Dealing with extra treats sitting around the house for the holidays?
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give it away. i took over a huge container of the trifle i made for desert on xmas, and 98% of the cookies and bars and other food (and thats on top of what i made given away previously lol) to my neighbors last night.
no one gives me food because i have so many rules (not related to calories lol - i just had ocd food issues in general LMAO) that people dont even try lol0 -
Since all the extra treats sitting around were made by me, I'll be eating them. I have been eating them.
It's nice to have given my mind this time off from worrying about every morsel I put in my mouth. I'm sure I'll not be super happy when I hop back on the scale next week but I won't be surprised.
I'm jumping in the car today for 2 days of travel, then hopping from house to house, then 2 more days driving home. Food is going to be the very last thing I will be concerned about.0 -
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ongoingwhy wrote: »... For now, let's forget about the whole thing and focus on one question... Is this going to happen again next year?
I got a letter yesterday from Oxfam America acknowledging the donation I made in my sister's name this year. If people regularly get unwanted food gifts from certain people, next year they could request a donation be made in their name instead. (I'm not suggesting this for the people who give small quantities of homemade food, but I think it could be a good fit for the out-of-town relatives who send towers of food.)
Thanksgiving would be a good time to make the suggestion - people will be well aware of over-eating and more amenable to a suggestion like "The holiday season is difficult for me - if you were thinking of giving me a food gift, please instead make a donation in my name to someone who could really use it."
https://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com/
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ongoingwhy wrote: »Amberonamission wrote: »Kay because other people don't have is no reason to continue damaging your progress to healthy. Most food kitchens and public pantries won't take opened packages. Don't make people feel bad for getting rid of unhealthy things.
I am not the one making you feel bad, it's your conscience.susan100df wrote: »I'm giving the family one more day and then everything is going in the trash. I'm done with the excess calories. I feel awful today and the scale is way up. No way could it all be water. I'm disgusted with myself. Getting right back to my routine now.
I have zero guilt about throwing food away. My family doesn't need all these empty calories either. We are all moving around like slugs. Enough is enough. They will complain for a couple of days but they know I'm right.
I live in a first world country. All my problems are first world problems.
The people in the shelters don't need my half-eaten, stale, empty calories food. Not only that but it would be illegal for the shelters to take it due to food laws surrounding commercial kitchens.
Fine, let's say that everyone here had reasons that made it impossible for them to properly get rid of the food without wasting them. However, let me ask you this. Will this happen again next year? Are you going to have new reasons for throwing away food? Why did you buy so much if you weren't going to eat them? Why didn't you refuse the gifts? Is it out of politeness? Do you think that it's polite to throw away gifts? In the end, it's all just excuses and you know it.
I apologise if I have upset some of you, but isn't it ridiculous that no one here seems to be upset about food wasteage? I guess no one ever taught you guys not to waste food when growing up?
Is uncontrolled eating of generally calorie dense food with little nutritional value resulting in unwanted weight gain a better option? Do you keep non-food gifts around the house that you have no need for/don't like?
Of course getting rid of the food doesn't solve the long term problem, but takes away the immediate issue.0 -
I'm on a diet break so I'm making the treats! There will be no leftovers.0
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Capt_Apollo wrote: »
I am worried about this week along with the other 51 weeks of the year. Allowing one week to derail my progress is stupid. I am confident that any food that gets thrown out here is not the cause of world hunger.
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MommyL2015 wrote: »Since all the extra treats sitting around were made by me, I'll be eating them. I have been eating them. It's nice to have given my mind this time off from worrying about every morsel I put in my mouth. I'm sure I'll not be super happy when I hop back on the scale next week but I won't be surprised.
I'm jumping in the car today for 2 days of travel, then hopping from house to house, then 2 more days driving home. Food is going to be the very last thing I will be concerned about.
+1
A couple months ago I decided to go on a 2-3 week diet break over Christmas during which time I would eat all the food.
I went on a 1-month diet break last June and did the same thing. Did it derail my progress? Nope. Absolutely not. I gained 2 kg, but I lost it again about 2 weeks later, and went on to lose another 10 kg. I have no regrets about stopping logging during that month, and eating whatever I wanted. I discovered that I didn't want as much as I thought I would, which was a good thing. But allowing myself to eat some of my favourite treats during that month meant that I didn't crave them in the following months when I went back on the diet.
I also exercised a lot during that diet-break month, which probably helped too.
So, I'm doing the same thing again now ... I'm working my way through a list of the delicious food I've been craving lately, and thoroughly enjoying it all. I'll likely gain 2 kg or so, but I will also exercise lots to try to keep that weight gain to a minimum.
Then I'll resume my diet at some point in January.0 -
I can't stand wasting food or throwing it away. I try to find ways to use up the leftovers or repurpose them so they have new life... We had Mexican food for one celebration and ended up with half a pan of enchiladas, homemade salsa, taco meat, Sopapilla cheesecake and fudge leftover. I took salsa, cheesecake, and fudge to another holiday gathering, cut into tiny squares and arranged on a pretty platter so it didn't feel like passing off leftovers. I had neighbors over yesterday and we had the enchiladas and tacos, I told them we would be eating leftovers and everyone was happy to help! People brought us cookies in the week leading up to Christmas so I told my kids we were going to save our baking for later in January when we would be bored and we put out the gifted cookies for Santa. We also freeze anything that will be good leftover, and also, anything that's left after today (which there won't be much) will get taken to work and put out in the break room, I know it will be eaten up there!
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I can't stand wasting food or throwing it away. I try to find ways to use up the leftovers or repurpose them so they have new life... We had Mexican food for one celebration and ended up with half a pan of enchiladas, homemade salsa, taco meat, Sopapilla cheesecake and fudge leftover. I took salsa, cheesecake, and fudge to another holiday gathering, cut into tiny squares and arranged on a pretty platter so it didn't feel like passing off leftovers. I had neighbors over yesterday and we had the enchiladas and tacos, I told them we would be eating leftovers and everyone was happy to help! People brought us cookies in the week leading up to Christmas so I told my kids we were going to save our baking for later in January when we would be bored and we put out the gifted cookies for Santa. We also freeze anything that will be good leftover, and also, anything that's left after today (which there won't be much) will get taken to work and put out in the break room, I know it will be eaten up there!
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
Love your repurposing and other strategies!
I'm not sure what to think about the bolded...in general I'm all for people doing what works for them, but I also hate the idea of food waste. My strategy for dealing with unwanted french fries is to order coleslaw or broccoli instead, and have a few of someone else's, so that would fall under not accepting it in the first place.
I can't stand artificial fragrance and when people who don't know me well give me gifts that contain it, I thank them politely and give it to my neighbor. I would likewise accept homemade food gifts and repurpose it somehow. I would donate unwanted packaged food gifts to the food pantry/church food drive.
I made rum balls for presents and got them out of the house so quickly that my fiance complained he didn't get enough, lol. I sent them in quantities that felt stingy to me, with the idea of moderate portions. This didn't work with one friend, who was suppose to share them with his family, but kept them all for himself. He's not watching his weight, however.
I'll probably make a half batch for New Years and have my fiance take leftovers home. That's my general strategy for baked goods - I make them on Fridays, send some home with him, take some to my family, and only have a few servings for myself.
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After the allotted 2-3 day splurge it either gets put out for company or put in the trash, without guilt. Boom. Reason for no guilt, me being fat isn't going to help feed a needy person, charitable donations (not just once a year, do)0
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WinoGelato wrote: »
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
I honestly don't get this either. I wouldn't buy something if I didn't intend to eat the whole thing (eventually), and I wouldn't open a food gift I had no intention of eating just to get a couple bites out of it either... I'd regift it or give it away instead.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
I honestly don't get this either. I wouldn't buy something if I didn't intend to eat the whole thing (eventually), and I wouldn't open a food gift I had no intention of eating just to get a couple bites out of it either... I'd regift it or give it away instead.
Basically just because I can't moderate an item doesn't mean it's not my favorite thing ever. For example, you're at work and you buy a serving of fries from the cafeteria. You really only wanted a couple maybe a dozen pcs at most and there sure as heck ain't anyone to give your half eaten fries (frankly, on some level this concept of giving away left overs grosses me out. I understand there are various ways to go about it, but this is just my own hang up).0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
I honestly don't get this either. I wouldn't buy something if I didn't intend to eat the whole thing (eventually), and I wouldn't open a food gift I had no intention of eating just to get a couple bites out of it either... I'd regift it or give it away instead.
Basically just because I can't moderate an item doesn't mean it's not my favorite thing ever. For example, you're at work and you buy a serving of fries from the cafeteria. You really only wanted a couple maybe a dozen pcs at most and there sure as heck ain't anyone to give your half eaten fries (frankly, on some level this concept of giving away left overs grosses me out. I understand there are various ways to go about it, but this is just my own hang up).
I would either ask a friend to split the fries with me, or wait to get better fries than my work cafeteria has to offer!
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WinoGelato wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
I honestly don't get this either. I wouldn't buy something if I didn't intend to eat the whole thing (eventually), and I wouldn't open a food gift I had no intention of eating just to get a couple bites out of it either... I'd regift it or give it away instead.
Basically just because I can't moderate an item doesn't mean it's not my favorite thing ever. For example, you're at work and you buy a serving of fries from the cafeteria. You really only wanted a couple maybe a dozen pcs at most and there sure as heck ain't anyone to give your half eaten fries (frankly, on some level this concept of giving away left overs grosses me out. I understand there are various ways to go about it, but this is just my own hang up).
I would either ask a friend to split the fries with me, or wait to get better fries than my work cafeteria has to offer!
I do admire your efforts in avoiding food waste
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WinoGelato wrote: »
I agree with the sentiments that planning ahead and prelogging what you intend to eat helps make moderation easier. I also agree that taking extreme measures like throwing out perfectly good food or pouring water or dish soap on it is concerning. If you can't find other strategies or ways to work the food into your day, you either shouldn't have made it or shouldn't have accepted it in the first place.
I honestly don't get this either. I wouldn't buy something if I didn't intend to eat the whole thing (eventually), and I wouldn't open a food gift I had no intention of eating just to get a couple bites out of it either... I'd regift it or give it away instead.
Basically just because I can't moderate an item doesn't mean it's not my favorite thing ever. For example, you're at work and you buy a serving of fries from the cafeteria. You really only wanted a couple maybe a dozen pcs at most and there sure as heck ain't anyone to give your half eaten fries (frankly, on some level this concept of giving away left overs grosses me out. I understand there are various ways to go about it, but this is just my own hang up).
I wouldn't order an item that I have no intention of finishing, personally... not just because it's a waste of food, but because it's a waste of money. If I wanted fries that much, I'd just make my own at home (and they'd have less calories and probably be tastier too!). Or if I want a brownie, I'll just go buy a single brownie.. I can't imagine making a whole pan and throwing away most of it...0 -
Throw the extra in the trash and put something gross on top of it...so you aren't tempted to save it. It's not super wasteful if it isn't a habit.
how is waisting food ever an option? dont eat it.... maybe i was brought up to never waste food due to the millions of starving people in the world.0 -
There have been so many good suggestions & points here! Thanks
One point a number of ppl made was that if it's not mine to throw away, it's not mine to eat. Tbh, that's something that I've struggled with. I have stolen other people's food at various times, most recently my Dad got a package of chocolates as a gift and I ate them all when I was home alone. My Dad can hide food effectively when I ask him to, and I've asked him to hide the cookies but he hasn't. I've probably had about 9 each day aka I ate them until I felt unwell. I'm guessing this behaviour is disordered, as long as there's snack food "available" somewhere I'll pretty much always eat it. The more I resist the more "distracted" I become by it, I get irritable and snippy, it's hard to think about much else. Then after I eat it I feel intensely guilty.
I would very much prefer we didn't buy so many treats for the two small dinner parties we had. If it were me, I would have chosen to get only one of the many options we had, so that it would be gone after the parties, or only have a few small leftovers. Unfortunately, my parents worry that people need options. I think vanilla ice cream is pretty much a crowd favourite, so only having that would have been fine. But the cookies are still here, the panettone is still here, the Christmas cake is still here, etc. The rest really goes to waste either way, because it's open. I don't agree with the culture of excess around Christmas, but again it's not my choices to make at this point. I opted to get a donation for a charity for Christmas this year instead of a big present, so if I did throw away half of a box of cookies I hope it would balance out.
I'm thinking I will ask my Dad again to hide the cookies, and show him that I've eaten too many already. He's the kind of person who can have one cookie (or even half a cookie) and not think about the cookie box again for a couple of days.0 -
I think you need to find what works for you. For me if I want it I eat it, but then I own it. So I log. Even if that means I am way over calories that day. I ate it so I log it. Then for me that is motivation to go burn more calories.0
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Throw the extra in the trash and put something gross on top of it...so you aren't tempted to save it. It's not super wasteful if it isn't a habit.
how is waisting food ever an option? dont eat it.... maybe i was brought up to never waste food due to the millions of starving people in the world.
I've never understood that logic (as a child or as a parent). What you eat or don't eat has no effect on anyone starving ANYWHERE (unless of course its someone in your own home/vicinity). Flawed logic at its best, and surely must be a contributing factor to so many people being overweight (both adults and kids) - after all, you 'have to' finish everything on your plate. no you don't.
I have no problem throwing away food. it's food. not killing puppies.0
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