Scrappy Smoothies

This past Tuesday, the dining sustainability team served up a delicious reminder that food scraps don’t have to go to waste. In celebration of Food Waste Prevention Week, students gathered in The Pit to blend up “scrappy smoothies” made entirely from commonly discarded—but perfectly edible—fruit and vegetable parts.

The event, organized by Sustainability Coordinator Quin Wolters, turned heads with a unique twist: a smoothie bike. Powered by pedal energy, the bike blended up the creative concoctions in real time, allowing students to transform scraps into smoothies with a little legwork and a lot of enthusiasm.

From strawberry tops to banana peels, the ingredients highlighted just how much flavor and nutrition we often throw away. These parts of fruits and veggies are often overlooked, but they’re totally edible and packed with nutrients.

The hands-on experience was more than just a fun workout—it was a practical lesson in zero waste living. Students were invited to select their scraps, hop on the bike, and take sustainability for a spin, literally.

Want to try it at home? Here’s a list of scraps to consider blending into your next smoothie:

• Kiwi skins

• Broccoli stems

• Carrot tops

• Banana peels

• Watermelon rinds

• Apple cores

• Potato skins

• Strawberry tops

• Herb stems

• Celery tops

• Pineapple Skins

Whether you’re a seasoned eco-warrior or just smoothie-curious, scrappy smoothies are a simple (and tasty) way to rethink food waste. One pedal-powered blend at a time, students are proving that sustainability can be as delicious as it is impactful.