5 Tasty Recipes for Overripe Produce

Buying local produce can be a catch-22. Sure, you want to eat locally and seasonally, but produce can have a pretty short shelf-life. If you have some overripe fruits and veggies in your fridge, don’t toss them in the compost pile yet! Check out these five simple recipes for overripe produce, and start cutting back on food waste today.

Homemade applesauce beats those grocery store alternatives any day. Photo: Flickr/ccharmon

Before you get started

Note that there is a difference between overripe and spoiled. Produce that’s been sitting out for too long can begin harboring bacteria that can upset your stomach or cause other more serious health problems.

Inspect your produce carefully before eating. Check the exterior for any signs of mold, and don’t use it if it smells a little funky. If you aren’t sure about whether or not to eat a piece of produce, play it safe and toss it in the compost pile.

1. Apples

These fall fruits are as good as they are good for you. And while apples have a much longer shelf-life than most fruits, that enormous basket you just picked up from the local orchard may be a little hard to eat before the fruit begins to soften. The good news is – overripe apples have tons of useful applications in your kitchen, like this recipe for homemade applesauce. Trust us, it’s better than the stuff from the grocery store.

Traditional Homemade Applesauce Recipe

What you’ll need:

4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
¾ cup of water
¼ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of dried cinnamon

How to make it:

This one couldn’t be simpler. Just toss all the ingredients in a pot, cover and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until apples are soft. Then let it cool and mash with a potato masher. Add additional fall spices like cloves and nutmeg if desired. Store your applesauce in jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.