Food You Can Easily Regrow From Scraps
1 Lettuce
Lettuce is essential in every fridge, especially if sandwiches are a crucial part of your diet. Unfortunately, lettuce doesn’t last very long. But instead of buying new heads of lettuce just for them to go bad, you can save a bit of money by growing lettuce from those unusable scraps.
Regrowth Steps
- Gather leftover, unusable lettuce leaves
- Place the lettuce leaves in a bowl and add just enough water to cover the scraps
- Place the bowl in direct sunlight
- Mist the lettuce leaves a couple of times a week to keep them moist
- After 3-4 days, roots should appear along your leaves
- Once you see the roots, transplant the lettuce or cabbage in soil and allow new heads to grow
2 Green Onions
Green onions are largely considered to be the easiest veggies you can regrow from scraps. Even if you don’t have much of a green thumb, it’s hard to mess up these simple steps. With just a little effort, you can avoid purchasing green onions at the store and instead use the fresh ones you’re growing at home.
Regrowth Steps
- Gather the root ends of your cut green onions
- Submerge the roots in a glass of warm water
- Allow the onions to grow
- Once you see signs of new growth at the top of your green onions, transplant them into the soil
- Put the plant deep enough in the soil that only the new growth is visible
- Allow the green onions to grow to your desired height, keeping the soil damp until they’re fully grown
3 Potatoes
Do you know the odd shoots that grow on most potatoes if they’re left sitting out for too long? Those can actually be used to grow entirely new potatoes. Rather than tossing out those pieces, use them to add to your growing garden.
Regrowth Steps
- Allow your potato scraps to dry out overnight
- Plant them in the soil with the eyes (indentations on the surface of the potato) facing up
- Keep the soil damp
- After a few days, sprouts should spring up from your scraps
- Continue water regularly until the potatoes are fully grown
4 Avocado
Avocados are always expensive when you buy them from the store. But if you can’t give up your avocado toast, regrowing your own avocados at home is an especially appealing option. However, it’s important to keep in mind that not all avocado pits will produce roots, so it’s best to try three or four pits at a time to guarantee success.
Regrowth Steps
- Clean the avocado pit by rinsing it with cold water and drying it with a towel
- Put four toothpicks into the pit, spacing them evenly around the sides
- Place the pit with the pointy side up over a dish or jar, using the toothpicks to balance it on the sides and suspend the pit in the air
- Fill the dish or jar with water, submerging half the avocado pit
- Place the dish or jar with your avocado pit in a sunlit area and change the water every day to every other day
- Roots should begin to grow after 3-6 weeks
- When your avocado tree has grown to 7 or 8 inches tall, transplant it into the soil
- Water your tree regularly and watch it grow
5 Garlic
If you enjoy flavor, then you’re well aware that garlic is a necessity in almost every meal. Now, you can grow your own garlic at home using leftover heads that you haven’t yet used. While growing a whole new head of garlic takes several months, you can also grow garlic sprouts, which can be used like green onions in all your favorite dishes.
Regrowth Steps
- Take your old clove of garlic and place it in a small glass filled with water
- After 3-5 days, the garlic should grow roots at the bottom, and sprouts will appear at the top
- At this point, you can stop growing and simply eat the garlic sprouts
- If you want to grow a new head, transfer the sprouted cloves into dirt, with only the sprouts peaking up over the soil
- Water your garlic plants regularly
- When the sprouts dry out and turn yellow or brown, you can harvest your new bulb of garlic
6 Celery
Celery is yet another food that’s incredibly easy to regrow from scraps. In fact, you’ll wonder why you ever bought fresh celery once you start growing your own at home. All you need is the base of one celery stalk and a bowl of warm water.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut off the base of your celery and lay it in a bowl of warm water
- Place the bowl in the sun, making sure it gets as much sunlight as possible each day
- After a week, you should see new leaves growing
- At this point, transplant your celery in soil
- Water it regularly and your celery will slowly grow to produce full-length stalks
7 Basil
Basil is a must-have at home, especially in Italian dishes like pastas and pizzas. But instead of buying this versatile herb at the store, you can create your own basil garden with a few small pieces of basil.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut a few 4-inch stems from your bunch of basil
- Strip leaves from the bottom of the stem, leaving a few leaves at the top
- Place the stems in a jar of water
- Place the jar in sunlight, but try to choose an area that won’t get too hot
- Change the water in the jar every other day
- Eventually, roots will start to form along the stems
- When the roots reach 4 inches in length, plant the stems in soil
- Water your basil plant regularly and ensure it gets at least six hours of sunshine every day
- When the basil is fully grown, harvest the plants and use your basil as necessary
8 Sweet Potatoes
Just as you can grow regular potatoes from scratch, you can also regrow sweet potatoes, though the process is a little different. If your sweet potato has passed its prime, it doesn’t have to end up in the trash. Instead, those scraps can find a new life with a few simple steps.
Regrowth Steps
- Fill a jar or dish with water
- Use toothpicks to suspend the sweet potato over the water
- After a few days, roots should begin to form
- Once the roots form, sprouts should follow close behind
- When the sprouts have grown to roughly 4 inches, cut them off and place them in a new container of water
- When roots begin to grow from the sprouts, transplant the plants into the soil
- Water your new sweet potatoes regularly and allow them to grow
9 Leeks
Leeks have so many benefits for your health, including adding fiber to your diet and detoxifying your body. Plus, adding leeks to your diet doesn’t have to be expensive, as you can regrow them at home.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut the ends off your leeks and place them, root side down, in a glass container full of water
- Place the glass in the sun
- Change the water in the glass every few days
- With just those simple steps, the leek will start to regrow
- Allow the plant to regrow to your desired height before removing it from the water and using it in your food
10 Bok Choy
Bok Choy may not be a vegetable you use every day. But when it comes to creating Asian dishes, there’s no better option to add a bit of greenery to your meal. Since bok choy is a lesser-known vegetable, you can take the time to regrow it at home before your next Asian-inspired feed.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut the base off the bok choy plant
- Place the base bottom-side down in a bowl
- Add just enough water to the bowl to cover the base of the bok choy
- Replace the water every few days
- After a week, you should see new growth on the base
- Once you spot the new growth, transfer the plant to soil, covering everything except the new growth
- In roughly five months, you should have fully grown bok choy thriving in your garden
11 Lemongrass
Lemongrass is true to its name in that it grows just like grass. This herb, often used in Asian cooking, will grow quickly at home with very little effort required.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut the roots from your lemongrass and place them in a jar
- Fill the jar with enough water to cover the roots
- Place the jar in sunlight
- After a week, you should start to see new growth
- When you spot the new growth, transplant your lemongrass to soil
- The lemongrass should grow easily in the soil, giving you a constant supply to use in your cooking
12 Onions
Onions are used in nearly every dish, so why not try to have your own at-home supply? While you might think growing new onions would be challenging, it’s actually quite easy and simple. Plus, it uses the bottom of the onion, which is often discarded anyway.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut the bottom off the onion, keeping the roots intact and taking off about 2 inches of onion with it
- Allow the onion to dry for a couple of days, keeping it in a shaded environment
- Place the onion bottom in soil and cover it with 1-2 inches of dirt
- Water the onion regularly
- Cut down leaves regularly to allow the bulb to grow
- Harvest when onions have fully matured
13 Coriander
Considering how easy it is to regrow, you should definitely add coriander to your herb garden. While some people insist this plant tastes like soap, others agree it’s a perfect way to add a little extra flavor to any dish.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut a bunch of cilantro stems with a few leaves still attached
- Place the stems in a jar of water
- Place the jar in a well-lit, sunny area
- Change the water every other day to keep it fresh
- Once roots sprout from the stems, transplant the cilantro into soil
- New shoots should sprout from your growing cilantro in a few short weeks
- Once the plant seems to be stable, you can harvest leaves as needed
- Be sure to avoid taking all the leaves of your cilantro plant at once, or else it may die
14 Ginger
While ginger is a perfect way to add a little extra dose of flavor to any dish, it can also be pretty pricey. But instead of buying new ginger every time you want to use it, you can use the ginger you already own to regrow a new plant.
Regrowth Steps
- Take your fresh ginger and pull off a sizable piece
- Place the ginger in potting soil with the smallest buds facing down
- Place the ginger in an area that gets indirect sunlight
- Over time, the ginger will regrow new shoots and roots
- When the plant is big enough to harvest, pull up the entire thing, including the roots
- You can then cut off a new piece and repeat the whole process
15 Mushrooms
It is possible to regrow mushrooms at home, though it may be a little more challenging than other vegetables. Still, if you can manage to pull it off, you’ll have a garden full of fresh mushrooms ready to be eaten.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut away the head of the mushroom
- Plant the stalk in a pot, leaving the very top exposed
- Choose a soil with lots of nutrients and place your pot in a warm environment with lots of humidity
- With regular water and the right environment, the mushroom stalk will begin to grow a new head over time
16 Peppers
You can regrow nearly any pepper from scratch, including bell peppers, jalapenos, habaneros, and any other peppers you like to keep in your home. In fact, starting a garden full of peppers is incredibly easy, as most varieties don’t require a lot of care once you get them going.
Regrowth Steps
- Collect the leftover seeds from your pepper
- Plant the seeds in potting soil and place the pot in direct sunlight
- Once sprouts start to grow, transplant the peppers into your outdoor garden
- With a little time and patience, you’ll have a thriving crop of peppers
17 Tomato
All tomatoes come with built-in seeds that you can use to create your own tomato plant at home. While those mushy insides often result in one big mess, you can repurpose that part of the tomato to add another vegetable to your garden.
Regrowth Steps
- Remove the seeds from the inside of the tomato and thoroughly rinse them off
- Allow the seeds to dry completely
- Plant the seeds in potting soil
- When the resulting sprouts are few inches tall, move the plant to your outdoor garden
- Plant the tomatoes in a sunny area
- Water your plants a few times a week and watch them grow
18 Pumpkins
If you really want to add some serious color to your garden, you can regrow your own pumpkins at home. Not only does that mean you can make jack-o’-lanterns all year long, but you’ll also have an endless supply of pumpkin sides to toss in the oven.
Regrowth Steps
- Remove the seeds from the inside of the pumpkin
- Wash the seeds and allow them to dry
- Plant the seeds in your garden, spacing them out to allow enough room for a pumpkin to grow
- Cover the seeds with soil
- Water the plants regularly and watch your pumpkins grow
19 Pineapple
If you want to bring a bit of the tropics to your garden, you can plant and regrow a pineapple from scratch. While the actual fruit takes a lot of time to grow, the pineapple also has quite a bit of aesthetic appeal. While it may not provide fruit for a while, it can add some pretty greenery to your garden.
Regrowth Steps
- First, choose a pineapple with green, fresh-looking leaves
- Twist the top of the pineapple to remove it
- Peel back the leaves so the bottom layer of the base is exposed
- Cut off just the tip of the base, removing any excess fruit in the process
- Poke a few toothpicks into the pineapple base to suspend the pineapple in a jar over water
- Add just enough water to the jar to cover the base of the pineapple top
- Place the jar in a sunny area and change the water every few days
- Once roots start to form on the base, plant the pineapple in a planter
- Place the planter with the pineapple in an area where it will get plenty of sunlight
- Water your plant regularly and wait for the pineapple to grow, which may take many months
20 Carrot Tops
While you might struggle to regrow a full carrot from scraps, you can regrow carrot tops. Though these bits of the carrot are often tossed in the trash, they actually have a variety of uses. They’re delicious when sauteed, and can even be used to create a yummy pesto! Even better, you can grow them right from your home.
Regrowth Steps
- Cut off the top of the carrot and place it in a bowl with the cut side down
- Fill the bowl with enough water to cover half the carrot top
- Place the bowl in the sun and change the water every day
- When the top sprouts shoots, transplant it in soil, being careful not to cover the shoots
- When the greens have grown to your desired size, harvest them and incorporate them into your favorite meals
