Pssst. Hey, I’m talking to you! Yes, you…hi. Don’t turn around. I’d like your ear for a moment. Lean in a little closer – I’d like to share a secret with you. Did you know that you and your neighbor and his cousin and her uncle and their brother’s sister’s great-aunt’s grandmother twice removed are all big-time food wasters? This isn’t the time to get defensive – you’re on this site for a reason, right? You want to expand your horizons and make greener lifestyle choices that positively impact our environment, yes? Well, then please read on.
It turns out that you’re rubbing shoulders with millions of people across the nation who cumulatively dispose of 25% to 50% of our country’s food. In other words, our landfills have become the final resting place for food that is estimated to cost $100 billion. That’s right – and this occurs all within the span of just one year.
It doesn’t make much sense, does it? Why should we be up in arms over what is truly trash-worthy (Repurpose this! Recycle that!) and yet not think twice about ditching blemished produce and the still edible remnants of meals past? The concept of using our cast-aways in a practical manner in order to reduce the burden on our landfills can be directly applied to the edibles that emerge from our kitchen.
If you consider yourself a typical American -- it’s okay, many of us do – then you were quite possibly raised with the notion that leftover food is undesirable, unappealing, less-than-fresh or simply not good enough to consume. Here’s a little dose of tough-love for ya -- this is an antiquated and flawed philosophy, particularly if you are sincerely trying to reduce your carbon footprint and make the most of the bountiful resources that you are fortunate enough to have access to.
Why should we get so bummed out about eating Thursday night’s pasta dinner a mere two days later? Is that really a hardship? We are lucky that we live in a world in which we have such great abundance in our lives. Americans are inarguably blessed with the opportunity to eat delicious, wholesome foods on more than just a few special occasions. Instead of muttering a ho-hum, “Oh…..leftovers…” we might reprogram our brains to recognize the happy opportunity that such extra food presents.
The perennial question, “What’s for dinner?” is not only resolved in that case -- there’s the added bonus of having absolutely no prep work, clean-up or additional grocery expenses involved. If you succumb to the food blahs and prefer to consume something different each day, then why not make a habit out of carefully labeling and freezing your leftovers for a rainy day surprise down the road?
The icebox can become a greenies’ best friend, allowing one to stow away a treasure trove of handy dandy edible resources for all conceivable applications down the road. Leftover meals are certainly one area in which we can be less wasteful, but the basic staples that that we use in those meals should be treated no differently.
Just because a recipe calls for less cilantro than we actually have on hand doesn’t mean that the herb can’t take on another incarnation or be pureed and frozen into cilantro ice cubes for later use. If you’ve got ample freezer space and several extra ice cube trays, you can actually freeze a lot more than just leftover herbs. How about saving that extra tomato paste at the bottom of the can, leftover gravy, milk, fresh lemon juice, or over ripe bananas for smoothies next week?
There are infinite ways that we can clear out our refrigerators without flinging the contents into a garbage pail. The following tips merely scratch the surface of what can be done with leftover food:
1. Rather than ditching your broccoli stalks, try using a vegetable peeler to remove the tough exterior and then shred the slightly sweet, nutritive interior into salads, soups, stir fry dishes and pretty much anything that you want to add a healthy crunch to.
2. Old bread isn’t just for bread pudding anymore. Pulse any remaining slices that you have in a food processor to create your own fresh bread crumbs which can be used to coat chicken cutlets, bulk up meatloaf/egg casseroles or freeze for future use.
3. Spare mashed potatoes act as a natural thickening agent in casseroles, stews or cream-based sauces.
4. Guess what? You can actually freeze eggs in the shell!
If you lack the je ne sais quoi necessary to turn a bunch of odds and ends into a cohesive, desirable meal, then rely on the internet for endless inspiration by referencing:
- http://www.whatcanimakewithit.com/
- http://www.leftoverchef.com/
- http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes
Come on Greenwalians, I’m waiting for you to fill in the blanks. Please take a moment to share your leftover-saving-tips and inspired ideas in the comments section below. Do you have an idea that is perhaps a little uncommon but awfully handy nonetheless? Then spit it out!!!
http://agricultureguide.org/leftovers-theyre-not-for-garbage-cans-anymore/
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