Don’t Throw It Away Yet! 5 Foods Grandma Knew How to Save

Have you ever opened the cabinet, reached for your honey and discovered that your lovely golden liquid has turned into a grainy little science project?

Don’t throw it away!

Crystallized honey has not necessarily spoiled.

Crystallization is a natural process that happens when some of the sugars in honey form crystals. Some types of honey crystallize faster than others, and raw honey can crystallize more readily.

The wonderful news is that you can usually bring it right back.

How To Save Crystallized Honey

Place the honey container in a bowl or pan of warm water.

Let it sit while the warmth slowly loosens the crystals. Stir the honey if you are able to, and replace the water with fresh warm water if necessary.

You are looking for gentle warmth here… not boiling water.

If your honey is in a container you would rather not warm, transfer what you need into a heat safe glass jar first.

The University of Arkansas Extension recommends warm water around 100°F and confirms that crystallized honey has not spoiled simply because crystals have formed.

And by the way…

You don’t even HAVE to liquefy crystallized honey.

You can scoop it onto toast… stir it into tea… mix it into oatmeal… or use it in cooking.

Nothing wrong with a little crunchy honey!

There is always ONE.

That poor apple sitting in the fruit bowl while everyone carefully reaches around it for the prettier apples.

Yesterday it looked perfectly respectable.

Today it looks like it has been paying taxes for 84 years.

A slightly wrinkled or softer apple does not automatically belong in the garbage. It may not have the crisp texture you want for eating out of hand, but it can be wonderful for cooking.

Give Those Apples A Second Life

Peel them if you like… remove the core… cut away any bruised areas and turn them into:

• Quick cinnamon apples
• Homemade applesauce
• Apple oatmeal
• Pancake topping
• Muffins
• Apple bread
• A simple apple compote
• Baked apples

For the easiest little stovetop treat, cut your apples into chunks and place them in a small saucepan with a splash of water and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Cook until tender.

You can add a little brown sugar, maple syrup or honey if you want them sweeter… but depending on the apples, you might not need much at all.

Spoon them over oatmeal, yogurt, pancakes or vanilla ice cream.

Suddenly that sad apple nobody wanted is looking pretty darn good.

The FDA specifically encourages using imperfect produce to help reduce food waste, while advising us to cut away damaged or bruised areas and discard produce that actually looks rotten.

Please tell me I am not the only person who has opened a package of tortillas and realized the last few are getting dry.

They aren’t moldy. They don’t smell strange.

They’re just not soft enough anymore to make the beautiful little wrap you had planned.

No problem. We’re changing the plan!

Turn Them Into Homemade Tortilla Chips

This may actually be my favorite rescue trick because the thing we thought had become too dry suddenly benefits from becoming even CRISPIER.

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

Cut the tortillas into wedges.

Place them on a baking sheet and give them a very light spray or brush of oil.

Add a little salt if desired.

Bake until crisp and lightly golden, checking them frequently so they don’t burn.

Iowa State University Extension uses this same basic method for homemade baked tortilla chips, baking tortilla wedges at 400°F until crisp.

Now grab the salsa!

You can also cut those tortillas into strips and bake them for:

• Taco salad toppings
• Tortilla soup
• Chili toppings
• Rice bowls
• Nachos
• Little crunchy snacks

You may start deliberately hiding tortillas from your family just so you can make chips later.

Ohhhh… peaches.

They give you approximately fourteen minutes between not ripe enough and somebody get a mop.

Pears aren’t much more cooperative.

But when either one becomes very soft without actually being spoiled, that is when I stop thinking about eating it whole and start thinking…

COMPOTE!

I don’t have time for that you might say lol…

It’s really just delicious soft fruit cooked down into something you can spoon over practically everything.  Yum!

Make A Quick Fruit Compote

Cut your soft peaches or pears into pieces. Remove the pits or cores.

Place the fruit in a small saucepan with a tiny splash of water. Add cinnamon if you’d like.

Cook gently until the fruit becomes soft and saucy. Taste before adding sugar because very ripe fruit can already be wonderfully sweet.

If it needs something extra, add a touch of maple syrup, brown sugar or honey.

Now spoon it over:

• Pancakes
• Waffles
• Oatmeal
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
• Pound cake
• French toast

You can even swirl it into overnight oats.

And suddenly those two peaches you were about to throw away have become tomorrow morning’s breakfast.

Another Easy Idea

Freeze soft fruit before it goes too far.

Cut it into pieces… freeze the pieces on a tray… then transfer them to a freezer container.

They’ll be waiting for smoothies, sauces and cooked fruit later.

The FDA specifically recommends using freezing as a tool to keep foods from going bad and suggests finding creative ways to use produce that needs to be eaten soon.

Now THIS one surprised me.

You open the sleeve… Take a bite…

And instead of that beautiful CRUNCH, you get… meh.

The crackers aren’t spoiled.

They’ve simply absorbed moisture from the air and lost their crispness.

Before you throw them away, try giving them a little oven time.

How To Make Stale Crackers Crispy Again

Spread the stale crackers in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Place them in a 425°F oven for just a few minutes.

Keep a close eye on them because we are trying to crisp them… not cremate them.

Let them cool and check the crunch.

Missouri Extension specifically recommends this method for stale crackers, cereals and snacks, provided they have no off flavors.

How cool is THAT?

Or Don’t Revive Them At All

If the crackers aren’t particularly exciting on their own anymore, crush them.

Now you have:

• Casserole topping
• Macaroni and cheese topping
• Crumbs for veggie patties
• A crunchy topping for baked vegetables
• Crumbs for a savory crust
• Cracker crumbs for breading
• Pie or dessert crust crumbs, depending on the cracker

Pop them into a food processor or place them in a bag and give them a good whack with a rolling pin.

Very therapeutic. Dinner AND stress relief. You’re welcome.