What can be done to reduce food waste?

Livelongandprosper

PasturesNew wrote: »

My problem isn't about cooking .... it's about using appliances. I've got lots of appliance phobias.... too many to even list. I really struggle to use any appliance that aids cooking. I can't use ovens, I can't use hobs; In the past when I've used a hob, I can only have one ring on at a time - for a very limited amount of time. I can't use any hot fat/oil/fryers. I can only use the microwave for a maximum of 20 minutes and my mini oven for a maximum of 20 minutes. I can't have a cooker hood on. I don't like cooking after dark/with the kitchen lights on. I can only use one appliance at a time, so have to "stagger and juggle" all my cooking between appliances so it all comes together at the same time.

And when it comes to washing up .... that boiler petrifies me

You can take horses to water.... but if they're afraid of it, they won't drink.

I can't be the only person with these issues.... I bet most just stay quiet.

I don't think you are

I also have my rules, not as extreme as yours but they are getting there

And for me that's my struggle, not allowing my 'rules' to over take me

When I work in a professional kitchen I'm fine. It's work and the envolope of work protects me. In my own kitchen, yes the rules are taking over

Dinner has to be done and dusted in 30 mins now or I'm not cooking it

Islandmaid

PN - like you said we all have 'our ways' - I am very OCD about the dishwasher for example - would rather unpack it and repack it if DH or DS have has the audacity to attempt to put stuff in it 'wrong' - drives them mad.... Also hate 'wet' food against dry eg beans next to chips - chips get 'infected' with bean juice and then I can't eat them....

Staying on topic - I am starting a 'use me' box for the fridge as recommended to me, hoping to cut down on the 'menfolk' eating the stuff I have plans for and leaving stuff that needs using up

Towser

I make leftover pie, a sort of bubble and squeak.

I regularly make it from a roast dinner. Put all the ingredients leftover from the dinner into food processor and mash lightly with sharp blade so the meat is in bitesize pieces with grated cheese. Turn into shallow baking dish and put more grated cheese on top & baked till cheese is gooiey. My husband says mmm what have I done to deserve this? As in it is really good.

Another one, was gammon, cauliflower cheese and dauphinoise potatoes
all into food processor and chopped lightly with sharp blade so the meat is in small pieces with grated cheese. Turn into shallow baking dish and put cooked penne pasta then more grated cheese on top & baked till cheese is gooiey. . Another lovely leftover pie. Again went down as a treat.

So basically all leftovers into food processor and chopped lightly with sharp blade so the meat is in small pieces with grated cheese. Turn into shallow baking dish and put more grated cheese on top & baked till cheese is gooiey. . Another lovely leftover pie.

I suppose it's like baby food with cheese on top.

purpleybat

PasturesNew wrote: »

It is clutter if you open a packet and it stays unused for a year as you've other packets open and use those.... I actually bought lasagne sheets about 2 years ago - not got round to making lasagne yet.

Just pasta I've got: a box of lasagne sheets, a pack of spaghetti, a pack of small macaroni, a pack of twisted pasta, a pack of miniature seashells.
Then I got "gifted" two monster packs of giant seashell shapes.
It all takes time... I don't eat a lot of pasta....
It'd take me two solid months of eating nothing but pasta to get

then why buy different shapes? they all taste the same and broken spag does for soups. other psters when it comes to freezing soup, I find an old marg tub is a portion

purpleybat

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

A tin of tomatoes and an onion makes 2 portions of spag bol in my single household; I don't mind eating it two days running. I like eating the same thing two days running as it saves cooking and washing up.

I buy pasta in 3kg bags and rice in 5kg or even 10kg bags if I can get it cheap. So it lasts a year, so what.

I'm with you on this, a small cupboard or under the bed.
if the hinted at extra tax on food comes in let me know cos ill buy 10 of each before cos I cant afford that I'm poor

PasturesNew

purpleybat wrote: »

then why buy different shapes? they all taste the same and broken spag does for soups. other psters when it comes to freezing soup, I find an old marg tub is a portion

They do all taste the same - and are exactly the same thing - but spaghetti cheese isn't as nice as mac cheese - and twirly pasta cheese isn't as nice.

I've never put pasta in a soup. Not really a big fan of soup. An old marg tub to me is too large a portion too; tried using those for portion control and they're too massive.

It's also difficult making lasagne without lasagne sheets as then it's just "sauce with pasta".

The miniature seashells are the best way to enjoy a pasta salad on a plate of salad. To have spaghetti/mayo on the side'd just not be the same effect.

Shapes are all about presentation/texture and end result.

So you "need" different shapes to have variety.

Although, to be fair, I'm not actually a "fan" of pasta at all.... which doesn't help when trying to use it up. I'd never choose a pasta dish when eating in a cafe, say....

Owain_Moneysaver

PasturesNew wrote: »

Although, to be fair, I'm not actually a "fan" of pasta at all.... which doesn't help when trying to use it up. I'd never choose a pasta dish when eating in a cafe, say....

Eat it for pudding?

http://www.greatbritishpuddings.com/sweet-puddings-recipes/macaroni-pudding

http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2012/05/sweet-lokshen-kugel/