Have you ever looked through the fridge and realized that the produce you have has seen some better days? A wrinkly apple here, a squashed orange there, it's easy to forget that even in the fridge, they don't last forever (as much as I wished they did). Here's a couple of ideas that you can incorporate into your home that could put the forgotten ingredients to use.

Flavoured vinegars and oils

If you ever have wilted or left over herbs, add them to your choice of vinegar or oil. The longer you let them soak, the more flavourful they become! The Apothecary carries so many different oils you can choose from, like olive and avocado. Get as little or as much as you need to make your very own flavoured oils.

Face scrub and mask

A bag of oats is a staple in many people's kitchen, but once they're past their expiry date, you may wonder what else you can do with them, besides composting them. With how cold and dry the weather can get as winter comes around, try incorporating them into your skin care routine. You can use the oats whole or powdered as a lovely face scrub without drying out your skin. Simply put a quarter sized amount of oats in the palm of your hands, add some warm water to soften the oats, and scrub away!

Citrus peels galore

Oranges are a delicious and healthy snack. Unfortunately, eating the peel doesn't give the same experience as eating the fruit itself. But hey, the peels are packed with fragrant oils. If you didn’t know, Sweet Orange Essential Oil is made from the peels of the orange! If you want to use leftover orange peels for your home, consider adding them to a simmer pot to bring in the fall vibes. You can also dry the peels and add it to your tea to enhance the flavour as well.

A good bowl of soup

Vegetable scraps and ends often get thrown in a compost, but before you consider doing so, give them a chance to nourish your body! Save the scraps in a bag or two and store them in the freezer. A Stasher bag is another great option for storing those scraps. (They’re made with silicone for easy cleaning, and they come in many sizes.) Continue to add discarded vegetable scraps and once you have enough to fill a pot, throw them in with some water and seasoning to create a wonderful veggie broth! And the uses for the broth are endless. Try replacing water with this veggie broth to cook your rice. It’s a simple way to add those rich flavours and nutrients to a basic kitchen staple!

Let us know how you like to use food scraps in your kitchen!