{"id":65991,"date":"2026-07-08T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/?p=65991"},"modified":"2026-06-30T13:15:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T11:15:08","slug":"less-food-waste-this-we-throw-away-unnecessarily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thegreenlist.nl\/en\/minder-groente-verspillen-dit-gooien-we-onnodig-weg\/","title":{"rendered":"Wasting vegetables? We throw this away unnecessarily, and that's a shame!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When it comes to food waste, it's often about vegetables that have been left too long in the drawer, but even without us realising it, we also throw away vegetables that aren't needed at all. We use the florets of cauliflower and broccoli and throw away the stalks and leaves. What a waste! Get more out of your vegetables with these tips! These are the vegetables you can use much more of than you think, and how to make something really delicious out of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Why do we actually throw these parts of vegetables away?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you walk around the supermarket, you mostly see the perfect picture. Tight heads of broccoli without leaves, carrots without tops and cauliflower already neatly trimmed of anything sticking out. Much of the vegetable is already offered \u2018cleaned up\u2019, meaning we almost forget there was more to it. What we don't see, we also don't learn to use. At home, we effortlessly copy this. We take the florets off the broccoli, cut the white core out of the cauliflower and the carrot tops are removed as standard. That's how we learned it, that's how it's in recipes and that's how it feels logical. Anything outside of that, we quickly label as cutting waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is a shame, as we unknowingly waste a portion of our food this way, while growing, transporting and cooling vegetables requires a lot from land, water and energy. Furthermore, we also think those parts are tougher, stringier or less flavourful. We think a core is tough or leaves are bitter. So we don't give it a chance and it automatically disappears into the bin. While it often has a different texture, with more bite<\/em> or even more flavour. Sometimes it just requires a different preparation: stewing for a bit longer or slicing thinner, but it's rarely \u2018not tasty\u2019. And honestly, convenience doesn't help either. We cook quickly, follow a recipe and use exactly what's mentioned in it. What isn't in it, we simply don't use.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Broccoli<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Broccoli before it is harvested.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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ALSO INTERESTING:<\/strong> These vegetables can regrow on their own!<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Wasting vegetables? These parts you can simply use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Good news: you really don't need to be a chef to get more out of your vegetables. Often it's a matter of cutting them differently, cooking them a bit longer, or just giving it a try. Below you'll find vegetables that we usually throw away a part of, plus ideas to make something delicious from them. Tip: preferably buy organic, unsprayed vegetables. That's a smart idea anyway, but even more important if you're going to use more of your vegetables, such as the leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n