Are you a leftover aficianado or do you dump everything after every meal?? It is no surprise that American's waste an incredible amount of food. I truly--as you may have guessed--try very hard to use up my leftovers, but even then, stuff ends up getting thrown away. Amy Dacyzyn (see, I haven't left her out completely) has some great ideas:
1. Take leftovers to work the next day(this works at our house; someone always wants the leftovers)
2. Keep a perpetual soup container in the freezer. (I do this sometimes...fill it full of every tiny bit of leftover veggies, broth, rice, etc. Be sure to keep the ingredients covered by water to prevent freezer burn. When it's full, add what you need spice wise and make a soup!)
3. Have leftover buffet night (Also a fave at our house on Friday or Sat nights....)
4. Use old "TV" dinner trays and refreeze leftovers for later. Esp good for single folks.
5. Become a leftover "wizard" and turn your leftovers into some completely different amazing meal (not me, no creativity abides here)
There are some thoughts. If all else fails, give me your leftovers and I'll deal with it somehow!!
Here's a new list of freebies at Jennie's site. Some of them have been listed before, but most of them are new: http://www.southernsavers.com/2010/04/new-freebies-and-coupons/
If you are a Sam's Club member, get a sample of Bounty here: http://www.samsclubmemberservices.com/Events/02_PNG_10577_BountyTowel.aspx?iid=TDM
Even if your membership is expired--like mine---they still send you samples:)!!
I don't know if Abby's post "Celtic Thunder" will come through on email, but I told her I would blog her Irish singer..."And I would walk 500 miles, then I would walk 500 more, just to be the man who'd walk 1000 miles to fall down at your door." Gotta love it!!
Another idea is to save the leftovers from a meal in a "tv dinner plate" to pass along to someone who lives alone and would love a home cooked meal (i.e. college student, seniors ciitizen, etc.). It could be frozen for them or taken to them right away as needed.
ReplyDeleteperfect idea!!
ReplyDeleteI rarely use recipes, so I find myself with more than I need quite often. If so, I make two of it and put one in the freezer. Last night I made homemade baked mac and cheese, but I cooked too much mac. That's OK, I put some cheese sauce on it, put it in a separate casserole dish, and put that one in the freezer while the other one went in the fridge. It isn't enough for the whole family, but it will work for me and the kids some night when my husband is traveling. The most common culprit are my homemade chicken or turkey potpies that I make after roasting a chicken or turkey. Invariably, I end up with more pie filling than will go in one pie. That's OK, I love having an extra homemade potpie ready in the freezer, either for my family or to take to someone else's house for a get-together or pot-luck dinner.
ReplyDeleteI love the soup pot idea in the freezer. I've never thought of that, but that would also be a great way to use up those wilting veggies in my crisper drawer...I hate throwing them away!