Save Money: Six Ways to Use Over-ripe Fruit

One way to save money is to put over-ripe fruit to good use. No, not the rotten, decaying kind, because that might make you ill (or tipsy, depending on how much it has fermented). I'm talking about the slightly over-ripe or bruised fruit that's still edible in spots. In fact, you can often find over-ripe produce on sale in the grocery store-everyone has seen the dark bananas on sale-and save money by purchasing it. And if you live near orchards, some growers will let you purchase windfall fruit for a reduced price, while neighbors may let you have their windfalls for free.

In addition, how often have you forgotten about an apple or a peach in the fridge or a pear sitting on the counter? If you're like many people, you probably didn't notice until it looked wrinkled and the fruit flies started buzzing in your ear. And then you felt bad that you used good money to buy it when all it did was feed those little buggers (the fruit flies, not the kids, your spouse, or your roommate).

Whether you intentionally bought the fruit a little too ripe from the store to save money, got it as windfall to cut costs, or you accidentally let it ripen too long in the kitchen, here are six ways to save money by using produce that's a little past its prime.

1. Bananas: This is a great, old standby. Peel and mash the bananas, add a little lemon juice (so they don't continue darkening), place in a plastic container and freeze. They can be used with your favorite recipe to make muffins, banana bread, banana-nut pancakes, or banana cake.
2. Peaches and apricots: Cut into chunks (cutting away the bruises) and toss into the blender with milk, ice, and a little sugar to make a fruit smoothie. Kids love a smoothie in the summer, especially as a part of breakfast. You can also substitute ice cream for the ice, to make a delicious fruit shake for dessert.
3. Watermelon: Cut away bruised spots or areas that are obviously too mushy to use, remove the rind, cut the melon into chunks, and puree in the blender. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze. These make refreshing ice cubes to use with lemon-line soda, especially in the summer.
4. Apples: Nothing's better than a crisp, juicy apple, but it's another story when it's a little wrinkled and soft. Don't throw the apples away if you left them in the crisper too long. Instead, core and slice, and cook them with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little apple or pineapple juice until they're soft. They're great served as a side dish with ham or chicken.
5. Berries: Cut away mushy spots, puree in the blender with a little sugar, and use as a fruit topping for ice cream. You can also heat and serve on pancakes or French toast, with a dollop of whipped cream.
6. All fruit: Almost any fruit that's just a little beyond its prime can be added into your favorite fruit salad recipe, into a gelatin salad, or cooked as a compliment to meat, as long as you remove bruises and over-ripe sections first.

When times are hard, and every penny, nickel, and dime counts, there's no point in wasting your money by throwing out the produce that's past its prime. Use it in the ways I've mentioned above to help with that tight budget, and it won't be long before you're coming up with your own ideas for ways to save money using over-ripe fruit.

Sources: Personal experience