Don't throw food away challenge

SpikyHedgehog

All last night's dinner was eaten at dinner time because it was so yummy, but I had to make a sandwich for today ;-) & I made stock last night with collected veg trimmings.

Not sure if I'll have to throw some bread though :-( Made a batch with a different recipe than usual & it seemed cooked, but when we get to the middle of the loaves, its not... Using the ends for sandwiches, luckily my boys fight for crusts so they're happy to have them & we're toasting the middles to cook them more, but I've no room to squeeze bread into the freezer so not sure how long we can keep it going. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Suspect oven temperature could be to blame.

squeaky

Hmmm... uses for undercooked bread... now there's a challenge!

At least it might taste like bread. Only thing I can think of is to pop it into the oven after you've cooked something in there and leave it to dry out. Then use it for breadcrumbs?

rachbc

I threw away about 4 dry crisps leftover from a gathering last night, the chickens got the 3 left over pepper sticks form the dips and everything else is saved/ eaten.

DD bought home 2 carrots sticks left in her packed lunch and I ate them!

Got some whoppsies raspberries yesterday and they will be turned into eaton mess with meringues made with the left over egg whites from a tart recipe (whcih is made using leftover roast pumpkin)

I also resisted buying 24 rolls for 50 in the yellw stickers yesterday I knew I didn't have the freeezer space - normal I would have bought them so yay me!

Linda32

Well, for the first time in a long long time, the bread turned mouldy

I always buy Hovis as this dosn't happen to Hovis, however, I worked it out, this particular loaf came from Aldi. The particular branch which I've bought fruit and veg from that dosn't keep either.


I'm guessing at about 30p worth

So 80p at a guess, so far.

BohemianCoast

Snap! The cut end of the bread was just starting to go mouldy. Oops. So I threw out the mouldy bit and a bit more, and turned the rest into breadcrumbs for the freezer. Let's say 15p for the bit I've thrown away, and I'm now up to £2.22. On the other hand, I have made a *list* of everything in the freezer, and all the open jars in the fridge, which should inspire me for menu planning and save a fair old bit.

Edit: fortified by that list I set about sketching out next week's food. Normally we spend about £100/week; but I believe I can cook for the entire week with what's in the fridge, freezer and cupboards with the addition of a trip to the market for fruit (any five) and veg (tomatoes, carrots, onions, lemons, fennel, spinach or rocket, mushrooms, garlic, parsley), topped up with a pack of bagels, six eggs, and a lump of cheese. Should be under £20 the lot, and that still leaves two full family meals in the freezer for the following week. I am well chuffed to say the least, and this thread is entirely responsible. Thank you all!

poorbutrich

What a great idea for a thread! I've subscribed as there are some hardcore ideas on here! Loving the one about soup from peelings, as I'd previously put these in the compost.

DH and I never throw food away (except once when I had to put half an aubergine in the compost and it nearly broke my heart!) Both DH and I were brought up in very poor households and I lived in a country where they could quite happily live on what people in the UK are throwing away. I just feel it's morally wrong to overbuy and throw things away when people are starving.

We plan our meals, ensure we buy only what's needed and taking this to the extreme, I even ate a steak last week (I don't eat meat) because DH had bought it and was then called away for two weeks with work!

Off my high horse now, I'll be following this thread with interest as there are some innovative ways of using things up. I hadn't really thought about the cost aspect of throwing things away, but that's a very interesting point.

Dorothea,_call_me_Dotty

Hello,
Just a question about stock from veg peelings,
I always think that I am taking the bad bits off when I am peeling carrots or tatties, cause if there have been chemicals /pesticides used in the growing of the veg (unless it's organic) then the chemicals are in the skin of the veg. I usually compost them or give the carrots to our guinea pigs or the hens although thinking about that now I could be making them radio-active.:eek: Although I suppose the amounts would be miniscule. and.. I do eat the skin of baked tatties and it hasn't done me any harm.. I think..

Dotty

mizmir

Well I've managed the last couple of days without wasting any food but today have had to put 1/3 of a lettuce and a cherry tomato in the compost as the lettuce was slimy and the tomato mouldy. Total cost about 25p. But because of this challenge the remaining tomatoes which are a bit squishy but not mouldy are going to be cooked tonight - in the past I would have thrown them all out. So baby steps.

squeaky

Dorothea,_call_me_Dotty wrote: »

Hello,
Just a question about stock from veg peelings,
I always think that I am taking the bad bits off when I am peeling carrots or tatties, cause if there have been chemicals /pesticides used in the growing of the veg (unless it's organic) then the chemicals are in the skin of the veg. I usually compost them or give the carrots to our guinea pigs or the hens although thinking about that now I could be making them radio-active.:eek: Although I suppose the amounts would be miniscule. and.. I do eat the skin of baked tatties and it hasn't done me any harm.. I think..

Dotty

Hmm... washing fruit and veg before peeling should make sure that any possible chemicals are dealt with. I hope!

squeaky

mizmir wrote: »

Well I've managed the last couple of days without wasting any food but today have had to put 1/3 of a lettuce and a cherry tomato in the compost as the lettuce was slimy and the tomato mouldy. Total cost about 25p. But because of this challenge the remaining tomatoes which are a bit squishy but not mouldy are going to be cooked tonight - in the past I would have thrown them all out. So baby steps.

Baby steps is the way to go. And always remember to stay inside your own "comfort zone".

Just because a thing can be done doesn't mean to say that you have to do it if you don't like the idea.

Like eating chocolate ants. <shudder>

Much as I like chocolate I don't think I'll be ever tempted...