If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that I’ve been known to share zero waste tips. What can I say, I’m a trash-to-treasure kind of girl. Most people consider strawberry stems and tops to be trash, but I love making this homemade strawberry syrup treasure out of them!

I’ll bet your are thinking what the heck kind of strawberry syrup can she be making here?, but stick with me, you will love this recipe. It’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s delicious, and it’s made from cast-off strawberry tops that would normally go into the trash or compost heap! Sound good? Heck yeah!

Are Strawberry Stems Poisonous?

There is some controversy about whether or not strawberry stems are poisonous. Some insist that they are, and others go as far to say that they are actually healthy helpers of arthritis pain (“Glory hallelujah!” say my newly arthritic knees!)

I have to admit that I have not done the research, so I can’t ethically speak to whether they are poisonous or not. It appears that doing a quick google search on the practice of consuming strawberry stems yields more in regards to health benefits of strawberry stems than harmful effects, so I’ll be continuing to make my homemade strawberry syrup with my strawberry tops. However, I will be avoiding the use of non-organic strawberry tops because of pesticides. For those who have reservations with eating strawberry stems, I am including instructions for making it without using the stems. Your welcome.

Our Favorite Homemade Strawberry Syrup Recipe

This can be made with fresh strawberries, but for some reason when I make it from our strawberry tops, it tastes all the sweeter. See if you feel the same way as I do and leave me a comment. I would love to hear how yours turns out!

2 quarts of strawberry tops from organic strawberries (or 1 quart organic strawberries)
1/2 – 1 cup sugar (your preference)
juice from half a lemon (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice)

In a bowl combine strawberry tops, sugar and lemon juice.

Stir around to incorporate the sugar and lemon juice evenly with the strawberries.

Cover and allow to macerate in the refrigerator until the next morning.

Add all of the contents in the bowl to your blender.

Blend everything up, then put it all through a metal sieve to strain.

Use a silicone spatula to scrape the inside of the sieve, allowing the juice to run through the small holes. (You may need to scrap the outside of the sieve to get all of the strawberry goodness into your bowl.)

Once all of the juice has drained and all you have left is a lump of ground stems and pulp, give it to the chickens (remember that there is likely still some sugar left, so if your chickens have had a sugary treat already, just add the waste to your compost pile).

This should make about 2-3 cups of syrup. Store your homemade strawberry syrup for up to two weeks in the fridge or for longer in the freezer.

Use to flavor your homemade lemonade, homebrewed kombucha, over pancakes, in your iced tea or smoothies, or anywhere else you would use strawberry syrup to give them all a fantastic flavor.

Want more zero waste tips?

banana peel fertilizer (banana peels)
perfect homemade croutons (stale bread)
using all of the harvest in creative ways (carrots, mint, other kitchen scraps)

I love being able to get more use out of the things that I would have otherwise thrown away. This homemade strawberry syrup gives strawberry tops one more stop along the way before compost pile. Using zero waste tips makes me feel like a domestic farm goddess!

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