[velochic]

We keep even the smallest amounts of leftovers. Usually one night a week (tonight's the night), I will serve all of the leftovers, even if it's just a tablespoon. Perhaps it was the way I was raised (we were not impoverished, but we didn't have money). When growing up we were never required to finish what was on our plate, but it was saved for another meal.

I think of this as a frugal tip, really, but maybe it's going overboard. Tonight we have very small amounts (not even enough for a full serving) of roasted carrots, roasted asparagus, roasted green beans & pearl onions, a handful of potato fries, cole slaw, baked beans, and mexican rice. The main is a roasted chicken that was planned.

Does anyone else keep even the smallest amounts to have a leftover day or to eat for lunch or even breakfast? I just think it is wasteful and unfrugal to throw out food that is perfectly good and will be eaten before going bad just because there is only a spoonful left.

Anyone else?

 

[Stone Fence]

No, but I should. Most days I try to only cook what we will eat. If we have small amounts of leftovers they usually go to the chickens.

I have tried to keep a container in the freezer to put leftovers in. I think I need to be more organized.

 

[bohmproof]

I usually will save extra pancakes or waffles left over from breakfast, or put my son's plate in the fridge for later, but usually i just make sure to only make enough food for the meal, but usually the meat portion of the meal is enough for lunch the next day. I personally would rather eat the rest of the veggies at the meal they were served at instead of reheated later.

My DH does this though.. and I find it in the back of the fridge a week later, then he will eat it..

 

[p1gg1e]

We save food UNLESS dh or I have put something in it that the kids or I cant eat. Anything we cant use the dog gets.

 

[ja mama]

If it's not enough for a serving, I usually eat it. But if I can't possibly stuff it it, I do save it. I can't bear to throw away good food either. I often serve it disguised though, in a soup or omelet or something if possible.

 

[LittleBlessings]

No but it sounds like a good idea

 

[Porcelain Interior]

I don't keep plated leftovers, but I do keep small amounts left in the dish.

If someone has been poking at it with a saliva covered fork I don't save it.

I do small servings though to prevent food waste.

I love nothing better than waking up in the morning knowing something yummy I made the night before is ready to go for me.

 

[Staceyy]

We eat most of our leftovers the next day. Small amounts of leftovers go into homemade soup.

 

[BedHead]

I only save leftovers from a plate if the person whose plate it's from says they'll eat it later. It gets labeled with their name. For everything else, I save it if it's a good few mouthfuls or more only - not if it's only a tablespoon or so.

 

[Sk8ermaiden]

I only save it if it's enough for at least a small serving. Otherwise the time taken to put it up and then take it out and heat it up just isn't worth it to me.

 

[Amylcd]

We don't keep leftovers for most foods.

 

[Wugmama]

I try to make sure no food goes to waste, especially meat. We aren't vegetarians (obviously) but I feel guilty to the animal if any of the meat gets thrown away.

Before I had my 3rd baby who has all the food allergies, I age a lot of tortillas w/melted cheese. I remember frequently dumping all the left overs off my toddler's plates unto a tortilla, sprinkling cheese on it, and putting it in the microwave for myself. My dh would be so grossed out lol.

Now that I have this huge list of foods to avoid due to nursing a food allergic baby, I have to take my lunch to work for sure the 3 days that I work. I will use leftovers for my lunch - I usually freeze them and have them ready. Yesterday I took what was left of our chix and rice that we have been having for two days, plus what was left of it off the kids' plates, and made two lunches for myself and popped them in the freezer.

I like not wasting food.

~Tracy

 

[CameronsMama]

I save any and all leftover food. Uneaten portions from plates go to the dogs, anything that hadn't been served gets put into the fridge and used in another meal. I don't do a "leftover night" though, I just use the little bits up throughout the week, like tossing things into a casserole or soup.

 

[enkmom]

At my house, I can usually get someone to eat up the teeny tiny bits to empty out the pot/platter. Most leftovers don't get eaten if I put them in the fridge, so I put them into divided plates and put them in the freezer. Most of the meals I fix yield enough for 2 leftover "TV dinners", and I serve them once every couple of weeks.

My mom always did a smorgasbord night, warming up all the accumulated leftovers once a week. It didn't work in this house though, because my husband always took the choicest bits for himself and left the dregs for everyone else

.

 

[choli]

yes, but for small amounts like that they usually go into a frittata or as part of a filling for crepes, something like that...

 

[lovesdaffodils]

I keep just about everything. We don't really have a leftover night, but we eat leftovers for breakfast and lunch a lot. If we don't eat it, then the dog usually gets it but I don't consider that wasted either.

 

[Ola_]

Larger amounts of leftovers become lunches, smaller amounts are often an afternoon snack (maybe it's just me but the time between lunch and dinner are impossibly long for me! I am a small-freuqent eater). If it really was just a spoonful I'd probably just eat it though.

 

[artgoddess]

yep, I love left over nights, no pots and pans to wash and I even encourage eating right out of the storage containers, so fewer dishes. I SAHM and have two kids, not in school. So the smallest amount of left overs can be good for lunches too.

 

[oneKnight]

If it's not a full serving I save it all and dump it in veggie soup.

I also agree with those who say that the dog eating it isn't wasting it, because it's nourishing a member of your family. I don't feed the dog veggies, but I agree with the idea.

 

[mommaof3boz]

If its on a persons plate no way. If that kid wakes up with stomach flu at 2am and I forget to pitch the leftovers then we'll all end up with it. I have issues anyway with food in general. I am the leftover police. I always throw them out before they are 48 hrs old. Big pots of soup I divide up and freeze part. I am also kinda drill sergeanty about how long the food gets from the store back in the refrig or freezer. I never ever leave food in the car while I make another stop even in winter.