When Life Gives You Lemons

Lemonade is great, but there’s so much more you can do with a bumper crop of citrus, including just putting your fruit in the freezer for another day! That’s right, whole lemons freeze very well. By freezing home-grown citrus, you can use nearly every part of the fruit: grate the peel over yogurt, salads, soups, or beverages, and use the juice to add flavor to dishes and drinks. To freeze, wash your lemons and place in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing. To thaw, microwave frozen lemons for a few seconds, or place them in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, then slice and juice.

To save time later, consider juicing your extra citrus and freezing the juice in an ice cube tray. Citrus juice cubes are perfect for cooling drinks down on hot days or for adding to soups and other recipes. Find more easy tips here.
 
Instead of tossing your citrus peels in the compost, use them to remove coffee or tea stains from a mug, polish a stainless-steel sink or chrome faucet, or make a non-toxic, kid- and pet-friendly cleaner. Check out the recipe.
 
For more tips on how to make the most of the food we love, visit www.StopFoodWaste.org.