Regrowing Food at Home: An Easy Way to Fight Food Waste and Boost Your Health

Educated Choices Program

Did you know that the food we eat every day is also one of the biggest contributors to climate change? From the land and water used to grow it to the fuel used to transport it, food production releases tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere through every step in the process. Even fertilizers used to help crops grow can release gases that trap heat in our planet’s atmosphere.

It sounds concerning, right? But here’s the good news: small changes really do make a difference.

At the Educated Choices Program, we help students explore how food connects to personal health, communities, and the environment. Our free, science-based videos and classroom resources make topics like gardening, food waste, food access, and sustainable food systems easier to understand and teach.

One fun and easy way to help the planet is by growing some food at home, and you can start with something as simple as regrowing food from scraps. That means using leftover pieces of vegetables or herbs you’d normally throw away to grow new plants. It’s an easy, hands-on way to reduce food waste, save money, and reconnect with where your food comes from.

When you grow food at home, whether from seeds or from scraps, you skip the shipping, packaging, and plastic waste that come with store-bought produce. Plus, you’ll get fresher food, lower your carbon footprint, and even boost your mental health. Gardening has been proven to lower stress and lift your mood.

You don’t need a big yard or fancy tools to start. Even a sunny windowsill or kitchen counter is enough! Despite all the resources and energy that go into producing our food, about 2.5 billion tons of it are thrown away worldwide every year. In the U.S., 43% of that waste comes from homes. That’s a lot of perfectly good food going to waste, and when it ends up in landfills, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas even more powerful than carbon dioxide.

By regrowing food from scraps, you’re helping break that cycle. You’re giving new life to food that would otherwise end up in the trash and also learning the basics of growing your own food in the process. It’s a small step that makes a big difference for your plate, your wallet, and the planet.

Below are some easy foods you can regrow at home to fight food waste, help the planet, and enjoy a little green life indoors. We’ve grouped foods with similar growing methods together so you can try a variety of options!

Want to learn more? We have a video and education package dedicated to learning more about gardening and food access.

Check out our free video presentation and full educational package “Growing Community Roots” to learn more about the important role these gardens play in environmental, personal, and public health!

Group 1: Onion family veggies!

How to grow: Cut off the green tops, leaving 2–3 inches of the white bulb. Place the bulbs in a glass of water (roots down) and change the water every 2–3 days. You’ll see new green shoots in 3–5 days. You can start cutting and eating in 7–10 days. Optionally, you can move to soil if you want continual regrowth and a stronger flavor.

• Sunlight: Bright, indirect light.
• Air: Normal indoor ventilation. Avoid stagnant air.
• Temperature: Room temperature (65–75°F / 18–24°C).
• Care: Trim greens as they grow; keep roots submerged or soil moist (but not soggy).

Health benefits: Packed with vitamin C and antioxidants that support heart health, healthy skin, and digestion.

How to use: Green onions can be chopped and added to salads, soups, stir-fries, or omelets. They work well as a garnish for tacos, noodles, or rice dishes, and can also be blended into sauces, dips, or dressings to add a mild onion flavor.

Leeks (or Garlic Greens)

How to grow: Cut about 2 inches above the root base and place the root end in water, just enough to cover the roots, not the entire stem. Change the water every few days. After 1-2 weeks, when new green shoots are about 4 inches tall, move them to soil for bigger growth. Greens tops are ready to use in 2-3 weeks and fully regrown leeks can take 8-12 weeks.

• Air: Good airflow prevents mold.
• Temperature: Cool to moderate (60–70°F / 15–21°C).
• Care: Keep soil evenly moist. Trim greens for use while allowing regrowth.

Health benefits: Leeks are great for your gut and heart and full of fiber and antioxidants that keep your body strong and healthy.

How to use: Leeks can be sliced and sautéed as a base for soups, stews, or risottos. They can also be roasted or grilled for a sweet, mild flavor, or added raw to salads for a subtle oniony crunch.

Chives

How to grow: If your chives have roots, place them in water until new growth appears, then plant them in soil. Chives regrow only in soil. Trim often to encourage fresh growth. Ready to use in 3-4 weeks after sprouting. If trimmed properly, you can get a continuous harvest every few weeks!

• Sunlight: Full sun or strong indoor light.
• Air: Normal indoor ventilation. Avoid drafts.
• Temperature: Cool to moderate (60–75°F / 16–24°C).
• Care: Keep soil slightly moist. Trim about 2 inches above the base to encourage regrowth.

Health benefits: Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, great for bones, memory, and immunity.

How to use: Chives can be chopped and added to sauces, dips, or dressings. You can also add them to things like potato salad and butter, or use them as a garnish, all adding a minor oniony flavor to your foods.

Group 2: Leafy Herbs from Stem Cuttings

How to grow: Take a healthy short stem cutting and place it in water. Make sure only the leafless part of the stem is submerged. Remove the leaves from the bottom 1-2 inches of the stem to prevent them from rotting in water. Change water every 2-3 days. Once roots form and are 2 inches long, plant it in well-draining potting soil. Basil loves sunlight and will reward you with fragrant, tasty leaves. You can start harvesting small leaves in 3-4 weeks after planting.

• Sunlight: Bright, indirect to direct sunlight.
• Air: Normal indoor ventilation. Good circulation prevents mold.
• Temperature: Warm temperatures (65–80°F / 18–27°C). Avoid cold drafts as basil is sensitive to temperatures below 50°F / 10°C.
• Care: Keep soil slightly moist–avoid overwatering! Remove any yellow or wilted leaves promptly. Regularly pinch off growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Health benefits: Basil fights inflammation and helps protect your body with powerful antioxidants.

How to use: Fresh basil can be chopped into salads, pasta dishes, or sandwiches, and blended into pesto or sauces. It can also be added to soups, pizzas, and homemade dressings for a fragrant, flavorful touch.

Lemon Balm

How to grow: Take a stem cutting and place it in water. Just like the basil stem, remove the leaves from the bottom 1-2 inches of the stem to avoid rot in water. Make sure only the leafless part of the stem is submerged in water! Change the water every 2-3 days. Once the roots grow and are 1-2 inches long, plant in well-draining soil. You can begin harvesting within 3-4 weeks after planting.

• Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight.
• Temperature: Prefers moderate indoor temps around 65–75°F / 18–24°C. Avoid cold drafts, as lemon balm is frost-sensitive.
• Care: Water moderately–lemon balm prefers slightly moist soil. Remove yellow and dead leaves promptly. Regularly pinch off growing tips to encourage bushier growth.

Health benefits: Lemon balm has calming properties — it can reduce stress and help you relax.

How to use: Lemon balm leaves can be brewed into tea or iced infusions, added to fruit salads, smoothies, or desserts for a citrusy note, and used as a garnish for beverages or baked goods.

Oregano

How to grow: Trim a healthy stem, remove the lower leaves, and place it in water until roots appear. Make sure only the leafless part of the stem is submerged in water. Change water every 2-3 days. Once roots develop and are a couple of inches long, plant in well-draining soil. You can begin harvesting within 3-4 weeks. Then move it to the soil and keep it in the sun.

• Air: Normal indoor ventilation. Good circulation prevents mold or fungal growth.
• Temperature: Prefers moderate indoor temps around 65–75°F / 18–24°C. Can tolerate slightly cooler conditions but avoid frost.
• Care: Avoid overwatering as oregano prefers slightly drier conditions. Remove yellow and dead leaves promptly. Regularly trim stems to encourage bushier growth.

Health benefits: Loaded with antioxidants and has natural antibacterial properties–great for your immune system.

How to use: Fresh oregano leaves can be sprinkled on pizza, pasta, or roasted vegetables, added to tomato sauces, soups, and marinades, and used in salad dressings or herb mixes for flavoring proteins and grains.

How to grow: Cut a mint stem, remove lower leaves, and place it in water–submerging only the leafless part of the stem. Change water every few days. Once roots grow, transfer to soil. After 3-4 weeks, you can start harvesting. Mint also grows well in just water, but grows stronger in soil.

• Sunlight: Prefers partial to bright indirect sunlight.
• Air: Normal indoor ventilation.
• Temperature: Grows best in moderate indoor temps around 65–75°F / 18–24°C. Avoid extreme cold or heat.
• Care: Keep soil consistently moist. Remove yellow and dead leaves promptly. Regularly trim (what) to prevent legginess and encourage fresh growth.

Health benefits: Helps digestion, freshens breath, and may even boost brain function.

How to use: Mint leaves can be added to tea, lemonade, or cocktails, chopped into salads, fruit bowls, or yogurt, and used as a garnish for desserts, smoothies, or savory dishes.

Carrot Greens

How to grow: Use the top 1–2 inches of the carrot and place it in a shallow bowl with just enough water to cover the bottom about ½ inch. Make sure the carrot flesh is in contact with water, but the greens stay above water. Change the water every 1-2 days to prevent mold or rot. Small green shoots appear in 3-7 days. You can harvest greens within 2-3 weeks. Optionally, once small roots start to appear, you can plant the carrot top in well-draining potting soil.

Note: This process won’t regrow full carrots, but it will regrow the leafy greens on top of the carrot.

• Sunlight: Bright, indirect sunlight. A sunny windowsill works well. Too much direct sunlight will dry out the greens.
• Air: Normal indoor ventilation. Avoid overly humid or stagnant conditions to prevent mold.