You’re Throwing Away the Best Part of the Banana!
Everyone loves a good sustainability hack, but here’s one most people don’t want to hear:
You’ve been throwing away the best part of the banana your entire life.
Yes! the peel.
At Cedars Café, we use banana peels the way other kitchens use short ribs.
We braise them, shred them, spice them, and turn them into something unforgettable:
Banana Peel Pulled Bites
Proof that sustainability can be as craveable as it is conscious.
Those “inedible” parts you toss? They’re full of flavor, fiber, and possibility.
Because real sustainability isn’t about perfection.
It’s about curiosity, about asking, “What else could this become?”
The Banana Peel Revolution
The average American throws away nearly 30% of the food they buy.
That’s $30 out of every $100 gone.
But here’s the secret: Banana peels!
Shred like pulled pork
Caramelize like plantains
Absorb spices like a dream
When you learn to use them, you stop seeing food as disposable and start seeing it as abundant.
The Sustainable Kitchen Mindset
Sustainability doesn’t live in a slogan.
It lives in the rhythm of how we cook.
Ask what else it could be. Every scrap is a starting point.
Blend before you toss. Peels, stems, cores, flavor lives there.
Use your freezer like a notebook. Save scraps for stock or sauces.
Get playful, not perfect. The goal isn’t doing it all, it’s starting with one thing.
“The future of food isn’t new. It’s simply smarter.” Chef Toni Elkhouri
Try This: Banana Peel Pulled “Pork”
Makes 4 servings | Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 20 mins
Ingredients
3 ripe banana peels (flesh removed)
1 small onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp tomato paste
Olive oil
Instructions
Scrape the inner side of the peels to remove the stringy bits, then shred with a fork.
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until golden.
Add shredded peels, spices, soy sauce, maple syrup, and tomato paste.
Sauté 10–15 minutes until caramelized and smoky.
Serve in tacos, rice bowls, or over flatbread.
Then tell your guests they just ate a banana peel.
(Watch their faces.)
From Banana Peels to Big Picture
Sustainability isn’t a punishment.
It’s permission, to be creative, messy, and resourceful.
It’s not about saving the planet overnight.
It’s about changing the way we see what’s already in front of us.
And that’s exactly what Sustainable Shenanigans is here for,
to help you rethink, reuse, and reimagine your kitchen one delicious experiment at a time.
Join the Conversation
What’s the weirdest or most creative way you’ve reused food scraps?
Drop it in the comments, I might feature your idea in next week’s post.
