Many vegetables are sold with parts that are perfectly edible but routinely binned: broccoli stalks, carrot tops, beetroot leaves, cauliflower leaves.
Using them cuts waste and gets more value from what you buy.
Parts worth keeping
- Broccoli and cauliflower stalks — peel, slice, and stir-fry or roast
- Cauliflower leaves — roast until crisp at the edges
- Beetroot and radish leaves — cook like spinach
- Carrot tops — blend into pesto or chimichurri
- Herb stalks — chop into sauces, stocks, and dressings
- Potato peels — roast into crisps
Make a scrap stock
Keep a bag in the freezer for onion ends, celery leaves, carrot peels, and herb stalks. When full, simmer with water for an hour to make stock. Avoid brassica scraps in large quantities, which can make stock bitter.
Wash well
Peels and leaves can hold soil and grit. Scrub root vegetables and rinse leaves thoroughly. Do not eat potato skins that have turned green, or rhubarb leaves, which are toxic.
Start small
Try one new part each week. Broccoli stalks and cauliflower leaves are easy starting points, and many people find they prefer them to the florets. See our food waste guide.
This is general sustainability information. Recycling, composting, and disposal rules vary by municipality — check local guidance. Cost and energy savings are estimates and depend on your home and usage.