5 Surprising Uses for All Those Lemons
Tis the season. You’ve got a tree exploding with lemons, but don’t know what to do with them.
Sure, you love lemons, but surely not this many.
More than lemonade and lemon bars
Let’s face it. There’s only so much lemonade a person can drink – especially during these winter months – and lemon bars require baking (oof, tough ask for the non-bakers). So what do you do with all those lemons when citrus season is upon us?
Luckily, we’ve got some surprising ideas for what to do with all those lemons.
5 Surprising Uses for all those Lemons
Lemons come loaded with health benefits and household perks, and add a pop of flavor to any dish. Waste not! What a shame it would be to let all those benefits go to waste.
Here are 5 surprising ways of putting those lemons to use.
1. Create a year-round stash of lemon juice
Yes, this is pretty obvious, and not that surprising of a use, but it had to be said. If you hadn’t considered squeezing and freezing, this is the best way to ensure your year-round supply!
If you need to harvest those lemons in a jiffy, the quickest way to deal with them is to juice them.
- Squeeze ‘em and juice them, and
- pour into clean, empty ice containers.
- Once filled, carefully transfer them into the freezer.
- Once frozen, take them out and pop them out into a ziploc baggy, or a container for quick access throughout the year.
Keep them stored in the freezer to create a year-round supply of lemon juice for any occasion.
Need lemon for a recipe? Pop it out of the freezer.
Want to add a zing to your champagne? (yes, trust, it’s better than orange juice). Pop a cube or two out of the freezer.
Need lemon for your dinner recipe? Pop another cube or two. Easy.
So many ways to get set with all the lemons you could need until the next citrus season.
Save the peels!
What about the peels?? Save the peels!! Hang onto those lemon peels and make a natural homemade non-toxic cleaner out of them. Read below for more.
2. Make a natural homemade non-toxic cleaner out of the peels
Lemons act as a natural cleaning agent.
With their high citric acid profile, lemons serve as a natural de-greaser and disinfectant that works great as an anti-bacterial and anti-microbial cleaner that’s safe and non-toxic to use for cleaning surfaces throughout the house, such as in the kitchen and bathroom shower stalls.
This is particularly key for mamas out there who want to steer clear of bleach and other chemicals.
How to make your own natural lemon-vinegar cleaner
- Take those lemon peels, and shove them into a glass jar. Really pack them in. Toss the wedges in whole after they’ve been squeezed, keeping the rinds – no further processing needed. (Great, right?) Fill the glass jar with lemon rinds.
- For an added fresh scent, add a few sprigs of rosemary. They grow wild like weeds, so if you’re not growing them, chances are that there’s a bush growing somewhere nearby that you can slip a few sprigs from. I’m sure the neighbor would be delighted to share.
- Fill 3/4 of the lemon peel-filled glass container with vinegar.
- Then fill the remaining 1/4 of glass container with water.
- Squeeze the lid on tight and give it a good swirl, toss it upside down and back a few times, ensuring a good blend of the vinegar, water, and natural oils of the lemon peels and rosemary to infuse together.
- Let it sit for 1 week.
- Then pour the lemon-vinegar solution through a fine sieve-or mesh filter into an empty and clean spray bottle. The mesh will filter out and collect any natural remnants from the lemon peels that may otherwise clog the spray bottle after a few sprays. So don’t skip this step!
Practical Applications a of Lemon-Vinegar Cleaner
In the Kitchen:
- Clean up that stovetop from those greasy splotches without having to worry about what chemicals are in your cleaner. (Careful to not apply this lemon-vinegar spray on granite and marble surfaces though, as the citric acid and vinegar will likely create damage).
- Clean your fridge surfaces. Adds a nice scent while cleaning. And no need to worry about spraying your food storage container with chemicals.
- Give your cutting boards a good natural disinfectant
In the Bathroom:
- Shower surfaces
- Bathroom mold. Did you know that vinegar eats mold? Add some sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) to the scene and spray with the lemon-vinegar solution. Add some salt in there as well to create some resistance and abrasion – something to create a good scrub. It’s not an end-all, be-all solution, but it will help with those surfaces that are just starting to appear with mold and bacterial growth.
3. Treat yourself to a natural health-boosting tonic
Give yourself the simplest and healthiest natural boost by creating a natural lemon tonic in the mornings. It’s an energy-boosting way to start off your days – especially when it’s cold! Kick the caffeine and opt for a hot zing with lemon water.
How to make a Lemon Water Tonic
- Just slice up 1 (entire) lemon,
- toss those slices into a mug, and
- pour in the hot water
Keep the rinds on. Keep the slices intact. No need to squeeze. (This helps to tame the tonic from getting too sour). No honey or sugar, either. (You don’t need it!) Just slice up a whole lemon and shove those slices into a mug. And pour in the hot water. Refill for as many times as you can still taste the traces of lemon in your sips.
It’s a soothing and relaxing elixir brimming with health benefits.
Health Benefits of the Lemon
What’s in a lemon? Lemons, particularly their peels (rinds), are rich in vitamins and minerals (source), a few of which include:
- phenolic acids, known for their antioxidant properties for protecting cells against oxidative stress (source)
- Vitamins – lemons are loaded with vitamin C; vitamin K, essential for blood clotting (source)
- Minerals – calcium; potassium, which helps balance the water and electrolytes in your body – critical for keeping hydrated; magnesium, an underpinning mineral to keeping all your body functions (cardiovascular, nervous, muscles, bones) functioning properly (source); zinc, a critical mineral to keep your immune system up and running (source); and phosphorous
Imagine having all of those health benefits in your very own mug in the mornings, simply by sipping on hot water with lemon. Plus, it’s been said to aid with weight loss (source).
4. Chicken. Yes, Chicken.
Create a dynamic dinner duo out of those lemons by pairing them with chicken. Lemons and chicken go deliciously together. And they’re so simple to whip up in the kitchen —in fact, they make up the bulk of the ingredients!
Thyme Lemon Garlic Chicken
Just 6 simple ingredients. A simple recipe for an aromatic and flavorful chicken dinner, emphasizing the fresh and aromatic earthiness of thyme, the zing of lemons, and the boldness of garlic.
Meyer Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Yup, a savory meyer lemon dish. Try it for yourself! The meyer lemon’s favorable juiciness-to-sour ratio make them the perfect key ingredient for this flavorful and aromatic dish.
Chicken and Lemons. What a simple yet tasty way to deal with all those excess lemons. The lemons add the zing of flavor and the juices for a juicy, brothy base sauce, and the chicken brings the heartiness. Just add some herbs, and you’ve got a simple yet tasty dinner prepared for the evening.
5. Make a Funky, Tacky Wreath with Some Lemon Door Decor
Seriously, might as well make some door decor with these lemons. Bake them, so as not to attract the flies, and then hang it up. Scare an Amazon delivery guy or two, why not.
Don't Let Those Lemons Go to Waste!
Whatever you do, just don’t let those lemons go to waste! Lemons are too precious to waste. They’re loaded with health benefits, and they can awaken any plain old boring dish into something you’ll want seconds on.
Lastly, if you’re still not feeling inspired by any of these ideas, consider donating to your local food banks and share with your neighbors as gifts! They’ll surely love the bounty. No need to let all these beautiful lemons fall to waste.
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2 Comments
Maggie
Okay – I needed this blog post. I use about 1 lemon per day in my water. I always feel like there should be something I could do with the lemon even after squeezed. These are great options – thanks!
Imperfectly Wabi Sabi
That lemon vinegar cleaner i prepare during lemon season lasts me the whole year! It’s all I use for our kitchen!