You paid for it, so don’t throw it away. Here are some ideas to give the things one might throw away a second life.

Bananas: This is a no-brainer. Make banana bread from over ripe bananas. But don’t throw that peel away! Slice it up and bury it in the garden, along with crushed egg shells and leftover coffee grounds. You’ll have instant compost.

Parmesan cheese rinds: I can’t always afford to buy wedges of genuine Parmesan cheese, but when I do I hoard the rinds. Throw one into any kind of tomato based sauce and it will add flavor as well as thickening power. Fish it out before serving.

Vegetable trimmings: Any time I’m working with leeks, onions, carrots, or celery I save all the trimmings, rinsed clean of course, in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. They become a convenient ingredient in any kind of homemade broth.