No matter how good you are at planning or portion control, there always comes a time when you’ve got leftovers or ingredients that need a little something to bring them back into the game. You’ll be amazed what’s possible with a little know-how.

Strawberries are a difficult fruit to keep fresh for long. If a few individual berries have gone a bit soft or are bruised but haven't gone mouldy yet, they can still be used up in a variety of dishes.

Try an easy ice cream recipe that doesn't require heat or custard – you can even make it without an ice cream churner. It's perfect for using up berries that are not at their best.

Get the recipe for strawberry and buttermilk ice cream here

Clementines and tangerines are very fickle – sometimes they last forever in a fruit bowl and sometimes they turn sour, go soft or mouldy within days. However, once you spot a few fruit on the turn, there's no need to throw them away.

Soft clementines will work just fine in little sponges or cakes. Our recipe uses juice, zest and individual slices so it's a great way to utilise as much of the fruit as possible.

Get the recipe for clementine sponges here

There's always a handful of leftover greens forgotten at the back of the fridge. As long as they haven't gone too soft, slimy or mouldy, they're still good to use.

These cheesy scones call for Brussels sprouts but you could use anything from spinach to spring greens, as well as cheese rinds that would otherwise go straight in the bin. 

Get the recipe for cheesy scones here

Limp root vegetables like potatoes, beetroot and carrots are completely fine to eat, albeit a little tricky to prepare. Just make sure there are no brown or mouldy bits inside.

Cutting vegetables into ribbons is great for masking the lack of crunchiness as they turn soft once cooked. Use them in a tart – it not only looks good but tastes great and reduces unnecessary food waste.

Get the recipe for rainbow vegetable tart here

A bag of watercress will quickly turn slimy if not used within a couple of days of buying it. Once they're past their best, these delicate leaves won't work in a salad but there are other ways you can use them.

Use up a forgotten bag of watercress languishing at the back of the fridge in soups. We love this nourishing and warming chicken wonton soup. Although making wonton skins takes a bit of time, they're easy once you get the hang of it and can be stored in the freezer for when you need them.

Get the recipe for wonton and watercress soup here

You've probably poured the water from tins of chickpeas down the drain without a second thought. However, aquafaba, as it's also known, is a very common ingredient in vegan cooking.

You can make vegan mayonnaise as well as delicious vegan meringues. For meringues, beat together a can of aquafaba with 100g (3.5oz) golden caster sugar and bake for just over an hour at 110ºC/230ºF/gas mark ¼. Once the meringues are ready, leave them in the oven to cool.

Most of the time, broad bean pods go straight in the bin once they're shelled. We've got another idea for what you could do with them.

With lots of satisfying crunch, broad bean pod fritters are the perfect snack. You could also do the same thing with limp green beans or mangetout. They're great served with a spicy sriracha mayo.

Get the recipe for broad bean pod fritters here

Similar to watercress, spinach also tends to go soggy and soft once it's spent a couple of days in the fridge. If some of the leaves have gone too slimy at the bottom of the bag, don't throw away the whole lot. Pick out the fresher-looking leaves and get rid of the rest.

The leftover leaves can be chopped into omelettes, breakfast muffins or sauces. Our favourite way to use them is in little gnudi (ricotta-based dumplings). Tender and buttery, they're pure comfort food.

Get the recipe for spinach and ricotta gnudi here

Once lemons start to go soft, there's no way of rescuing them. Rather than throwing them away, try using the zest and juice in the dishes you make.

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A good option that utilises both zest and juice is a classic French lemon tart. The filling is buoyant in texture, like French buttercream rather than a pourable curd, and is utterly delicious.

Get the recipe for French lemon tart here

Once broccoli starts changing colour and the individual florets lose their firmness, it's not the most appealing vegetable to eat. Don't throw it out straight away though because, as long as there is no mould on it, it's still good to eat.

A good way to hide unappealing-looking broccoli is to incorporate it into quiches, frittatas and omelettes. We love this one-pan quiche with gorgonzola – an easy dish to rustle up for a midweek dinner.

Get the recipe for broccoli and gorgonzola quiche here

We’ve lost count of the times we’ve been left with a few dried-out slices of bread that aren’t quite at their fluffy best. But unless they're showing mould or any other growths, which spell trouble, there are plenty of ways to use them.

One of the easiest ways to use up stale bread is to make a simple breadcrumb crust. We love garlicky, breadcrumbed, stuffed mushrooms or using breadcrumbs to coat meat.

Get the recipe for herb and hazelnut crusted chicken here

French toast should actually be made with stale rather than fresh bread as it's more robust and holds up to the eggy mixture. The dish is ideal for an indulgent brunch.

Get the recipe for French toast with fried apples here

When they’re fresh as a button, bananas are a hugely versatile ingredient. But once they’re slightly on the turn, their appeal can begin to wane. Brown spots and an over-soft texture mean they’re past their best but still good to use. If they’re heading towards black or are starting to smell a little funky, leave them alone.

Desserts are a great use for overripe fruits. The fruits' softness is masked by sugar, flour and other ingredients, and in some cases helps bind the mixture. Banana bread is a classic crowd-pleasing recipe for when the fruit is past its best or too sweet for eating.

Get the recipe for espresso banana bread here

Mushrooms typically last pretty well but it's crucial you avoid storing them in plastic or they'll sweat. Paper bags are best or remove air-tight packaging. If they dry out a little, that's not a problem – slightly dehydrated mushrooms are absolutely fine.

Risotto is an ideal way to use up any less-than-perfect mushrooms. The richness of parmesan and the earthiness of sage pairs well with mushrooms in risotto and will give them a new lease of life.

Get the recipe for mushroom risotto here

Turned your mushrooms into risotto? It's possible to go one step further. While leftover risotto is safe to reheat if cooled and stored in the fridge, it quickly loses its indulgent creaminess so turn it into a new dish instead.

Turn leftovers into crispy, deep-fried risotto balls, originating from Sicily. 

Get the recipe for arancini with rocket and a roast cherry tomato sauce here

While carrots are one of the more robust vegetables, even they can lose their shine after too long in the fridge. Whether they’ve dried out or gone soft, as long as they're not mouldy, all is not lost.

Bring these beauties back to their best by grating them into a carrot cake. With a rich cream cheese frosting and crunchy walnut pieces, this simple-to-make recipe is one of our favourites. 

Get the recipe for carrot cake here

Most fruit lose their texture fairly rapidly, particularly soft fruit such as strawberries and raspberries. This makes them ideal for jams and preserves – just draw the line at any with mould or a funky whiff.

Bring your soft fruit back to life with a shedload of sugar. Jarred jams, when sterilised and stored correctly, will keep for months. 

Get the recipe for raspberry and violet jam here

Sometimes it can feel like green vegetables lose their crunch the moment you put them in the fridge, with courgettes (zucchini) one of the worst culprits. While this makes them poor candidates for steaming, there's plenty more you can do with them.

Combine green vegetables with eggs and fry the lot for a lip-smacking frittata. They’re distinct from quiches as there’s no pastry base or sides, and different from omelettes since they start on the stovetop and are finished in the oven. 

Get the recipe for potato, courgette and goats' cheese frittata here

Whether an open packet of cheddar cheese has dried out in the fridge or a wedge of brie is overripe, these cheeses still have a second life in them. Dry cheese isn’t harmful but, unless you're using a blue cheese, be sure to slice off any parts showing signs of mould.

Most macaroni cheese recipes benefit from a blend of cheeses which means a group of cheeses past their best will be oozing in character. Just use whatever you have to hand. 

Get the recipe for deluxe mac 'n' cheese here

Apples may well go a little soft in your fruit bowl or in the fridge. Yet, provided any black, pitted or mouldy parts are removed, they're ripe to use in a range of comforting desserts.

Apple crumble, a satisfying mix of tender baked apples and a crisp, sugary topping, is traditionally a slow-cooked affair. But if you're desperate to use up fading fruit, you can even make it in the microwave.

Get the recipe for 10-minute mug crumble here

You could also try something more adventurous and bake Swedish apple and cheese spelt buns, great slathered in butter for a satisfying snack or lunch.

Get the recipe for apple and cheese spelt buns here

Soft tortillas tend to crust up all too quickly once the packet has been opened. But, like a standard loaf, provided they’re not showing signs of mould, they should be good for at least another meal.

If you've ever wondered about how to make tortilla chips, the clue is in the name. Oven-baking is the easiest option: cut the soft tortillas into triangles and bake in a hot oven for around 15 minutes, adding a little salt near the end. They're the perfect accompaniment to a rich chilli con carne.

Rice should be eaten soon after cooking so what do you do with day-old rice that's well past its just-cooked best?

The secret to perfect fried rice is to use rice that was cooked the day before. Converts say it stays crispier and takes on more flavor.

Get the recipe for cabbage and prawn fried rice here

Whether they’ve been left on the vine too long and split, been crushed in the fridge or generally gone soft, most tomatoes in that state aren’t going to taste great in a fresh garden salad. Instead, cooking them will bring them back to their former glory.

What better to partner with curry than some homemade tomato chutney? Made in volume and stored correctly, jars of chutney will keep for ages.

Get the recipe for tomato, pineapple and cucumber chutney here

Soft tomatoes will work in a classic Mexican salsa too. Finely chop them, then combine with onion, garlic, red chilli, coriander (cilantro) and lime juice.

You could also use up tomatoes past their best in a zingy tomato sauce for meatballs. Although their appearance might be sub-par, there's still lots of flavour inside them, ideal for a pasta sauce.

Many of us struggle to drink a whole carton of milk before its use-by date. If yours has gone sour, don't despair. You’ll know when milk is sour but useable: not yet lumpy but with a slight odour.

English scones aren't quite the same as American biscuits but they do have one thing in common. They both work well made with slightly sour milk as it helps give them a light, fluffy texture.

Get the recipe for sultana scones here

 

A perfectly grilled or steamed ear of corn is a beautiful thing but just one or two spoiled kernels can ruin the visual appeal. Whatever you do, don't bin the whole cob – the rest will still be juicy and sweet.

 

Flavoursome and light fritters use corn cut from the cob so you can discard any kernels that are past their best and use the rest. Top with poached eggs and smoked salmon for the perfect brunch dish.

Get the recipe for corn fritters here

 

It takes ages to ripen an avocado at home and then it turns brown almost overnight. Although it won't look great sliced on a toast anymore, there are other ways to rescue overripe avocado.

A traditional accompaniment to tortilla chips, fresh guacamole is both zesty and spicy. Mash soft avocados and combine with chopped red onion, red chillies, fresh coriander (cilantro), a touch of black pepper and lime juice.

Soft sweet potatoes are hard to cut into crispy fries and they quickly lose their appeal. However, unless there are visible spots of mould inside or out, they're still perfectly edible.

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For a super simple recipe that the whole family will love, mix two eggs for every 64g (2.25oz) of cooked sweet potato flesh. You can then sweeten the dough with a little sugar and vanilla. Once cooked, enjoy the pancakes with syrup or peanut butter.

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