Acknowledge your inner tightwad
Whenever I share with someone that I’m frugal, they either try to identify with me by mentioning they sometimes clip coupons ,or they wince or joke like it’s a disease. Errr, last time I checked, I wasn’t getting cooties from pinching pennies, but to each their own. I’m certain that many folks want to make the most of their money. A part of that process is not only making economical choices, but being less wasteful too.
Do you eat leftovers? If so, embrace your inner tightwad. Through the years, I’ve observed how others handle their leftovers. I can’t help myself. Call me curious. OK. I’ll admit that I’m downright nosey. I promise that I’m not your neighborhood foodophile. I’m not peeking in your windows, fridge, trash or anything creepy, but I LOVE food watching.
Perhaps you’ve observed or recognize one or more of the following food personalities:
The Supernaturalist
You’re psychic. You are able to prepare exactly the proper amount of food for your family. You can see it in their eyes first thing in the morning and make accurate predictions for meal time. With your sixth sense, your mental mantra is “I see full people.” Every single morsel is consumed, so there aren’t any leftovers.
The Wizard
You perform amazing magic with leftovers. Leftover potatoes aren’t simply reheated the following day. Oh no! You are masterful at creating ingenious culinary dishes, such as gnocchi and potato souffle. A pinch of eye of newt and a smidgen of frog’s hair. Presto! No one can tell you’ve used your magical powers to take leftover makeovers to the highest gourmet level.
The Hide and Sneak
You’ve got more mystery up your sleeve than Agatha Christie. You once noticed cats take their medication easier when it’s surrounded by tuna and it gave you an AHA moment. Now you sneak leftovers, such as carrots and meatloaf into the spaghetti sauce and are laughing inside as your family claims it’s the best they’ve ever had. As the years pass, you’re getting more daring with your sneakiness. The mystery never ends at your Tudor Mansion. Only you know it was Colonel Mustard, in the kitchen with the food processor.
Eyes Maximus Appetitus Tid-Bittius
You always take more than you can eat. Through the years, others around you have grown accustomed to your ways and nibble off of your plate. They know you can’t finish it! Everyone else is your personal trash can, so you never really have the guilt of wasting your food.
The Doggie Bagger
You’ll bag anything leftover from a restaurant. You’re not fooling anyone. You don’t even own a dog.
The Scientist
You have good intentions. The leftovers make it to the refrigerator, but keep getting shoved aside until they become green, fuzzy lab experiments. Tossing them becomes a project that can fill a trash bag.
The Total Tightwad
You’ll organize a meal plan and freeze some leftovers, so nothing is ever wasted. You devote an evening per week to serve a full buffet of leftovers Aka a smorGASbord. A glimpse into your freezer will show labeled containers and freezer bags. You’ll save the butter wrappers to grease pans and compost any leftovers that can’t be eaten. Company is a bit apprehensive about your mystery casseroles, but no one has ever died from your clean out the fridge meals. You know the rules for Leftovers: 2 Hours (from oven to fridge) 2 Inches (storage container depth) 4 Days (consume food within 4 days or freeze)
The Garbage Disposal
You’ll eat whatever is put in front of you. If there are any leftovers, you’ll eat them later in the evening or for lunch the following day. You’ll risk eating food past expiration and “best by” dates. You’re also known as the sniff tester. You implemented the five second rule for food that has dropped on the floor. Although you and others around you suffer for your ways, you can’t figure out why no one believes it’s the dog or barking spiders.
Occasional Opportunist
You have your limits. You’ll eat foods such as pizza, lasagna, and soup as leftovers. You’re also first in line to indulge in holiday leftovers. Don’t push it with the occasional opportunist or confuse their holiday enthusiasm with them being the garbage disposal. They don’t want holiday leftover green bean casserole or the stuffing your sister inlaw made this year, but bring on the turkey sandwiches.
The Purist
You don’t do leftovers in any way, shape, or form.
I used to be the purist. I’ve come a long way, but if you guess which I am now or ask my husband, I’ll deny it.
As seen in Midland Daily News.
Posted by Sara Noel
on July 4 2007. Filed under Frugal Cooking.Sara Noel owns Frugal Village, LLC and is a nationally syndicated columnist with Universal Uclick. Bio, Follow me on Twitter, Join us on Facebook
Ahh, leftovers. Where would I be without them? I live alone and work full-time, so I love nothing more than to make a HUGE recipe of something I love, stick it in the fridge, and eat it morning, noon and night until it’s gone. My friends complain about having no time or energy to cook after a long day at work, but my supper takes 2.5 minutes in the microwave and the only energy expenditure is carrying it to the table. I have to say, though, I think I know someone from every category on your list. The best is when you get a bunch of them living in the same house…they all think everyone else is crazy.
1I’d like to think that I’m the Total Tightwad, but to be honest, I fit into several categories.
Good post!
2I guess I’d be a mix between the total tightwad and the disposal. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
You asked “Do you eat leftovers?” What I don’t get is how someone could flat-out not.
I enjoyed the post, but think we need to rework the terminology. Instead of using tightwad, why not ‘sensible?’ I’d call the people who don’t eat leftovers wasteful. You nailed this sentiment in the first paragraph. What a strange thing that saving money and being less wasteful is considered odd.
3I honestly fit into several catagories. I have to agree with Jonathan as to how someone could flatout not eat leftovers. However, I know a purist. She does not do leftovers. Whatever is leftover gets thrown away. And she visits the grocery store each and every day to buy her meat. She says it has to be fresh. She never puts it in the freezer. That is strange to me. No way she could ever stock up on a sale item! LOL!
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