Wasting Food

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13

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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    edited March 2016
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    It just annoys me to throw away food because it means that I planned poorly. I do throw some things away but it's because they've been sitting for a while and I just didn't get to finish them before they started to smell funny (I bought too much ham or made too much refried beans, for example - often because my husband often ends up buying lunch instead of bringing one, which drives me nuts). But just because it's in the fridge doesn't mean that I have to eat it now. I can just have some tomorrow. Or my husband/kids will eat it. My homemade bread turns bad occasionally too and that's frustrating, but I just can't afford (the calories) to make bread pudding with it every time it gets stale... lol.

    But I always finish my plate because I plan for it. If we make food and there's like 2 ounces of chicken left, it's fine too, it's perfect to fit in a tortilla or something. At restaurants honestly I typically don't go for the high calorie stuff anyway so I have no problem finishing my plate either.. or I just take the rest home.

    Free food at friends or whatever, it's not like it's going to be thrown away if I don't eat it... someone else will.

    Buffets though... yeah... that's another issue, but it has nothing to do with me being worried that the food will be thrown away :p
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    starwhisperer6 wrote: »
    my guy throws everything away and it makes me crazy! I spent a week with him last month and I put all the leftovers in the fridge, when my plane landed in my town he called and said, "I'm shipping your leftovers out to you tomorrow, for those starving kids in Africa." The brat. It all ended up in the trash despite me. I need to work on that.

    Ha! I have to say that one of my pet peeves is when I have house guests who take home leftovers from a restaurant, which means that they box it up and stick it in my fridge...where it sits until I throw it out later. As soon as I hear them ask our server for a box to take something home I cringe because I *know* they will not eat it.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Sometimes. But you have to remind yourself that, if you don't need it, you're also wasting it by putting it in your body.
  • ani_terzyan
    ani_terzyan Posts: 35 Member
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    "Better to let it go to waste than to your waist!"

    I read that quote on one of these posts a while ago and it really made things click for me. I don't feel as guilty about leaving food on my plate anymore. I've always had a problem of continuing to eat even after I'm full just because there is food in front of me so it's been really awesome to learn how to stop myself and recognize that I don't need to finish everything.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    OP I understand what you're saying. It's the "there's starving kids in Africa" mentality that those of us of a certain vintage had drilled into our heads. I have a hard time moving away from that mentality too, but I'm getting better. I find that weekly meal planning is very helpful. I've also moved away from one big grocery shop once a month, to one smaller shopping trip each week. At meal time, weight and measure out your plate so that you don't take too much.

    ETA: I also feel less guilty since our city enacted new laws that ALL food scraps must go into the compost. At least I feel like the plants are getting yummy food instead of the landfill :lol:

    Not to derail, but how the heck can they tell if there are food scraps mixed in with other trash? Plus, they can always go down the garbage disposal.
  • keithcw_the_first
    keithcw_the_first Posts: 382 Member
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    nordlead2005 wrote: »
    Its called the sunk cost fallacy. Once you prepared the food you can't get a refund so it is a sunk cost. If your choices are only eat it or toss it, then the choice shouldn't be decided based on the sunk cost. The choice should be based on if you are going to benefit from eating it or tossing it.

    If you are hungry and enjoy the food and have the calories, then eat it for maximum benefit. If you don't have the calories, or even just don't like the food, then toss it for maximum benefit. Eating the food when you really don't want to doesn't maximize your benefit in fact, it may cost you even more (more time spent trying to lose weight).

    However, with food there are sometimes extra options like freezing/fridge or giving it to another person who does want to eat it.

    So, while I hate wasting food, I focus on reducing the amount I prepare to the proper amount, not on making sure my plate is clean when I finish. For example, I'd rather serve my kids 2 small bowls of cereal than 1 large bowl and toss half of it.

    This is excellent.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    OP I understand what you're saying. It's the "there's starving kids in Africa" mentality that those of us of a certain vintage had drilled into our heads. I have a hard time moving away from that mentality too, but I'm getting better. I find that weekly meal planning is very helpful. I've also moved away from one big grocery shop once a month, to one smaller shopping trip each week. At meal time, weight and measure out your plate so that you don't take too much.

    ETA: I also feel less guilty since our city enacted new laws that ALL food scraps must go into the compost. At least I feel like the plants are getting yummy food instead of the landfill :lol:

    Not to derail, but how the heck can they tell if there are food scraps mixed in with other trash? Plus, they can always go down the garbage disposal.

    I think the idea is that you keep it all separate and don't just throw it in with the other trash in the first place. Kinda like a recycling bin where you your glass bottles, instead of the trash can.
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 651 Member
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    I admit, this bugs me a lot. Particularly since my girlfriend loves to cook and doesn't seem to mind loading up my fridge with goodies every time she comes to visit - also, I still have this mindset where I feel oddly compelled to stockpile food.

    I currently have around a dozen pieces of BBQ chicken (legs and quarters), some Popeye's chicken, pasta, a couple of pounds of leftover ham, assorted fruits and veggies, and basically tons of candy and cookies floating around my house. I sometimes get mildly stressed (guilty?) that food will go bad because I won't eat it in time. But I don't - I just leave it and try and freeze things before they go bad.

    This is just maintainence "growing pains," really - we find out how much to eat and how much to move in order to reach our weight and fitness goals, but our habits around food acquisition, shopping, cooking, etc. - these seem to take a lot longer to figure out, at least for some of us (certainly the case for me).

    Someday I'll buy that extra freezer.
  • Abbie918
    Abbie918 Posts: 120 Member
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    I plan out my meals and buy the appropriate quantity of food each week. I don't partake in the free food in the office (I don't even look at it when it's out).
  • Rowood101
    Rowood101 Posts: 98 Member
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    I also struggle with this "waste" mentality. As people have mentioned I think it's because as a child I had to finish my plate and the portion was just whatever my mom cooked divided by 4. Mentally I've been trying to cook only what I think we can eat and no more. For my daughter I've tried to serve food, family style so she can take how much she wants but I do try and guilt her into eating the protein. Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,671 Member
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    Packerjohn wrote: »
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    OP I understand what you're saying. It's the "there's starving kids in Africa" mentality that those of us of a certain vintage had drilled into our heads. I have a hard time moving away from that mentality too, but I'm getting better. I find that weekly meal planning is very helpful. I've also moved away from one big grocery shop once a month, to one smaller shopping trip each week. At meal time, weight and measure out your plate so that you don't take too much.

    ETA: I also feel less guilty since our city enacted new laws that ALL food scraps must go into the compost. At least I feel like the plants are getting yummy food instead of the landfill :lol:

    Not to derail, but how the heck can they tell if there are food scraps mixed in with other trash? Plus, they can always go down the garbage disposal.

    We have three large wheeled totes - one for recycling, one for trash, one for organics. You can get fined for throwing organics in the regular trash, and they do spot checks. You will receive warnings for incorrectly sorting your trash, and can eventually be fined for noncompliance.

    You can't put bones and yard waste down the garbage disposal. That, and garbage disposals are not a big thing here. Most new homes don't even have one because they're considered environmental unfriendly. I live in Vancouver. Lots of tree huggers ;)
  • Timelordlady85
    Timelordlady85 Posts: 797 Member
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    we try to plan just enough for our meals so there are no leftovers or we eat them the next day for lunch.I have a family of 5 including myself. I also have a compost pile in my back yard that I dump vegetable and fruit trimmings/peeling,etc.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I will throw out left over cake or other sweet treat - better out than in ME! But other good food I freeze and if its even too much for that, I make dog food out of it - I babysit my granddogs on occasion, and will put together a meal for them out of protein, starch and veg, and they love it! They like going to Nana's house! (Of course I know what not to feed dogs, and I omit any of those no no's)
  • serenityfrye
    serenityfrye Posts: 360 Member
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    I used to feel this way. Then we got chickens and started a compost pile for our garden. Now any spoiled or unwanted food is just converted into eggs or veggies :)
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    OP I understand what you're saying. It's the "there's starving kids in Africa" mentality that those of us of a certain vintage had drilled into our heads. I have a hard time moving away from that mentality too, but I'm getting better. I find that weekly meal planning is very helpful. I've also moved away from one big grocery shop once a month, to one smaller shopping trip each week. At meal time, weight and measure out your plate so that you don't take too much.

    ETA: I also feel less guilty since our city enacted new laws that ALL food scraps must go into the compost. At least I feel like the plants are getting yummy food instead of the landfill :lol:

    Not to derail, but how the heck can they tell if there are food scraps mixed in with other trash? Plus, they can always go down the garbage disposal.

    We have three large wheeled totes - one for recycling, one for trash, one for organics. You can get fined for throwing organics in the regular trash, and they do spot checks. You will receive warnings for incorrectly sorting your trash, and can eventually be fined for noncompliance.

    You can't put bones and yard waste down the garbage disposal. That, and garbage disposals are not a big thing here. Most new homes don't even have one because they're considered environmental unfriendly. I live in Vancouver. Lots of tree huggers ;)

    We have 2 95 gallon containers. One for trash, one for recycling. The truck has a lift arm on it that picks the containers up and dumps in the truck. Unless the operator gets out he can't see what is in the containers. You could have a couple dead bodies for all he can tell.

    Our community also does bulk waste and landscape waste pick up weekly. Tear down you deck, they take it, drag your old refrigerator out there, they take it. Chop down a 40 ft tree, it's gone. But don't dare put a half bag of lawn clippings out there by itself, will have 4 warning stickers on it and they won't take it.

  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
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    I usually pre-portion my food, but yes I do have a problem with letting food go to waste. I try and put leftovers away so they're not sitting there for me to pick at. I also try and buy 'smaller' foods, ie small red potatoes, apples, etc. so I don't have to deal with so much 'leftover'.
  • kandeye
    kandeye Posts: 216 Member
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    I have a problem with food going to waste at home. If I took the time and energy to prepare a dish, it's going to be eaten. Having said that I have created the habit of logging my meal before I eat it, so what is on my plate is already accounted. Leftovers are eaten the next day or frozen for the next week. It's actually handy because I use the recipe builder so I get tasty, nutritious food that's easy to log. In social settings I don't feel obligated to take food. When I go out to restaurants, unless I have a huge calorie amount left, I eat half and eat the other half the next day.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    I weigh my food, so I eat everything on my plate.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,898 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I finish my plate...I put an appropriate amount of food on my plate, and I eat it...this is where learning what applicable serving sizes are for you. Also, we usually make double food for dinner in order that we have leftovers that we take for lunch the next day...leftovers always get eating within at least a couple of days either way.

    I don't feel that's it's wasteful to pass on free food at the office...I didn't prepare it...it didn't buy it...I'm not wasting it.

    Ya, I know what a serving size is for me now.

    When I have bits of meat or veggies left over that are too small for a serving I stir fry them with eggs or put them in soup or freeze them for making stock.

    If all of the above fails, I put it in my composter.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
    OP I understand what you're saying. It's the "there's starving kids in Africa" mentality that those of us of a certain vintage had drilled into our heads. I have a hard time moving away from that mentality too, but I'm getting better. I find that weekly meal planning is very helpful. I've also moved away from one big grocery shop once a month, to one smaller shopping trip each week. At meal time, weight and measure out your plate so that you don't take too much.

    ETA: I also feel less guilty since our city enacted new laws that ALL food scraps must go into the compost. At least I feel like the plants are getting yummy food instead of the landfill :lol:

    Not to derail, but how the heck can they tell if there are food scraps mixed in with other trash? Plus, they can always go down the garbage disposal.

    We have three large wheeled totes - one for recycling, one for trash, one for organics. You can get fined for throwing organics in the regular trash, and they do spot checks. You will receive warnings for incorrectly sorting your trash, and can eventually be fined for noncompliance.

    You can't put bones and yard waste down the garbage disposal. That, and garbage disposals are not a big thing here. Most new homes don't even have one because they're considered environmental unfriendly. I live in Vancouver. Lots of tree huggers ;)

    Same here, plus a separate bin for glass. I'm used to it as a native Portlander, but my BF is from Idaho where EVERYTHING is trash. It drives me mad.

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