Summertime at our house means that from time to time, we have a surplus of our much loved local seasonal fruit like peaches, plums and berries. Summertime also means hot humid weather that begs for tall tumblers of iced tea. With this zero waste fruity iced tea recipe, you can sip on refreshing all-natural fruit infused tea WHILE taking a stab at reducing your food waste at home.
I also love the addition of lemon or citrus to my iced tea so if you have squeezed the juice out of a lemon and still have those 2 squished halves left? Don’t pitch them! Citrus peels are super flavourful and contain more vitamin C than the actual fruits themselves. Throw them intro this iced tea recipe.
Other fruit scraps you could use: kiwi rinds, cut strawberry tops that still have some fruit on them, bruised or mushy berries or cherries, apple cores, pineapple cores, mango cores, and pear cores.
Buying Waste Free Tea:
If you choose to use tea bags, make sure they are compostable. Some tea bags are made from plastic so make sure to check the label on the box to see if they are compostable. You can also start buying loose leaf tea from bulk stores and use a tea infuser or small strainer when steeping to lower your packaging waste.
Food Waste Tip: Store usable washed fruit scraps in your freezer to preserve scraps for your next fruity iced tea.
Zero Waste Fruity Iced Tea
Ingredients
- About 2 cups fruit scraps such as peach cores , apple cores, mushy berries, or cut strawberry tops that still have some fruit on them
- 2 halves of a squeezed lemon or other citrus of choice
- 8 cups water
- 3 compostable tea bags of choice
- Optional: honey, maple syrup or sugar to taste
Optional Add Ins: citrus wedges, fresh mint, thyme, or basil
Other Fruit Scraps You Could Use: Kiwi rinds, bruised berries or cherries, pineapple cores, mango cores, pear cores.
Instructions
- Place fruit scraps into pot, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer scraps for about 10 minutes to infuse water with flavour. Take off heat.
- Place tea bags in water to steep 5-10 minutes depending on how strong you like your iced tea.
- Strain and transfer liquid to pitcher, using a ladle may help. Add in sweetener of choice to taste and refrigerate tea for at least 2 hours to cool. Option to add in herbs such as fresh mint for extra flavour to infuse. Serve over ice or you could even mix with fizzy water!
- Food Waste Tip: Store usable washed fruit scraps in your freezer to preserve scraps for your next fruity iced tea.
If you enjoyed my zero waste fruity iced tea recipe, you can follow me on Facebook and Instagram for more recipes and tips. You can check out my other summer time drinks here!
