How to do zero-waste cooking by using peels

As the name suggests, zero-waste cooking refers to a method of cooking in which you generate zero waste from your kitchen once the cooking is done. The zero-waste method refers to optimum utilization of vegetable and fruit peels that occupy a major chunk of the waste generated on a daily basis in the kitchens. By being more watchful of the waste we generate on a daily basis and recycling it, we not only inch closer to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations but also emerge as responsible citizens of our country. Here are some easy ways to use all the peels generated in the kitchen. (all image credits-istock)

Lemon is packed with citrus which acts as a natural cleanser. Don’t throw away the lemon peels after squeezing out the juice; instead use them like this. Lemon peels can be used to clean all types of stains in the kitchen. You can directly rub the lemon peel on the stain or sprinkle some baking soda on the stain and then rub the lemon peel on it. The combination of baking soda with lemon is powerful enough to bid bye to stains.

Do you know that your kitchen waste can have non-edible uses as well? After eating a banana, we usually throw it away. But what if we tell you that the insides of the banana peel can benefit your skin. You can simply rub the banana peel on your face to make the skin softer and smoother.

Another kitchen waste that can benefit your skin is potato peel. Rubbing potato peels on and under the eyes can help in reducing the puffiness of eyes. Potato peels contain an enzyme called catecholase that helps in reducing the dark circles under the eyes and gives an even tone.

An ideal way to utilize carrot peels is by using them to make stock. This way, you can extract all the vitamins and minerals in the peels and then use the stock in soups and curries. Shredded carrot peels can be added to smoothies and even bread/cake batter.

Orange peels can be used to make delicious orange peel candy, which can be easily made at home using just two ingredients- orange peels and sugar. You can also use orange peels to make refreshing orange tea. Orange peels can be dried under the sun and then blended in a grinder to form a powder. This powder can be used as a face pack after mixing water or yogurt in it.

Bottle Gourd is a healthy and tasty vegetable which is the favourite of all weight-watchers. But do you know that the peels of bottle gourd too can be used to make something tasty? Bottle gourd peels are used to make a delicious chutney that can be savoured with your meals. You just need to grind the peels with some water to make a thick paste and then add a tadka of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, hing, tamarind juice, salt and dry red chilli to it.

For peels and seeds which cannot be used in any way, your go-to solution should be compost. You can use the compost to grow plants in your garden. Creating a compost using kitchen waste is a sustainable method to reduce wastage.