Sound familiar? You’ve made a smoothie or a fruit salad and you now have fruit left over? Or there’s overripe fruit in your fruit basket waiting to be used up? Instead of throwing away leftover fruit, whether it’s the peel or the fruit flesh itself, we have some clever and creative ideas for using it up! This adds variety to your cooking and avoids food waste. Read on for five great hacks for delicious treats that are bursting with vitamins. Bye bye fruit waste!

 

Tip 1: Conjure up some edible fruit leather

We love fruity leather! And it’s easy to make. Choose ripe leftover fruit to make a very sweet fruit leather. If you prefer a sourer taste, use oranges or lemons. Purée the fruit until it forms a smooth mixture. Use a sieve to strain the seeds. If you like, add spices such as cinnamon or vanilla. Spread out the fruit mixture evenly on baking paper or a dehydrator grid. The layer should not be too thick so that the fruit leather can dry evenly. Place the mixture in the oven at a low temperature or in a dehydrator. Wait patiently for a few hours. Then cut the fruit leather into strips and enjoy! This snack has a long shelf life if it is stored in an airtight container.

 

Tip 2: DIY your own gummy sweets

This snack is similar to gummy bears but is a healthier and more sustainable alternative. Instead of shop-bought gummy sweets, you can make your own healthy bears! Purée a fruit of your choice, sweeten to taste and add a plant-based gelling agent, such as agar-agar or pectin. Heat the fruit and gelling agent slowly in a saucepan, stirring constantly. Simmer for a few minutes to activate the gelling agent. Pour the mixture into silicon moulds and place in the refrigerator to set. Now you have your own homemade gummy sweets without any artificial additives. Good to know: some fruit juice or honey will add that extra touch of sweetness.

 

Tip 3: Take the time to make your own fruit vinegar

Another clever idea to use up leftover fruit: use the peels and leftover fruit, like apples, pears, berries or peaches, to make fruit vinegar. Wash the fruit thoroughly and chop into small pieces. Place the chopped fruit in a jar or a jug and fill the jar or jug with water. Add a tablespoon of sugar to help the fermentation process. Stir the mixture, cover it and leave to ferment in a warm place for one to two weeks. Drain off the liquid and pour it into a clean bottle. Cover it again and leave to ferment for another two to three weeks until the acetic acid forms. Bottle the resulting fruit vinegar and seal the bottle well. Perfect for salads, sauces and marinades!

 

Tip 4: Cool down with a refreshing, homemade fruit sorbet

Keep it fresh and fruity! Leftover fruit can be quickly transformed into a delicious fruit sorbet or another refreshing fruity treat. Luckily, here at Dole, we have the best recipes for cool dudes with a sweet tooth! You’ve simply got to try our banana matcha nice cream, banana and mango nice cream, orange and banana nice cream with raspberries or blueberry and coconut nice cream. Our mega summery, ice-cold frozen pineapple on a stick and frozen yoghurt bites à la banana berries are sure to tempt you.

 

Tip 5: Give free reign to your creativity

Feel inspired by our tips and want to dive into your fruit leftovers straight away?! Then give our ideas a try or let your creative side run riot! You can experiment to your heart’s content with your leftover fruit. Delicious fruit sauces, fruit juices or refreshing smoothie bowls are just some examples of what you can make. Take a look at our orange and kiwi peel smoothie or raspberry and yoghurt bowl with roasted espresso nuts. Mueslis, yoghurts or salads can also be given a fruity twist with your leftover fruit.

 

Don’t waste your vitamins!

 

Your Dole team