Waste Not, Want Not: How to Use Up Fall's Produce Cornucopia

At the start of each season, it's so tempting to rush to the farmers market and buy up a bumper crop's worth of produce: buying local fruits and vegetables in season ensures peak flavor and lower prices. But unless you're feeding an army, you may find yourself with more delicious produce than you can consume before the weather changes once again. This Fall, feel free to stock up on an assortment of fruits and vegetables, because we have some tips on how to keep nature's seasonal delights from going to waste before the first frost kicks in! Source: Etsy, Shutterstock

Dry
Etsy seller redbarnartisans

Dry

The tail end of Summer squash and the first crop of pumpkins can be hollowed out and dried for an elegant Fall tablescape or a pot for tiny plants!

Jam, Preserve, and Sauce
Etsy seller LAFarmGirl

Jam, Preserve, and Sauce

Plenty of Fall fruits are ideal for simmering down into a sweet or savory-sweet spread. And brew the vestiges of Summer tomato season with garlic and basil for a sauce that can be frozen to carry you through next year.

Bake
Etsy seller SimplyDivineDesserts

Bake

Fall fruits like apples, quinces, pears, and dates make juicy additions to cakes and cookies. Or add a scoop or two of that homemade applesauce or persimmon puree for a healthy sweetener.

Pickle
Etsy seller grinningjupiter

Pickle

Don't forget to eat your veggies! Fall's cucumbers, olives, and peppers love to take a dip in a briny bath, only to reemerge as pickles.

Dehydrate
Etsy seller NicolesTreats

Dehydrate

Put that food dehydrator to work with persimmons, apples, grapes, and more to nibble as a healthy snack, or add it to some oats and nuts for delicious homemade granola. And you'll have plenty to share!

Freeze
Shutterstock

Freeze

Most fruits and vegetables can't enter the harsh environment of the freezer and reemerge in fresh-off-the-tree condition, but they still have a use. Freeze leftover ginger root to later slice, boil, and steep into a digestive tea, or put your leftover tomatoes on ice to use in sauces after the season is long over. If you can't get through your crop of chestnuts, then roast them in the oven and freeze to enjoy later.

Dye
Etsy seller HomeBrewedYarn

Dye

Pomegranate rinds, beets, and even onions can be boiled to lend fabric and yarns an intense hue. Here's a tutorial on how you can make your own dye.

Fry
Shutterstock

Fry

Whip out your fancy mandoline and shave sweet potatoes down into thin discs that you can fry (or bake) to accompany sandwiches, salads, and burgers.

Infuse
Shutterstock

Infuse

Let ginger, pomegranate seeds, and citrus peels steep in vodka or vinegar for delectable cocktails and salads.