Planning on attacking your fridge during spring cleaning? If you’re anything like me, the relief of a clean slate always comes with guilt over the wasted food, so I loved this list from the kitchn. Hang on to these leftovers and stretch your groceries – and your wallet! – even further!

Leftover cheese and cheese rinds

Use rinds and the bits of hard and soft cheeses too small for crackers or bread to make fromage fort, or “strong cheese,” a cheese spread that’s perfect as an appetizer. Simply use a food processor to blend the leftover cheese and rinds with white wine, garlic and your favorite herbs.

Overripe bananas

Who hasn’t lost track of things and ended up with a bunch of overripe, blackened bananas? Throw them in the freezer, not in the trash! You can use them frozen in smoothies and ice cream, or thaw them out for use in banana bread and other yummy baked goods.

Brown vegetables

Have some veggies looking a little too brown to eat outright? They’re still good enough to turn into a nice, basic vegetable stock for soups and other dishes.

Vegetable tops

Everybody always cuts the tops off of veggies like carrots and radishes, but did you know it’s perfectly safe to eat them? Challenge your taste buds by sautéing them, throwing them in with your browned veggies for some stock, or simply taking a big bite!

Leftover coffee

There’s always that one little pour of coffee left in the pot after breakfast, so why not put it to use rather than dumping it down the drain? Coffee adds a great kick to savory sauces and gravies like Mexican mole, and – my favorite! – chocolate desserts.

Bacon grease

Whenever I make Sunday breakfast, I always cook my eggs in the same pan where I cooked my bacon for an extra bit of flavor. Now I know to save that bacon grease in a jar and use it for searing meats with delicious, smokey flavor!

What tricks do you have to get extra use out of your groceries? What would you add to this list? Make sure to check out the the kitchn for more foods you should never throw away!