Stop Throwing Out Banana Peels And Use Them In This Drink Instead

Banana peels are useful for a number of reasons: They protect the sweet fruit inside, indicate ripeness by how brown and freckled they are, and star in classic comedy pratfalls — but they are unexpectedly also completely edible. Banana peels are rich in fiber and contain potassium (like the banana itself), and, as an added bonus, consuming them reduces food waste. But that doesn't mean you should just bite into a banana, peel and all. Instead of that unappetizing prospect, try blending them into a smoothie.

Choose a ripe banana when you're planning to use its peel. Ripening sweetens and thins the peel, which will otherwise be tough and bitter. Rinse the banana under running water to clean it, and use organic bananas if you want to be certain of avoiding pesticides on the skin. Cut off the two ends and discard them, then add the banana peel and fruit to any smoothie recipe that includes bananas. Freezing the banana slices first is also a great trick to make your smoothie thicker. You may not want to use the entire banana peel in one smoothie however, as it can be too much of a good thing, and all that fiber can lead to complaints from your stomach. Leftover banana peel can be stored in the freezer and used later.

Smoothies aren't the only way that you can eat banana peels. You can simmer them in water for about 10 minutes to make a tea, then throw away the peel and sweeten the tea with honey or sugar. Or, boil the peels and blend them with a little of the boiling liquid, then mix the puree into cake batter for a moist and delicious banana-flavored cake. Another option is roasting the peels with sugar and cinnamon, then serving them with ice cream. They can even be pickled or candied. On the savory side, some vegan recipes use banana peels as a meat substitute in pulled "pork" or "chicken," bolognese sauce, and even faux bacon.

But bananas aren't the only fruit with skin we could be eating instead of throwing away. Kiwi skin has fiber and nutrients, and can be eaten as part of unpeeled kiwi slices or blended into a smoothie. Watermelon rind can be pickled, grated into a slaw, or stir-fried. And while you may typically eat apples skin and all, for recipes that require them to be peeled, you can bake the apple peels into a crunchy snack.