Use it up! Don't throw it in the bin!

EssexHebridean

Hi all - in the absence of being able to find the old thread from this challenge, I thought I'd resurrect it via a new thread. If any of the board guides can find the old thread hopefully this can just be added on.

To refresh the mind of those who took part before, and clarify things for newbies, the idea is that in these tough economic times, all the food we buy is precious and should be used up, not forgotten about only to end up in the bin at the end of the week. The idea of the challenge is to cut down our thrown away food as much as possible - to nothing ideally. Last time some people chose to work out a rough value for any food they threw out - and many of them kept a tally of the total over a month in their signatures. Others posted for ideas on using up, say, several rather wrinkly apples, the end of a loaf of bread, some milk just on the turn or a piece of slightly stale cake - other OS'ers then chipped in with recipes using said ingredients.

Figures suggest that something like 30% of the food bought by an average family each week gets thrown away - this is a shocking figure. while the majority of us on here are probably more conscious of avoiding waste than the average household, but it's still helpful top have that extra incentive to ensure that the only foodstuff leaving the house again for disposal is peelings on their way to the compost bin! It should be noted that this is not a "use it up at all costs" challenge - if you find a piece of meat at the back of the fridge which is over its use-by date then the best and only advice is to throw it away - do NOT put your health at risk!

Who's going to join us?

Pink.

Hi EssexHebridean,

I managed to find the thread for you. As the Leftovers thread is still current I've added your post to it to keep the replies together.

Pink

EssexHebridean

Cheers Pink - it also exlained why I couldn't find the last "don't throw food away challenge" thread - even when I followed a link you had posted to it - as it has obviously been added in to this one! Thank goodness - I had begun to think I'd imagined several months worth of thread! :eek:

Cat_Addict

This sounds like a great thread and I've added it to my subscribeds.

clayremonkey

Hi all,

First time posting in this thread! I try my best to waste as little as possible but feel I could be doing with some extra inspiration!

Clayremonkey

2cats1kid

Have been through the fridge looking for stuff that didn't get used up before we went away for Christmas. The cottage cheese has gone into a pastryless quiche (guess who is back on Slimming World LOL) and the sour cream has gone into banana sour cream bread (not tried this before so can't comment on yummyness - just hope it doesn't break the bread maker!).

EssexHebridean

Well, leftover clementines and the two zested lemons from the lemon loaf cake we made for my Aunt have become sorbet - it's delicious -I'm eating a bowl of it as I type! The last of a pot of creme fraiche and a small piece of gruyere cheese went on jacket spuds for lunch too so we're getting there!

dronid

I thought I'd post up what I do with my leftovers (primarily meats, though I'm a veggie fan too) just to see what else people do with them. A change is as good as a rest!

Roast Beef
Chunky
- Stew
Minced/Chopped
- Cottage Pie
- Rissoles
- Chilli
- Curry
- Pasties – though not often and I use potato pastry as OH has high cholesterol.
- Sandwich Spread
Sliced
- Sandwiches

Pork
Chunky
- Goulash
- Casseroles
- Pork and Beans
- Pork and Leek Pie (Like Cottage pie but, you guessed it with Pork and Leek.
Minced/Chopped
- Rissoles

Lamb
Chunky
- Irish Stew/Casseroles
- Curry
Minced/Chopped
- Shepherds Pie
- Rissoles
Sliced
- Doner (like) kebab

Chicken
Chunky
- Curry
- Supreme
- Risotto
- Spicy Chicken Pie (topped with mash)
Minced/Chopped
- Rissoles

Anything with a bone/bones in it
Soup
Stew

EssexHebridean

Rice pudding now in the oven for pudding tonight - made with the pint of semi skimmed milk I rescued from the fridge at work on Wednesday! I have also remembered to get some fruit out to have with it - so rhubarb rice pudding it will be!

I've managed to get a bowlful of trimmings from the bits they cut off the Tesco half price salmon when we bought it earlier - those I think I will bag up for fish pie at some stage. There are still some more trimmings too but I think I'll freeze those for future stock making- I have one big pot of it bubbling away already though! :T

clayremonkey

Well folks, I managed to squeeze some lurky limes for a cocktail tonight - does this count!?! Happy New Year to all when it comes.

Clayremonkey x