RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
As a single Dad on a very tight budget, leftovers are a real bonus to the weekly budget. They have been great at getting my young son interested in cooking and it's great fun working together to come up with new and tasty ideas.
Posted on 03/26/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I have been saying that exact same thing about throwing out money for years! I'll say it about more than just food too. I'll say, "Go ahead. Throw your money in that trash can. You can look at it, but you can't use it because it's garbage now. If you won't do that with real money, why do it with things? It amounts to the same thing." Thank you!
Posted on 03/23/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I always cook extra just for the leftovers. We eat them for lunch the next day, or I recycle them into new meals--my own personal "cook once, eat twice" method.
Posted on 03/23/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I don't get the whole "won't eat leftovers" bit. I love leftovers. In my house, the boys would eat them for snacks. We would take them for lunches -- our schools and workplaces have microwaves. One of my sons didn't care for breakfast foods (toast, cereal) so he would eat leftovers for breakfast. Sometimes I combine leftovers to make "soup of the day" or add them to canned soups to give some variety. I am always appalled when I see people toss serving sized amounts of food. How wasteful!
I might add that I am also appalled by people who don't take their leftovers home from a restaurant in a doggie bag. My youngest son EXPECTED me to bring him home something when I was out for a restaurant dinner. It would be his bedtime lunch! LOL
Posted on 03/22/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
The Reynolds Handi Vac can usually be found at Walmart or Target stores.
Posted on 03/22/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
Where can I buy Reynold's Handi Vac? Thanks.
Posted on 03/21/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I use a Reynold's Handi Vac with Reynold's Handi Vac Bags. The Handi Vac removes the air from the food. I can't promise it won't get freezer burn, but my food never has using this. The Handi Vac was only about $10 (I think) when I bought it a couple of years ago. The price of bags varies depending on size. A more expensive alternative might be one of those Seal a Meal type things. They sell for about $100.
Posted on 03/21/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
When my husband and I started dating 10 years ago, he informed me that his mom never made him eat leftovers. I said that wouldn't fly with me because I can only cook for 5 people. After several hungry nights watching me happily eat leftover soup, casserole, chili or sandwiches made from leftovers, he got over it.
Now I try to cook for 3 people. My husband, myself and which ever one of us is going to eat the leftovers. I immediately put the leftovers in a container, label and freeze. I keep a list on the side of the freezer of what's in there.
We also eat leftovers for lunch alot. Leftover pasta (no sauce) gets made into pasta salad. Grilled meats get sliced for salad or wraps. Cooked veggies go into soups, wraps, pasta salad. Mashed potatoes become potato salad, potato soup, potato pancakes or the top of shepherd's pie. Leftover baked goods get wrapped and frozen. Muffins, rolls, bread, biscuits are great to have on hand. Premade pancakes can be popped in the toaster. (Fry or microwave an egg, top with cheese and place in a biscuit or between two pancakes for a quick and easy breakfast.)
Have a "getting rid of leftover night" (or call it something else). Bake some potatoes or biscuits. Top them with heated leftovers in whatever combos the diners want.
Just rethink your food. Recently I wanted to make nachos and only had 1/4 pound ground beef. However I did have 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce with ground beef. I cooked the ground beef, added the sauce at the end and spiced it up with taco seasoning. Hubby commented that he liked the saucy taco meat a lot. He had no idea it resurrected spaghetti sauce. Leftover pork chops can go in stir fry or fried rice. Crumbled leftover meatloaf or meatballs can go into soup, pizza sauce, casseroles. Think of simple grilled or broiled meats as toppings or stir in for veggie or pasta salads.
Posted on 03/20/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
We eat leftovers quite often. If you have leftover chili but not enough to make a dinner add cooked macaroni to make it enough for all. Just made a dinner the other night with 1/2 cup over leftover cooked ground beef with onion and spices I'd thrown in the freezer, a cup of leftover tomatoe sauce I'd used to cook meatballs in also from the freezer, baby zucchini's that were going to go bad if not used threw it all together with some italian herbs boiled up some pasta to go with it and WALA dinner and we had enough for everyone and still have a serving for me for lunch today!
Posted on 03/20/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I did that just tonight. Had some fresh spinach that going bad and some leftover pasta sauce that I froze in the freezer. I made some fresh bread dough; let it rise for 30 minutes and shredded the spinach and added some shredded mozzarella cheese and made some calzones. Poured pasta sauce over and made a salad. Voila! Dinner for 11 for less than $3. Not bad for leftovers!
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
When I was a kid, left-overs often became a curry or soup a day or so later.
My work lunches are usually left-overs from the previous evening's meal, with added garlic, chili, pepper and so on.
"What the dog don't eat, Dad will!"
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
We find that leftovers usually taste better than the original meal.
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
I am eating last nights leftovers for lunch as I read these posts :-)
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
A good habit to get into is to clear out the fridge a few days before going grocery shopping. Make food with what you need to use up even if you don't feel like eating it. I have done this and brought lunches to work made from fridge leftovers. Some days I don't want to eat it but I still do. Since I've been paying closer attention to what I have on hand now, I go grocery shopping less and spend less $$. I am one that has thrown out SO much food because i love to cook/bake and there are only two of us living in the house. I also now cook less amounts of food. I've noticed a difference in my compost the last few weeks, less food waste :) Thanks for sharing too!
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
Amen, I totally agree! My DH and I never believed in wasting food and have eaten leftovers.
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
RE: Eliminating Leftovers and Food Waste
Great idea! I save leftover veggies for soup. When my boys were home we had a weekly "Leftover Night" and served it buffet style in the kitchen so each plate could go into the mircowave. Now that there is just the two of us we have "Scrap Night"!
Posted on 03/19/2009 | Report Spam or Abuse
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