Food waste is a major problem throughout the world — sadly, edible food spoils on shelves while millions of people go hungry. Wasted food is also a serious consideration for survivalists, since every item we throw in the trash depletes both our food stockpiles and our savings. Less waste means more food on the table, and more money in your wallet to put towards other resources.

That said, you don't need to begrudgingly eat tasteless or unappetizing leftovers. There are many ways to turn scraps into delicious treats that you'll actually look forward to. For example, citrus fruit peels can be made into candy with the addition of a little sugar and water.

The following method of making lime peel candy dates back to the colonial period in America, and has been explained by Townsends, a YouTube channel that specializes in early American recipes. We previously shared the channel's helpful video on pemmican, the original protein bar.

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To make lime peel candy, peels are cut into thin strips, then placed in water, brought to a boil, and drained. The strips are boiled and drained two more times, softening them and mellowing their flavor. The peel strips are finally candied in a 50/50 water and sugar mixture, and sprinkled with granulated sugar.

This same method can be applied to other citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruits, as seen in the video below. If you have a backyard garden to grow these fruits, that'll just make the process even more sustainable in a long-term survival situation.

Written by Patrick McCarthy