6 clever ways to use fruit peels instead of throwing them out

Your fruit peels don't have to go to waste.CyrilLutz/Shutterstock

• Using fruit peels for practical purposes can help you to reduce food waste.
• Orange peels can be turned into candy and a sweet syrup.
• Grapefruit rinds can be used to make a fiber-rich tea.
• Banana peels can be used to give your shoes an extra shine.

You might be surprised to find there are many uses for your food scraps, especially fruit peels.

We instinctively toss out the protective coating of our oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and bananas after we get what we need from them: juice, zest, or the delicious fruit itself. But rather than tossing these scraps in the trash, you can use them up.

We rounded up some ways that you can use the whole fruit — even the peel – to truly get the most out of your purchase.