How You Can Make Use of Past-Due Food in Your Kitchen
Frankenstein's Bread
We’ve all fallen victim to a stale loaf of bread, and though this can be frustrating, it doesn’t mean our money has been wasted just yet. There are ways to revive stale bread, along with other past-its-prime food from all corners of your fridge. Food waste is bad for the planet and bad for your wallet — so let’s not do it. Here are eight safe-to-eat kitchen hacks for dealing with old food.
Stale Bread
There are actually tons of things to do with stale bread. Panzanella, for example, is a salad that was created to solve this very problem. While you can turn old bread into croutons, French toast, and a ton of other things, you might just be interested in turning it back into plain ol' bread. No prob: To do this, dampen the bread in your sink, wrap it in foil, and bake it.
Stale Crackers, Chips, and Cereal
Ah, the three Cs. These crispy boys can get stale fast, but there are tactics. Just toast them up in the oven for about 5-10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get that crunch back, my friends.
By the way, why is this even still a problem? It’s 2023. We’ve figured out how to FaceTime people across the world and my Cinnamon Toast Crunch still doesn’t come in a bag with Ziploc capabilities? Unbelievable.
Old Mashed Potatoes
This is such a great one. Bust out that leftover mash and whip them up into some tasty gnocchi.
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Overripe Bananas
Those bananas getting a little bit too brown for your liking? They're still a perfectly acceptable base for banana bread.
Wilted Veggies
If you’re feeling down about some wilted vegetables, don't worry — they're still salvagable. Depending on the size of what you’ve got left, you can revive them pretty easily. All you need to do is trim the veggies up a bit and let them soak in ice water for 10 to 15 minutes. Good as new.
Overcooked Veggies
All is not lost if you’ve bungled the texture of your veggies. You’re a great chef, after all, and the flavors are definitely there. Ignore texture all together and turn your overcooked vegetables into a purée.
Deglazing a Pan
One of the best ways to save old food, even at the microscopic level, is to deglaze your pan. Essentially, you’re extracting all of the flavor from the little bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan, and turning it into a sauce. You’ll be a killer saucier in no time.
Get That Last Little Dribble Out of the Condiment Bottle
Here’s another one you’ll never be able to ignore again. Toss a little oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper into an almost-empty dressing jar and give ‘er a shake. That’s a brand new serving of salad dressing for you.
This article was originally published on Cheapism
