We talk a lot about food waste. The statistics are staggering: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that between 30% and 40% of the food supply in the United States is wasted.
When you buy a bunch of bananas, you pay by the pound. If you eat the fruit and toss the peel, you’re throwing away roughly a third of your purchase by weight. That’s money going directly into the landfill.
While I’m not suggesting you start hoarding garbage, there is legitimate value in those yellow skins. They’re packed with potassium, enzymes and natural oils that can replace products you currently buy at the store.
Here are smart ways to squeeze every cent of value out of a banana.
1. Make your own plant fertilizer
If you buy expensive plant food for your garden or houseplants, stop. Banana peels are rich in potassium, which aids in root growth and water distribution in plants. They also contain phosphorus and calcium.
You can bury the peels directly in the soil next to your rosebushes or peppers. They’ll decompose and release nutrients directly to the roots.
For indoor plants, soak the peels in a jar of water for a few days to create a nutrient-rich “tea,” then use that water for your plants. It is a simple alternative to setting up a full compost bin if you’re short on space.
2. Polish silver without chemicals
Silver polish smells terrible and costs money. Banana peels contain natural fruit acids that can help strip away tarnish without harsh fumes.
Take a piece of banana peel and blend it with a little water to make a paste. Rub this onto your tarnished silver with a soft cloth. Rinse it off and dry it well.
This works well for light tarnish, though you might still need the heavy-duty stuff for grandma’s neglected antique platter.
3. Shine leather shoes
This sounds like an old wives’ tale, but the potassium and natural oils in the peel act similarly to commercial shoe polish.
Remove any stringy bits from the inside of the peel and rub the inner side against your leather shoe. It will leave a dull residue at first. Wipe that away with a soft cloth and buff it. The leather will absorb the oils and shine up.
This is a great trick if you’re traveling and forgot your polish kit.
4. Tenderize tough meat
Asian cuisine has utilized banana leaves and peels in cooking for centuries. The peel contains enzymes that can break down protein fibers, making meat more tender.
If you’re cooking a pot roast or a tougher cut of meat, try adding a ripe banana peel to the roasting pan. It helps keep the meat moist and tenderizes it as it cooks.
Just remember to remove the peel before serving.
5. Relieve bug bites and splinters
The anti-inflammatory properties in banana peels are well-documented in folk medicine. If you get a mosquito bite, rubbing the inside of a peel on the area can help reduce the itching and swelling.
Some people also swear by using peels to remove splinters. The theory is that the enzymes in the peel help soften the skin and draw the splinter to the surface.
Tape a piece of peel (white side down) over the splinter overnight. It is certainly cheaper than a trip to urgent care if it works.
6. Trap garden pests
While we usually want to keep bugs away, sometimes you need to trap them. If you have an issue with fruit flies, you can use a banana peel as a decoy.
Place a chopped-up peel inside a plastic container. Punch small holes in the lid — large enough for a fly to enter, but small enough to make escaping difficult.
The fermentation will draw them in and keep them away from your fruit bowl or garden vegetables.
7. Eat them (seriously)
In the U.S., we view the peel as packaging. In many other parts of the world, it’s viewed as food.
Banana peels are edible. They’re high in fiber, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. You probably do not want to eat them raw, as they can be bitter and tough. However, if you boil them for 10 minutes, blend them into a smoothie, or bake them, they’re perfectly safe.
There is even a recent trend of marinating peels in soy sauce and spices to create a vegan bacon.
It may sound strange, but if it lowers your grocery bill and increases your fiber intake, it’s worth a try.
8. Ripen other fruit faster
Bananas release ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone that triggers ripening. If you have a rock-hard avocado or green tomatoes that you need to use for dinner, don’t leave them on the counter to age slowly.
Instead, place the unripe fruit in a paper bag with a ripe banana (or just the peels). The trapped ethylene gas will speed up the ripening process.
9. Shine up houseplant leaves
Dusty houseplants cannot photosynthesize efficiently, and they look neglected. Instead of using a chemical leaf shine spray, which can clog the plant’s pores (stomata), use the inside of a banana peel.
Gently wipe down the leaves of your fiddle leaf fig or rubber plant. The texture removes the dust, and the oils leave a healthy, natural gloss without damaging the plant. It is just one of many ways food can double as a cleaning product.
