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

ceridwen

katkins78 wrote: »

That reminds me, we save the peel from lemons, oranges and limes and stash in the freezer for adding to jugs of Pimms in the summer.

Broccoli stalks are thinly sliced and secreted in stirfries etc, my family are suspicious of the stalks, you'd think they were poisonous!

The oil left in the jar after sundried toms/olives is really flavoursome and great for adding to tinned tomatoes for a pasta/pizza sauce and yet I've caught my mother binning it!

Oh and any odd scraps of bread go into the bread stash in the freezer, I have a raw pastry stash as well. I hate throwing anything away now, it is such a waste; and of course the smugness that comes with my newly found frugalism is priceless:D

I've got the scraps of bread stash in the freezer - all secreted away until theres enough to blitz into breadcrumbs and put over the top of a casserole bake in the oven.

tryingtoruletheworld

I always wonder why they remove so much from supermarket produce too! I am lucky enough to get a veg box, where most things are left intact, but I have no idea why spring onions are trimmed, or beetroot have leaves removed, and where do the thick outer cabbage leaves go?! In fact, when I get veg box spring onions with the greens left in one piece, they never have any of that horrible grit inside (just filthy outside!) as there is nowhere for it to get in, unlike when the tops have been removed. It makes no sense! I assume it is because it keeps longer and is easier to fit on the shelves, but I do wonder what they do with it all.

meritaten

lol - I am really suspicious of those little plastic containers of 'trimmed' veg in supermarkets. I do have a nasty feeling they have been culled from otherwise unsaleable veg!
and, how hard is it to slice runner beans? or separate broccoli florets? or chop carrots? why pay twice the price for someone to do what would be a couple of minutes task? I dont mind so much if its frozen produce - you seem to get your moneys worth there! but the little trays of 'prepared' veg? I am proud to say I have NEVER bought them!

meritaten

and while I am on a roll - why on earth are the supermarkets trimming the fat off pork chops? its ridiculous! I actually like the fat and rind on my chops when I cook them! if I dont want to eat it isnt it up to me to discard it? the fat and rind add the flavour when you cook them!

coastdk

rachbc wrote: »

I do keep the peel on for chips/ wedges but not for mash!

I always mash my potatoes with the skin on. It gives it a "rustic" look, is very filling and extremely tasty.
Give it a go and I'm sure you'll be converted!

Hardup_Hester

Scraps of bread can be put through a food processor with oddments of cheese to make a tasty crunchy topping for fish pie etc.

barneydee_2

some realy great ideas on here, some I do use, Like frezzing dry bread, also I freeze rinds of parmasan cheese for adding to soups, also Egg whites I learned this from Nigella Have to go but will pop back later.

Chipps

meritaten wrote: »

and while I am on a roll - why on earth are the supermarkets trimming the fat off pork chops? its ridiculous! I actually like the fat and rind on my chops when I cook them! if I dont want to eat it isnt it up to me to discard it? the fat and rind add the flavour when you cook them!

I suspect it's because they sell it elsewhere & make more money from it!

Bread crusts & ends get saved in the freezer here, too. Then they either become breadcrumbs or the main ingredient in Bread Pudding along with lots of dried fruit. Delicious!

Don't forget the chicken carcase - either stew down into soup/stock straight away, or in the freezer for another day if no time.

Chipps

meritaten wrote: »

lol - I am really suspicious of those little plastic containers of 'trimmed' veg in supermarkets. I do have a nasty feeling they have been culled from otherwise unsaleable veg!
and, how hard is it to slice runner beans? or separate broccoli florets? or chop carrots? why pay twice the price for someone to do what would be a couple of minutes task? I dont mind so much if its frozen produce - you seem to get your moneys worth there! but the little trays of 'prepared' veg? I am proud to say I have NEVER bought them!

I used to think that - and certainly wouldn't buy them, at least not while I am able to prepare veg. But then I thought, what a godsend to people who are disabled or have arthritis and really can't do it themselves.

valk_scot

I think the trimmings from a lot of supermarket veg go into these packs of ready prepped stir fry veg. That and bits of damaged ones. Have you every really looked at what you're getting in these packs? Chunks of cabbage stalks and stringy carrot trimmings. The person who dreamed up that idea was a marketing genius. I do sometimes buy a pack when they're reduced to clear at 10p but they're a bit disappointing even at that price.