5 Surprising, Clever Ways To Use Herbs

Are you frantically googling “ways to use herbs so I don’t have to waste that $5 bunch of basil”? Welcome to every Thursday of my life! Thankfully, Katie is here with some clever ways to use those herbs wilting in the crisper!

Of my many years of navigating being an adult, one of the biggest areas I struggle is not letting food go to waste. My kitchen is basically hospice care for fruits and veggies. After starting my own herb garden, I realized I needed to get my act together if I didn’t want all those herbs to go to waste!

Through trial and error (and a lot of Pinterest), I’ve managed to keep my herbs well-used.  Below are my favorite non-cooking ways to use to herbs!

5 ways to use herbs you probably haven’t thought of

Keep Mosquitos Away

Enjoy the outdoors without the bug bites. One way to cut down on mosquitos is plant mosquito repelling plants such as lavender, basil, or citronella. Our favorite way to use herbs outside is in our fire pit. Wrap together some lavender, sage, and mint and throw it in the fire and you have a delicious smelling fire and no mosquitos.

We typically just throw in several sprigs of rosemary because I love the smell. If you’re feeling super crafty and don’t have a fire pit, you can make your own candles with the herbs in them to burn outside.

Treat Your Dog

Store bought dog treats can have some pretty questionable ingredients in them. Whether you’re picky about what you feed your fur baby or you have a dog that’s allergic to everything, homemade dog treats are the way to go. There are many herbs that are just as good for your dog as they are for you.

If you’re lucky, your dog loves ice as much as my big guy and you can simply freeze herbs with water in an ice tray. Another easy recipe is to toss chickpeas in coconut oil, basil, and thyme then bake on a baking sheet at 245 degrees until crunchy (roughly 45 minutes). This is a treat your puppy AND you can enjoy.

Decorate For Parties

I currently have a rosemary bush that is producing more than I could ever cook with. Coincidentally, I also have a new house that’s just waiting for a house-warming party.

A quick Pinterest search will give you a million ideas for decorating your home with herbs and greenery. Using rosemary for place cards or on menus is my decor of choice. If you haven’t caught on yet, I love rosemary…and have quite a lot of it.

Sugar Scrubs or Bath Salts

Skip the spa and create your own spa experience with sugar scrubs and bath salts. They are super simple to make and leave your skin feeling super soft and smelling super good. Here’s a great basic sugar scrub that I always keep in stock.

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 2 sprigs finely chopped rosemary
• Mix it all together adjusting ingredients to your liking then store in a sealed container, like a mason jar, because everything is better in a mason jar.

You can easily make a bath salt using the same ingredients above, substituting 2 cups epsom salt, 1/5 cup baking soda, and lemon essential oil for the sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice. Sugar scrubs and bath salts are also perfect for DIY gifts.

Freshen Up Your Home

Herbs are not only pleasing to the taste buds but also to the nose. The greatest thing I’ve ever done is hang a bouquet of eucalyptus to our shower head. Every shower is like a spa experience now. You don’t have to use eucalyptus though, whatever herbs you fancy would be just as fabulous.

Preserve Them For Later

The good news is, if you find yourself with way too many herbs, you have options if you just can’t use them before they go bad. I typically freeze them in an ice tray with EVOO or other liquid. Drying them is also another easy way to go. Here are a few more ideas for preserving them.

How do you deal with that quickly wilting bunch of cilantro in the crisper? Tell us your ideas in the comments!

P.S. 5 surprising small bedroom storage ideas

Sources: Jonas Weckschmied // 1. Mosquito repellent herbs // 2. Dog treats // 3. Herbs in shower // 4. Rosemary name cards // 5. Bath salt // 6. Hanging herbs