If you’ve found wrinkled yet perfectly edible vegetables in the fridge, then lucky you – lunch is sorted this week.

Rather than throwing them in the food bin, we’re going to show you how to rescue your limp, tired veg with exciting, lunchtime recipes from the Gousto Cookbook.

Read on for tasty ideas that’ll have you confidently reducing your food waste and finding new, healthy ways to lunch.

But first…why do vegetables go limp?

Limp vegetables are missing one thing: Water. Once picked, moisture continually evaporates from vegetables, making them limp and wrinkly.

Are they still safe to eat?

If your vegetables are a little limp, but they’re not mouldy, slimy or smelly – munch away!

If they’re only slightly bendy or wrinkly, you can revive your vegetables by placing them in a bowl of cool or iced water. They should spring back to life within half an hour.

How to rescue limp vegetables

Celery

Cut the bottom off your celery and place the stalks in a glass of cold water for 30 minutes or until crisp. You may need to add more water if your celery is extra thirsty!

Carrots

Cut a bit off the bottom and place upright in a glass of cold water until firmed up. If your carrots are already cut, you can place them in a bowl of cool water.

Lettuce, spinach or bagged salad leaves

If they’re just a bit wrinkled around the edges, just place them in a bowl of cool water and they’ll spring back to life!

Potatoes

Peel and plop in a bowl of water.

Broccoli

Trim the bottom and pop in a glass of water. If you have cut florets, place in a bowl of water until plumped up and crisp.

Asparagus

Spring has sprung, and it’s peak season for sweet British asparagus. If your stalks are looking sad, trim the bottoms and place them upright in a glass of water until firm.

Herbs

Trim the stalks at the bottom and place upright in a glass of water. Or if you can only save the leaves, pick them off and soak in cool water until back to their young, plump selves.

Or just add them to…

Soups

A big pot of soup is ideal for disguising any lacklustre veg. So cook them up in a big batch and freeze for future lunches. 

Soups like our citrusy Tuscan Minestrone With Lemon & Basil, or One-Pot Pancetta & Baby Kale Minestrone with smoky British pork, beans and herbs will have you rethinking your Mixed Vegetable.

I’ve also strayed from this Butternut Squash & Bacon Soup by using wrinkly carrots instead, and it still tastes sensational.

Salads

Salads are the ultimate way to empty your crisper drawer.

Like in our Coronation Chickpea Salad. Don’t be afraid to chuck extra celery, cucumbers or carrots in for extra goodness. Dice them finely, stir them up with a mayo and mango chutney dressing, and your healthy lunch is served.

Or liven up that same old sarnie, and grate your veg into a quick slaw like the one in our Harissa Halloumi Sandwich. This makes a fast, zippy side dish that uses those bendy carrots.

Pasta sauces

For a peppery twist on a classic pesto, try replacing basil for rocket, like in this Aubergine & Tomato Orzo. No rocket? We’ve had delicious results with lamb’s lettuce, spinach and even kale.

You could also simmer any tired-looking tomatoes into a tasty 10-minute Chicken, Cherry Tomato & Mozzarella Fusilli for a fast, filling lunch that’s good warm or cold.

Stir-fries

The quickest hot lunch you can get at home. Just chop up your veg, whack the heat on high and whip up a Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry or a Nutty Bang-Bang Prawn Noodle Stir Fry, made with pantry ingredients like soy, fish sauce and any vegetables you have around.

You could also use up your carrots, kale and leftover rice in this 10 minute Indonesian-style Nasi Goreng topped with a runny fried egg and lashings of chilli sauce.

Roasts

When will we ever get to have a roast for lunch again? So while I’m sharing my lunch break with my oven, I’ll whack veg on a tray, like in this Halloumi & Roasted Veg Tray Bake, sling it in to roast 30 minutes before my break, and it’s ready by 1.

Or if I’m organised enough to meal prep, I’ll roast them off the night before to make this Chunky Roast Vegetables With Jewelled Couscous, ready for tomorrow’s midday power up.

Pizzas

Making your own pizza dough is a great weekend project, but when I just want lunch on the table, using tortilla wraps like this Spinach & Caramelised Onion Pizza is my new quick twist on a pizza base.

Make your tortilla pizzas your own with odds and ends from the fridge. Some other favourite combos of mine have been mushrooms and bacon in this Pancetta & Mushroom Pizza, or this one with Cherry Tomatoes & Cheese.