21 Uses For Your Discarded Citrus Peel

What Can You Do With Your Orange Peel And Lemon Rind?

After you have enjoyed the juicy goodness of citrus what do you do with the leftover peel? Do you toss it, or compost it?

Examples Of Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits are full of morning sunshine and vitamin C. Some great examples are oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit.

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Citrus Fruits That Have A Rind Or Peel

Lemons, oranges, limes, grapefruit and most citrus fruits have a peel or rind you can grate, zest or peel to remove. You generally do not eat the peel or rind leaving it to be composted or placed in the garbage.

Can Orange Peels Be Used For Anything?

Yes, they can be candied or dried and used in room deodorizers. Orange peels can also be added to vinegar to give it a fresh citrus scent. Clean out your garbage disposal by adding ice and orange peels to the on cycle.

Did You Know You Can Put That Citrus Peel To Use?

Yes, you can and the uses are amazing and beneficial. You can deodorize your home with citrus peel. Add it to your next DIY facial. Citrus peel makes a great addition to baking and preserves.

So next time before you toss that rind dry it out and save it for later.

Making Citrus Peel

It is real easy to grate, zest or make citrus peel. When you peel an orange to eat you have done most of the work in separating the fruit from the peel.

You can purchase citrus zesters and graters to help you save the citrus rind and peel in different forms. Zesting or grating lemons and limes is the act of scraping the outer peel.

Where with oranges and grapefruits peeling the rind as you eat the fruit is the easiest way to harvest both the rind and enjoy the fruit.

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How To Store Citrus Peel

Citrus peel, or citrus zest can be stored in the freezer, dried and stored in a jar or added directly to vinegar or oil.

Citrus rind or citrus peel can be dried by placing the rind on a paper towel or cloth and left out on the counter to dry. You can also dry citrus peel or zest in a dehydrator.

Common Uses For Citrus Peel

Citrus peel is commonly used in baking and Asian cooking. You will also find it used to flavor water and other beverages. Discover numerous other uses for your discarded citrus rind below.

What Can You Do With Leftover Lemon Peel?

Lemon zest is great for cooking and baking. You can also add zested lemon peel to spiced apple cider and other Asian cooking. Dried lemon peel is great in room scents or added to mint and rosemary to help keep the bugs away.

Lemon peel is also great in tea and other beverages or as an ingredient in homemade candy.

21 Uses For Your Discard Citrus Peel:

Use to flavor water.
Make candied citrus peel.
Add citrus peel, cinnamon sticks, water & whole cloves to a pot. Simmer to deodorize your home.
Put the peel in the garbage disposal to clean and deodorize.
Add citrus peel to vinegar. Allow to soak for two weeks. Use as an all purpose cleaning solution. Mix with water 50/50 solution.
Spread peel around yard perimeter to deter skunks.
Dehydrate citrus peel for use in potpourri.
Air dry citrus peel, grind and use in spice mixes.
Boil peel for 10 minutes, cool, strain and use liquid as a natural mosquito, flea and tick spray for animals.
Dry peel for use in soaps.
Zest the peel and freeze it for use in recipes.
Slice and grate the peel for use in soups and stews.
Infuse olive oil with citrus peel.
Dry your citrus peel and use it in tea.
Use dried ground citrus peel in do it yourself facials.
Add your citrus peel to the compost.
Dry peel and use in Asian cooking and medicine.
Make citrus extract by soaking thin slices of peel in vodka for 6-8 weeks.
Dry rind and use in holiday baking.
Add rind to vinegar for use in dressings.
Dry, grate, zest and add citrus peel to homemade laundry soap and cleaning solutions.

You Have No More Excuses For Tossing Your Orange Peels Anymore

Whether you are saving them to deodorize your home or to add them to baking, citrus rind has multiple uses in your frugal home.

If you aren’t going to use them right away, no worries. Allow the rind to dry on the kitchen counter or add them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer till you are ready to use.

⭐You can find numerous citrus peelers and zesters here to assist you.

Updated July 5, 2021