Rescue Ingredients

What to do with ingredients about to go bad. Find techniques and recipes that help you use them before you lose them.

📦 FIFO Principle

First In, First Out — Joanie's golden rule for zero waste.

Check your fridge regularly. The oldest ingredients should be used first. This page helps you find recipes that work with what's aging, wilting, or about to expire.

Browse by Ingredient Type

Wilting Greens

Lettuce, spinach, kale, chard losing their crispness

Examples: Lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, chard, collards

Aging Vegetables

Soft carrots, wrinkly peppers, overripe tomatoes

Examples: Carrots, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms

Leftover Proteins

Cooked chicken, beef, tofu that needs using up

Examples: Rotisserie chicken, cooked beef, leftover tofu, beans

Excess Herbs

Fresh herbs starting to brown or wilt

Examples: Cilantro, parsley, basil, dill, mint, thyme

Quick Rescue Tips

🥬 Wilting Greens

  • • Sauté with garlic and olive oil
  • • Add to soups or stews
  • • Blend into smoothies or pesto
  • • Freeze for future use

🥕 Aging Vegetables

  • • Roast at high heat for caramelization
  • • Make into soup or sauce
  • • Pickle or ferment
  • • Freeze chopped for stocks

🍗 Leftover Proteins

  • • Shred for tacos, sandwiches, salads
  • • Add to fried rice or pasta
  • • Make soup or broth from bones
  • • Freeze in portions for later

🌿 Excess Herbs

  • • Make pesto or herb butter
  • • Dry for future use
  • • Freeze in olive oil ice cubes
  • • Add stems to stocks

♻️ When to Compost vs. Use

✓ Still Usable

  • • Slightly wilted greens (sauté or blend)
  • • Soft carrots (roast or soup)
  • • Overripe tomatoes (sauce or salsa)
  • • Brown-edged herbs (trim and use)

✗ Time to Compost

  • • Slimy, moldy, or foul-smelling
  • • Completely brown/black
  • • Mushy beyond recognition
  • • Safety concerns (when in doubt, throw out)