Add them into pancakes, bake them into bread, or have them as a snack -– bananas are just a great go-to kitchen staple. Since I use them so much, I’m always left with a mound of peels, and this got me thinking “what sort of things can I do with banana peels?” Surprisingly there’s a lot, and I mean a lot of ways to reuse these sad, once-trash bound scraps. Before you think of throwing out banana peels, try one of these useful household hacks that put them to good use.
Attracting Butterflies
Butterflies aren’t just beautiful to see, they also help pollinate the plants and flowers in your garden. Banana peels are an easy way to attract more butterflies to your garden, you just have to scatter peels at the bottom of your plants or a nearby rock. The butterflies are attracted to the sweet smell and this scent will draw them into your garden, but once nightfall comes, remove the peels so you don’t attract other unwanted critters.
For Fine Lines and Wrinkles
Instead of buying pricey wrinkle creams try this at-home method first. Rub the inside of a banana peel onto dry patches of skin for 1 minute, let it sit on your skin for 15 minutes, and then rinse. Compounds in banana peels are shown to increase collagen production and diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Better yet the texture of the peel acts as an exfoliant, gently removing dead skin and making rough patches feel smooth.
To Make the Best Tender and Juicy Grilled Chicken
If grilled chicken always turns into dry papyrus when you cook it, then this trick is perfect for you! Place the banana peel white side down on top of the chicken while it’s on the grill. The banana peel acts as a barrier, protecting the chicken skin and sealing in the flavor, but don’t worry, the peel doesn’t affect the flavor of the chicken.
Removing Aphids
You may not know these bugs by their name, but you’d definitely know them if you see them. Aphids are tiny sap-sucking insects that wreak havoc and damage on countless plants and trees alike. To either remove or deter these pesky critters, cut up two to three banana peels and place them in a shallow 1-inch hole at the base of the plant. There’s a chemical in bananas that deters aphids so they’ll stay away for good.
Ripening Avocados
Sometimes there isn’t much of a selection of avocados and you just have to buy unripe ones, which can be as hard as rocks. If you need to use any of those unripened avocados soon, here’s a way to quicken mother nature’s process. Put the unripe avocados in a paper bag along with one to two banana peels, close the bag tight, and let the avocados stay in there for 24 to 48 hours. Banana peels have ethylene gas, a chemical in fruit that initiates the ripening process, meaning the avocado will ripen in no time.
Soothe Skin Irritations
Have bug bites or sunburns but don’t have the lotion to quell the itch or pain? For fast relief from uncomfortable skin irritations, gently rub or compress the area with a banana peel with the white side of the peel facing the skin. The polysaccharides in banana peels penetrate the skin’s surface level and relieve inflammation.
Getting a Good Night of Sleep
Have trouble falling asleep? Drink banana peel tea! It may sound strange but the magnesium and potassium in the peels relax muscle aches and head tensions, making it easier to fall to sleep. To make the tea, cut the fibrous stem ends off of one banana peel and combine with 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, strain the mixture, and add honey to taste. This tea tastes best iced so once you add the honey, put the tea in the refrigerator to cool and serve it over ice.
