New Uses for Produce

Absorb odors in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer with a lining of newspaper.

Rough commute? Slide a drink cooler over an apple to keep it from bruising in your lunch tote.

Just flatten a banana peel and bury it under one inch of soil at the base of a rosebush. The peel's potassium feeds the plant and helps it resist disease. Consider it a nutritional boost for you and your buds.

Use bubble wrap to save fruit and vegetables from bumps and bruises. Cut a piece to fit into the bottom of the refrigerator drawer as a pillow for your produce. Say goodbye to squished squashes or mushy mangoes.

Cut corn from the cob without the mess. Place an ear in the center of a Bundt pan. As you slide the knife down, the corn will fall right into the pan.

Serve sorbet in a memorable way. After juicing (or eating) grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime halves, scoop out and freeze the peels. Cut a small slice off the bottom to create a level surface (without creating a hole), then fill with ice cream.

Kick-start a fire with citrus peels. Leave orange or lemon peels on the counter for several days to dry out. Then use the pretty pieces as kindling in your fire pit or bonfire for a fragrant flame starter.

Cut mushrooms into neat slivers, all without a cutting board to clean.

Give this classic tool a permanent spot on your kitchen counter and―presto!―you'll have perfect slivers of your favorite summer foods.

To ripen tomatoes in half the time, place them in a bowl with an apple or two and cover it with plastic wrap.

Remove coffee or tea stains from a mug by rubbing them with a lightly salted citrus peel.

Keep your disposal smelling fresh by dropping a few peels down the drain and flipping the switch.

Avoid rock-hard brown sugar and preserve the moisture by dropping a three inch-long orange peel into the bag.

Soothe blisters and burns by applying fresh ginger juice directly to the sore spots.

Skip the bleach—add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the wash cycle to brighter up those fading whites.

Relieve a sore throat. Cut a lemon in half. Skewer one half over a medium flame on a gas stove or an electric burner set on high and roast until the peel turns golden brown. Let cool slightly, then mix the juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Swallow the mixture.

For subtle highlights in blond hair, simmer two sliced lemons in water for one hour (add more water if needed). Strain, then pour into a spray bottle.

After shredding soft cheese or other sticky foods, go over both sides of the grater with the pulp side of a cut lemon to get rid of any residue.

Stop apples and pears from browning by squeezing a little lemon juice over them.

Decorate on the cheap. Fill a glass bowl with lemons for a sunny centerpiece. Or display a row of them along a windowsill.

Collect used toothpicks at a party so you don't end up with them all over your tables, seats, and floors. (Stick one in the lemon ahead of time to give guests the hint.)

Clear the air in a dank basement. Cut an onion in half, place it on a plate, and leave it out overnight. Once the initial salad-bar aroma dissipates, you'll have a fresh (non-oniony) atmosphere.

Build snowmen without bundling up. For a holiday party, give each child three oranges, some toothpicks, a sturdy plate, and store-bought frosting. Stick the large orange to the center of the plate with a dollop of frosting. Poke a few toothpicks halfway into the top of the fruit and spear a smaller orange on top. Repeat with the third orange, and layer on frosting, a vanilla wafer, and peppermints to make a hat. Use candy-cane pieces for arms and a nose, cloves for the eyes, and red licorice for a scarf.

Clean dirt from leafy vegetables by washing them in a bath of salt water.

To remove tough food stains from light wood and plastic cutting boards, slice a lemon in half, squeeze onto the soiled surface, rub, and let sit for 20 minutes before rinsing. The best part? You'll have a house that smells like a lemon grove rather than chemicals.

Keep taco fillings contained, even if the shell breaks. Line an empty taco shell with a lettuce leaf, then pile on all the meat, cheese, and pico de gallo your heart desires.

Use a clean toothbrush to remove stray threads of silk from freshly shucked ears of corn. The bristles will lift them away quickly and efficiently.