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Waste not want not

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Waste not want not

Postby liketocook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:41 pm

I think it goes without saying that we are a savvy bunch on here when it comes to avoiding food waste. It’s something I try to avoid but like most folk (I imagine) find from time to time that I have bits and bobs of things that need using up sooner rather than later or have an unexpected surplus of something.
With supply chain issues likely to get worse before they get better, I’m really keen to make sure that I have no avoidable waste. I thought a thread where we could post how we’ve used up lurking bits or ask for ideas could be useful. (Had a search and couldn’t see a previous thread.)
At risk of heading to the bin –
• A small piece of very OOD blue cheese about 30g after a yukky bit was cut off
• A small piece of beginning to harden Edam about 30g
• A small very ripe avocado leftover from a pack DS2 bought RTC for 12p last week
• Most of a pack of salami – use by 15/09 that got overlooked
• Two beginning to go slightly soft massive carrots, I think the picker must have selected the biggest ones in the shop as the three I ordered last week came to over 1kg!
• Most of a pack of wraps BBE 14/09
• 2 rashers of bacon from a pack that previously been defrosted
• 2 small sweet potatoes
• ½ a bag of Maris Piper potatoes (these will be fine for a bit yet but are beginning to soften)
• The end of a carton of semi-skimmed milk use by 13/09
• A bunch of spring onions
This is more than I would normally have to use up but a combination of meal planning going a bit awry for various reasons, a family gathering being cancelled and DS2 being away this week has crept up on me. :oops:
Use ups
• A knob of the blue cheese went in the sauce for my bavette steak and the rest was mashed with the avocado as the filling for a lunch time wrap.
• The bacon, carrots, sweet potatoes, a couple of potatoes and the milk along with some stock from the freezer, onion, garlic and celery have this morning been made into a pan of soup . Just about to have some for lunch. :yum
• Later I’m going to make a pan of mash with the rest of the potatoes, some I’ll use tomorrow and rest I’ll portion and freeze.
• One of the wraps, some of the salami, a couple of spring onions and the edam will be used for a sort of pizza tonight
• I’m going to make up ready to cook toasties with the remaining wraps & salami, some cheddar and spring onion and freeze them for future lunches.
• The remaining spring onions should be okay for a bit if I bung them in a glass of water.
That’ll clear the decks for just now but no doubt DS2 will return with a collection of use ups from his week at his own place! :lol:

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Earthmaiden » Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:52 pm

Well done ltc! At first I thought you were only asking what we'd do with the leftovers!
(wraps in the freezer, potatoes and most carrots mashed and frozen to do something with another time, avocado eaten grudgingly for lunch, the rest tipped into a quiche :lol: :lol:).

The only really lurking thing in my fridge is a head of celery. I don't like it much but bought it for odd snacks and keep avoiding it. It's amazing how long it keeps ....

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Seatallan » Wed Sep 15, 2021 3:07 pm

I have half a (large) carton of fat-free Greek yoghurt. Everything else is spoken for. I think I'll make some soda-bread with it if I have time, and either freeze it or take it to Scotland with us next weekend.
Food, felines and fells (in no particular order)

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Earthmaiden » Wed Sep 15, 2021 3:39 pm

Have you tried making frozen (flavoured) yogurt? I haven't but keep meaning to try.

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby liketocook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:02 pm

Oh my you put me to shame :oops:
EM I'm laughing at you buying celery when you don't really like it. At least it keeps well :) . I'm trying to avoid just chucking random bits in the freezer, I'm guilty of it just being a stepping stone to the bin! I know if I "transform" them into to something that I will use them.
That said if carrots etc. go on offer around Christmas time I often prep backs of chopped veg for soup/casseroles bases etc. I find as long as you use it within a few months it's fine without being blanched.

Sea soda bread sounds good :yum but if you run out of time I often use 0% fat Greek Yoghurt mixed with SR flour for flat breads or pizza bases, the uncooked dough freezes really well.

Lunchtime soup was really tasty. :D

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby ZeroCook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 6:59 pm

.
Amazing that you made a comprehensive list and plans for the bits LTC.
I unfortunately had to bin a bunch of hideous overlookeds yesterday hiding in the deli and cheese drawer:
- a pack of corn tortillas bb May this year (,they actually just slowly dry out so I usually dont go too much by exact dates but these were a bit beyondo even tho they looked and smelled fine
- a foil pack of american cheese slices that Mr0 likes (don't ask) and only ate a couple from - went mouldy on one side
- very dried up slices of emmental as hard as ceramic tiles

Fortunately the bin was the neighbours dog who was very happy to help.

I still have shrivelled up sprouted red potatoes in my spud and allium box ...did I think I might plant them? Would they grow?

Also reminds me that there is a bunch of covolo nero that desperately needs to be used. It can go with the squash/pumpkin from the garden that had to be used soon. I feel kale and pumpkin pasta coming - maybe even a ravioli sesh :D Something else?

I have extra bunches of flat parsely wrapped judiciously in paper towel and veg bags, still good but slightly wilting drying so need using or freezing. Walnut and parsley pesto for the freezer? Something else?

I too have a half a large carton of 0% greek yogurt that needs using ...
and some goats cheese ...

and a large red pepoer beginning to wrinkle ...

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby halfateabag » Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:13 pm

Love this thread... Love food, hate waste...... My third of a large pot of greek yogurt was turned into tsaziki which was eaten as a picnic today as we are en route to Gatters heading to Rhodes very shortly. Odds and ends were turned into slaw which will be part of our mile high picnic very soon. It's in the B&B fridge ATM. The clementines will be a brekkie item tomorrow. Apart from that, not much else was wasted.

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby liketocook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 7:17 pm

ZeroCook wrote:.
Amazing that you made a comprehensive list and plans for the bits LTC.
I unfortunately had to bin a bunch of hideous overlookeds yesterday hiding in the deli and cheese drawer:
- a pack of corn tortillas bb May this year (,they actually just slowly dry out so I usually dont go too much by exact dates but these were a bit beyondo even tho they looked and smelled fine
- a foil pack of american cheese slices that Mr0 likes (don't ask) and only ate a couple from - went mouldy on one side
- very dried up slices of emmental as hard as ceramic tiles

Fortunately the bin was the neighbours dog who was very happy to help.

I still have shrivelled up sprouted red potatoes in my spud and allium box ...did I think I might plant them? Would they grow?

Also reminds me that there is a bunch of covolo nero that desperately needs to be used. It can go with the squash/pumpkin from the garden that had to be used soon. I feel kale and pumpkin pasta coming - maybe even a ravioli sesh :D Something else?

I have extra bunches of flat parsely wrapped judiciously in paper towel and veg bags, still good but slightly wilting drying so need using or freezing. Walnut and parsley pesto for the freezer? Something else?

I too have a half a large carton of 0% greek yogurt that needs using ...
and some goats cheese ...

and a large red pepoer beginning to wrinkle ...


Glad I'm not alone with lurking bits ZC :lol: :lol: I have butternut squash, sage & parmesan risotto on next weeks menu perhaps one for your garden squash along with the calvo nero?

Sounds as though you're well on top of things Zosh :thumbsup :)

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:17 pm

I don’t do lists, and I don’t usually have too much lurking, though I find surprises (labelled as a rule) in freezer and cupboards. Working with things that are lethal if you confuse them develops an obsessive labelling habit.

I am very careful about closing part used packs or transferring things to Tupperware or jars, I find cooking for one I use stuff so slowly, and I’m clumsy so best with sealed containers

There’s a small onion squash lurking that’s worrying me, there’s usually a bit of feta hanging around, and even in Tupperware it doesn’t keep that well when opened. I also know I packed up some veg bolognaise in portions too big for a plate of pasta, so I’m thinking, stuffed squash this weekend

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby liketocook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:04 pm

Sue my Greek DIL-to-be taught me to store feta covered in water with a pinch of salt added and I have to say it prolongs it's useable lifespan by ages, though it's probably best for cooking rather than salad if it's been there for several weeks.
Cooking for one is definitely a challenge, I know I'll struggle to get back to it when DS2 moves out again.
My freezer & cupboard lists got abandoned when DS2 moved back, it just wasn't working as there was two of us to forget to update them!

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby KeenCook2 » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:06 pm

I find that with feta too, I've frozen it and it was fine.

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby liketocook » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:09 pm

After all my efforts I still have two spare wraps and most of a bunch of spring onions. The wraps I think will get toasted as a side for lunchtime soup and I think the onions will get happily used up in next week's meal plan.
The only thing that's gone the waste food caddy is veg peelings and used tea bags so it feels like a productive day. :D

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Stokey Sue » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:43 pm

liketocook wrote:Sue my Greek DIL-to-be taught me to store feta covered in water with a pinch of salt added and I have to say it prolongs it's useable lifespan by ages, though it's probably best for cooking rather than salad if it's been there for several weeks.

Yes, I should try actually covering it in brine, with both feta and mozzarella I do tip all the brine from the packet into the plastic box before I cut off any cheese, but that nowhere near covers it

This says to use a 10% salt solution, can't see that slime mould taking hold in that
https://cookpad.com/uk/recipes/3106162- ... eta-cheese

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby ZeroCook » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:24 am

.
I keep feta in 10% brine in the fridge in a shallowish large wide mouthed old glass olive jar. I buy feta in bulk if I can and it can last in strong brine for months. I started doing it after not using soon enough and tragically lost a seriously big extra chunk that I thought would keep longer unopened in the fridge. I remembered going to Greek shops and seeing large tins of feta chunks floating in brine which was very salty - much saltier than sea water which is around 3.5%. Some suggest 3-5% (or less) salt brine but it isn't salty enough for serious preservation IMO. 10% stops all fermentation and organisms as Stokey says.

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby northleedsbhoy » Thu Sep 16, 2021 8:40 am

Mmm, guilty as charged M’lud!! I confess to not being very good at this but I admire all of you, especially LTC, who not only keeps track but actually sorts out what they can be used to make.

Since lockdown I have actually got better because I was forced to sort of plan ahead as I was only shopping once a week rather than most days and my food waste reduced but to make a concentrated effort is not really in my DNA I’m sad to say. I try but from reading this thread what I still waste enough to make most of you have convulsions.

One of my main problems is that a lot of the time I buy what I think I need/want rather than what I actually do. I’m improving though as having about a week or so to amend an online order does make me think more but obviously I really should try harder.

Cheers
NLB :thumbsup

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:03 am

That’s interesting Zero Cook, I’m thinking if it works for me I can buy my “feta” in big blocks from washing up bowls on the deli counter

Incidentally sea water, and hence blood plasma and tears and injections is 0.9% salt w/v, or 1 gram per 100 ml for a working recipe (also 1 teaspoon per pint or half litre for a quick eye wash) I’ve made enough standard saline to be able to do it without a reference!

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby PatsyMFagan » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:11 am

Stokey Sue wrote:Incidentally sea water, and hence blood plasma and tears and injections is 0.9% salt w/v, or 1 gram per 100 ml for a working recipe (also 1 teaspoon per pint or half litre for a quick eye wash) I’ve made enough standard saline to be able to do it without a reference!


That's interesting Sue ... but does that mean perspiration too ? If so , then why, when I exercise and perspire profusely, does it make my eyes sting as it runs down my forehead :?

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Stokey Sue » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:28 am

Sweat varies immensely depending on quite a lot of factors, including genetics and what’s available from the diet

Historically, people moving from the U.K. to the tropics would take salt tablets to make up for the salt lost in sweat, but now it’s more usually recommended just to acclimatise, it doesn’t take long for your body to stop wasting salt and produce a low salt sweat

I don’t have a problem as my sweat has never been very salty for some reason

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby PatsyMFagan » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:57 am

:thumbsup must be genetics then as I have very little salt in my diet :roll: :lol:

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Re: Waste not want not

Postby Earthmaiden » Thu Sep 16, 2021 11:12 am

Pat, I have that trouble too. I suppose it could stem from beauty products used on face and hair as the perspiration would pass those areas on the way down to the eyes.

Interesting about the feta/mozzarella storage. I do often wonder if I should be pouring the water that mozzarella comes in away but only buy those cheeses in small quantities anyway.

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