Do People Really Throw Away Leftovers?

**staceyy** · 03-08-2006, 11:47 PM

Every now and then I hear of someone who says their family does not like or eat leftovers. So? I never quite understand what they are saying. What happens to the leftovers? I always assumed they were simply saying their family doesn't like leftovers but they eat them anyways. I thought that was the way of the world, but something recently made me think they're saying their family doesn't like leftovers so they throw them away. I can't quite wrap my brain around that one. Are there really people who throw their leftovers away??? I'm being serious here, do people really throw away their leftovers? Do they do this routinely? Please enlighten me.

**frugalfarmwife** · 03-09-2006, 12:46 AM

Horrible thought isn't it? But yes, many do, I know my best friend tends to let any additional food from dinner just sit in the pans, when she gets around to it she either throws it our or gives it to her barn cats and dogs. Now mind you occasionally I do give bits and pieces to the barn cats and dogs, but it's mainly old bread crusts and bits of fat, gristle, etc.

I also know my brother and his wife are horrible about excessive waste, they throw away anything left from dinner, blows my mind

kj

**suzysaver** · 03-09-2006, 12:56 AM

I can't understand this either. My husband doesn't really like leftovers, so I just try to make enough for us ..and a bit more incase he is really hungry. I almost always have a 1/2 c. or 1 c. serving of leftovers..........so this is my breakfast mixed with veggies. How can people waste food? I save everything, I made to many buscuits for dinner..so into the freezer they go...for sunday morning.

**Pepper** · 03-09-2006, 01:26 AM

I always put whatever is left over from supper into the fridge to eat later. However, there are times when it doesn't get eaten and we throw it away...I have no remorse

**rebecca** · 03-09-2006, 03:15 AM

My brother-in-law throws away leftovers. I remember when I went down to visit my sister and her husband for a week her made some delicious steak on the grill and they had about three steaks left and he was going to throw it away. I told him are you nuts. So, I had him put the steak up and for the next three days for lunch I had steak sandwiches. I never throw away any leftovers. Whatever leftovers we have left I take them for lunch the next day. I always joke with my brother-in-law that I wished I lived next store to them. I would never have to buy grocerys since he throws away leftovers.

**Darlene** · 03-09-2006, 07:52 AM

It's sad. I always save leftovers and steak or pork gets turned into stroganoff or other things & sometimes leftovers are just the same but 2 days later. It's a rare thing indeed when something goes bad in the house and has to be thrown away. Don't people know there are starving people in the world? Everything you eat doesn't have to be your fav every time dinner rolls around. Glad I have food to eat. And if you get creative with your leftovers, believe me nobody is suffering.

**NoDebtMom** · 03-09-2006, 09:11 AM

I save most everything. Now, rarely something will get thrown away, probably something that wasn't that good to begin with!

One thing I seem to always toss is the leftover pork chop, it just doesn't leftover well for me.

**FrugalMomof3** · 03-09-2006, 09:25 AM

Well hubby and I will surely eat leftovers but the kids, especially the older son will only eat leftover spaghetti or chicken... they complain rice is too hard (even those its in a closed container).

I try my best to NOT throw away leftovers but I do sometimes, hate to admit it.

**marym** · 03-09-2006, 09:27 AM

I am still adjust to cooking for 2. I had been cooking for 5 for years. I sometimes cook too much so I have lots of leftovers

I use up most of the leftovers, but if something looks or smell a little funky I toss it. I always have potaotes left, it's a good thing we like potato soup

**homesteadmamma** · 03-09-2006, 09:36 AM

Originally posted by Pepper
I always put whatever is left over from supper into the fridge to eat later. However, there are times when it doesn't get eaten and we throw it away...I have no remorse

Same here.

Seldom do we have leftovers though. We 3 adults and 2 teens, there is hardly anything leftover at a meal.

**Shell** · 03-09-2006, 10:15 AM

My husband HATES left-overs but I try to change my left-overs into something different and I don't mention the chicken pot-pie is from a left-over chicken the day before. I don't mention the home-made chicken broth is also a left-over. I don't mention the chinese stir fried rice and ham is a left-over. Then he'll eat it!

guest7 · 03-09-2006, 10:27 AM

I was one of the leftover-thrower-outers.
I remember balking at BIL when he insisted the leftovers get saved and eaten.
Funny, I was just talking to dh yesterday about our food bill last year (prior to smartening up), and it was over $10,000!!

He remember lots of wasted food being thrown away in the trash, garbage disposal and compost bin- before and after dinner.
Not anymore! I eat leftovers for lunch the next day. We get 100% use of the food.

**madhen** · 03-09-2006, 10:34 AM

I don't have leftovers often, because I am cooking for one, and pretty much know how much I want! But I have been guilty of having something leftover and saving it in the fridge, only to forget it is in there! If I don't eat the leftovers within 24 hours, my knowledge of their existence seems to go into some part of my brain that is reserved for unretrievable information!

**AmyBoz** · 03-09-2006, 10:41 AM

My mother tosses leftovers...Dh and I cringe when we see it.

**JustMegan79** · 03-09-2006, 12:01 PM

It is just 2 of us now since Grandaddy passed, and its hard to cook just enough for the two of us, but I usually cook just 1 meal a day, as SO works from 330pm to 200 am, and i eat in the evening and he eats heated up when he gets home, then we usually eat it the next day too. We rarely throw anything out, although last week I made enchilladas and put oo much sauce, and after 2 days it the fridge the last enchallada was soggy and nasty, unsalvageable, so I admit I thre the enchallada away.

But other than the occassional once in a moon thing, we eat what we have.

~~Megan~~