Don't throw food away challenge

rosieben

This afternoon I've been working on my christmas food shopping lists and I took a good long look at the list of food I threw out last christmas - gruesome reading! :eek:

This year I have more freezer space so I hope there will be none

squeaky

You kept a list of the food you threw out almost a year ago????

lizzyb1812

squeaky wrote: »

You kept a list of the food you threw out almost a year ago????

Actually, that's a good idea. Maybe stuff was thrown out so the christmas prep stuff could fit in the freezer, or maybe stuff was overbought at christmas and the list will help you to see what not to buy so much of? Good idea Rosieben

I try to have meals from the freezer as much as I can from 1st November to make room - not for christmas prep, as that is not a big deal here, but for supermarket after christmas/new year whoopsies. Same just before and after Easter - Tesco whole salmon reduced to £4 this year - took some portioning (not neat portioning ) but got lots of salmon portions for 25p each! NB check fish has not previously been frozen (Mr M fish is all not-previously frozen and is my favourite supermarket fish retailer)

rosieben

squeaky wrote: »

You kept a list of the food you threw out almost a year ago????

Yes I did, I keep a journal so its easily stored and found I was driven to it by the shame of so much good food - and money! - wasted I badly overestimated how much I'd use and forgot that I'd be out to lunch and dinner on several occasion!

squeaky

rosieben wrote: »

Yes I did, I keep a journal so its easily stored and found I was driven to it by the shame of so much good food - and money! - wasted I badly overestimated how much I'd use and forgot that I'd be out to lunch and dinner on several occasion!

Ahhh... journals. Journals are great - I've started dozens of them.

Longest I ever kept one up was about three days

Getting back on topic... forward planning should help to reduce waste, and I suspect that the Christmas period is a time of high wastage for many people. It's difficult to balance having lots of nice things and loads of treats available and get the amounts just right.

lil_me

Squeaky with undercooked bread I would make croutons for the soups and freeze them
Rosieben think I have some notes in my diary of mine, was a disgrace

So far I've flung some bread, now I know I've just advocated freezer, but mine is full and the bread (being value brand) was the cheapest to fling... So it went to bulk out the woofs dinner and to feed the birds. I'm adding unplanned waste to my list. Sundays the woofs have a treat of veg, little scraps of meat, potatoes etc if I do a dinner so I don't add that as it's planned. Some of our veg is bought for the reptiles, that also isn't counted

Waste so far in November 36p....noted in my calendar on my phone so I can keep track

Mushrooms I've got lots of them, I tend to add to things like curry, spaghetti Bol etc however I'm looking for alternative ways to freeze (alone fresh doesn't work) as I can't seem to find my dehydrator

Kitchenbunny

Have only thrown some potato peelings so far - everything else has been used up. I know, I could have fried or baked the peelings, but the skins really didn't look all that great as the potatoes were on the turn. I make that about 15p, and will try to use them up quicker.

I've now inventoried my freezer and storecupboard - just the baking cupboard to go. Found that I've got a tub of single cream in the freezer without an idea of how to use it really. Any ideas?

KB xx

squeaky

how to use up single cream?

There are possibly other ideas listed in the "using" link in the first post as well

BohemianCoast

JackieO wrote: »

Has anyone used lentils in chunky soup at all to streetch it a bit further as I seem to have a couple of packets that i found at the back of the cupboard They are still in date (not that it would bother me that much ) I just want to make my soup a bit more 'hearty' if you see what I mean

I normally make a minestrone with the stuff from the bottom of the fridge, and I put in a handful of soup pasta and some beans to make it feel more main course like. But lentils work perfectly well too and if I had some that needed using then soup would be a first thought.

BohemianCoast

squeaky wrote: »

You kept a list of the food you threw out almost a year ago????

Best Idea Ever, I'd say. I spent £317 on the shop I had delivered on Christmas Eve last year, there were only seven of us for Christmas dinner, and that didn't count the turkey which came from our local butcher. I don't know how much ended up going in the bin, but I'm sure it was loads. That is so not happening again.