Hi All,

Recently, I find my fridge is filled to beyond capacity with leftovers! This rarely happened pre-band! However, I really hate wasting food. I wish there was a homeless shelter or some place where I could bring my leftovers, but I can't find any place that will take left over food. I'm thinking about finding a street corner or something and trying to give my food away! (I live in Philly so there's plenty of people who are homeless). I bring some of it into work but even then some goes to waste. Any ideas? What do you do with your leftovers? How do you get rid of them? (Oh, my freezer is full too!)

My garbage disposal LOVES leftovers... lol just kidding..

I have three kids in school so pakage it in a cass. dish and present it the teachers like you made it just for them..

You could take it to church and do a pot luck sunday school class.

And my fav.. Have a left over dinner night at home with your family.... Not only will it feed you but there is no cooking and little clean up for you..

Good luck w/ the leftovers...

Jenny

I don't have this problem, yet.. but I have noticed that a guy I work with brings in the strangest combination of leftovers to work with him for lunch. He'll bring in pizza, Japanese food and KFC all for one lunch. I'm not sure if his wife is punishing him by not allowing him to go out to lunch with the guys in the office, or if she just cleans out the fridge once a week and packs it off to work with him..., either way he seems to enjoy not having to make the dreaded decision of what to do for lunch.... So my suggestion is... pawn it off on a significant other or maybe a elderly relative? I bring my 83 year old grandmother left overs or I order an extra plate for her when we go out to eat.. she really appreciates the change of pace from her usual stuff. Also, my parents have a bachelor employee, so my mom is always saving leftovers for him, he loves it! Hope this helps!

hi Sunta, im here in Philly to, wow I cant believe some places wont take the food. I would just leave a care package to someone if you can. There are a lot of starving people here in the city.

Don't cook as much I finally learned what 2 "normal" people should eat. I think my husband and I were eating enough for a family of 6!

Hi All,

Recently, I find my fridge is filled to beyond capacity with leftovers! This rarely happened pre-band! However, I really hate wasting food. I wish there was a homeless shelter or some place where I could bring my leftovers, but I can't find any place that will take left over food. I'm thinking about finding a street corner or something and trying to give my food away! (I live in Philly so there's plenty of people who are homeless). I bring some of it into work but even then some goes to waste. Any ideas? What do you do with your leftovers? How do you get rid of them? (Oh, my freezer is full too!)

Why not buy a dog? Mine eats what I eat...OK spoiled rotten, but it is better than throwing food away.

Gladwar makes a little storage container that one cup of food perfectly. Pack the left overs in little one cup servings and eat them for your lunches and send them with your so for lunch too! If you still have too many, then you don't have to cook the next night :confused:

Do you know someone with cows/pigs or anything like that? we used to do that with extra produce and veggies from a store.

I dont cook like I used to at all. This took some getting used to and breaking old habits as well. I have big pans, big bowls, big plates, big serving bowls, big untensils, big everything! I cooked big! I never knew how to cook for the right amount. For some reason I thought I needed to double everything - probably because I knew myself well. *laughs*

Anyway, I am only cooking for me now and I keep it so simple. The only think I cook on top of the stove is veggies and oatmeal. Most everything else is in the microwave (Gorton's grilled fish fillets and Healthy Choice lunches). When I cook veggies, I only cook 3/4 C at a time so I use the smallest sauce pan I have.

Dawg eats Healthy Choice meals for dinner, and he takes instant oatmeal, Starkist tuna lunch packs, and fruit with him to work. Occassionally I will cook big in the crock pot. Usually a bag of frozen chicken breasts or a pot roast. The left overs only last two days though because our son eats these meals too.

It will take some time to get in the smaller mentality, but with some effort you can do it.

Between the kids and I I wonder why I bothered buying or cooking for anyone besides Doug. Grocery shopping is a big strain on the budget, its gotten hugely expensive in Australia what with droughts, cyclones and horrendous petrol prices. I have growing almost teenage boys. But they never eat their blasted dinner becuase they're too full of between meal stuff.

I do cook loads smaller amounts, poor Doug is going hungry but he could use a diet too.

Your statement is so true Sunta! I was collecting styrofoam in my fridge as well. I have gotten used to tossing leftovers. However, I am just beginning to get my "head" on right. I quit ordering such large meals, if I can get away with an appetizer or share with my husband. Fortunately, when I do bring home, it is usually eaten the next day. Now that I've slimmed my orders down....

Shawn

Hey Sunta,

I know what you mean. My mentality is to make lots...Doesn't matter what it is. For a family of four, one tray of lasagna should work, but I end up making 4?????????? Crazy. It's the same with enchiladas, my specialty is chicken enchiladas with green chile sour cream souce. yummy. But now I can only eat a few bites of most things. It's time to par down everything. Especially since I've realized my desire to cook for an army is harming my whole family. The more food there is the more everyone eats, which is not so good for my kids. Who wants them to struggle like I have??? So I'm start to learn that the best offense is a good defense. Make less, eat less, throw away less.....weigh less....:confused:

Good luck with your struggle, I think most have us are going through it!

It's just me and my fiance. I eat lots of meat, he's a vegetarian! So I have LOTS of leftovers. We went to macaroni grill and I had the whole wheat penne and chicken. I had to use TWO to-go containers to bring my food home. I've just decided that it IS OK to throw away food. I don't have to eat it. Sigh. It's hard though. But maybe it's helping me get the head issues resolved as well.

Maybe I should get a bigger dog. My pekignese can't eat much either!

:eek: Kristin

I just got banded on Monday and I did not even begin to put a dent in all of the frozen meat that I froze in huge portions (to fit my former lifestyle) I plan on having a lot of dinner guests until I get through it.

My mom still doesn't believe that one small steak will feed me, my husband and son (who are both thin eaters) and that there will probably be enought for a lunch for my husband. I can't wait to prove her wrong!

Oh, you could always start a mulch pile. Your plants and garden would certainly benefit!