Although we can easily compost overripe fruit, in the name of creating zero-waste habits, it’s a good practice to attempt to put everything you can to use before discarding it, even squishy soft plums and mushy peaches. Here are four ways you can make the most of the overripe fruit sitting in your kitchen.

Warm water bath

Berries are notorious for ripening in a blink of an eye—but don’t despair! Here’s a trick that will help slightly overripe berries (especially strawberries) bounce back. To slow down ripening and kill off mold spores, dunk your berries in warm water (125 degrees Fahrenheit) for about half a minute. Drain and spread them out to dry in a single layer on some paper towel. Place them back in the fridge and enjoy!

Make sorbet

As the fruit ripens, its sugar levels increase, making it even more flavorful. It would be a shame to waste all that flavor, so put your softening fruit in the freezer and blend it up for a simple sorbet. If you want to take it up a notch, use an ice cream maker and serve out homemade ice cream or gelato.

Use them in crumbles, crisps, pies, or cobblers

Banana bread isn’t the only recipe that calls for overripe fruit. As long as it hasn’t gone moldy, old fruit is fine when baked into a yummy recipe. In crumbles, pies, and cobblers, the fruit becomes tender anyway, and the flavor will be just as good, if not better!

Homemade fruit leather

From kids to adults, we all love a nostalgic healthy snack. Enjoy fruit leather without added sugars or chemicals by simply cooking, blending, and drying ripe fruit. Check out this recipe for more details.