People share their genius cooking hacks to give leftovers new life, here are the top 10

Approximately one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption each year—approximately 1.3 billion tons—is lost or wasted. Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tons) as total net food production in sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tons), according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Numbers are hard to wrap your head around. But think about the last time you tossed out that lone avocado that sat on the windowsill for ages, desperately wanting its moment to shine in guacamole, only to end up in the trash can. Then imagine all the products that ended up being thrown away just because you forgot they existed. However, sometimes we stock up on so much food that we never have time to eat, and this is also the reason why we contribute to the world's food waste. It's kind of embarrassing.

Being careful with your grocery shopping and thinking about how much food is enough for your needs is one way to solve the problem (and save money). Another way is to use your inventive skills and make the best use of whatever is left after you've eaten or is just lying around aimlessly in the fridge.

10 PHOTOS

1. Caramelize overripe sliced bananas in oil. Then sprinkle them with brown sugar and some salt. Oh my god, they are delicious on their own or with a scoop of ice cream.

2. Old bananas make an absolutely great milkshake with justice and vanilla.

3. You can shock old vegetables in ice water to restore their crunchiness. Celery, herbs, peppers, etc. have not gone bad but have lost their tough/crispy texture. 2-3 minutes in ice water and it will be like new.

4. Leftover mashed potatoes can be used to make potato cakes or dumplings.

5. When the cherry tomatoes begin to turn black, you can fry them with garlic and herbs. Drizzle lemon juice on top for a great side dish or appetizer.

6. No one will notice that these peppers have become a little soft and wrinkled when they are fried.

7. Mealy and bruised apples make good applesauce.

8. Leftover cooked vegetables can be used to make frittata.

9. Leftover bread to thicken soups and sauces.

10. Fish Leftovers - Make fish cakes.