Food Waste Audit Diary May 2019

AnimalTribe

There are lots of recipes on the internet that use the pineapple core - from pineapple crisps, to pineapple syrup. Here is a decent recipe for a pineapple drink from the rind https://www.fermentedfoodlab.com/pineapple-tepache/

I've tried growing pineapple plants in the past, but unfortunately with little success. Although, it's an easy process it just doesn't work for me. Again there are plenty of sites that show you how.

I've had a major wastage fail. I bought a sack of pony carrots for the animals - pony carrots are just 2nd class carrots with the wrong shape or slight cuts or dents - normally they keep well, but this lot just started to rot within days. There's nothing I can use them for, I saved a few tops to regrow, but nearly the whole sack has had to go to compost.

Regrowing lettuce stems is easy (and again a nice one for the kids to try). http://www.gettystewart.com/how-to-regrow-romaine-lettuce-from-the-stem/

themadvix

Buy tinned pineapple and the tops may have been used to make Pinatex . It's a leather-type fabric (I only know about it because my friend designs handbags and uses it instead of leather). However, it's not quite the same as a fresh pineapple to eat and there are other costs involved in the processing!

Still really struggling with the concept of 'unavoidable waste' - surely if the rest of the item has been used to full advantage and the remains are either compostable/can be used for another use, then it's not really waste - it's leftover 'stuff'.... but waste implies it could have been used somehow (I know these aren't your definitions TTB, just struggling to get my head around them!). That said, 'they' are coming up with a lot of uses for 'unavoidable waste' these days - turning coffee grounds into a palm oil substitute and there was something about orange and lemon peel a while ago.... I can't remember what though!

Never sure about the nutritional content of carrot tops or lettuces regrown from stalk/tops - surely it can't be much? Happy to be proved wrong though!

tighteningthebelt

i think I might buy tinned pineapple from now on!! The one i peeled yesterday I saved in 2 fridge tubs after I'd had some. I sorted it into ripe and not so ripe, the ripe one had fermented overnight... well it looked greyish and smelled like it was fermenting, so at least if it were tinned it would have made some leather stuff, or tea. As it stands its been a food waste disaster. All I can say in my favour is that I haven't been shopping for ten days (apart from a bottle of milk) so the fresh stuff is now showing its age. sigh.
The 'ripen at home' stuff is always a bit hit and miss though. We used to have nectarine days when DS was here as they all ripen at once, and I always stew plums now as they seem to wrinkle before they ripen. It's about the worst time of year for fruit that hasn't travelled, though I do love rhubarb. We do make excellent use of windfall bramleys though, still many jars left in the cupboard.
I'm rambling ... to the chase...
525g of avoidable waste (490g pineapple, 35 parsnip tops and bottoms few iffy bits)
75g of unavoidable waste in the form of eggshells, teabags, coffee grounds
Bit annoyed with the last 2 days tbh, was hoping to be in a better position before DS home later for bank holiday. still, we are where we are.

Fire_Fox

Tighteningthebelt: Frozen pineapple tastes more like fresh than tinned does.

I have learned the hard way that prepping more of a fresh pineapple than you need that day leads to it spoiling. All the trimming spreads bacteria/ yeasts from the skin to fruit via the knife and board, and/ or cutting the fruit cells releases the natural enzymes in pineapple (bromelain).

I now treat a whole pineapple like a loaf of bread. On first use slice the spiky top of the pineapple off, then another thick slice. Prep and use the thick slice only, leaving the rest of the pineapple intact with the skin on and bottom end on. Cover the cut top end with cling film and refrigerate. Each day cut and prep a single thick slice.

I bought a 'Super Six' pineapple on 25 April and the remaining bottom half is still in great shape. HTH.

tighteningthebelt

Firefox, that helps a great deal. My super six pineapple was bought 24th and more than half in the bin. Thank you for being so specific.

themadvix

But that shows far too much restraint - only eating one slice at a time Great tip though. I assume if I stood it on a clean plate on it's 'open' end it would be the same as cling filming it (assuming cut was fairly flat) - don't use clingfilm here because of the plastic waste! (There's always a trade-off somewhere/how isn't there?)

tighteningthebelt

Hi all,

People for today... 2 for breakfast, 1 for lunch, visitors this afternoon (extra tea bags!), 2 for tea.

better today ...
125g unavoidable (tea bags, tea leaves, coffee grounds, pear core and stalk, eggshell, dried up bit from the end of cauliflower stalk)
20g avoidable (picking over new potatoes)

Have chopped up and put by some cauliflower stalk and leaves. Might saute them tomorrow with my last slice of bacon.
Shopping is arranged for Tuesday morning.
Tomorrow tea should see the last of the fridge off, it can have a wipe out then before the incoming food. We've soaked and boiled haricot beans to go with a tomato based sauce that will accommodate the remaining peppers, onions, garlic, chopped leek from freezer, a saved carrot and a saved parsnip also from freezer, eat with last of the new potatoes. Pud will be stewed apples from stock and last spoonfuls of cream and yogurt.
All that will remain will be a couple of cooked new pots and about 100g cheddar... that's it!!

tighteningthebelt

Needless to say we've eaten the last of the pineapple while it was still serviceable!

ariarnia

Hi all.

Hoping someone can help me figure something out for lunches this week using the store cupboard

I've been off work for a couple of weeks and I'm only in tuesday, wednesday, thursday, so I'm hoping I can make something tomorrow and avoid buying a sarnie/salad (or the more likely chips...)

I've got a few random fresh things - cooked chicken, prawns, onions, figs

Store cupboard staples - rice, lentils, quinoa, (assorted) spices and condiments

Frozen mushrooms, corn, peas, likely some other bits...

Fridge and microwave at work, or happy to eat most things cold.

My immediate thought is some kind of paella... but I'm not sure that would keep safely mon till thursday(?) and I'd really want to buy peppers.

My brain just isn't working and I can see me 'popping to the shops' tomorrow for just that one thing...


Any other ideas?

Thanks in advance

AnimalTribe

ariarnia I can't help with the meat or fish, as I'm a vegetarian, but sweetcorn fritters are very easy to make and very tasty. I eat them with mayonnaise. I sometimes add peas to the recipe, and I use normal onion, or sometimes add any spice that I have to hand. Frozen veg works as well as tinned in the recipe.
https://www.annabelkarmel.com/recipes/sweetcorn-fritters/