Don’t Throw Away Garlic Peels, You Need to Know What They Can be Used for

With a focus on sustainability and the fight against food waste, we can begin by refraining from discarding garlic peels. Often, when we find ourselves in the kitchen needing garlic, we end up throwing away the peels. Well, those very peels can be precious and reused in various ways that go beyond preparing compost.

How do you reuse garlic peels?

Certainly! While composting garlic peels is a good way to recycle them, they have even more creative uses. For example, rubbing them on areas where wasps or hornets have built nests can be effective: the odor released acts as a deterrent, discouraging these insects from rebuilding their nests in those spots.

Another way to use garlic peels is by preparing an infusion. Boil the peels in water for about 15 minutes, along with honey and mint. Thus, We will have an infusion to drink when it is lukewarm, which can help stimulate the body’s immune system defences.

We can create another infusion by steeping garlic peels in water for at least 5 minutes. After cooling, filter the peels and set them aside. We can spray the liquid on plants, while the dried peels can be crushed and spread around the plants for the soil to absorb. This not only provides essential nutrients to the plants but also acts as a natural deterrent against insects and parasites.

Such an infusion can be sprayed on the plants a maximum of three times a month, but it all depends on the quantity of garlic you consume. Generally, you might not use a substantial amount unless you’re regularly preparing dishes like Honey garlic pork meatballs, which features a significant amount of garlic.