wasting food

Does anyone else find it really hard to throw away food? I just ate a small portion of yesterdays leftover fathers day spinach and feta omlette and corned beef hash around 400 calories. My daughter has a plate of it too and won't eat much. It's soooo hard for me to throw hers away and not eat another 400 calories worth. I'm positive that's what helped get me in these pants in the first place. It's so hard for me not to eat my kids left over food. I hate wasting!!

Hey- that omelette sounds good actually! I am the same way so what I usually do is ask my boyfriend to please clear his plate himself- either store them for another day or discard it if there isn't much left because if I do it myself, I will take bites of his leftover food. Otherwise, I just have to remind myself that I don't need the leftovers and that it can wait another day. Good luck!

I hope this isn't too gross to think about, but think of it this way - if you eat that food, it will come out as waste on the other end right?  You don't need all that extra (it's not like you're storing it up for an upcoming famine) and it will just be that much more that you "throw out" of your body later.

I had always felt the same way - I always finished what my kids couldn't eat.  Then one day I realized it was just going to waste all the same - only it was keeping me fat in the process.  Now, if I can't save it for later, I just throw it out.  Try serving smaller portions to begin with - that way there's less to throw out.

Original Post by ohio2112:

I hope this isn't too gross to think about, but think of it this way - if you eat that food, it will come out as waste on the other end right?  You don't need all that extra (it's not like you're storing it up for an upcoming famine) and it will just be that much more that you "throw out" of your body later.

I had always felt the same way - I always finished what my kids couldn't eat.  Then one day I realized it was just going to waste all the same - only it was keeping me fat in the process.  Now, if I can't save it for later, I just throw it out.  Try serving smaller portions to begin with - that way there's less to throw out.

yeah as shameful as wasting is, ohio is right. if you dont need it, it is just another kind of waste. we are programmed to not want to waste food just like our bodies are programmed to want to hold onto fat. its all good if you are starving and need to survive so you dont get sick, but too much will make you sick as well.

I agree 100% with making less food and serving smaller portions.  I know it's unfashionable to encourage children to finish everything on their plates but if you only give them a very small amount they should be able to manage it.   Best to leave people wanting more than having to push food away.   Anyone still hungry at the end can have a piece of fruit or a slice of bread and butter to fill up on.  Same goes for the adults... the fewer leftovers generated, the less compulsion there is to eat that spare piece sitting there winking every time we open the fridge door.  Cooking and serving less is also a good way to reduce the household budget!!

I love this post because I am the same way.

I was raised to never waste and always finish my plate. It just bugs me when people throw away so much food when there are people starving all over the world. Thats also what gets me in trouble with my weight, though.

I've found that when I cook a big amount of food, I'll immediately cut it in half, store it for the following day and with the other half, portion it so that i don't have to cook all day. The same can apply to your family.

I like the thought process that it is waste whether eaten first or not.

Another thought process that I practice is to look at the calories as the "cost" of the food.  I don't want to waste 400 calories on a plate of food that I do not need just like I would not want to waste $4.00 on something that I was not going to use or even worse ... that wouuld do me harm!

So tossing the leftovers is not wasting food, it is saving calories!

Of course, wholehearted agreement with the poster who pointed out that making less to start with is even better!

I look at it the same sort of way too except my saying is:

"It's going to go to waste, or it's going to go to waist, I'd just rather it not be mine!"

I always give my kids a smaller portion than I know they can eat, less likely to have plate leftovers then,  then they can either ask for seconds, or more often than not, they ask for a fruit or a yogurt after instead.

I used to have strong feelings about not wasting food.  I've gotten over it because I realized that eating too much was doing a lot of damage to my body.

Now I think of it like this:  What is more wasteful - throwing out leftovers, or damaging myself?  A co-payment to the doctor costs a lot more than the food I threw out.  The mindset of not "wasting" food is false economy.

Now I just scrape the plates down the garbage disposal and be done with it.  Since I'm cooking for one now, I've also learned how to cook single servings so there are no leftovers at all. 

YES!!  I have this problem.  But my husband won't / doesn't eat left-overs so usually rather than see a whole portion go to waste I will take it to work the next day.  It's not usually the same as an entire meal portion but still, I suppose it means I'm having two "dinners".  *Sigh*  I also find it difficult to get the time to exercise - where on earth does it come from?  Here is my schedule if any one can help:

0615:  Get up, put horses out of boxes into paddock;  Muck out boxes if I have time (not too dark or too wet);

0645-0800:  Let dog out, get breakfast ready, make son's school lunch, get son up, get him organised for school, listen to reading, have coffee, feed cat, feed rabbit, get husband up (if there, shift worker), get son on school bus.

0800:  Drive to work, fast walk 1.0km up to work (hospital). 

0830-1630:  Sit on bum all day typing (oh joy).  30 minutes for lunch not long enough to get to gym or go for decent walk AND eat AND rest eyes and hands

1630:  Fast walk (well, even faster as on way home haha) back 1.0km to car

1700:  Pick son up from after school care, let dog out of run.

1730-1815:  muck out boxes I didn't do in morning, mix horses' feed, get horses in and bed down for night.

1815-1900:  Make dinner, chuck any washing on that needs doing, listen to homework, blah blah

1900-1930:  Eat dinner

1930 - 2130:  Watch favourite programmes; finish clearing up kitchen; eat potato chips with husband and treat food (LOL I KNOW i KNOW!!!) and either have spa or watch some more tele while doing washing, or study.

2230-2300:  Get to bed, sometimes read book for half an hour.  Sleep.

0515:  GRIND BEGINS AGAIN. 

So, if someone can tell me where I can fit in a good hour of fast walking, exercise or whatever, please do.  Bear in mind, currently this IS winter and it is dark or snowing by 5:30-6:00pm and pitch black at 6:00am and only just lightening up about 6:45am now (just had shortest day).  I am considering hiring a DECENT treadmill and getting up on that as we are on country roads and they're rather dangerous with no shoulders.  As this is also winter the horses are turned out - I'm not riding as I can't get any consistency.  I was having a hard out dressage lesson once a week but my instructor passed away suddenly so there is kind of no point right now - same as me, no point in doing 50 sit ups once a week, as there is no consistency.  Weekends are taken up with housework, child minding (son), etc as a rule as husband works shift-work (law enforcement).  He gets to go to the gym, but I don't as I really don't get the time.  He is great with our son but yeah, not as easy for me to get there as our gyms here (small town) don't open until 6 or 7am and shut at 6pm during the week and 5pm on the weekend - fantastic.  Our old town (big city) they were open at 5:00am and closed at 10pm.  One there is 24 hour!!

lucylocket, you're exercising already and just not giving yourself credit for it.

Original Post by lucylocket1966:

1930 - 2130:  Watch favourite programmes; finish clearing up kitchen; eat potato chips with husband and treat food (LOL I KNOW i KNOW!!!) and either have spa or watch some more tele while doing washing, or study.

So, if someone can tell me where I can fit in a good hour of fast walking, exercise or whatever, please do. 

 You could spend one of these two hours doing some exercise, watching TV is not a necessity or you could get a treadmill and watch TV while running ... but really, it sounds like you need some farm hands to help out with the horses (or have your kids help with the cleaning of the barn)

OMGosh you guys - thank you for replying!! 

You're right of course, I could spend one of these hours doing exercise, but WHAT?  If I get a treadmill yes, great, but hubby watches tele with me (when he's home) and so does son (to 8:00 or 8:30pm) so the noise would pee them off.  OK, yes an excuse but a fairly valid one, plus hubby does like to sit WITH me!  Though I could get one and use it when he's NOT at home?  OR get up and use it earlier than 6am *Sigh* just makes my day longer. 

Hmm, what else?  I manage the horses OK (two big and a pony); son is just a bit too small yet to help.  What else?  I know I have a sit-down job but oddly, it's actually exhausting.  Listening to berluddy doctors drone on hour after hour after hour - and sometimes the tapes are hard to hear; blah blah.  Feet hurt from the foot pedal, wrists, hands and shoulders hurt from the typing.  I'm going to a new job soon (4-6 weeks) but in the meantime feel so stink. 

But yes, I think it just helps too to be able to get it out and have empathetic ears

lucylocket, you're exercising already and just not giving yourself credit for it.

Thank you for that - I hadn't thought about it like that?

how about you give your kids less food?

I have 2 goals -- don't overeat, and don't waste food.  To accomplish both takes a plan.  I consider that cooked food in the fridge is like money in the bank if I have a good plan. 

An example would be to roast a whole chicken on Sunday, I have the wings (which I love) he has about 6 ounces of the breast.  Rest goes into fridge.  Day 2 (or 3, depending) I pull all the meat off the bones, freeze the carcass to make chicken stock at my convenience, or straight into the stockpot in the winter if I want to make chicken soup.  Shred the breast meat and make a chicken salad for dinner that night.  Return dark meat to the fridge.  Next day, chop the dark meat up and make a tortilla casserole with tomatoes, onions, salsa, maybe some cheese (depending on how big the chicken was).  Have for dinner, keep leftovers for lunches for the next few days.  This way, I have met both goals, and haven't treated myself like a garbage can, or thrown perfectly good food away, or had to do much cooking for 4 or 5 healthy dinners.

This is probably easier for me, since I don't have kids, but even when I was a kid we were trained to only take what we wanted, and to finish what we took.  I don't ever remembering my mom "finishing up the kids' plates".

I will have to digest (lol no pun intended) your answer when I get home ... I think one of my problems is my husband is also body building so eats almost continually at home, protein shakes, food, chicken , bits and pieces, etc.  Very frustrating as every time I turn around he has food in his mouth!!  Usually stuff I like too!  Son doesn't get too much dinner - left overs aren't huge off his plate.  See I also look at it and say well, two wings wouldn't even touch the sides with me even with veges (and I eat loads of veges).  I do use chicken and so on over 2-3 nights (roast lamb does dinner, sandwiches and curry over a couple of days depending upon size of the leg - home kill, YUM).  I do use the run off to make stock and freeze.  Hubby isn't too keen on soup :( or casseroles :( he's actually quite fussy which pees me off too.  As you can tell, I will eat pretty much anything LOL  though not sure if that's a good thing???)   I am in my 40's so 1930's "depression and war raised" parents taught me to eat EVERYTHING there was and somehow, even putting it on a small plate, just doesn't cut it with my eyes.  Sometimes I think I just have a case of what my grandfather called "little belly big eye"  haha.  Also, bear in mind I have very limited time to cook dinners with my schedule and usually just end up bunging a frozen chook into the crockpot in the morning and slamming veges and/or pasta and veges with it at night. 

Prior to child (children as I also have three stepsons - yes, all boys who are growing and who EAT) and even prior to husband, I was very slim and self maintained largely because I could exercise when I wanted without worrying about rosters, shifts, child care etc.  I love the kids and wouldn't not have them, but sometimes I just CRAVE being child-free for this reason alone.   I get so jealous of single people or childless couples or even those ectomorphs (?) like his ex wife who are bone thin, pop a kiddie or two or three out, and 2-3 days later are back in their hot pants which are smaller than my undies!!!

But I will take on board your advice and thoughts and see how we go!! Maybe I just need to hang out here more often. :)