I know, I know… the topic of today’s post sounds pretty cheesy! But bear with me here, because I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds. 🙂
Today I will share some useful tips for good use of expired food. But before we get started, I want to be very clear about what I mean when I say “over.” (Spoiler alert: “finished” does not mean “rotten!”)
Defining “finished” food
For the purpose of this post, I’m using the term “finished” to describe foods that are in the past Expiration, use-by or sell-by date.
There is almost always a certain amount of time between a food’s expiration date and the date it actually goes bad and becomes unusable. The time in between is your window of opportunity to put that food item to good use!
So how do you know when a food has gone from “old but still usable” to completely rotten? Trust your senses of sight and smell! If the color or texture has changed dramatically, go ahead and throw it away. Likewise, if it smells bad or is dramatically different from how it used to smell, toss it.
Okay, so now that we’re all on the same page here, let’s get to it.
9 useful ways to use expired food
1. Mayonnaise
Use old mayonnaise to shine your stainless steel appliances. It may sound strange, but the oil content in mayo will actually make your stainless steel shine! Check out more interesting uses for mayo at the link below.
Related: 17 Surprisingly Clever Uses for Mayonnaise
2. Greek yogurt
You can use past-its-prime Greek yogurt to make an exfoliating face mask. Greek yogurt is full of lactic acid, which helps slough off dead skin cells to reveal brighter skin underneath.
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon honey. Apply the mixture evenly on your face, leave it for 15 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
3. Ground coffee
Even if your ground coffee has gone stale, you can still put it to good use As a face scrub! Coffee is rich in antioxidants and has a soothing effect, a combination that can help nourish and tone your skin.
Mix your stale ground coffee with enough milk to make a paste. Rub the coffee paste on your skin for a minute or so, leave it on for about 20 minutes, then wash it off.
4. Milk
Got a carton of milk that’s starting to go sour? Use it for baking! Add it to cakes, biscuits, waffles and pancakes for an extra dose of flavor. A little sour milk can be used as a substitute for buttermilk in many baked goods and is delicious.
You can read more about baking with evaporated milk Spruce eats.
5. Wilted herbs and vegetables
Do you have fresh herbs or vegetables in your fridge that are starting to look a little sad or wilted? Instead of throwing it out, store it in your freezer to make homemade vegetable or chicken stock later. Learn how easy it is to make your own homemade stock below.
Related: How to Make Homemade Veggie Stock the Lazy Way
6. Brown sugar
I can’t even count the number of times I’ve gone to get my brown sugar and realized it’s hardened into a brick. I used to think that made sugar useless, but now I know better – you can use your blender to revive hardened brown sugar.
Pulse the brown sugar in your blender a few times until smooth. You may need to add a few drops of water to break up any very hard clumps.
7. Bread
Stale bread isn’t very pleasant to eat, but it’s great for making homemade breadcrumbs. Just pulse a few pieces of stale bread in your blender or food processor, add some salt and pepper or your favorite spices and use it in your favorite recipes for an extra crunch.
8. Eggs
If you have some old eggs, hang on to the shell. Eggshells are great for your garden because they are rich in calcium and other minerals.
Just chop them into small pieces and sprinkle them around your established plants. You can also encourage seedlings by sprinkling eggshells at the bottom of the holes when you plant the seedlings.
Related: 8 Smart Reasons You Should Keep Your Eggshells
9. Avocado
Who among us hasn’t waited a moment too long to use an avocado? While an overripe avocado may not taste good, it’s not a problem if you’re using it as a moisturizing treatment for your hair.
Mash an avocado in a bowl and apply to wet or dry hair. Leave it on for an hour, then wash it off with your usual shampoo and conditioner. Yours Hair will look silky smooth And then moisturized!
Related: 11 Beauty Hacks From Back In The Day That Everyone Should Know
What’s your best tip for using less-than-fresh food?
