Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Eating and Drinking => Kitchen Natter => Topic started by: New shoot on July 08, 2023, 11:11

Title: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: New shoot on July 08, 2023, 11:11
I always have been a bit obsessed with not wasting food, but it is getting worse  :lol:

I did cheat a bit with these as I got the lemons, limes and the maderin oranges from work as freebies (on date, reduced and not sold), but I caught myself thinking I must pick up some more cheapo ice cube trays so I can extend my stocks if the opportunity arises ::)

Fruit zested with a micro plane grater and juiced, then put together to make juice and zest cubes. I got a lemon one out today to use in cooking and very useful it was to have on hand, but going a bit too far to save stuff or not… :unsure: 
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: mumofstig on July 08, 2023, 11:25
I used to do things like that and It's great if you have spare/enough freezer space  :)
I only have one under-counter freezer, now, so very limited on what I can cram in there.
Even doing my usual online shop, makes me double check available space before I push that buy button   :lol:  :lol:
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Yorkie on July 08, 2023, 20:09
That's an interesting way of saving them. How many of each fruit were needed to make those ice cubes, do you think? And did you just use them in a drink, or another way?
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: New shoot on July 08, 2023, 20:44
About 1 fruit per cube, but they were all fairly small whole fruits.  I am going to use the orange ones as ice in soft drinks like lemonade to add some zip.  The lemon and lime were intended for cooking, but I am now thinking they would go rather well with a G&T  ;)
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Yorkie on July 08, 2023, 20:50
Mmmm, niiiiice  :D
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Alank on July 08, 2023, 20:52
We do the same and add a couple to my insulated drinking bottle and top up with water or lemonade. So good on a hot day at work  :D
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: New shoot on July 09, 2023, 09:37
We do the same and add a couple to my insulated drinking bottle and top up with water or lemonade. So good on a hot day at work  :D

Yes I was going to use the insulated bottle I take to the plot with me for the orange ones  :)
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: jaydig on July 09, 2023, 12:32
I must be as obsessive as you, New Shoot.  I have trays of frozen lemon/orange/lime juice, surplus basil blended with olive oil, anchovies, again plus oil,  etc.  I just can't bring myself to throw them away.
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Growster... on July 10, 2023, 07:10
I've still got two bags of frozen Thai Dragon chillis from last year's crop, in the freezer...

You'd think they'd defrost the thing, but it hasn't happened yet...
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: GraciesGran on August 02, 2023, 20:47
Husband just phoned to warm me that he remembered the milk BUT has alsovbought ten large trays of strawberries at 20 pence each and twenty punnets of plums, peaches and nectarines for 10 pence each.  Strawberry jam and other fruit will be cooked and frozen to be used overwinter.  He's got some other bits as well!
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Yorkie on August 02, 2023, 20:58
While my brother and I were at piano lessons on a Thursday evening, Dad would trot off to Sainsbury's and buy up their yellow stickered meat.

He would proudly present it to Mum when we got home, and she would have to wonder a) what to do with it, and b) how to fit it into the freezer!  :lol:
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Growster... on August 03, 2023, 06:08
And I made the biggest spag bol ever yesterday, with courgettes, some of last years' frozen peppers and toms, a fresh onion (!), 1/4lb beef mince and three frozen meatballs from a few days ago! (Mrs Growster has been in Pembury Hosp for a week or so, so I've got stuck in at home).

I reckon that'll be at least three single lunches and possibly four, to freeze!

Our feezers just keep giving, and now the stuff is coming on outside, I've got to keep up, haven't I?
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: New shoot on December 26, 2023, 15:25
I know a lot of food gets wasted this time of year, but not in my kitchen.  I can’t stand to see it go in the bin.

Christmas lunch was a leg of lamb and it was lovely, but there is a limit to how much everyone wants when there are roasties, yorkshires, veg and gravy to cram on the plate.  Then of course they have their eyes on pud and choccies with their coffee  :lol:

Today I have made myself busy dealing with the rest of it.  Some is sliced for tea tonight, some is diced and has been made into a spicy tagine like stew to go over rice - that’s the leftover veg dealt with and another couple of meals for us. 

There was still quite a bit of meat on the bone, so it has gone into the slow cooker with water, peppercorns and veg peelings, carrot tops and tails and various other bits to make stock. 

The fridge looks a lot more under control and a good use of a couple of hours this morning which will save me cooking another day :)
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: snowdrops on December 26, 2023, 16:30
Well we only brought back half the ribs of beef(I insisted on the bones as a perk) and 1 piece of the chocolate & ginger slice I’d made for pudding, as they’d got visitors again today. I’ve yet to slow cook the bones as that’ll be a job for tomorrow & the resulting stock will be ‘canned’. I made yesterday’s gravy with last years canned beef stock  :mad:, talk about frugal, oh I did bring the leftover baked Camembert & sourdough starter back as they were going to chuck it  :dry: so might have that for tea. We were going to have a rehash of beef dinner I thought with all fresh potatoes & veg today but hubby did jacket potatoes for lunch & fancies a beef sandwich for tea, so think I’ll have the sourdough & various cheeses & pickles & a bit of cold beef, wish I’d bought a pork pie now but then that’d be leftovers tomorrow lol.
The rest of the beef, gravy will be sliced cubed etc & frozen for some lovely dinners in the next few weeks
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: mumofstig on December 26, 2023, 16:35
I really couldn't face it today, apart from a fry-up of left over veg with some cold gammon will be good for tea - but I will be sorting the rest of the fridge tomorrow  ::)
Luckily the remainder of desserts/sweet thingies have mostly gone home with friends and family members LOL
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: snowdrops on December 26, 2023, 17:17
I really couldn't face it today, apart from a fry-up of left over veg with some cold gammon will be good for tea - but I will be sorting the rest of the fridge tomorrow  ::)
Luckily the remainder of desserts/sweet thingies have mostly gone home with friends and family members LOL

Yes that’s why I just brought 1 piece of pudding back, best to avoid the temptation  :D
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: New shoot on December 26, 2023, 17:31
I have to work all day tomorrow so wanted to get my fridge a bit clearer today. Chucking stuff in the slow cooker and walking away was not too bad and I am pleased with my stock  :)

Our pud was all gone yesterday so no temptation there, but someone did gift us a 1kg tin of M&S continental style choccy biccies so being good is on hold until they are gone  :lol:
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Growster... on December 27, 2023, 07:01
Mrs Growster demanded some normal chips with what cold chicken and antipasti we have left, and that was my job...

...or rather my catastrophe...

After chopping the chips and heating the deep fryer, I didn't drain them for long enough, and even with an extra slow interrment of the chip basket, the whole shebang boiled up and over the top, all over the work top and onto our new washing machine which only arrived last Saturday!

Hmmmmph...

Something told me, when I was in Tesco last week, to buy some more of the big blue 'Plenty' kitchen paper and hellfire, didn't I need it all...

As far as waste is concerned, all the leftover meat and the rest of the parsnips went straight in the freezer after various lunches over the weekend, and now there's absolutely no room for anything at all!
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Yorkie on December 27, 2023, 15:11
We have less left over than originally anticipated, as we had an extra mouth to feed on Christmas Day after my brother's stepdaughter's flight back to Amsterdam on Christmas Eve was cancelled (she went back yesterday instead)  :wacko:

Nevertheless, tonight we shall be doing Delia's special cottage pie, out of her old recipe book (about A5 in size but about 3" thick!). It's tradition, innit  :D
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: wighty on December 27, 2023, 16:34
I woke up on Christmas Eve with toothache, I knew I had a filling fall out so wasn't surprised.   The gum is really swollen and sore under a wisdom tooth.  We had already taken the turkey out the freezer to defrost so  Paul cooked it and it has been portioned up and back in the freezer.  111 was very good but couldn't really help but did say there was a prescription  for strong painkillers available at their reception for me, so a journey to Newport to collect that and then to Ryde to the only  Pharmacy open.   The rest of the Christmas food is all still frozen and we have been eating what is fresh and can't be frozen.  We haven't  opened any of the biscuits, chocolates etc., yet.  My Dentist isn't open until after the New Year so I'll just have to sit here with soup, and the dips and other soft stuff.
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: Yorkie on December 29, 2023, 21:21
Sorry to hear that Wighty and hope it gets sorted out soon :(
Title: Re: Food waste - I think I might have a problem…
Post by: wighty on December 30, 2023, 16:43
The painkillers and antibiotics given to me through the 111 service have really done the job.   My Dentist is not open until the  4th January and I will book an emergency appointment .    Apparently because I'm  a registered 'paying' patient  I can only get  treatment from an emergency Dentist after a referral.