in their peel.

They can perfume small spaces like the refrigerator and pantry, they can be dried, caramelized, and transformed into detergents, spirits, and sauces: there are countless ways to reuse them. Take note.

For household cleaning

Did you know that citrus peels can restore the shine to copper objects? Simply rub orange or lemon peels over the surface you want to clean and it will shine again: a traditional remedy, completely natural and with surprising results.

As natural air fresheners

It's possible to perfume your home in an eco-friendly way without resorting to commercial sprays. Prolonged use of these products can be harmful to your health, according to the association. Altroconsumo After testing the most common air fresheners, to avoid this risk, add some orange peel, a few cinnamon sticks, a few cloves, and some star anise to a small saucepan and boil for a long time. The scent of these ingredients will permeate your home.

To prepare detergents

Prepare a detergent with citrus peels It has a double advantage: it's very economical thanks to the use of waste materials, and it's eco-friendly because it's free of pollutants and substances harmful to the environment and health. To make it, simply cut the peels into a jar, then pour in white vinegar and seal. After at least 2-3 hours, pour the liquid into a spray bottle and top with water. Your completely natural cleaner is ready.

For the sauce

How to reuse fruit peels, again? Trying the apple peel sauce, A delicious recipe to enjoy with pancakes, grilled vegetables, or legumes. It's also easy to prepare: it only takes half an hour. Once ready, you can spoon it onto your plate and serve it with a variety of dishes. Alternatively, the apple peels can be used in a delicious smoothie.

For the limoncello

Il Limoncello It's the quintessential liqueur made from lemon peel: choose organic ones, or better yet, those grown in your own garden. Sipping it is a tradition to end hearty Sunday family meals. And it's a great way to avoid wasting precious resources.

For the vinegar

What if we told you that you can make vinegar from apple cores and peels? Here's another useful reason to preserve apple scraps.

• Fill a jar with apple peels and cores, adding sugar and water until it reaches 2/3 of the jar.
• Cover with gauze or cloth and secure with a rubber band. Wrap the jar in aluminum foil to keep it dark.
• Stir every 1-2 days for 2-3 weeks, until the first bubbles appear.
• Make sure the scraps are always immersed in the liquid to avoid mold formation.
• Filter the resulting cider and let it ferment again for 4-6 weeks.
• Transfer the vinegar to a bottle and store it in the refrigerator once it reaches the desired acidity.

For tea

With apple peels, again, you can pto repair a tea Naturally sweet and soothing: pour them into boiling water along with a cinnamon stick and a little honey. Wait for the aromas and flavors to release during the infusion, then sip.

For the compost

If you have any banana peels to throw away, consider adding them to the compostThey can be used as fertilizers and, once cut, they decompose and enrich the soil with nutrients. Of course, you can add to the compost not only the peel of other fruits, but also food scraps in general.

As a snack

Furthermore, by drying apple peels and seasoning them with ground cinnamon, you can transform them into a convenient, healthy, inexpensive, and delicious snack. They can be eaten in place of more elaborate snacks and can also be taken with you when running errands.

As a flavored oil

Last idea on how to reuse fruit peels: who's stopping you from using orange or lemon peels to create a versatile flavored oilPour a generous amount of chopped peel into a glass jar and let it steep for two weeks, shaking the jar at least once a day. After this time, strain the liquid and store the mixture in a dark oil bottle to preserve its aroma.

Read also:

• Zero-waste minestrone soup made with leftover vegetables. In just twenty minutes.
• The best recipes for using up stale bread. From meatballs to bread gnocchi. And even muffins.
• Potato Parmigiana: the recipe that uses leftover stale bread, vegetables and cheeses

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