What to do with Leftover Strawberry Stems

If you’re looking for ideas on reducing kitchen waste, What to do with Leftover Strawberry Stems will help you find creative ways to use these nutritious scraps from this popular summer fruit. For more ideas on what to do with leftover ingredients, What to do with Leftover Orange Peels and How to Save Money with Leftover Ingredients.

What to do with Leftover Strawberry Stems

I read a Facebook post asking for suggestions on what to do with leftover strawberry stems. Since a fresh strawberry is a favorite fruit among Americans, we tend to have lots of strawberry tops that usually end up in the trash can.

The variety of answers surprised me – there were so many different ideas! I decided to write an article about it so everyone could benefit from this group’s wisdom.

Although fresh strawberries are available year-round now, prime strawberry season runs from mid-April through May.

Can You Eat Strawberry Leaves?

Some people consume the whole berry, leaves and all. But most of us remove the strawberry tops, not knowing what to do with the stems.

The answer is yes. The top of the strawberry, including the leafy greens and stem, is edible. There are no harmful side effects associated with eating the top of a strawberry, so it is safe to consume.

Strawberry stems are fibrous and nutritious. Who knew these kitchen scraps had health benefits? The good news is they have vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and calcium, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The green stem also contains tannins that help with digestive issues or an upset stomach.

The green tops of strawberries are a rich source of antioxidants and will help your immune system. You want to make sure you don’t eat moldy strawberry tops.

Buy Organic Strawberries

Strawberries are part of the dirty dozen fruits sprayed with the most pesticides. Buying organic strawberries or unsprayed strawberries will help keep more pesticide residue out of our bodies.

Creating a Cozy Life Group

Since you found this article on What to do with Leftover Strawberry Stems, I’m guessing you love all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 215,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug. Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cottage.

Strawberry Leaves Uses

1. Feed Strawberry Tops Pets

Instead of tossing strawberry tops in the trash, save them as a simple treat for backyard chickens, guinea pigs, turtles, rabbits, pigs, and goats.

Strawberry tops can be a fun way to reduce kitchen waste while giving animals a fresh snack they enjoy, especially during the summer months when strawberries are plentiful.

2. Make Simple Syrup

If you have a lot of strawberry greens leftover from making strawberry jam, making a variety of simple syrups might be the perfect way to use them up. You can also make them as gifts for your friends.

Simple syrup is a wonderful way to infuse flavor into cocktails, drinks, and recipes. I found this recipe for Strawberry Stem Simple Syrup. Strawberry tops syrup is used to sweeten cold beverages. Liquid sweetener is easier to blend into drinks than sugar.

3. Add to Smoothies

Freeze your strawberry stems in ice cube trays, then fill them with water. Every time you make smoothies, add a few strawberry stem cubes.

4. Dry and Use for Tea Blends

Using dried strawberry tops to make my tea blends is a thrifty way to add delicate fruit flavor to my herbal teas.

I use my dehydrator to dry my strawberry tops, but you can also dry them in the oven at a low temperature. Air-drying strawberry stems on a mesh screen will also work.

Strawberry leaf tea is fun to mix with other dried fruits, edible flowers, and herbs like fresh mint.

5. Infused Water

Spas know the secret to getting their guests to drink more water is by making flavored water. Strawberry stem tops go well with sliced cucumber, oranges, mint, lime, and basil. Try different combinations until you find the one you love.

Let the strawberry tops infuse the water with the other fruit and herbs for at least an hour before drinking.

6. Use for Compost

Adding strawberry stems to your compost pile is an easy way to reduce kitchen waste while creating rich, healthy compost for your garden.

Strawberry tops break down quickly and add valuable organic matter that helps improve soil structure, retain moisture, and feed beneficial microbes that keep your garden thriving.

Stems of strawberries make a great addition to worm bins because they break down quickly and provide worms with a moist, nutrient-rich food source that helps create healthy vermicompost for the garden.

7. Feed Strawberry Tops to Deer

One of the group’s members likes to make little picnics for the deer that visit his property. He adds the strawberry stems to the pile.

8. Make into Strawberry Stem Powder

Take your dehydrated strawberry stems and add them to a food processor or blender. Grind until they reach the consistency of a fine powder.

You can use strawberry stem powder to add flavor to cupcakes, muffins, and cakes. Strawberry stem powder is also used in homemade beauty products.

9. Strawberry Stem Infused Liquor

Give your favorite spirits a subtle strawberry twist by infusing them with leftover strawberry tops. Simply place the strawberry scraps in a glass Mason jar, cover them with rum, vodka, or gin, and let the mixture steep for about two weeks. Once strained, the strawberry-infused alcohol adds a fresh, fruity flavor to cocktails, spritzers, and summer drinks.

10. Add Strawberry Tops to Dog Treats

The next time you make homemade dog treats, add your strawberry stems to the batter for a nutritional boost to your dog’s diet.

11. Grow More Strawberries

Growing strawberries from strawberry stems is a simple and satisfying way to use kitchen scraps in the garden. If the tops still have seeds attached, you can dry them slightly and plant them in the moist soil to encourage new strawberry plants to grow over time.

It takes patience, but turning leftover strawberry stems into fresh berry plants is a fun, frugal gardening project that feels a little magical. Here’s a video to show you how to do it!

12. Make Strawberry Stem Vinegar

I love the idea of making fruit scrap vinegar. Here’s a video from Wills Mountain Homestead on making Strawberry Stem vinegar. One of my favorite ways to use strawberry tops vinegar is dressing salads and making sauces.

White wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white vinegar, and balsamic vinegar go well with strawberry tops.

13. Add to a Simmer Pot

The scent of strawberries will lace the air when you add them to your favorite simmer pot combination. I especially like the combination of strawberries and basil.

14. Add Leftover Strawberry Tops to Salads

Throwing your strawberry stems in the next salad you make for yourself is a great way to add nutrition and flavor. You can also add them to my amazing creamy strawberry salad dressing. You’re going to love this recipe if you like strawberries.

15. Strawberry Leaves Jelly

Strawberry stems can be simmered in water to create a lightly flavored strawberry juice that works beautifully for homemade jelly. Instead of wasting the tops, strain the liquid and turn it into a delicate strawberry jelly with a subtle fruity flavor that tastes wonderful on toast, biscuits, or stirred into yogurt.

16. Strawberry Stem Lemonade or Iced Tea

In the next pitcher of homemade lemonade you make, add the strawberry stems for a sweet addition. I like to add lemon juice and the strawberry green leaves to my pitcher of iced tea.

If you’re looking for a great strawberry stem remover, you’ll love this one on Amazon.

Let me know what your favorite ways to use strawberry scraps. Who knew they are one of the those antioxidant-rich foods that has so many different uses?

Don’t forget to join the Creating a Cozy Life group. You’re not going to believe how amazing it is!

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Thanks for stopping by. I’m so happy you found us!

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