Food Waste Friday

It's not a good week for food waste at my house.  I had froze a half a loaf of (store bought) bread before I went to MLA, and took it out when I got home.  I ate two pieces and when I went to get some the next time, it was growing some really fabulous specimens of penicillin.  Yesterday I went to get some ricotta cheese to use in a new recipe and found it was growing pink mold.  A quick Google search and asking on Twitter told me pink mold is not the kind you can just scoop off.  So into the trash went the cheese and the bread.

I also discovered some mushrooms I had forgotten about.  I probably could have salvaged them in an omelet or a frittata, but since I left this morning to go see my best friend, they had to go.  I also wasted some fried rice that wasn't very good to begin with and I couldn't bring myself to eat it.

Sigh.  Not a good week.

What did you waste this week?

This post is linked to Food Waste Fridays. 

Food Waste Friday

I didn't have time for a full fridge clean out this week, so I'm thinking that this may not be all of my food waste.  I have a lot of leftovers and a few random vegetables that may or may not still be good.  I guess we'll find out when I get a chance to go through it later today or this week.



I think we can call this week a pretty big failure in terms of food waste. :(

So far I've found some yogurt that had a sell by date of January 31; I'm thinking that it's probably growing some interesting bacteria under the lid.  No telling how I managed not to eat that.  A few spoonfuls of hummus is all that is left in the container, but it's been in there several weeks and developed an interesting (read: gross) smell.  The apples are very upsetting.  I bought those two weeks ago and they're barely passed their date.  I buy these a lot and I've never had them go bad this fast.  Perhaps I got an older bag by mistake?  I hate that I'm throwing out all of them.  Such a waste!

What did you waste this week?

This post is linked Food Waste Friday.

Food Waste Friday

It's been a while since I've done a food waste Friday post, but in that time, I've only had one week where things were really terrible.  I can't remember all that I threw away, but I do remember it being really bad. 

This week wasn't too terrible.  I had some leftover pasta that wasn't enough to make a meal out of and I never got around it eating it as a snack and I lost half of a red onion in the back of the refrigerator.  I meant to cut it up and freeze it, but it got hidden behind something and when I found it this morning it had started to sprout and felt really soft to the touch. 

Other than that, the fridge is looking very empty so I'm pleased!

Did you waste any food this week?

This post is linked to Food Waste Friday.

Food Waste Friday

I knew this was going happen weeks ago.  I just knew that there would be no way I could finish the spinach cream sauce before it went bad.

And I was right.  Sigh.

I really tried my best; incorporating into my menu plans more times than I care to count, but it was like a never ending pasta bowl from Olive Garden.  IT NEVER ENDED. It really should have gone out last week, but since I was at the beach, I didn't actually throw anything out before I left.

So really this counts as two weeks worth of food waste, right?  In that case, I say I did really well.

I also have half of two different onions (a red and a white for those of you who are confused as to why I have 2 onion halves in the first place) sitting around in the fridge.  Can I chop them up and freeze them?  Is there anything special I need to do before I stick them in there?

This post is linked to Food Waste Friday

Food Waste Friday - The Work Edition

I thought this was going to be a no food waste week, until I got to work this morning. 

Hiding underneath the tiny freezer of my doll-sized work refrigerator, were some leftovers from about a month ago.  Good grief.  I didn’t even bother to open the container, just threw it straight into the trash.  Luckily, it was partially frozen from being under the freezer, otherwise who knows what sort of science experiment would have been growing on the pecan-crusted chicken, roasted potatoes, and steamed broccoli.  Yuck.

Other than that, it was a no waste week, thanks in large part to my father coming over for dinner and helping me eat my leftovers!

Did you waste any food this week?

This post is linked to The Frugal Girl.

Food Waste Friday

This is the week of moldy foods at chez Elizabeth.  I found some cheese, stuck way back in the refrigerator that was growing some very nice specimens of penicillin.  I *think* I bought that cheese when I moved into my house.  Two months ago.

Oops.

I also had some grapes that never tasted great to begin with so I kept avoiding them until they were starting to get a little fuzzy.

 

It could have been worse I suppose.  At least I didn't let any leftovers go to waste.  

Did you waste any food this week?  

This post is linked to The Frugal Girl.

Food Waste Friday

Have you entered my “blog-a-versary” giveaway for your chance to win a $25 Barnes and Noble giftcard?  The giveaway ends today at 11:59 PM!

It’s been a while since I’ve done a food waste post.  This is due to several reasons; one, I’ve been hugely swamped at work (thank goodness it should be calming down soon!), two, I haven’t been cooking as much due to being lazy, being too busy, or having too many leftovers, and three, I’ve been a little embarrassed.   

Over the past two weeks I’ve thrown away more food that I ever thought possible.  It was absolutely terrible last week and included me throwing out bread.  BREAD!  I was horrified that I allowed bread to grow moldy.  I guess that’s what you get for thinking one person (who doesn’t eat sandwiches all that often) could go through an entire loaf of bread alone.  Oh well.  Live and learn, I guess.

This week isn’t so bad.  

On the top are some canned artichokes I used in a pasta dish weeks ago and sort of forgot about.  I had planned to make a pizza and then I never got around to it.  They smell a little funny, so it’s time to toss them.  In the bottom container is some leftover dip from a party I threw on Valentine’s Day.  It’s probably still okay, but it’s got sour cream and mayo in it and it’s been in there almost two weeks.  Better to be safe than sorry.  Plus, I’m not going to eat it, so why wait until it starts to smell?

I also have some pizza that I ordered on Sunday night in the fridge.  It still looks and smells okay, but I’m a little unsure.  Does anyone know how long pizza will last in the fridge?  Can I eat it tomorrow or should I throw it out?

What did you waste this week?

This post is linked to The Frugal Girl.

Food Waste Friday

Cooking for one has been a challenge so far.  It’s hard to figure out how much I can actually eat or how many days I’m going to want to eat the leftovers. 

Which is why this week, I’m proud to report…

It’s a no waste week!!

I haven’t had a no waste week since I moved, so I’m super excited!  Yay me!

How did you do this week?  Any food waste?

This post is linked to Food Waste Friday. 

Food Waste Friday

I was so hoping it would be a no-waste week, but I think my expectations on what I can and can’t eat in a week are still a little high.  My fridge is still full of leftovers because of some unplanned lunches (out for a birthday and a drug rep brought lunch to work) and an impromptu movie date with my mom (we saw Country Strong, which I highly recommend).  I still have some lentils leftovers (that’s what’s for lunch), some pasta with spinach cream sauce (that will be my dinner), and I also found some soup from last week hiding in the back this morning.  I haven’t checked it yet, so I may end up having to add it to this week’s food waste. 

Despite having all these leftovers, the only thing I actually have to throw away is the last bit of the lemon vinaigrette.  I made it on Sunday and it just didn’t look right this morning, so down the drain it went.  Hopefully, nothing else will go bad and this can be a fairly light waste week.

How did you do this week?  For more on Food Waste Friday, visit The Frugal Girl.

Food Waste Friday - First Single Girl Edition

I knew that when my mom picked up Chinese takeout for us last Friday night and insisted on leaving me with all the leftovers, some of it would end up in the trash.  There was just no way that one person could eat all that was leftover (note to self: new Chinese place serves massive portions – order less next time!).  But I felt confident that most of it would get eaten so there wouldn’t be too much waste.

Um, wrong.

I never got around to eating any of the leftover Chinese (I blame it on Target having frozen chicken nuggets on sale).  So all of that takeout went into the trash last night.  I did get a picture so I share my shame with you.  

I also threw away some roasted potatoes from last night.  I only cooked one potato but it was way more than I could eat and I don’t like leftover roasted potatoes.  If it was on my plate and it got scraped into the trash, does it count as food waste?

Maybe next week will be better!

This post is linked to Food Waste Friday.

Things I'm Complaining About Today

Sometimes, on twitter (you follow me right?), I list random things that are irritating me today.  But today, I had more to say so I thought that I would list them for you here. 

Because I know you are all so interested in what makes me tick. 

1.      My crappy computer at home.  I have a lovely computer, really I do.  It’s a Dell, purchased in January of 2008 and I’ve only ever had one major hardware problem with it.  So what’s the problem?  It runs on Windows Vista.  And, in case you haven’t heard, Windows Vista is probably the worst operating system ever created.  It slows my computer down so much; even gmail has trouble opening on occasion.  I’ve done everything anyone has suggested to me to help speed it up or make it work better but no such luck.  I’m contemplating getting upgrading to Windows 7.  Thoughts?

2.      Doctors who borrow library books without checking them out.  I know disappearing books is a common problem in any library, but when your collection is only 600ish books, it becomes really noticeable.  Example: a few months ago I ordered this great, newly published book on obesity surgery.  I was very excited to show one of the attending surgeons the book (and its accompanying DVD) and when I went to get it, it was missing from the shelf.  So I checked my circulation system and the stack of cards the patrons sign to check out a book (welcome to a poor library where automated circulation is never going to happen), and no one had checked it out.  Yet the book was missing.  Insert major frustration here.  Any special librarians have any idea on how to prevent this?

3.      Vendors.  Vendors who call when I don’t have time/could care less about the product.  Vendors who don’t return phone calls.  Vendors who show up without notice to pitch something.  Really, just vendors in general.

4.      The fact the BCS trophy is making another round through Alabama Wal-Marts.  I know it’s probably the best place for people to see it and yes, I did stand in line at the Tuscaloosa Wal-Mart last year to see it (don’t judge me), but really?  Wal-Mart?  They couldn’t have found someplace else a little better to show it off?  Thanks for making our state look so awesome.  Again.

5.      Having food waste.  I know my food waste Friday photo for tomorrow is going to be epic and I haven’t even cleaned out my fridge.  It’s hard eliminating food waste without my dad there to eat everything just before it goes bad.

So that ends my complaining session for the day.  How is your day?  Do you have a list of things to complain about?

Food Waste Friday Finally Returns!

Yikes! I haven’t done a Food Waste Friday post in almost a month!  Even though I haven’t posted anything, I haven’t neglected my goal of reducing my family’s food waste.  We did have some holiday leftovers end up in the trash and I accidentally left some leftover ham casserole out of the refrigerator for something like 10 hours so I didn’t think it would be safe to eat. 

But that was last week and the week before that. 

This week, I’m pleased to report…

The last picture from my parent's house...

It’s a no-waste week! Yay! There are some leftovers languishing in the fridge, but I’m pretty sure my dad will take care of them.   

In case you were wondering, Food Waste Friday will continue to make an appearance on my blog when I move (tomorrow!!).  I actually will probably rely on it more than ever to help keep my waste down as living alone tends to yield an awful lot of wasted food.  So look for tips and tricks to prevent waste when living alone in the future!

How did you do this week?  Any food waste?

This post is linked to The Frugal Girl.