Home cook shares money-saving food hack using common household waste: 'I didn't know this was a thing'

If you think banana peels are useless, you're wrong. One Redditor's post shows how you can save them for syrup. Plus, there's no cooking required.

The scoop

Making this fruity syrup is simple, and you won't need many ingredients or much cook time.

The Redditor said, "I used equal parts banana peels and sugar," in their food hack posted in the r/noscrapleftbehind subreddit.

Based on the three photos, you place the peels in a plastic container with the sugar and let it sit for 24 hours. Then, you strain it to enjoy it how you wish, but the OP suggests cocktails. Don't forget about drizzling over pancakes and French toast or flavoring your specialty coffee drinks and smoothies.

How it's helping

Food hacks like this one give consumers ideas of how to do more with leftovers and repurpose food parts they may assume are useless.

The California-based restaurant Heritage has turned "zero-waste" into an art form and a Michelin Green Star by using everything from fig leaves for ice cream to the same item several ways in the same dish.

Knowing how to upcycle food can save money on groceries as prices continue to increase. Everyone can expect a 3.2% rise in food costs in 2025, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service.

Landfills also benefit from more people avoiding food waste since it accounts for as much as 24% of trash — the largest material component in them, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While food decays faster than plastic, it's still harmful since the EPA also reports that the fast rate produces more methane pollution than other dumped materials.

Sometimes, supermarkets and restaurants have a surplus of perishable food or slightly bruised items that people may initially avoid. People can help such businesses avoid throwing out good food and save on their grocery bills by using apps like Too Good To Go and Flashfood.

What everyone's saying

The commenters appeared impressed by the banana peel upcycling. 

Would you buy juice or yogurt made with bruised or misshapen fruit? If I couldn't tell the difference 🤔 If it were cheaper 💰 If it were healthier 🍎 I'd never buy it 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

One said, "I didn't know this was a thing. Does the syrup end up bitter at all?"

These peels may also help those looking for plant-based food options to replace meat. One commenter remarked, "I once saw a video using banana peels to make vegan 'pulled pork.'"

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