Family-Friendly Anti–Food Waste Recipes
It’s spring break, and we’re all looking for activities to keep the kids busy (because if they’re busy, at least they’re not arguing with each other!). Why not combine fun and practicality by cooking with whatever you already have at home? You’ll save food from being wasted while teaching your children to value ingredients that might otherwise end up in the trash. Here are a few simple recipe ideas that can easily be adapted depending on what you have on hand!
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Muffins or Pancakes with “Ugly” Fruit
Muffins or Pancakes with “Ugly” Fruit
A muffin recipe is perfect for tired-looking fruit, nuts you rediscovered in the pantry, or even the last spoonful of yogurt. You can swap one fruit for another, although in baking — such as muffins — ingredients are harder to substitute since the recipe relies on chemical reactions. That said, there are countless recipes out there, and it’s easy to find one that matches what you have. If you happen to have very ripe bananas and some cocoa powder, here’s a delicious inspiration:
“Touski” Pizzas (aka Everything-but-the-Fridge-Door Pizzas)
“Touski” Pizzas (aka Everything-but-the-Fridge-Door Pizzas)
What’s more fun for kids than making homemade pizzas? Plus, it’s such a versatile meal — any base, sauce, protein, veggies, or cheese can go on top. Naan bread with pesto, shrimp, zucchini, and feta cheese… or bagels with BBQ sauce, chicken, bell peppers, and cheddar. The only limit is your imagination — and your kids’!
Soups and Puréed Vegetables
To use up sad-looking vegetables, soup is your best friend! Depending on their age, kids can help cut the veggies and stir the pot from time to time. You can add any vegetable, herb, and even fruits like apples or the juice of a slightly dried-out orange (amazing in a carrot–ginger soup).
Bottom-of-the-Bag Cookies
Cookies are a bit more forgiving than muffins or cake, which makes it easier to swap ingredients based on what you have in the pantry. You’ll need:
- some flour (wheat, oats, or a mix of leftover flours),
- a fat (butter, oil, applesauce),
- an egg (flax egg, yogurt, mashed banana),
- a sweetener (honey, jam, brown sugar, maple syrup),
- and about one cup of “extras” (chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, broken cookies, cereal crumbs, pretzels, etc.).
Here’s a base recipe for inspiration:
“Touski” Salad, Bowl, or Wrap
“Touski” Salad, Bowl, or Wrap
Nothing is easier for an anti–food waste meal than a DIY bowl or wrap. Cut up fruits and veggies (mango, strawberries, apples, grapes), cook a starch (rice, quinoa, couscous), and prepare a protein (chicken, tofu, ground meat, legumes). Add a small homemade sauce/mayo (or store-bought), and place everything in the center of the table. Everyone builds their own bowl or wrap depending on their hunger and preferences — and you’ve rescued the ingredients sitting in the fridge!
