My husband eats hard boiled eggs like they’re going out of style – he loves them for breakfast and as a snack throughout the day. So I make a lot at a time – usually a whole carton or two depending on how big of a pot I have available and how many eggs will fit into it.

I hard boil the eggs, then peel them and stick them into a container so they’re ready to eat for the hubby. When peeling, I save all the egg shells and throw in the eggs that are just too hard to peel, too, into a baggy for my birds to feed them whenever they need the added calcium in their diet. (To find out how often to feed your bird certain foods, like eggs, click here)

I also slice bell peppers and serve them with dip whenever we have company over. They’re a favorite snack of mine and a favorite usually around guests as well. Instead of throwing away the inside of the bell peppers as well as the stem, I put them in baggies to save for my birds too. Unlike humans, birds DO eat the inside of the peppers and usually it’s their favorite part!

If you’re like me and despise bread crust… I will cut mine off before making my sandwich and also save it for later for the birds. They’re getting the best part (for you!) Just make sure it take it easy on the carbs so they don’t only fill up on them.

Often times I make way too much food then is needed. If your food preparation was done without things like sugar, lots of salt and butter then it’s okay to save some of the leftovers for your bird. I often do this when preparing beans, wild rice, or even meats for myself (just cooked fish) and give those extras to my birds later in the week.

You can also use the stems from things like strawberries, or the rind of watermelon and toss them in a food processor or blender and mix them into a larger mixture of grains that will soak up the moisture and give your bird the nutrients in a simple way. If you prepare meals like the birdtricks feeding system, then you can simply toss this stuff in a food processor and add it to the diet as necessary for certain days. I simply add it to their bowls in conjunction with whatever else they’re getting.

For more on diet and nutrition and how to feed your bird, what to feed your bird and how much and how often… check out our cookbook that covers everything related to the parrot diet.