Do you ever put together soups or stews…

that consist of groceries you want to eat before they go bad ? It sounds awful but I’ve created some great meals that way…

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helenS · 36-40, F

Food waste is, in my opinion, a "legal crime". More than 40 billion pounds of food are disposed of by supermarkets and grocery stores each year; the remainder is sold to customers who will throw away another 30% of what they purchased.
It's important not to buy more than what you can be sure you/your family will eat. Leftovers can be used to make, for example, pizza.
😇 <== me, in this context

bijouxbroussard · F

@helenS Agreed. This is how I avoid waste, but I food shop once a month due to necessity.

helenS · 36-40, F

@bijouxbroussard Try dried beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas etc.; also pasta and rice, and dry cheese, and, generally, non-perishable food.
Bread may be a problem – you buy bread only once a month??? 😳

bijouxbroussard · F

@helenS Yes, but it goes in the fridge, and some last longer than others. The things you list are all things I keep as standbys.

DrWatson · 70-79, M

@helenS My mother spent the early years of her life in an impoverished town in Italy. The idea of throwing away food was abhorrent to her, even after becoming financially secure in America. And she passed that attitude on to me.

bijouxbroussard · F

@DrWatson My parents were children during the Depression, so they had similar attitudes. Unfortunately, with that was a tendency to horde food, which makes sense when there’s a household full of people (my mother was one of ten kids). I’ve gotten out of the habit of needing to see my cabinets and fridge always full, unless I’m planning a gathering, because it’s just me. 🙂

DrWatson · 70-79, M

@bijouxbroussard My parents also grew up during the depression. I guess that was a double-whammy for my Mom!

My parents did not horde food, but they did horde other things, like toilet paper -- and this was long before Covid!