Food Scrap Crafts

Difficult to say, fun to do. Most of these crafts utilize ingredients and materials you probably already have in your kitchen! 

Homemade Citrus Garland

Commonly associated with the holiday season, citrus garlands add natural beauty and color to your space any time of the year. You can watch our how-to video here or try this version where you don’t even need to turn on the oven.

Incorporate lemons, limes, grapefruit and more to play with color and size.

Vegetable-based water colors

To make these truly non-toxic, safe to pour down the drain water colors, all you need are veggies/veggies scraps, water, and a stove top. Follow the instructions in this post to create water colors of your own. This is an especially fun one to do with kids.

 

Homemade Dog Treats

Make your good boi treats from kitchen scraps! 

  • 1/2 cup unseasoned mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups finely chopped, cooked turkey or chicken meat (no skin or bones)
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, combine sweet potatoes, water, and egg and stir until incorporated. Add chicken and flour and stir again until well combined. Batter will be very thick and sticky.

Use a spreader to spread the dough evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet to form a rectangle at about 1/2″ thickness. Use a knife or pizza cutter to score the dough into rectangles of whatever size you’d like. Consider your dogs size at this point. You can also use cookie cutters to make shapes. If you do this, we recommend spreading the dough on a lightly floured work surface first, then cutting out and transferring to the baking sheet for baking.

Bake for about 30 minutes, until the dog treats are lightly golden brown. Cool completely and then break along the score lines or use a knife or pizza cutter to cut along the score lines.

Store in the refrigerator for a few weeks. For long term (a few months), store in an airtight container in the freezer and thaw before serving.

Potato Stamp Art

Oops, did your potatoes turn green? Don’t eat them, make stamps instead. Adults will need to help younger kids using the knife.

Cut the potato in half with a kitchen knife. Don’t let the potato dry out too much as this will distort the design.

Use a pencil or marker or cookie cutter to draw/imprint the desired shape onto the surface of the potato.

Cut around this shape with a kitchen knife, leaving the design so it is raised on the surface of the potato. Use this method if using cookie cutters.

Using a serrated knife will give a textured surface. Use a fork or skewer to make tiny holes in the potato for added design interest.

Pour paint onto a plate and dab the potato in the paint, ensuring that the surface is evenly coated.

If there is too much paint on the potato stamp it will slip when stamped onto paper. Stamp the potato onto scratch paper a couple of times to remove excess paint.

Press the potato stamp onto the paper, card, or project. You should be able to use the stamp several times before needing to dip it in paint again. The potato can be washed after use and used again with another color.

Let the paint dry completely before decorating or finishing the design.

 

Quick Pickles

Pickling is a food preservation technique that extends the life & deliciousness of most veggies. Summer is the ideal time to pull quick pickles from the fridge. Make cool, briney, and crunchy quick pickles with kids and maybe they’ll eat a pickled carrot spear at dinner tonight!

  • 1 pound fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers, carrots, green beans, onions, cherry tomatoes, radishes, or okra
  • 2 sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill, or rosemary (optional)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons whole spices, such as black peppercorns, coriander, or mustard seeds (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon dried herbs or ground spices (optional)
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed or sliced or a few slices of fresh ginger (optional)
  • 1 cup vinegar, such as white, apple cider, or rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

Wash 2 wide-mouth pint jars, lids, and rings in warm, soapy water and rinse well. Set aside to dry, or dry completely by hand.

Wash and dry the vegetables. Peel the carrots. Trim the end of beans. Cut vegetables into desired shapes and sizes, etc. 

Divide the herbs, spices, or garlic you are using between the jars. Pack the vegetables into the jars, making sure there is a 1/2 inch of space from the rim of the jar to the tops of the vegetables. Pack them in as tightly as you can without smashing.

Place the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar (if using) in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Pour the brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. 

Gently tap the jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top off with more brine if necessary. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings until tight.

Let the jars cool to room temperature. Store the pickles in the refrigerator. The pickles will improve with flavor as they age — try to wait at least 12 hours before cracking them open, but 48 hours is best.