12 Best Kitchen Scraps You Didn’t Know You Could Regrow and Eat

Many vegetables and herbs from the grocery store will regrow easily in water or in soil. It is easy and rewarding to regrow vegetable and herb trimmings for cooking, or just to watch kitchen scraps grow with a sense of wonder. You can regrow fresh greens on a windowsill indoors, or plant them in your herb and vegetable garden. It’s also a fun and creative learning activity do with kids.

1. Regrow beets from scraps.

 

When you cut the top off a beet, put it in a shallow tray of water. Beet greens will start to grow, which you can use in salads. You can also plant the beet top in soil for a longer harvest. This regrow trick applies to many vegetables and herbs!

2. Regrow scallions aka green onions from kitchen scraps in water

Scallions are some of the easiest and most rewarding foods to regrow from kitchen scraps. We have grown big bunches of them in pots from just little roots that we cut off. In less than a month you will have fresh green onions to trim off and enjoy! Learn more on how to regrow green onions in water or soil easily.

3. Regrow onion scraps

Bulb onions such as yellow and red onions are so easy to regrow from scraps, here’s how. Like all the other kitchen scrap plants, the onion root will be more productive in soil, but it is also quite fun to watch it grow in water. You will get lots of green onions, and eventually stalks of flowers that produce seeds.

4. Sprout celery in water.

If your celery has a little bit of root at the bottom, you can sprout the leftover celery base in water. New stalks will start growing in just a few days. plant the sprouted celery in soil for a long harvest. Detailed tutorials here.

5. Growing carrots from kitchen scraps

Carrots are also root vegetables like beets. You can use the same methods. Carrot top greens taste a bit like parsley. They are very nutritious, high in potassium and vitamin K. You can also grow them in a container garden for Easter fun!

6. Regrow avocado seed

Avocado pits will take roots in water given a warm place and a little preparation. Avocado leaves can be used in so many delicious ways in your cooking. The plants also make great gifts and conversation pieces. Learn the tips and tricks to grow avocado from seeds here.

7. Regrow garlic

We have grown very nice garlic from grocery stores for many years. Each clove of garlic can potentially turn into a whole head of garlic in bigger pots or in raised bed gardens. You can also plant the cloves more closely in smaller pots to grow garlic greens, which are pretty looking and delicious.

8. Grow grocery store potatoes

Similar to garlic, each potato can multiply into many potatoes. You can also grow potatoes from trimmings around the tiny sprouts growing from the eyes of potatoes. We have grown potatoes in bags and large pots with lots of success.

9. Regrow lettuce scraps in water

A head of romaine or butter lettuce can regrow like this from the base we trim off. Just give it some water and sun light, you will have more fresh greens for salads in a couple of weeks. 

If you try these DIY / decor / garden / craft projects, tag us on Instagram at @apieceofrainbow, we would love to see what you create!

10. Grow basil stems in water

When you buy fresh basil, pick off most leaves but let a couple of leaves remain at the top of each stem, and put the stems in a jar filled with water. Roots will start growing in just a few days. Plant these rooted cuttings in soil, now you have new basil plants! Photo by Kimberly Stoney.

11. Grow sweet potatoes in water

Sweet potato is an attractive vine. The greens are delicious in stir fries and very good for you. You can sprout sweet potatoes in water easily. The sprouts with roots are also called slips, each of which can become a new plant ready for the garden. Learn more here.

12. Napa cabbage

Napa cabbage is such a delicious and nutritious vegetable. One of our favorite in the vegetable garden. You can regrow grocery store Napa cabbage in water and plant in the garden when roots start to come out.