Jeff Yeager – noted author of ‘The Cheapskate Next Door’ stated that “A ‘rind’ is a terrible thing to waste.” So what is a Rind? It is the outer layer of – in this case – a vegetable or a fruit. There are multiple uses for produce rinds, peels, skins, etc. and ways to extract benefits from them before they end up in the compost pile. Listed below are some of the ways.
- Jam:
We all know that orange rinds are put into ‘Orange Marmalade’ jam. Other fruits besides oranges can be made into ‘marmalade’, they include lemons, grapefruit, limes, tangerines and even kumquat (
the little orange fruits that are about the size of a large grape). I have a kumquat tree. Love the fruit. You can eat the whole thing rind and all. The sweetness is in the rind.
- Cornhusks: Another use most of you are familiar with…make sure the husks are from sweet corn and dampened, then wrap fish and other seafood in it. You can serve the fish in the husks.
- Easter Egg Dye: With Easter coming up, try boiling organic Easter eggs with onion skins to naturally create wild yellow and orange eggshells.
- Olive Oil: Add citrus peels to olive oil for flavor and to reinvigorate oil that’s getting old.
Foot rub: I like this one. Rub papaya skins and pulp on the bottoms of your feet to help soften and soothe the skin. The papaya skins are rich in Vitamin A and papain, which breaks down inactive proteins and removes dead skin cells. Papaya is such a versatile fruit. Many face creams and facial peels are made from this fruit. The fruit is great in a smoothie.
- Shoeshine: If you want a ‘spit-shine’ on leather shoes, polish them with the slippery side of a banana peel.
- Houseplants: Banana peels may also be used to shine the leaves on houseplants to make them sparkle; this also serves as a natural pesticide and fertilizer.
- I also use them by rubbing the inside of the peel on my legs and arms to soften and give nutrients to the skin.
- Hair Dye:
I will have to try this one. Boil potato peels in water for about a half hour, strain and let cool. Rinse the hair with this water after shampooing. It will gradually darken grey hair without any synthetic chemicals.
Wow! There are so many little hints that are not costly. Many of you may be aware of stuffing fruit and veggie peels inside a chicken or turkey before roasting to give it extra flavor. Many potpourri are made with all types of dried citrus rinds, apple peels, pomegranate skins and other fruit trimmings. You can boil lemon rinds in water on the top of the stove in order to freshen the air in the kitchen. Scoop out an avocado shell and use the shell as a biodegradable pot to start garden seedlings in. I like this one the best – use as pest control in your garden or yard. Sprinkle ground-up nutshells on the ground or crushed egg shells. Slugs and other pests can’t stand crawling across the rough texture.
MAKE A NOTE: As when working with any foods, thoroughly wash the rinds of produce or anything that is to be eaten even when it is organically grown.
Thank you Jeff Yeager – these are great tips for those folks who are not aware of them. They are great recycling tips for Fruit and Veggie Scraps.
BE CREATIVE – MAYBE YOU CAN DISCOVER YOUR OWN NEW USE FOR TABLE SCRAPS!
LET’S ALL HELP to KEEP AMERICA CLEAN!
FYI-HEALTH TALK 