If you receive a large fruit hamper or even more than one fruit basket, you might not be able to consume all the fresh fruit before it goes bad. So, before allowing that deliciousness to go to waste, here are some ways in which you can use fresh fruit that is about to go bad.

Smoothie

Who doesn’t love a good smoothie, right? You can make smoothies from just about any type of fruit. You can add milk or yogurt if you like or water for a low fat option. Simply peel your fruit, slice or chop it up and blend them together. Serve chilled, of course.

Popsicles

If you have popsicle moulds, you can make your own ice lollies! Yes, winter might be around the corner but many people still enjoy icy treats even when it’s cold outside. Simply add some fruit juice along with fresh fruit to your moulds and freeze them.

Pancake topping

Whip up a batch of pancakes and top them with delicious fresh fruit and perhaps even some whipped cream or ice cream if you like. You can use a combination of fruit or stick to a single type of fruit for each pancake.

Add to salad

Many salads taste even better when you add fruit. Some of the best types of fresh fruit to add to salads include lemons, oranges, mandarins, apples and pears. They add a delicate sweetness that amplifies the flavours of the rest of the ingredients.

Include with cocktails

Spruce up your cocktails with fresh fruit! You can use the fruit to garnish the side of the glass or you can chop up a few pieces to add to each glass. This is particularly great if you serve cocktails with a transparent appearance. It will make them look that much more elegant.

Make jam

No matter the type of fruit you have, you can surely make some jam! You can even combine two or more types of fruit if you don’t have enough of one fruit to make a decent batch. You will need to clean, chop and boil the fresh fruit until the appropriate consistency is achieved. Bottle them and store in a cool, dark place until you wish to use them.

Bake a pie

Just like jam, you can use just about any type of fresh fruit to make an amazing pie. You can also combine several fruits if you want to combine different flavours.

Make dried fruit

Dried fruit is a excellent way of preserving their flavour and nutrients. You don’t need a dehydrator to do it either. You can dry fruit in your oven. It’s best to use an oven with a fan since this will help speed up the process. Wash, dry and slice your fruit before placing them on a baking rack and in the oven for as long as it takes to dry them out. The oven must be warm but not hot or you will end up cooking the fruit rather than drying it out.

With these handy fresh fruit tips, you should never find yourself throwing fruit out ever again! There is always a way of using or preserving fruit before it goes bad. When fruit is on the verge of going bad, it is often best to use it in a cooked recipe such as pie or jam.